[statecom-discuss] ELAINE BROWN WITHDRAWS FROM GREEN PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

[Mike Heichman]

Hi Statecom:

This is terrible news! I don't know what needs to be done, but I believe 
that we must discusss this.

Mike Heichman


Yarden wrote:

>Begin forwarded message:
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>>From: Elaine Brown <sistereb at bellsouth.net>
>>Date: Fri Dec 28, 2007  5:38:32  PM US/Eastern
>>To: Press Release 12/28/07 <sistereb at bellsouth.net>
>>Subject: ELAINE BROWN WITHDRAWS FROM GREEN PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
>>
>>Elaine Brown
>>139 Altama Connector, No. 107
>>Brunswick, Georgia 31525
>>telephone/facsimile: 912-261-1799
>>email: sistaelaine at gmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>> 
>>For Immediate Release
>>
>>Brunswick, Georgia,
>>December 28, 2007
>> 
>>
>>ELAINE BROWN WITHDRAWS
>>FROM GREEN PARTY PRESIDENTIAL RACE  
>>
>>
>>
>>Renounces Green Party Membership
>>_____________________________
>>
>>
>>
>>OPEN STATEMENT TO THE GREEN PARTY
>>
>>           As of today, I am no longer a candidate for the Green Party 
>>nomination for president of the United States, and I hereby resign 
>>from all affiliation with the Green Party.  I believe the leadership 
>>of the Green Party of the United States has been seized by neo-liberal 
>>men who entrench the Party in internecine antagonisms so as to 
>>compromise its stated principles and frustrate its electoral and other 
>>goals.  They have made it impossible to advance any truly progressive 
>>ideals or objectives under the umbrella of the Green Party, and, thus, 
>>rendered it counterproductive for me to go forward as a Green Party 
>>candidate or member.
>> 
>>            I believe this  small clique that has captured control of 
>>the Party has transformed it into a repository for erstwhile, 
>>disgruntled Democrats, who would violate the Party’s own vision and 
>>sabotage the good will and genuine commitment of the general 
>>membership.  Indeed, these usurpers foster a reactionary agenda, 
>>supporting partisans in and backers of the Bush wars and disavowing 
>>the Party’s more progressive tenets in favor of promoting high-profile 
>>participation in the politics of the establishment.
>> 
>>            This became clear to me almost from the moment I announced 
>>my candidacy in February of 2007.  I intended using my campaign to 
>>bring large numbers of blacks and browns into the Party, particularly 
>>from the hood and the barrio—as would come to be reflected in the 
>>lists of supporters and delegates I’ve submitted in connection with my 
>>candidacy.  As I asserted I would use the respect I enjoyed as a 
>>former leader of the Black Panther Party to do so, some in the 
>>hierarchy seemed utterly fearful of the prospect of a massive influx 
>>of blacks and browns into the Green Party.  Soon, there was wide 
>>circulation of false rumors that I was a one-time “government agent,” 
>>which was intended to discredit my history in the Black Panther Party 
>>so as to undermine my potential influence.—And, since then, I have had 
>>to devote significant time and energy to addressing these lies.—What 
>>this effort revealed, though, was how the Green Party, while 
>>advocating “diversity,” remains dominated by whites.  Indeed, the 
>>Party is able to count less blacks, browns and natives in its 
>>membership than our national population percentages and certainly less 
>>than the Democrats themselves.
>> 
>>            In effect, the present Green Party leadership promotes a 
>>kinder, gentler capitalism, a moderated racism, an 
>>environmentally-sustainable globalism, which I cannot support.  They 
>>are dedicated to the underside of the Party’s platform, which falls 
>>short of repudiating the capitalist state, source of all the social 
>>ills the Party would address.  They equivocate by promoting “an 
>>economic alternative to corporate capitalism and a socialist state,” 
>>advocate a “re-formulation” of the IMF, NAFTA, so forth, and advance 
>>the institution of “stakeholder capitalism.”
>> 
>>            On the other hand, they demonstrate a willingness to 
>>override the best of the Party’s platform.  My sharp criticism of 
>>high-profile Party members’ support for the “three-strikes” crime 
>>laws, the sole basis for the inhumane mass incarceration of people in 
>>the United States, particularly blacks—the repeal of which the Party’s 
>>platform advocates—has been met with outright enmity.  And, to divert 
>>attention from this and other critical issues, the leadership has 
>>employed chicanery in their promulgation of defamatory lies about 
>>me—which they finally extended to character assaults on my supporters 
>>and critics of their unscrupulousness.
>> 
>>            It is my sincere belief that the Green Party as it now 
>>exists has no intention of using the ballot to actualize real social 
>>progress, and will aggressively repel attempts to do so.  To remain in 
>>the fray or in the Party, then, would require a betrayal of my 
>>lifelong and ongoing commitment to serving the interests of black and 
>>other oppressed people by advancing revolutionary change in America.
>>            
>>
>>    
>>
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