About the Green Party
Committed to environmentalism, non-violence, social justice and
grassroots organizing, Greens are renewing democracy without the
support of corporate donors. Greens provide real solutions for
real problems. Whether the issue is universal health care, corporate
globalization, alternative energy, election reform or decent,
living wages for workers, Greens have the courage and independence
necessary to take on the powerful corporate interests.
The Green Party is the third largest party in Humboldt County.
While the Republicans and Democrats are dominated and controlled
by corporate money and special interests, the Green Party represents
an alternative.
The Green Party supports Ten Key Values as the basis for social
change. These values were originally ratified at the Green Party
Convention in Denver, CO, June 2000.
1. GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect
their lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore,
we will work to increase public participation at every level of
government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully
accountable to the people who elect them. We will also work to
create new types of political organizations which expand the process
of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the
decision-making process.
2. SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit
equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment.
We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations,
and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression,
sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny
fair treatment and equal justice under the law.
3. ECOLOGICAL WISDOM
Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are
part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an
ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource
limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable
society which utilizes resources in such a way that future generations
will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation.
To this end we must practice agriculture which replenishes the
soil; move to an energy efficient economy; and live in ways that
respect the integrity of natural systems.
4. NON-VIOLENCE
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s
current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and
eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about
the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for
self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations.
We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies
with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting
personal, community and global peace.
5. DECENTRALIZATION
Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic
injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore,
we support a restructuring of social, political and economic institutions
away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefits
the powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system. Decision-making
should, as much as possible, remain at the individual and local
level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all
citizens.
6. COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable
economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent
standard of living for all people while maintaining a healthy
ecological balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful
work with dignity, while paying a “living wage” which
reflects the real value of a person’s work.
Local communities must look to economic development that assures
protection of the environment and workers’ rights; broad
citizen participation in planning; and enhancement of our “quality
of life.” We support independently owned and operated companies
which are socially responsible, as well as co-operatives and public
enterprises that distribute resources and control to more people
through democratic participation.
7. FEMINISM AND GENDER EQUITY
We have inherited a social system based on male domination of
politics and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural
ethics of domination and control with more cooperative ways of
interacting that respect differences of opinion and gender. Human
values such as equity between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility,
and honesty must be developed with moral conscience. We should
remember that the process that determines our decisions and actions
is just as important as achieving the outcome we want.
8. RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial,
sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the
development of respectful relationships across these lines.
We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be
reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and
we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally
closed out of leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect
for other life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.
9. PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY
We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being
and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social
harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around
the world to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of
the planet.
10. FUTURE FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals.
We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing
of or “unmaking” all waste we create, while developing
a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion
for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term
profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies,
and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who
will inherit the results of our actions.
