[adcom] Four Negative Responses Received Regarding our Protest Endorsement

[Colby E. Peterson]

Dear AdCom,

I have received these responses to our endorsement of this past  
weekend's endorsement of the protest against the Israel March.

As part of my duty as Communications Director, I am forwarding these  
responses to the list to be made as record. Please note that this one  
endorsement resulted in two members withdrawing their support from  
the party.

Respond as you feel necessary.

Sincerely,
  Colby Peterson, Communications Director


Begin forwarded message:

>
>
> From: Michael Gilbreath
> Date: June 17, 2006 9:06:02 PM EDT
> To: announcements-admin at green-rainbow.org, announcements at green- 
> rainbow.org
> Subject: Re: [GRP-Announcements] Green-Rainbow Party Endorses  
> Protest of "Talk, Rock and Walk with Israel" this Sunday
>
>
> I am and will continue to be a strong supporter (and voter) of  
> green-rainbow.  But I take strong exception to the decision to  
> endorse this protest, especially given the inflammatory language of  
> the flyer.  This is NOT how you build a rainbow coalition.  There  
> are ways to make our case about the government of Israel and it's  
> policies, but the tone and likely direction of this protest will  
> only serve to antagonize and alienate.
>
> J. Michael Gilbreath
> Wayland, MA
>

Begin forwarded message:
>
>
> From: ric
> Date: June 17, 2006 11:08:39 PM EDT
> To: announcements-admin at green-rainbow.org, announcements at green- 
> rainbow.org
> Subject: Re: [GRP-Announcements] Green-Rainbow Party Endorses  
> Protest of "Talk, Rock and Walk with Israel" this Sunday
> Reply-To: ric
>
>
> Please remove my name from your mailing list - I can not support  
> this one sided stance on Israeli Palestinian relations. To support  
> one oppressive corrupt and violent side against the other equally  
> corrupt and violent corporate military regime is unconscionable!  
> This "Green-Rainbow Party Statement on Palestine" is Bull shit!
>
> Ric Hahn
>
Begin forwarded message:

> From: Greg Williams
> Date: June 18, 2006 2:00:18 AM EDT
> To: communications.director at green-rainbow.org,	Greg Williams
> Subject: Protest Israel
>
> While I can agree with the intent, I will not be sending the  
> protest flyer on Israel anywhere.  What kind of political party are  
> we trying to be?  I see nothing in the Green-Rainbow Party  
> Statement that relates to racism, in the Middle East.  Are there  
> not historical links between the People of Palestine and the People  
> of Israel.  As a Black man long engaged in the struggle against  
> racism I don't take up the word lightly, and I feel it is out of  
> context here.
>
> As a Political Party I want us to be taken seriously, we need to  
> set our standards higher.  I believe there has to be accountability  
> on all sides.  The blood of innocents has been spilling for  
> generations on all sides.
>
> I would never know there is any kind of Peace Movement ongoing in  
> the State of Isarel from the leaflet we are asked to support.  Many  
> in Israel have taken risk to support the rights of the People of  
> Palestine.
>
> We should always be trying to reach out to help transform.   
> Nonviolence has its place, and we need to provide leadership. Can  
> the Jewish community in New England be moved? I believe they can,  
> but not with the leaflet we are supporting.
>
> I hope that we as Green-Rainbow people, can make a difference, with  
> serious respectful engagement here at home , where we can (I  
> believe) have a lasting impact.
>
> Engaged in Struggle,
>
>
> Greg Williams
> 85 Child Street
> Jamaica Plain, MA.

> From: "Jeri Gillin"
> Date: June 17, 2006 4:25:02 PM EDT
> To: <office at green-rainbow.org>
> Subject: Protest of Israel
>
>
> I feel that it is necessary for me to withdraw my support of the  
> Green party because of its stance toward Israel. While I am not a  
> Jew who believes that Israel is always right, neither do I believe  
> it is always wrong. Similarly, I don’t believe that, in good  
> conscience, one can deem all Palestinians innocent victims of  
> Israeli racism. This type of simple logic ignores the depth of the  
> problem and thus keeps us from addressing the harder issues that  
> are responsible for the hatred and senseless violence that both  
> sides perpetuate.  As a Jew, I believe that Israel needs to exist.  
> Likewise, I believe that the Palestinians also deserve their own  
> state and that the United States should work to bring both sides  
> together to find a peaceful way to coexist.
>
> While the Green Party platform is congruent with my own values and  
> beliefs, I cannot continue to support an organization that seems to  
> justify the suicide bombings and attacks of the Palestinians while  
> condemning the violence of the Israelis. Why isn’t the party taking  
> a stand against ALL violence in the middle east?
>
> The anti-Semitic overtones of the protest notice are alarming, and  
> have resulted in my feeling that there is no place in this party  
> for moderate Jews like myself. I believe that your stand will  
> result in the alienation of many who are dissatisfied with the  
> Democratic party, but who also now find a disturbing similarity  
> between the Greens and the Christian right.
>
> Jeri Gillin
>
> "In a democracy, we're all responsible for our government's  
> actions, because we're responsible for electing the government.  
> Even if we, the people, don't do anything wrong, we put the  
> wrongdoers in power." Sarah Vowell 	
>
> Jeri Golovin Gillin, Ed.D.
>
>
>