Category: news

Posted on

Kenosha Solidarity Rally/BLM march | NAARPR, FRSO, CPAC …

In response to an email about the NAARPR sponsored rally — said email was forwarded to the https://groups.google.com/d/contactowner/EtWcomm — I decided to go to the Kenosha Solidarity Rally/BLM march at 5pm near at the Municipal blg.

videos

report

Automated cell phone pop up alert at 6:30pm warning us of 7pm Kenosha curfew.

Powerful chanting— on mic and off, good energy, clearly a mix of locals, Milwaukee people, and Chicago people, including Frank Chapman. FRSO banner there, Chapman’s CPAC people there, also NAARPR. Perhaps 130 people?

The (national guard?) pulled up in 3-4 hum-vees/troop carriers at the end of march just before 7pm. One tall thin older white guy positioned himself in from of the convoy — the demonstration organizers artfully defused the situation. These were canvass covered troop carriers with perhaps 4-6 troops per truck — men visible through the open to air back ends. I went home, honoring the impending curfew — the bulk of the crowd seemed to be gathering in front of the Municipal building again.

Many boarded up windows at gas stations, small biz, and major gov blgs. A couple of burned up blgs. Some artful graffiti on the particle board. We had passed a used car lot filled with entirely burned up cars!

My hunch or impression is that Kenosha is damaged and vulnerable. The protestors quieted down as we past the burned out used car lot — sobering. I left there inspired by the effort, unity and young spirit.

As Chapman says:

escalation is getting masses of people out into these streets…
this is no time to slow the rebellion down

troop carrier in Kenosha

Posted on

2019 Green Party Annual National Meeting

The Green Party’s Annual National Meeting for 2019 is scheduled for July 25-28, 2019 in the beautiful, historic coastal city of Salem, Massachusetts.

There will be opportunities for organizing, networking, workshops, and events including:

  • Thursday Special Opening Event
  • Workshops
  • Sightseeing
  • Plenary sessions
  • Fundraiser
  • Networking opportunities
  • Caucus and committee meetings
  • Keynote speakers
  • Anti-oppression training
  • And, much more…

For more information, click on this link.

As the time draws nearer, Greater Milwaukee Green Party will be discussing transportation options (anyone up for a road trip?) and sharing further details.

For now, mark your calendar and consider attending!

We are Green & Growing!

Posted on

Cannabis Referendums Making Progress

Updated: Includes Milwaukee County referendum

Various counties in Wisconsin are working to get cannabis legalization referendums on the November 6th ballot: Dane, La Crosse, Brown, Winnebago, and Rock county.

Dane county approved one step in the Executive committee with a unanimous vote. It will be taken to the next County Board meeting on July 12th.

La Crosse is in the same position (including a transportation funding referendum). They are already working on the wording of the question:

“Should cannabis (marijuana) be legalized in Wisconsin for use by adults 21 years or older, and be taxed and regulated like alcohol?”

Brown County will add an advisory referendum (as opposed to binding), meaning it will merely gauge the opinion of citizens.

Winnebago did not collectively agree to introduce the advisory referendum, but will reconsider it in July.

Rock County is still working on an advisory referendum. It will need to be approved by August 28th to make the November ballot.  They are drafting the question as well:

“Should cannabis be legalized for adult use, taxed and regulated like alcohol, with the proceeds from the taxes used for education, healthcare and infrastructure?”

Marathon County is working on plans for their advisory referendum but is further behind than the counties above.

As reported by TMJ4 in May, a Milwaukee County Board Committee unanimously approved a proposal for an advisory referendum (again, not binding) on the November ballot. This still requires approval by the full board (confusing, right?).

The question proposed would allow citizens 21 or above to “engage in the personal use of marijuana, while also regulating commercial marijuana-related activities, and imposing a tax on the sale of marijuana.”

Notice it does not say “medical”. It says “personal”. As a reminder, TMJ4 mentions that the following states allow recreational cannabis usage: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine.

If you’re in Milwaukee County or nearby, remember to participate in the groups striving to get cannabis on our referendum. Grow the Vote has a meeting July 12th, 7pm, at the Riverwest Public House Cooperative (calendar).

Grow the Vote
Grow the Vote

Let these moments of progress sink in and give you the extra push to help someone else’s cause (or your own). All hope is not lost. The people (you) make change.

Dane Legistar
TMJ4: Milwaukee County Board committee unanimously approves marijuana referendum
Grow the Vote July event
Cannabadger

Posted on

Petitioning Successful

We successfully got two of our candidates onto the ballot for August and November. Michael White is running for Governor, and Tiffany Anderson is joining him as Lieutenant Governor. Unfortunately, Nathan Pelkey (Treasurer) and Brad Karas (Secretary) didn’t make it on the ballot.

Many thanks to each petitioner who helped on this. Special thanks and gratitude to those petitioners who gather hundreds of signatures.

Onward to the campaign!

Dr. Michael White for Governor
Dr. Michael White for Governor
Posted on

News Release: Greater Milwaukee Green Party Stands Against Back 40 Mine

GREATER MILWAUKEE GREEN PARTY STANDS WITH MENOMINEES AGAINST BACK FORTY MINE

The Greater Milwaukee Green Party stands with the Menominee tribe against construction of the Back Forty Mine in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The tribe recently filed suit to prevent the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality from issuing the final wetland permit allowing Aquila Resources to fill Menominee River wetlands to build a large open-pit sulfide mine near Menominee tribal lands.

The tribe’s suit focuses on forcing the federal government to control decisions that could pollute waters that pass through more than one state. The Menominee River forms the border between Upper Michigan and Wisconsin.

Milwaukee County delegate to the Wisconsin Conservation Congress (WCC), and GMGP co-chair Barbara Maniotis said “It’s unnerving to think that the same Michigan government that approved diverting drinking water in Flint from Lake Michigan to the Flint River would be allowed to destroy wetlands for a mine.”

“Wisconsin has had scientists aid in major environmental decisions for a long time,” Maniotis said. “Opening up this mine goes against common sense measures to protect our water system and those long held values of consulting and trusting expert scientists to determine whether or not to move forward on a project that could have massively detrimental effects to our natural resources.”

If approved, the Back Forty mine threatens to leach sulfuric acid into local groundwater and the river.

“The Greater Milwaukee Greens have stood for indigenous treaty rights since its founding in the 1980s,” GMGP co-chair Greg Banks said. “We will continue to fight with them, especially in defense of the environment.”