Greens alienate moderate left, far left, and people of color. Nader owns OXY.

by PW Monday, Nov. 06, 2000 at 10:04 PM

Tired of Nader the man with 250,000 invested in 7000 of the worst corporate rapists in the world. Tired of a white dominated so-called revolution.Nader is not even on the radar of social change. He just wants matching funds. Where are the voices of the oppressed? Not in the Green party. Whites may see Nader with hope while people of color cringe.

Greens are all ready to give Ralph a permanent salary of matching funds while people accross the country on the left are alienated by this predominantly white Movement following like a religious cult a man who owns 250,000 worth of the Fidelity Magellan fund which includes 7000 of the worst corporate rapists on the planet.

he white and upper class Green leadership have alienated Activists

by Pw 5:36pm Sun Nov 5 '00

Green party has alienated many acrros the country as it has built a predominantly white infrastructure and leadership while being insensitive to those who disagree with them. The campaign almost has taken on the atmosphere of a religious cult. While this may help you build a power base to get matching funds but it also is reducing Greens to the status of Perot. Insignificant. He is a carricature and a joke. We all need to know what the Greens really stand 4.

John your subjective to a high degree here. There have been a plethora of voices from oppressed communities of color stating that the Greens are taking their leadership from whites. In fact, there have been numerous voices on this site, accross the country, in the ghettos, in barrios, and on Native reservations who have repeatedly pointed out that this party has been largely based on college campuses. I don't think the writer was race baiting Ithink you are just another Green who can't hear the truth and are in denial. I have repeatedly seen and heard Greens with my own eyes and ears just wisk aside any attempt to explore the alienation that many people of color are feeling about a party that is visibly accross the country white in leadership on the ground.

I think alot folks feel like they have worked many years to bring about a movement for change that is constant only to watch the Greens empower not the voices of the oppressed but the voices of the priviledged who will disapeer except to build the Greens after the election.Of course their appetites whetted to spend all those matching funds. Party chairs accross the country today are what percentage people of color? What percentage are from oppressed backgrounds? Look I'll be the first to say it is great to see so many new faces interested in such a broad base of issues. But the organization has not come from the bottom by any means.

Furthermore there are many who feel the atmosphere around the camaipn feels more like a religious sect than a serious party. Almost like a floating on air attitude. Sure we have seen Nader drop in here and talk about this local issue or that but after he is gone the supporters are completely focused on Nader. When Nader came to our town all but one person there was white. All of his campaign folks were white.

There are more black people at the top of Pat Buchanans' ticket than the Nader organization! At a time when so many African Americans have dealt with so much why haven't we seen any African American Nader representatives speaking to the networks. For the last two weeks it has been Donahue, Donahue, Donahue. Now there is someone who is in touch with the grass roots? I don't think so.

Crying in Appalaichia highlights what many serious activists have been feeling throughout the campaign. Many are feeling like the campaign took from the grassroots and left nothing behind. Now what will we have? Drilling in Alaska? Cuts in social spending? A Republican Congress and President and Supreme Court. Great?? Who cares?? I really don't care for myself I am down for whatever but many single mothers, low wage workers, and others will feel real pain in their lives. for instance the Democrats are trying to push amnesty for all so-called illegals. Surely you might be able to understand how many latinos might support such a measure strongly. If not you are a racist or just off the path.

Last year the White House supported a ruling that went against coal companies that practice Mountaintop Removal. Surely you might be able to understand that alot of folks would be worried that ruling would be reversed under Bush and their lives would be untenable.

I think that folks just want this election over with. This sludge spill hasn't warranted any attention on the main IMC site? Granted the Palestine situation and the U'wa situation are of paramount importance. Maybe this spill being the worst environmental disaster in the history of the Southeast might warrant a little feature space somewhere? Or is it just happened in a poor region that doesn't deserve the attention as Nader does.?

It seems all you care about what crying in Appalachia said is the part about Nader.Your not very objective. You just see it from your narrow defensive position. Anyone that disagrees is a secret agent for Gore? there is no other possible factor? The only possibility is that they are bad and you are good?

Let us get this straight. Alot of folks seem to be saying not that they are Gore supporters but that they fail to see anything coming from this campaign but a diversion of resources, volunteers, and energy that are much needed now on the ground. Many seem to see nothing of any value coming from this campaign. Except we will have a federally funded voice to whine with through each right wing dominated cycle for years to come. This is a valid perspective that deserves at least your damn objectivity.

Your 5% is not the most important thing to the rest of us. The most important thing to some may be recruitment out of this for the grassroots organizations that actually fight the issues Nader does press conferences around. What happens in four years is just as meaningless as what is happening now in regards to electoral politics.

Lastly, John consider that many folks unlike yourself are really sort of pensive and some even afraid about what wil happen after Tuesday. I myself am pensive. Are you going to denegratge me now? We all just want it over with so we can adjust to whatever fate we will have to be organizing under in the future. Obviously you have nothing to worry about John. So calm down and hear this. alot of folks are just ready to move on.We all nee to be friends after this is over because alledgedly we have common goals and reason we are doing various things to achieve similar goals? We all need to be friends after this is over. On the one hand people that want to vote for Gore are accused of working for Gore and loving it. Others of a more radical bent who aren't for any candidate are loons that need to be out shouting on the corner? Is it possible they are just people who came to a different conclusion than you? Many feel that Nader is basically being funded and pushed by the Republicans from behind the scenes. They are crazy as well I know what your going to say.

I say we are all crazy. How will we make it past Tuesday and make the best out all this for everyone? How are Greens going to actually be an asset on the ground not just during elections. Conversely radicals need to not play more radical than thou with Greens. I think that one valid point as well is that alot of IMC sites have seemed to be Nader sites as much as Fox is a Republican network slant. The front pages of how many IMCs have been about Nader what percentage of the last 6 months? I know in many communities alot of political developments of key importance have been posted but not featured. While stories about Nader abound and abound. It seemed what crying in Apalachia was saying was not about Nader so musch as it was about emphasis and space for events as big or bigger than Naders last speesh in its entirety or his accpetance speech still being posted as the featured story on one IMC. This is this weeks news? Maybe you owe the subject alittle more mulling over before you strike?

WWW.salon.com/politics/feature/2000/10/2...

Original: Greens alienate moderate left, far left, and people of color. Nader owns OXY.