[Sosfbay-discuss] San Jose - Whatever Happened to "Think Globally, Work Locally" ?

[Tian Harter]

alexcathy at aol.com wrote:

>Whatever happened to that great progressive slogan:
>
> THINK GLOBALLY, WORK LOCALLY
>
>  As I write this the City of San Jose, third largest city in 
>California, 10th largest in the nation, and the so-called Capital of 
>Silicon Valley is in a major political crisis. San Jose Mayor Ron 
>Gonzales has been indicted on six counts of corruption right in the 
>middle of a very hotly contested election.
>
>And yet...
>
>I want to know what Greens think about what is happening here. To date 
>I have not seen or heard a single comment by any of my Northern 
>California Green Party comrades. Instead, I read e-mails about tedious 
>plenary minutiae and, frankly, meaningless resolutions to impeach 
>President Bush.
>
>My personal feelings about this matter with Mayor Gonzales are similar 
>to my feelings about the Clinton impeachment in 1998. Gonzales is a 
>sleaze. But so are his enemies. And his enemies are my enemies. 
>Gonzales is yet another example of one of these pain-in-the-ass "New 
>Democrats" who likes to butter up the perpetually discontented 
>"business community." He is a "Good Latino" with a Spanish surname who 
>doesn't speak Spanish and is appropriately deferential to "Ruling 
>Class" and the "Master Race." So, now the San Jose City Council -- all 
>Democrats -- are making a big show of demanding the resignation of the 
>"New Democrat" mayor over a deal wich they, in fact, approved.
>  
>
I've talked to Mayor Gonzales once in my entire life. I got about
two thirds of the way through my little speech and the guy
ripped my sticker out of my hands and said "that's why I live
downtown." Then he turned away, and has ignored me ever
since. I just can't get excited about defending the guy. He's
too rude for my taste.

>The San Jose story (like the Oakland story and the San Francisco story 
>and the Los Angeles story), is just another example of exactly how and 
>why the 2 corporate parties are leading this nation to perdition.
>  
>
I agree, but on the ground working the crowd in San Jose is
a pleasure to me. I push enough stickers to pay for the light
rail ticket home often enough. That's my idea of working locally.

> * * *
>
>Last night I attended a presentation at Black Oak Books in Berkeley 
>featuring Cindy Sheehan, Paul Rockwell, and Aimee Allison. They are 
>co-authors of a new book titled "Ten Excellent Reasons Not to Join the 
>Military." Cindy Sheehan made the important point that electing 
>Democrats to Congress or even electing a Democratic president in 2008 
>will make no difference unless we challenge the ideology that makes 
>"Bushism" possible.
>
>That was a nice segue for Aimee Allison to crow about how "that's why I 
>am a member of the Green Party."
>
>Aimee Allison is a candidate for the Oakland City Council. Out of a 
>large field she has made it into the runoff election for this fall. She 
>may win.
>  
>
I expect I'll be walking at least a precinct or two for her this fall...

>Think Globally, Work Locally.
>  
>
Amen brother!

-- 
Tian
http://tian.greens.org
Latest change: Added pictures of the MVVP 2500 comemoration.
Another fine Kurt Vonnegut read about the current state or the USA:
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article13659.htm