[Sosfbay-discuss] Memorial for Peter Camejo & MN Article

Wed Nov 26 11:50:22 PST 2008

The article by Sean Maher (four columns with large B&W photo of Nader  
at the podium beneath portrait of a youthful Camejo) appeared in the  
SJ Merc in the obit section.  I clipped a hardcopy for those who  
didn't see it.  I'll bring it to the next general meeting.

When I searched for the SJ Merc page by article title to include its  
text in this email, here's what I got:

San Jose Mercury News (24 ноября 2008) online
San Jose Mercury News - Новости и комментарии от  
Ведомости – PressDisplay. ... Hundreds remember Green Party  
leader · | A balmy December ...
vedomosti.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx?newspaper=san+jose+  
mercury+news&issue=10132008112000000000001001 - Similar pages

[Anything further is in Russian.  Interesting, eh?  I couldn't find  
an English version of the article.]

----------------

Here is another article by Judy Lin that was posted from Sacramento.

Green Party activist Peter
Camejo dies at 68

By JUDY LIN Associated Press Writer

Posted: 09/13/2008 05:05:26 PM PDT
SACRAMENTO—Peter Camejo, a Green Party leader
who was a third-party candidate in three California
gubernatorial elections before becoming Ralph
Nader's running mate in the 2004 presidential race,
died Saturday. He was 68.

Camejo, who had been battling lymphoma, died at
his home in Folsom, a suburb east of Sacramento.

"Peter was a friend, colleague and politically
courageous champion of the downtrodden and
mistreated of the entire Western Hemisphere," Nader
wrote in a statement released Saturday. "Everyone
who met Peter, talked to Peter, worked with Peter, or
argued with Peter, will miss the passing of a great
American."

Camejo ran for the state's top office in 2002, 2003
and 2006, supporting abortion rights, the
legalization of marijuana, universal health care and
a moratorium on the death penalty. Before joining
the Green Party, he also ran for president as the
Socialist Workers Party nominee in 1976.

In 2004, Camejo was independent Nader's vice
presidential pick.

Last month, Camejo, who lost his hair from
chemotherapy, attended the Peace and Freedom Party
convention in Sacramento to endorse Nader's
current bid for the presidency with running mate
Matt Gonzalez.

"Ralph Nader is more than a candidate, he's an
issue," Camejo said in his Aug. 2 speech, adding
that Nader brought true reform, offering an
independent choice to the "ruling party."
Camejo passed away a few days after completing his
autobiography, according to Nader.
Born on New Year's Eve 1939 in New York City,
Camejo, a first-generation Venezuelan-American,
became an activist at an early age, speaking out
against the Vietnam War and for migrant worker
rights. He marched in Selma, Ala., with Martin Luther
King, Jr.
His fiery activism also got him expelled from the
University of California, Berkeley in 1967 for using a
school microphone during a demonstration. A year
later, then-governor Ronald Reagan put him on his
list of the 10 most dangerous people in California
because he was "present at all anti-war
demonstrations."
In 1987, Camejo co-founded Progressive Asset
Management Inc., an Oakland investment firm that
steers its clients' money into socially responsible
funds where he remained its board chairman until
his death. He also served as a board member of
Earth Share, a federation of more than 400
environmental organizations, where he worked to
promote solar energy.
"Peter Camejo was a man of great passion and
boundless compassion for the poor, uninsured
workers and for immigrant workers in their struggle
for justice and legalization," Mike Wyman, a longtime
friend, said in a statement on behalf of the Green
Party of California. "He became a leader in the
environmental justice movement and helped
organized communities of color around
environmental issues that affected them directly."
In January 2007, Camejo announced that doctors
had diagnosed him with cancer after undergoing an
MRI for a swollen spleen.

According to a statement put out by Camejo's family
on a blog that had been updating his condition,
Camejo voluntarily returned home Friday after
undergoing treatment at UC Davis Medical Center in
Sacramento for a reoccurrence of lymphoma.

"Peter's health had declined rapidly over the last two
days due to the aggressiveness of his cancer and
the strength of the drugs used to combat his
disease," according to the family statement. "His wife
was at his side when he passed peacefully this
morning."

Camejo is survived by wife Morella, daughter
Alexandra, son Victor, brothers Antonio, Daniel and
Danny and three grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were under way and that a
public memorial would be arranged later, his family
said.

Best wishes to all for a happy holiday,
Andrea

On Nov 24, 2008, at 7:36 PM, Jim Stauffer wrote:

> It was a long but beautiful memorial. I wasn't the biggest fan of  
> Peter
> Camejo, but I credit him with being a great Gubernatorial candidate  
> for us.
>
> The list of speakers at the 3-1/2 hours service included Ralph  
> Nader, Matt
> Gonzales, Gayle Mclaughlin, Todd Chretien, Donna Warren, Jason  
> Weist (Green
> Mayor in NY), Cindy Sheehan, old friends, family, alies and co- 
> workers.
>
> We learned a lot about Peter's early years, and he led a full and
> accomplished life. Many speaker noted what a source of inspiration  
> he had
> been in their lives.
>
> Peter finished an autobiography just a week before he passed. It  
> will be out
> sometime next year.
>
> Jim
>
>
>
>
> alexcathy at aol.com wrote:
>> Did anyone attend the memorial for Peter Camejo in Berkeley?
>>
>> Tell us about it.
>>
>> Post a link to some good blog posts.
>>
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>> ---
>>
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