To Synthesis/Regeneration.

• Author: Fattah, Elizabeth
• Position: Letters - Green Party USA - Letter to the editor

The soul searching going on in the Green Party of the United States (GPUS) over the decisions made during their convention and throughout the 2004 election has touched many people not even directly involved with that party.

Besides the charges of manipulation at the convention, many of the issues raised go to the essence of what the role of a green party should be. The emphasis on running candidates over movement building has been a contentious issue throughout the Greens' history. It was one of the reasons that ASGP (Association of State Green Parties) was formed and later became the GPUS that broke away from the Green Party of the United States of America (GPUSA)

Those who accuse GPUS of playing footsie with the Democrats should not be surprised. In 1999 the German Green Party was in the government when Bill Clinton initiated a war on Yugoslavia. The German Greens violated the key value of nonviolence as they supported entry into the war. GPUSA sharply criticized our own government, the German Greens and the German government. ASGP, on the other hand, refused to criticize the German Greens.

In 2001 when a national leader of GPUSA was prevented from boarding a plane to attend a national Green Party meeting, the party issued a call for solidarity and support from activists including all Greens. GPUS issued a press release siding with the airport police.

What does this tell us about the leadership of GPUS/ASGP now and in the past? It demonstrates that the GPUS leadership is not serious...