Ecological Wisdom - Grassroots Democracy - Social Justice - Peace/Nonviolence
Huron Valley Greens
Ann Arbor, Michigan 734-663-3555, contact@hvgreens.org

[HVGreens' Blog] [New!--Local Centric Article]

Press Release: Greens Condemns FBI Raid and Murder of Imam Abdullah
Ecological Wisdom * Social Justice Grassroots Democracy * Non-Violence Green Party of Michigan ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ www.MiGreens.org ** News Release ** ** ------------ ** November 2, 2009 For More Information, Contact: ----------------------------- Fred Vitale, state chairperson chair@migreens.org 313-580-4905 Aimee Smith, Media Cmte/GPMI alsmith@hvgreens.org 734-761-9901 Greens Condemns FBI Raid and Murder of Imam Abdullah The Green Party of Michigan (GPMI) offers its condolences to the family of respected community and religious leader, Imam Luqman A. Abdullah. The Green Party of Michigan is joining the call from Imam Abdullah's family and others for an independent investigation into an FBI raid in Dearborn, MI on Oct. 28 that resulted in Imam Abdullah being shot 18 times and left to die. “We condemn this FBI raid and murder of an innocent man," Green Party of Michigan Chair Fred Vatale said. "The FBI fails even today to bring charges of terrorism against the other people arrested. Rather it and the corporate media make wild accusations; their only witnesses unreliable former criminal informants, dependent on the FBI for food and freedom. It appears that the only charges are those associated with petty crime, and even these were instigated by government agents and grinding poverty.” "We are having a hard time believing the FBI claims that this was simply an arrest gone wrong. We are deeply concerned by reports that Imam Abdulluh was left to die from his wounds while an injured police dog was airlifted for medical treatment. Such behavior demonstrates an intent to kill rather than enforce the law," said Derek Grigsby, Detroit Green Party Co-chair. "Given the historical and current antipathy of the FBI towards people of African descent and Muslims, we are left to wonder if the death of Imam Abdullah was not exactly what was intended for that day." "It is the FBI agents and police officers that were engaging in terrorism last Wednesday." said Linda Najar of the Huron Valley Greens. "Why the focus in the FBI complaint on Imam Adbullah's religion when it was not in any way connected to the alleged crimes? I believe this is driven by a need to demonize muslims at home in order to build support for the unpopular wars against muslim countries abroad, the so-called war on terror." Najar adds, "If Imam Abdulluh was angry, I wonder can't we ask why? Or is it the answer to that question that the authorities are really afraid of." # # # created/distributed using donated labor Green Party of Michigan 548 South Main Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 http://www.migreens.org 734-663-3555 GPMI was formed in 1987 to address environmental issues in Michigan politics. Greens are organized in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each state Green Party sets its own goals and creates its own structure, but US Greens agree on Ten Key Values: Ecological Wisdom Grassroots Democracy Social Justice Non-Violence Community Economics Decentralization Feminism Respect for Diversity Personal/Global Responsibility Future Focus/Sustainability
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Join the Huron Valley Greens for a presentation followed by discussion
Monday, March 9, 2009 7:30pm WRAP office 315 Braun Court Ann Arbor, 48104 Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party member Bill Cunningham will present his views on the potential for a Green movement and party today and in the immediate future. Greens see the cascading natural, social and "economic" crises of our time as an interconnected whole, which we may call the Earth Crisis. Faith in unlimited economic growth and technological progress enables the Earth Crisis while posing as its solution. People are likely to feel helpless in this immense Crisis. At the same time there is widespread consciousness of crisis among people in almost every community in our country and around the world. We should see the Green and Indigenous peoples' movements as the potential convergence of a force capable of developing an effective movement of resistance and reconstruction. We can and should prepare ourselves to develop this resistance in our own communities. The first step is to reflect critically on our experiences, formulate feasible political goals, and agree on a common strategy to meet those goals. Bill Cunningham is a Vietnam war draft resister, long time tenant activist, and former Green-Rainbow State Committee member. Huron Valley Greens members have read and discussed a recent article of Bill's that can be downloaded here: <http://hvgreens.org/localcentric.php>
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Boycott & Protest The Batsheva Dance Co.!
7:30 PM Sharp, Saturday February 14, 2009 3:30 PM Sharp, Sunday, February 15, 2009 (Performances start at 8 PM and 4 PM) Power Center, 121 Fletcher (at Huron) UMich-Ann Arbor Please join activists protesting against the Israeli apartheid Batsheva Dance Company in Ann Arbor on the above dates as well as acting in solidarity with activists in, Chicago, Vancouver, and Pittsburgh protesting the same event. This event is a violation of the 2004 Palestinian call to "comprehensively and consistently boycott all Israeli academic and cultural institutions" and the 2005 call of 171 Palestinian civil society organizations for broad boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel. The Batsheva Dance Company is funded by the Israeli government, it has no Arab performers, and is "proud to be considered Israel's leading ambassador." Ohad Naharin, the dance company's director, is an Israeli army veteran and current Israeli soldiers/reservists also belong to the company. We urge you to join us as we nonviolently oppose these performances as part of building a sustained BDS campaign. The HV Greens, Green Party of Michigan and Green Party USA have all passed resolutions supporting boycotts of Israel.
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[Happenings]  [Meetings]  

[Pete For Council]   [Aimee For Congress]   [Ed For UM Regent]  

Also see:
[Green Party of Michigan]

For regular email information about local meetings and issues, just send an email to: hvgreens-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
• Happenings:
  • Greens Nominate Aimee Smith for 15th District Michigan US Congress!
    Visit Aimee's site at: http://hvgreens.org/~aimee/index.php
    
    
  • Greens Nominate Pete Schermerhorn for 3rd Ward City Council!
    Visit Pete's site at: http://hvgreens.org/~pete/index.php
    
    See Pete on the "Town and Gown" segment of Access Ann Arbor, Channel 17 of CTN schedule:
    
    Monday, 9/18 3:30 pm
    Thursday, 9/21 11:00 am
    Tuesday, 9/26 11:00 pm
    
    More replays can be requested by calling CTN at
    769-7422 after this schedule is done.
    

  • Election Reform Forum & Instant Runoff Voting (Require a Majority to Win Elections)
    2006: Huron Valley Greens Endorse Ann Arbor FairVote Coalition's campaign for Instant Runoff Voting in Ann Arbor City Elections.

    In November 1974 Ann Arbor voters approved Instant Runoff Voting for Mayor. Thanks to IRV, the Democratic candidate, Al Wheeler, won despite 11% support for the Human Rights Party candidate. A year later use of IRV was repealed in a very low turnout special election. Greens seek to bring back this much more fair method of voting.
    [IRV History in Ann Arbor]
    In Sept. 2001 Greens and other groups hosted a coalition-building public forum in Ann Arbor on election reform. Speakers from PIRGIM, League of Women Voters, Women Progressive Activists, and others covered all sorts of topics including voters' rights, campaign finance, voting machines, ballot access, and media access. Guest speaker Dan Johnson-Weinberger from the Center for Voting and Democracy educated us about Instant Runoff Voting and how it could be used in Ann Arbor city elections.

  • November 2004 Local Green candidates:
    Nathaniel Damren runs for U of M Board of Regents.
    Elliott Smith for Washtenaw County Commissioner, District 6.
    Donnelly Hadden for Washtenaw County Commissioner, District 7.
    Marc Reichardt for Ann Arbor City Council, Ward 3.
    Keith Agdanowski for Ypsilanti City Council, Ward 3.

  • August 2003, Greens in Ann Arbor Nominate Three for City Council Race
    Largest slate ever for city chapter of Greens
    The City Caucus of the Washtenaw County Green Party nominated three candidates for City Council in Ann Arbor: Rob Haug, 1st Ward; Scott Trudeau, 4th Ward; and Adrianna Buonarroti, 5th Ward.
    [full release & contact info]

  • 2001 City Council Elections: Mike Nowak for City Council
    (Ann Arbor, Ward 4).
    Mike got 32% of the vote. He won in three precincts!
    http://dentdelion.com/council
    734-761-6402, email: mike@dentdelion.com

• Green Party of Michigan email newsletter -- weekly updates on happenings around the state, nation, and world
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Meeting Information (All are welcome at all meetings!)

• Huron Valley Greens meet in Ann Arbor 7:30 - 9:00 pm...
  • 2nd & 4th Mondays (business: current/upcoming projects)
    at the WRAP office on Fourth Ave. near Catherine, Ann Arbor (next to
    Aut Bar, 315 Braun Court, Ann Arbor, 48104).
    
  • Co-Chairs:
    • A. Smith alsmith@hvgreens.org,
    • Vacant contact@hvgreens.org
  • Secretary:
  • S. Wilson stuart@hvgreens.org
  • Treasurer:
  • L. Najar
  • Bylaws of Huron Valley Greens
  • Example Topics:
    
    • Instant Runoff Voting & Proportional Representation
    • Urban Sprawl - saving open spaces & valuable farmland.
    • Social/Environmental Justice, jobs with a living wage.
    • Toxic waste incinerators; nuclear waste...
    • Green purchasing/investing.
    • Etc. (health care, water quality, clean-fuel vehicles, etc.)

Links to Related Sites

• Some Local Links to Related Sites
• All Green Groups & Contacts Around Michigan
• Worldwide Greens Clearinghouse
• Green Party of the United States

• Green Platforms (comments very welcome)...
  
  • Local Platform
  • Green Party of Michigan Platform
  • National Green Party Platform

Huron Valley Greens
548 S Main St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
(Note: This is a mailing address only.)
734-663-3555

Not paid for by any candidate or candidate committee. Labor donated.

http://hvgreens.org
last modified August 21, 2007
Email Comments on Huron Valley Greens web site to: contact@hvgreens.org