STATEMENT FROM THE LOS ANGELES GREENS ON THE

"WAR AGAINST TERRORISM"

The Los Angeles Greens are concerned about the growing fervor for war coming from our elected officials, our media, and many members of the general public. We wish to make our position clear. The violence perpetrated against the United States on September 11 is inexcusable, and the perpetrators of this unconscionable act must be brought to justice. Justice, however, is not a synonym for vengeance, and the Los Angeles Greens, along with Green groups worldwide, affirm a strong commitment to non-violence. If, in our effort to prosecute crime, we resort to the same despicable tactics that terrorists employ against us, then have we defeated the terrorists, or have we instead become terrorists ourselves? We must distinguish ourselves from those who would use scaremongering and outright murder to get what they want. We should never reward the use of violence; nor should we expect a reward through its use.

"The Los Angeles Greens are hopeful that our current Administration will pursue a prudent course of international cooperation, multilateral justice, and respect for the freedoms that make this country great. Thank you for your consideration."

Where do you live, in a cave?

North America is a hell hole!

If you want to take a simplistic approach to "North America," by which I think you actually mean the United States, that's your prerogative. I tend to think that history is more nuanced than to dismiss whole countries (or continents!) or societies as bad, or to wholeheartedly embrace any one of them as good. To do either is probably naive. The United States government has perpetrated many acts of senseless violence within and outside of U.S. borders, and I am ashamed of my government for the atrocities it has committed in my name. In spite of this, however, I still think that there were some sound principles espoused in the Constitution, particularly in the Bill of Rights, and though as a society we have done at best a mediocre job of upholding the rights enumerated there, I nonetheless consider the principles sound, and the result of having them even in theory has resulted in a society more actually free than a host of other governments throughout the world. Maybe you don't believe me, but I assure you, it could be worse.

To call North America a hell-hole sounds more like rhetoric than analysis. True, there is urban blight, rampant poverty, and an increasing tendency toward Gestapo tactics among our many police forces -- but a hell-hole? Have you ever been to a demilitarized zone? There is a big difference.

I appreciate your urge for revolution. There can be little doubt that the current U.S. government is dangerous to the world and to its own citizens, and it needs to go. In time it will. America enforces tremendous imbalance globally, and inevitably such imbalance will not last forever. The pendulum will swing someday. But I have to ask you this: then what? I get really tired of hearing people's cries for revolution when they really don't have any better ideas, or haven't even bothered to consider what would be next. How many heads will you lop off to get it your way? And will you be able to set up a better society that does a better job of distributing resources to the people who need them? I don't doubt that you could, but have you really thought it about it? Have you thought not so much about what kind of world you DON'T want, but about what kind of world you DO want?

The Greens are an electoral political organization. We are trying to get people elected to office who will protect the environment and deliver social justice, particularly to those who typically get no justice at all. I won't apologize to you or anyone for trying to help people through existing structures. If you think you can do more good by tearing all those structures down, be my guest, and good luck to you. But your wish to smash the state doesn't help anybody NOW, doesn't feed anyone NOW, doesn't repeal a bad law, doesn't improve the quality of drinking water, doesn't stop polluters from dumping toxins in my backyard. If you're going to do something to make this a better, more equitable world, then I'm all for it. But don't disparage my efforts to do the same thing.

Don't you get it, man? We're on the same side! Different tactics, but the goal is the same. We have the same enemies: multinational corporations, self-serving autocratic regimes, the military-industrial complex. With such daunting enemies before us, why should we quibble over tactics? You have your way, I have mine. May we all meet in the promised land, or Whatever. Amen.

Your retort is simplistic and short-sighted. Do you know what a hell-hole is? Have you ever seen a demilitarized zone? I grant you that the United States government has been brutal and oppressive, but in a "hell-hole," there are no corner stores stocked with all the stuff I know damn well you and your "revolutionary" cadre enjoy on a regular basis.

America is fucked up and hypocritical, but there are worse options available. To dismiss "North America" (by which I think you really mean the U.S.) as a "hell-hole" is to not really understand what Hell is. If you want to know what it's like to live in a place that really sucks, you can visit the many graveyards to which U.S. foreign policy has contributed and you'll surely find out.

I admire your yen for "revolution," but in the meantime, I am trying to do something to help people NOW, not in some fantastic future in which everything is great. America perpetuates a large global imbalance; this imbalance is temporary, and eventually power will shift back to a more reasonable level of distribution. I will do what I can to insure that that shift occurs with a minimum of bloodshed. I hope you also appreciate the value of human life, and that when you call for "revolution," you think not just about what you DON'T want -- oppressive, autocratic regimes that serve their own greed -- but more about what you DO want, and what you're going to do to make the world BETTER, not just DIFFERENT. Revolution sure sounds great now, but you'd better keep your eyes on the prize, because if you are somehow so deluded that you don't think things could be worse, you're in for a big surprise. Be careful what you wish for.