AN APPEAL TO PROGRESSIVE CALIFORNIANS

from Noam Chomsky, Juan Gonzalez, Gerald Horne, Manning Marable, Michael Parenti, Howard Zinn and many more (see below)

We, the undersigned, urge you to join with us and ACT NOW to support the ballot status of a reinvigorated left voice ? the Peace and Freedom Party. Without P&F there would be no democratic socialist alternative on California?s 2002 ballot.

In July alone, P&F gained 5,000 new registrations. If it is to compete in next year?s election, another 11,000 voters must register with Peace and Freedom by Oct. 2.

We are supporting P&F?s effort because we support the issues it will bring before the public and/or we favor the expansion of the democratic process by including more parties ? and viewpoints ? into the electoral arena.

Most of us believe a left party that expresses the needs of working and poor people, regardless of sexual orientation, especially people of color and women, should be on the ballot to address the issues confronting Californians, such as:

* We need a clear voice that will counter the energy ripoff with a demand for a democratically-run public power agency.

* We need an insistent voice that will demand an end to the prison-industrial complex, repeal of the three-strike law, release of political and economic prisoners, an end to police abuse in our communities and an end to state executions of the poor, and predominately Black and Latino prisoners.

* We need a tireless voice that will speak up for poor and working women and their right to control their own bodies, for their right to raise their children without being forced to work for corporations.

* We need a militant voice that will stand up for workers and their unions against scabs and neoliberal globalization, and for peoples needs not corporate profits.

* We need a caring voice that will fight for free health care, free quality public education, affordable mass transit, a decent rent-controlled home and a basic income for all Californians.

If you currently are not registered to vote or are registered Democrat, Republican or independent, we urge you to register Peace and Freedom and ask your friends and co-workers to register P&F.

You can download a voter registration form at (write in ?Peace and Freedom? in Box 7) or pick up a form at your local library or post office. If you can help support this campaign financially, please send a check to P&F at the address listed below.

We want to thank you for doing your part to extend the democratic process by guaranteeing that this important voice of the left is on the California ballot.

From (partial list*):

Noam Chomsky - Professor, Author



Juan Gonzalez - Journalist

Gerald Horne - Author, Fire This Time: The Watts Uprising & the 1960s"

Manning Marable - Professor, Columbia University

Michael Parenti - Author/lecturer

Howard Zinn - Author, "Peoples? History of the United States"

Paul Banke - former World Boxing Champion

Alan Benjamin - Editor, The Organizer Newspaper

Carl Bloice - California Nurses Association

Ron Daniels - Veteran Social & Political Activist

Manzar Foroohar - Prof., Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

Tonette Garcia - SEIU 250

Ted Glick - IPPN National Coordinaton

Andrea Houtman - AFSCME 800

Robert J. Huot - Prof. Emeritus, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

Nick Jones - former UFW Boycott Director

Janice Jordan - California Coalition for Women Prisoners

Tracy Larkins - Democratic Ends

Jim Lauderdale - SEIU 347

Eric Mann - Director, Labor Community Strategy Center

Yolanda Miranda - Organizer, AFSCME 1108

Bill Mitchell - TV Host

Michael Novick - Author, "White Lies, White Power"

Kwazi Nkrumah - UC-AFT

Enrique Ochoa - Prof., Cal State L.A.

Ed Pearl - founder, Ashgrove Club

Maggie Phair - Socialist Party USA

Gary Phillips - National Writers Union

Gonzalo Santos - Prof., CSU Bakersfield

Dr. Lester Silverman

Jim Smith - Editor, L.A. Labor News

John Van Eyck - SEIU 250

Sue Wheaton - Alliance for Democracy

Sabina Virgo - President, AFSCME 2620

Steve Zeltzer - Labor Video Project

To add your name and organization (for id purposes only)

to the "Appeal," send an email to .

To download a one-page "Appeal to Progressive Californians" in pdf format,

click here: .

Paz y Libertad

Peace & Freedom Organizing Committee

POB 644, Venice CA 90294

310-399-2215 * pfoc@lalabor.org

www.peaceandfreedom.org

Please forward to other appropriate email groups and websites as you see fit.