In commenting, for clarity, I quote the proposal (in caps), then respond.

“SUMMARY: PURPOSE: TO UPDATE LOGO TO BETTER COMMUNICATE GRP VALUES.”
Question: How can a Logo communicate our ten key values better? Wouldn’t this logo’s adoption in place of a rainbow be Queer-phobic? Are we tempted by political expediency to abandon some of our values in appealing to some new voters? Would such expediency cost our integrity?

“IMPLICATIONS: ATTRACT MORE MEMBERS, INCREASE MERCH SALES”
How does a new logo attract more members? How would such increase merch sales? I think this assumes that many potential members fear or hate queerdom, or being associated with queerdom. Is this true? If so, should we change our logo, or strive to better explain the benefits of queer tolerance, and of solidarity across straight-queer lines? Shouldn’t we instead improve our messaging about the universality of our values, and the symbols that represent them, as in the rainbow?

“BACKGROUND: THE CURRENT LOGO WITH THE MULTI-COLORED RAINBOW HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THE PRIDE MOVEMENT, PRESENTING GRP AS HAVING A NARROW SCOPE. “
The rainbow is a symbol of liberation from oppression and respect for diversity for more than just the pride movement, It symbolizes these as well in the monotheistic religions (according to past GRPer Elie Yarden) and within the original Chicago rainbow coalition, the Boston rainbow coalition, and now within the 2nd rainbow coalition. The rainbow is not bound to a narrow scope, and we can convey that to our prospective members.

“THE SUNFLOWER BETTER TIES US TO THE GPUS AND REFLECTS A BROADER AGENDA. “
I think the best way to connect, via logo design, to the GPUS is to use the green diamond background – we have to use some background, so using the green diamond doesn’t cost us any additional complexity or logo space. While the sunflower has been used by past Green candidates’ campaigns, I don’t see it prominently at GP.org now, although I do see a green diamond often. At [https://gpus.org/organizing-tools/rebranding-campaign/] there is a sunflower, but the green diamond predominates. The sunflower element doesn’t communicate much of our key values or agenda to me – how about to you? I looked at all 50 green party state logos that I could find: eleven clearly use a green diamond, while nine use a sunflower or something like it. Let’s indicate being part of GPUS with a green diamond background, not a sunflower symbol, – this will simplify the logo design.

“ ‘GREEN-RAINBOW’ IS CONFUSING WITH RESPECT TO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GPUS AND HIGHLIGHTS ‘RAINBOW’ MORE THAN IS FITTING. “
AS a federation, GPUS consists of many, variosuly named state parties. Inherently there is some confusion in people completely new to a state green party. There is nothing wrong with having ‘Rainbow’ in our name – it reflects our history and our key value of having respect for diversity, and the rainbow connects us with liberation struggles worldwide.
Also, we can not, until we are again a political party (in the eyes of the MA state) change our organization’s name from ‘Green-Rainbow Party’, so retaining some form of a rainbow will also aid those less familiar with GRP with connecting logo and party; the goal of branding. So we should retain our rainbow for clarity and for our values.

“‘MASSGREENS’ WITH SUBTEXT OF ‘GREEN-RAINBOW’ BETTER REFLECTS THE BROADER AGENDA.”
This I agree with, after hearing the good explanation of how ‘MassDems’ describe the MA Democratic party, and “MassGOP’ describes the MA Republican party, so a short ‘MassGreens’ phrase can link to the Green-Rainbow Party well.

I believe the logo designer has responded well to the calls of the GRP membership committee. Can this designer now respond well to the calls of the entire party? I am hopeful.

Statecom members, please keep some form of rainbow in our logo.

Brian Cady
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Testing; test, test.