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The GPUT Delegates attended the GPUS National Convention
The agenda for the convention in Tulsa, Oklahoma July 21 - 24.

Here is a full report of the convention.

You can also read updates at Green Party of Utah Live Journal Community.

Utah Delegates arrived in Tulsa late Wednesday afternoon, July 20th. We reported to the University of Tulsa campus to assist organizers with preparations for the convention. We first enjoyed dinner with organizers at a local Mexican restaurant located on Historic Route 66, near the campus. After dinner and the next morning before registration, we helped where needed in the organizing room. Here are some photos:
Tulsa, Oklahoma

Buildings on campus

Lynn Serpe, Maya O'Connor (D.C. Statehood), Emily Citkowski (D.C. - GPUS staff),Tom King (Utah), Gwen Wages (Mississippi)

Tom King

Lynn Serpe, Emily Citkowski

Steve Kramer (Maryland), Gwen Wages (Mississippi), and Peggy Lewis (California), walking back from dinner

George Martin (Wisconsin), Betsy Garrold (Maine), Jody Haug (Washington), Peggy Lewis

Donna Werley (Arkansas), Betsy Garrold, Jody Haug

Donna Werley and Jody Haug

Greg Gerrit (Rhode Island)

Deanna Taylor (Utah) and Greg Gerritt

Thursday, July 21
Day 1 of the Green Party Convention

The morning was spent preparing for noon registration and afternoon workshops. Some changes had to be made in workshop/meeting locations because the campus had suffered plumbing problems that resulted in water being shut off.

The Utah Delegation sat in on the Merchandising Committee meeting in the evening. This committee has conference calls every other week. Discussion revolved around what to market and how to market items for sale. A call for assistance was issued to help with the merchandising table during the convention. The Utah Delegation offered to help Friday morning.

Below is a report on the Utah Delegation's workshop on Nuclear Issues.

Here are some photos:

(Left)Steve Kramer (Maryland), Michael (New Mexico), Maya O'Connor (D.C. Statehood), Holly Hart (Iowa) at the registration table. (Right)Greens from all over at registering for the convention.

Utah Workshop on Nuclear Issues

Deanna Taylor (Utah) and Holly Hart (Iowa)

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The Utah Delegation presented this workshop:
The Facts of Nuclear Testing and Waste Transportation - It Affects Us All!
on THursday, July 21, 2005 at 3:30pm

Workshop description

Many Utahns are all-too-painfully acquainted with the deadly legacy that decades of nuclear weapons testing left our nation: Toxic and radioactive waste from nuclear weapons manufacturing Deadly fallout from atmospheric and below-ground testing A lingering mistrust of the government resulting from their assertions that testing would be safe. Workshop participants will receive an overview via a multi-media presentation describing the "safety myths" of nuclear testing and radioactive waste storage and transportation which affects not only Utahns but everyone in our nation. Participants will learn what they and their State Green Parties can do to help in the effort to prevent renewed nuclear testing and place moratoriums on the transportation of nuclear waste.

Much appreciation to HEAL Utah and DONT (Downwinders Against Nuclear Testing) for their assistance in preparing this presentation.

Official Report on Workshop Submitted to the GPUS

The Green Party of Utah presented a workshop on Nuclear Issues entitled:
"The Facts of Nuclear Testing and Waste Transportation - It Affects Us All!"

A power point presentation was featured which included a history of nuclear testing and more recent waste issues. There were displays on nuclear testing and on transportation routes across the country of nuclear waste. The latter display was moved to a table in the main hall during the plenaries for the rest of the meeting. People were genuinely interested and signed up to receive copies of the handouts. A "Things You Can Do" list was also available for Greens to take back to their states.

Attendance was low. About 6 people attended who remained for the entire workshop session. A few people came at the beginning and stayed until the concurrent workshop on Greg Gerritt's book "Green Party Tempest" began, at which time they left to attend that. States in attendance represented were Michigan, Maine, Iowa, Delaware, Washington, Oklahoma and Missippi. Attendees remaind beyond fthe workshop session for an additional half hour of discussion. All attendees were impressed with the presentation. It was suggested by some that the presentation be given again on another day. That did not materialize.

Suggestions for improvement:
- Hold workshops in the same building as the plenaries (or have all the workshops in the same building during the workshop sessions)
- Ask presenters to hold two sessions of their workshop so that folks have a chance to attend (sometimes difficult to choose between workshops)

Tom King, Delegate
Deanna Taylor, Alternate Delegate and Co-Coordinator
Green Party of Utah

Friday, July 22, Day 2-morning

The Utah Delegation assisted with setting up the GPUS merchandising table and table for awhile before attending workshops. There were other groups tabling there as well.

Dean Myerson (Green Institute) and Marc Sanson (Illinois)

The Utah Delegation then attended the workshop entitle "Iraq Revisited", with presenter George Martin of the Wisconsin Green Party.George is also a co-chair of and primary spokesperson for United for Peace and Justice. He is the Executive Director of the 28-year-old Peace Action Wisconsin in Milwaulkee.

George spent 10 days in Baghdad, Iraq in January 2004. He described his experience there. Electricity is turned on for only 3-4 hours per day. The water situation is horrific and there is depleted uranium everywhere as well as malnutrition (25% of children do not get enough to eat). "Reconstruction" is not being done. "They" (Halliburton) want to build **new** services that "they" own.60% of the Iraq population are children and women. The psychological implications are terrible for these kids. "Shock and awe" tactics are used - usually at 4am - bombings, raiding homes, etc. Hundreds of thousands of kids now cannot sleep alone at night. There are only 70 psychologists in Iraq. They only were granted 10% of the money they asked for to treat children and may not have received **any** of that money (at least as of January, 2004).

The housing stock was bombed, so the supply sent down and the demand went up. Rents increased 10 times (example - a $250/month rent increased to $1200 for a 2-3 bedroom apartment). Homelessness is rampant. There are 1/2 million homeless women and children. The schools are consistently dilapidated and looted. (The U.S. encouraged looting of museums and schools as if it would hurt Saddam Hussein.).

The hospitals are in shambles. When the "interim government" took over, all the Bathists were fired. This resulted in 80% unemployment of health care workers. Crime became unmanageable. Men began carrying weapons. The medical equipment became faulty, with 3-4 children to a bed and parents trying to help since there are no nurses.

George and his delegation were able to meet the head of the Iraq Health Department. It became apparent that this individual was in this for politics and to hurt the people, not help them

Gasoline has become an issue. There are 2 hour waits for gas lines. Checkpoints are everywhere and there are no stop lights. Getting around in Baghdad is chaotic.

George's delegation visited with the police chief of Baghdad. He was happy to have received U.S. money for new guns, uniforms, etc. Citizens were told the fear the Iraqi police after dark more than criminals. The police had to be bribed for the contingent's security and safety while they were there.

U.S. Troops conveyed the consistent message of "I want to go home." Soldier suicides increased to 69% in 2004. Depleted Uranium has caused offspring to U.S. soldiers born with deformities. 224 tons of D.U. were dropped in this war alone.

"Home Searches" typically occurred at 4am - just like the "shock and awe" bombing campaign. Doors are blown down and often the male is shot in front of the family's home and left to bleed to death in front of the family while soldiers take 2-3 hours to search the home. After the search, the male is typically bound and taken away. If wounded or dead, the male is dropped off in front of the hospital and the soldiers drive away. Otherwise they male is taken to a detention facility which are all over. Permission to loot these homes during the search was granted. Every piece of jewelry, etc. was taken. Families can file a claim, but nothing is ever done about it.

**The U.S. needs to get out and let the Iraqis handle the insurgents and reconstruction themselves!**

September 24: Anti-War actions all over the country. We need to put pressure on our representatives! We need to continue to expose people who aren't voting for our way. Greens need to take a position on this occupation. The Green Party passed a resolution in 2003 to bring our troops home. The Wisconsin GP is leading the way by pushing for state referendum to bring the troops home.

Greens need to run on **issues**, not celebrity/personality. The Green Party needs to focus on the issue aspect of running candidates!
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The Utah Delegation then attended the state Co-Chairs Meeting at noon. States represented included Florida, New York, Maine, Louisiana, Rhode Island, and Utah. A discussion ensued regarding addressing poor behavior on listservs and possible purges from any national committee due to such behavior. It seemed to be the desire of the group to hold discussions on how to foster appropriate dissent.

Also discussed was the possible implementation of a computer program for folks who live in rural areas and/or are low income and cannot afford to travel to or call in to meetings within their state.

Discussions will continue on the co-chairs listserv.

Friday, July 22, Day 2-afernoon
National Committee Plenary Session

At the time of roll call, there were 36 states present and 12 absent, enough for a quorum.

Below: Steering Committee Members: Marc Sanson (Illinois), Gwen Wages (Mississippi), Maya O'Connor (D.C. Statehood), Steve Kramer (Maryland), Greg Gerritt (Rhode Island, Secretary), Jo Chamberlain (California), and Jake Schneider (Wisconsin, Treasurer)

The plenary began with state and caucus reports from Maine, Utah, Texas, Arkanssas, Illlinois, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Hawaii, and the Lavendar Caucus.

There was a presenation on the Right to Vote Act by Asa Gordon, founder and executive director of the Douglass Institute of Government. This is "an act to enforce the mal-apportionment penaly (MAP) for the denial or abridgment of a citizen's 'right to vote' contined in the second section of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States and for other purposes." Also, "an enforcement act to redress disparate voter disenfranchisement is needed to address the negation of the citizens constitutional right to vote as represeneted in teh retrograde "redemptionist" ruling of the Supreme Court in 'Bush v. Gore'".

Pat LaMarche followed with a presentation on the Left Out Tour, a tour that educates people on homelessness. Pat was scheduled to visit a women's shelter in Tulsa after the convention in Tulsa and by the end of the weekend had collected donated items to take to it.

Following that presentation was a presentation on White Privelege by Lynelle Williams. Committee reports were then given by the various national committees and the projects on which they were working.

Here are some photos of the afternoon:

George Martin (Wisconsin), Facilitator

Tom King(Utah)

Greg Gerritt(Rhode Island, Secretary), conducting roll call

Holly Hart(Iowa), Women's Caucus and Bud Dickinson (California), Facilitator

Brent McMillan(D.C.), Political Director

Lynelle Williams, Diversity Committee

Friday, July 22 - evening social!

The Oklahoma Greens held a "Country Greens Social" at a local park in Tulsa on friday evening for fun and to raise money for the OK Greens. A buffet dinner was catered and served and a raffle was held afterwards for fabulous prizes! Everyone had fun socializing.

Here are photos of the evening:

Saturday, July 23, Day 3- morning plenary of the national committee

This day was perhaps the most dramatic of all. The day began with the attempted "unseating" of the Utah Delegation by Jeff Beardall, an individual who has been claiming to be the "real" Green Party of Utah.
(NOTE: You can read more about this misrepresentation at Ken Sain. Enter "Utah" in the search field and read the replies to the post called "Tulsa: Utah". In addition, you can read other facts at Green Party of Utah. Click on the FAQ link.).

Read the entire accountHere (scroll down to Day 3).

The morning continued with the treasurer's report by Jake Schneider, followed by the Committee Reports of the Ballot Access committee, Merchandising Committee, and Annual National Meeting Committee. All states were urged to recruite members to join the national committees.

Following the reports Peter Camejo and David Cobb were featured speakers.

Camejo spoke to social movements and stated that "we are due for another wave" - and this is already staring in South America. He cited Venezuela as an example and urged Greens to work **with** other groups like the Progressive Democrats on common issues. Camejo also stated that he was considering running for Governor of California in 2006.

Cobb agrees wtih Camejo on the need for social change. Future goals include supporing Green candidates and in 2008 he wants to work hard to support a femail candidate for U.S. President.

Saturday, July 23, Day 3- afternoon plenary of the national committee

The second part of the Saturday afternoon plenary session was dedicated to discussing and voting on proposals 153, 154, and 155 - called the "GDI Proposals". There were many questions and concerns on these proposals. For one, after the delegate packets had already been stuffed with all material recieved, someone showed up just as registration was to begin requesting that a huge pile of packets, containing the proposal texts, be inserted in the packets. These documents contained the old name of the proposals and not the amended ones. Then, just prior to the SAturday plenaries, new updated copies were distributed to everyone. Then, more changes were made during the plenary session. Caucuses were held and groups huddled to discuss their next move.

D.C. then proposed an amendment to the proposals, proposing that a workgroup be established to study the GDI proposals more thoroughly before voting take place on them. This caused the GDI group to caucus for 10 - 15 minutes while the rest of the delegates sat and waited and were entertained by various individuals. The D.C. proposal, as it turns out, was not received well by the GDI members. They stated that it was considered "unfriendly" and "disrespectful" and "violated the process protocol" - this just after the morning session when this same group disrupted the planned agenda for the plenary by requesting that a foreign individual be seated in place of the Utah Delegation, disrupting the session and delaying it by nearly 2 hours

. This session lasted until 7:30 and begain at 1:30pm - 6 hours of questions, clarification, explanation, etc. All three proposals were defeated as such:

153: 32 yes, 60 no, 3 abstain
154: 38 yes, 53 no, 4 abstain
155: 32 yes, 60 no, 3 abstain
Utah voted "no" on all three proposals because of the vagueries in the language and last minute changes that caused confusion. Utah would like to see extractions of these proposals discussed and made into proposals that everyone would agree to.

The D.C. proposal was tabled and will appear on the national voting list.

The text of the original proposals can be seen in entry, Day 3, afternoon, at LIve Journal.

Saturday, July 23, Day 3 - evening
GPUS party in the student center pub of the University of Tulsa. Fun was had by everyone! Here are the photos:

Nan Garrett(Georgia) and Lynn Serpe drawing faces on George W......Dean Myerson (Green Institute) at the piano

Pat LaMarche (Maine) and Gene Hunter (Alabama)~ Bruce Hunter (Texas)

Greg Gerritt (Rhode Island), Dean Myerson, David Cobb ( California), Bill (New Mexico)

Oklahoma Delegates and.....Howard Switzer and Katey Culver (Tennessee) entertaining the crowd.

George Martin (Wisconsin), playing pool, and Scott McLarty (D.C. Statehood) and Holly Hart (Iowa)

Sunday, July 24, Day 4

This day began with some humor. Upon entering the plenary room, The Utah Delegation discovered that their official name plate had been stolen. It was the only name plate missing. See the account at: Live Journal, Day 4.

Before the plenary session, a group photo was taken. Here are some shots:

The plenary session then began with the elections of the CCC and SC and Secretary. Each candidate was permitted an opportunity to speak to the delegation (see list of candidates from Utah Report on Tulsa: Day 3-afternoon, below)

Except for the election of secretary, the voting took place by "STV" (Single Transferrable Voting). This is where the voter ranks his/her choices, the same as in IRV, except the voter leaves blank those names for which he/she does not wish to vote.

STV is designed to protect the majority and minority. Proportional representation is built into it. The numbers are kept sequential and voters are not to skip numbers or draw a line in any space the voter wants blank. The ballots are not exhausted - the blanks actually mean something in STV. This eliminates stragtegic voting so that the voter can vote how he/she feels.

Voting took place via paper ballot. After all voting was complete, the vote counting team and observers went to the media room to count the ballots via an established meticulous process, which also involved recording and tabulating using computer software.

While the votes were being counted, there were strategic planning workgroup sessions. Participants chose from four sessions:

Membership and outreach
Financial and internal issues
Electoral issues
Media/Image/Visibility issues

The Utah Delegation participated in the Membership and Outreach session. Read the workshop session reports at:Live Journal, Day 4.

The plenary session ended with George Martin ended with an energizing rally for support to end the war in Iraq.

Folks went to lunch and many decided to stay until the vote tabulations were completed. The Utah Delegates had to leave to begin the next leg of their vacation. The vote results are published in the entry above this one.
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Here are some other photos:


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