Please join us on Tuesday night, August 12, when the GPSC will host a talk with Sonoma County Supervisorial candidates Rue Furch, Will Pier, Sharon Wright, and Shirlee Zane. The district races to be resolved by runoff election on November 4 are

1st District: Valerie Brown and Will Pier
3rd Distinct: Sharon Wright and Shirlee Zane
5th District: Efren Carrillo and Rue Furch

The candidates will give introductions and answer questions about their position on issues.

The event will take place from 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM at

Finley Park Community Center
Cypress Room
2060 W. College Ave
Santa Rosa 95401
(corner of Stony Point Road and West College Avenue)

The event is free, and everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be served.

Note: the monthly GPSC Business Meeting will be held at 6 PM prior to this event. All Sonoma Greens interested in participating in the business meeting are welcome to attend.

11 AM - 5 PM; FREE (come early, program begins 11 am)

MC: AIMEE ALLISON
KPFA Morning Show host
author of "Army of None"
http://www.aimeeallison.org

SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE
Performance of "Red State" ~ 2:30 pm
"Timely, funny, far-fetched and packed with sharp political barbs." - SF Chronicle
http://www.sfmt.org

DANIEL ELLSBERG
Author of the Pentagon Papers, Anti-war activist ~ 2:00 pm
http://www.ellsberg.net

ANN GRAY BYRD
Sonoma County ACLU, Police Accountability ~ 12:30 pm
http://www.aclusonoma.org

NORMAN SOLOMON Author, co-founder of FAIR, corporate media critic ~ 1:20 pm
http://www.normansolomon.com

JOE WHEELER
Iraq Veterans Against the War. ~ 1:40 pm
http://www.ivaw.org

RICHARD HEINBERG
Peak Oil author, activist ~ 12:10 pm
http://www.richardheinberg.com

PAM TORLIATT
Progressive Mayor of Petaluma ~ 12:00 pm
http://www.cityofpetaluma.net/cclerk/torliatt.html

MICHAEL O'GORMAN Director of Farms Not Arms ~ 12:40 pm
http://www.farmsnotarms.org

KHALIL BENDIB
Political cartoonist, artist, candidate: "Pres in the Fez" ~ 11:15 am
http://www.bendib.com
http://www.studiobendib.com

IMMIGRANT RIGHTS FORUM ~ 12:55 pm
Many Social Justice, Environmental, Labor, and Community Organizations will have Informational tables.

TO RESERVE BOOTH SPACE, call 707.763.8134
$25-$50 sliding scale, $75 for commercial booth
Check to: Petaluma Progressives
P.O. Box 445, Petaluma, CA 94953

Tamales, Rice, Beans, Other Goodies & Drinks Available

Music by: Trio Nuevo Amanecer and Heaven & Earth Cosponsored by the Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County KPFA 94.1FM, kpfa.org

PeaceRoots Alliance

Committee for Immigrant Rights, S.C.

Produced by The Petaluma Progressives,
http://www.ProgressiveFestival.org
707.763.8134

On July 12th, the Green Party nominated former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Hip-Hop activist and journalist Rosa Clemente as presidential and vice presidential contenders on the Green Party ballot line. By doing so the Green Party nominated the first all women-of-color slate to run a national ticket in U.S. history. The campaign has less than two weeks to qualify for federal matching funds for this election cycle.

Speaking at the Green Party convention, Congresswoman McKinney said: "I'm looking forward to what we can build together. Our country has been hijacked and it will take all of us working together, going into places we've never been in order to spread the news that there is a political party that means what it says and does what it means".

To do that, we need your help. Go to www.runcynthiarun.org to get involved. During her acceptance speech at the Convention, Rosa Clemente said: "The Green Party is no longer the alternative, the Green Party is the imperative". You know it's true, help spread the word click here to tell a friend.

Cynthia McKinney speech at the Green Party convention: http://exposureroom.com/members/cseeman.aspx/assets/e257ce0e6da7472c9df4e5f9 532d2a6e/

TELL A FRIEND: click here. PS: The campaign has less than two weeks to qualify for federal matching funds for this election cycle. Go to www.runcynthiarun.org to find out how you can make it happen. Click here to unsubscribe.

Email: office@gp.org
Office: PO Box 57065 Washington, D.C. 20037 202-319-7191
or toll-free (US): 866-41GREEN

Greens warn that antiwar Americans will waste their votes if they vote for Obama, citing his positions on Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and the Middle East

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org
For Immediate Release: Monday, July 28, 2008

Votes for Green nominees McKinney and Clemente will build a permanent alternative to the bipartisan war agenda, say Green Party leaders

WASHINGTON, DC -- Green Party leaders said today that antiwar voters will not get an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by voting for presumed Democratic nominee Barack Obama on Election Day.

Green leaders urged Americans who oppose the wars started by the Bush Administration with bipartisan support in Congress to vote instead for Green nominee Cynthia McKinney, running mate Rosa Clemente, and Green congressional candidates.

"Millions of voters plan to vote for Barack Obama in the hope that he'll bring peace to Iraq and other nations in the region," said Omar N. López, Green candidate for the US House in Illinois (4th District) (http://www.omarlopez2008.org). "But his positions are really 'McCain-Lite' -- he'll continue many of the same belligerent foreign policies as the Bush-Cheney Administration that John McCain would. Mr. Obama supports a larger military in terms of both spending and personnel. We want to stop the US from being the world's bully, and instead fund a peace dividend to deal with the economic, energy, and global warming crises."

"We appeal to voters to take a look at the Green Party's 'Peace Slate' of candidates, with Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente on the Green presidential ticket. A vote for a candidate who doesn't represent your own ideals is a vote wasted," said Mr. López.

Green Party leaders compared the Green antiwar agenda to Barack Obama's positions:

IRAQ
Despite the popular impression that Sen. Obama intends to end the Iraq War, he plans only to reduce troops over a 16-month period. He would maintain an 'under the radar' occupation to protect US interests, which is code for the US and British corporate demand for control over Iraqi oil. (No-bid contracts have already been anounced for ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, and Total.) Sen. Obama promises to shift troops around the region, placing US forces in countries surrounding Iraq.

The Green Party and Green candidates support an immediate and full withdrawal of US troops and military contractors from Iraq, and control over Iraqi oil resources returned to the Iraqi people.
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=37
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=18

AFGHANISTAN
Sen. Obama intends to expand the disastrous US war on Afghanistan, which has already left the country in ruins and continues to destabilize the region.

Greens support full US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, and an internationally cooperative investigation and prosecution of those behind the 9/11 attacks.
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=37
http://gp.org/press/pr_2006_09_11.shtml

ISRAEL-PALESTINE
Sen. Obama has repeatedly promised unqualified and uncritical support for Israel, despite the Israeli government's illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and massive abuses of human rights, including Israel's recent violation of a pledge to the US not to construct new homes in a West Bank settlement
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/24/israelandthepalestinians.middle east).

Greens have called for the withholding of all US assistance, especially billions of dollars in military aid, until Israel reverses its current policies and adheres to international law, human rights protections, and UN directives, including withdrawal from occupied lands and recognition of the Palestinian right of return.
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=61

IRAN
Despite promises of diplomacy, Sen. Obama has signed on to the Bush Administration's threat of a US or US-backed Israeli assault on Iran, even though intelligence confirms that the Iranian government is not using its nuclear power to build weapons.

Greens have warned that an attack on Iran would bring untold consequences, including a greater regional or global conflict, and that the threat itself is an incentive for Iran and other nations to seek a nuclear arsenal. Greens call for an end to such threats, for diplomacy and friendship with Iran, and for an aggressive effort towards regional and global nuclear disarmament, noting the menace posed by Israel's and Pakistan's possession of nuclear weapons.
http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=67
http://www.gp.org/press/pr_2007_10_08.shtml

The Green Party has also urged impeachment and criminal investigation of the Bush-Cheney Administration's numerous abuses of power in launching the Iraq invasion as well as other actions. Barack Obama and the Democratic leadership have rejected all attempts to hold the latter accountable for its crimes.

As US Representative from Georgia in 2006, Cynthia McKinney was the first member of Congress to introduce motions for impeachment.

"Many Obama supporters don't realize that the differences between Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain on foreign policy are actually quite narrow and based on the same assumptions. Both believe that the US has a right to occupy other countries, place political demands on their leaders, and take control of their resources. But other voices are getting frozen out of the debate, including the Green nominees for the White House and Congress, whose campaigns are building America's permanent peace party alternative," said Carol Brouillet, Green candidate for Congress in California's District 14 and founder of the Northern California 9/11 Truth Alliance
(http://www.communitycurrency.org).

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Green candidate database for 2008 and other campaign information: http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml

Green Party News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml

Green Party Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers

Green Party ballot access page http://www.gp.org/2008-elections

Cynthia McKinney/Rosa Clemente 'Power to the People' Campaign for the White House http://www.runcynthiarun.org

NOTE:
- We sometimes include events that may not have been officially endorsed by the GPSC, but may be of interest to local Greens. - To check for new events and schedule changes, visit our home page at http://www.sonomagreenparty.org

12

(Tue) General Business Meeting
6:00-7:00 PM, Finley Park Community Center, Cypress Room
2060 West College Ave., Santa Rosa.
This meeting is held every 2nd Tuesday of the month. 
All interested Greens are welcome to attend!
Info: info_at_sonomagreenparty.org

12

(Tue) Meet and Greet the Candidates for Sonoma Co. Supervisor
7:30 PM - 9:00 PM, Finley Park Community Center, Cypress Room
2060 West College Ave., Santa Rosa
See full description in item #1

28

(Sun) 11th Annual Progressive Festival
Walnut Park, PetalumaSee full description in item #2

PC (Public Communications) WG
Info: http://www.sonomagreenparty.org/pages/gi_pc.shtml
Monthly newsletter submissions: editor_at_sonomagreenparty.org
Contact: info_at_sonomagreenparty.org

Campus Greens - Sonoma State University Chapter
Listserve: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/sonomacampusgreens

PO Box 15073 Santa Rosa, CA 95402
Email: info_at_sonomagreenparty.org
Website: http://www.sonomagreenparty.org

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Note: this list is not sponsored or maintained by the GPSC.