[adcom] (More responses to our endorsement) Fwd: CONCERNS

[Colby E. Peterson]

I have argued that our statement would be a PR problem from its  
inception. (I expressed concerns and did not step aside when we made  
the decision.)

Unfortunately for me as Communications Director, I have to deal with  
the consequences of the fact that our opinion of a one-state solution  
in that region is very unpopular to vast majority. I would say that  
this is due to lack of education on the subject, but most people  
believe that Israel and the Palestinian territories should not be  
disassembled or converted into a single country called Palestine.

Additionally, we continue to not say enough about the violence that  
the Palestinians are directly responsible for, which is often  
misconstrued or justified on our side as "self-defense." Many Green- 
Rainbows do not see a distinction between "resistance violence" and  
terrorism. Violence is violence to most Greens and we are supposed to  
be explicitly non-violent.

I'm not interested in getting into a shouting match or argument with  
ANYONE on this right now, so please do not try to convince me that I  
am somehow a racist or uneducated on this subject- frankly, I don't  
even have time to be typing this right now. So please just understand  
that people are upset about our endorsement. Everytime we do  
something based on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, we lose members.  
If we are to keep up the rhetoric, we better start educating people  
on what is happening over there, or else I will be reposting more  
negative messages like the ones we've received.

Peace,
  Colby


On Jun 19, 2006, at 1:50 PM, Owen Broadhurst wrote:

> The GRP has never supported terrorism. I do not yet quite  
> understand, and
> doubt that I shall ever comprehend, how deploring apartheid equates to
> support for terrorism.
>
> OB
>
>
> On 6/19/06, Colby E. Peterson <saphron at verizon.net> wrote:
>>
>> Yet another negative response to our endorsement.
>>
>> - Colby
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>> > From: Tennis Lilly <trhggr at yahoo.com>
>> > Date: June 19, 2006 12:23:46 PM EDT
>> > To: saphron at verizon.net
>> > Subject: CONCERNS
>> >
>> > I have been following the debate over the protests
>> > against Israel. I am deeply concerned that our
>> > endorsement appears to support the New England
>> > Committee to Defend Palestine (www.onepalestine.org)
>> >
>> > Do we really want to align ourselves with such an
>> > organization? This isn't the first time I have brought
>> > this issue up to GRP leadership. I honestly believe
>> > that we (Greens, the left in general) have a real
>> > problem recognizing the anti-semitism in our midst.
>> >
>> > How can we follow the 10 Key Values while supporting
>> > terrorism against innocent people? If terrorism is
>> > wrong its ALWAYS wrong for EVERYONE. If innocent
>> > civilians are not legitimate targets in war then they
>> > are NEVER legitimate targets ANYWHERE by ANYONE.
>> >
>> > I would like someone to clarify exactly what the GRP
>> > position is on the Palestinian/Israeli conflict?
>> >
>> > ~~~\|/~~~~~\|/~~~~~~~~~\|/~~~~~\|/~~~
>> > Tennis W. Lilly
>> > Lawrence Conservation Commission
>> > Lawrence, MA
>> > (508) 451-2967
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Owen R. Broadhurst
> Candidate for State Representative
> Third Hampden District
> http://www.owenbroadhurst.org
> _______________________________________________
> AdCom mailing list
> AdCom at green-rainbow.org
> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/adcom
> To email Administration Committee members: adcom.members AT green- 
> rainbow DOT org