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Massachusetts Green Party Platform Ratified May 23, 1998 …
Tags: affordable housing, campaign finance reform, childcare, democracy, ecological sustainability, economic justice, election law, environmental racism, ethical treatment of animals, green party platform, housing 21, massachusetts, proportional representation, renewable energy, sustainable organic agriculture, toxics reduction, treatment of animals, violence, welfare reform, wilderness,Pages: 25
Language: english
Created: Sat Dec 22 02:16:55 2001
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Massachusetts Green Party Platform
Ratified May 23, 1998
Amended September 22, 2001
Massachusetts Green Party
P.O. Box 1311
Lawrence, MA 01842
http://www.massgreens.org
massgreens@igc.org
Table of Contents
1 Ecological Sustainability _____________ 3 3.3 Multicultural Democracy ___________ 16
1.1 Sustainable Organic Agriculture ______ 3 3.4 Proportional Representation_________ 17
1.2 Renewable Energy __________________ 3 3.5 Campaign Finance Reform (non-existent)
____________________________________ 17
1.3 Recycle Waste______________________ 4
3.6 Election Law Reform_______________ 17
1.4 Clean Air _________________________ 4
3.7 Participatory Culture and Media _____ 18
1.5 Parks and Wilderness _______________ 4
3.8 Non-Violence _____________________ 18
1.6 State Environmental Fund ___________ 5
1.7 Direct Election of DEP Commissioner__ 5
4 Community Based Economics ________ 19
4.1 Economic Justice __________________ 19
1.8 Toxics Reduction ___________________ 5
4.2 Affordable Childcare _______________ 20
1.9 Environmental Racism ______________ 5
4.3 Welfare Reform ___________________ 20
1.10 Wildlife __________________________ 5
4.4 Nutrition _________________________ 20
1.11 Animal Farming___________________ 6
4.5 Affordable Housing ________________ 21
1.12 Ethical Treatment of Animals _______ 6
4.6 Public Finance ____________________ 21
1.13 Transportation ____________________ 7
5 Feminism ________________________ 22
2 Social Justice_______________________ 8
5.1 Elimination of Hierarchy ___________ 22
2.1 Criminal Justice____________________ 8
5.2 Equal Rights for Women____________ 22
2.2 Free and Accurate Public Information _ 9
2.3 Civil Liberties_____________________ 10 6 Decentralization ___________________ 22
2.4 Drugs____________________________ 10 6.1 Human Scale, Human Rights ________ 22
2.5 Civilian Police Review Boards _______ 11 6.2 No Mandates without Money ________ 23
2.6 Indian Treaty Rights _______________ 11 7 Respect for Diversity________________ 23
2.7 Reproductive Rights _______________ 11 7.1 Domestic Partnership ______________ 23
2.8 Workers Rights ___________________ 11 7.2 Personal and Global Responsibility ___ 23
2.9 Human Rights ____________________ 12 7.3 Community-Based Economics _______ 23
2.10 Ending Sexism ___________________ 12 7.4 Non-Intervention __________________ 24
2.11 Dismantling White Racism _________ 12 7.5 Unilateral Disarmament ____________ 24
2.12 Ending Heterosexism______________ 12 7.6 Self Determination _________________ 25
2.13 Health Care _____________________ 13 7.7 Immigration ______________________ 25
2.14 Public Education _________________ 14
2.15 Spirituality and Religious Freedom __ 15
3 Grassroots Democracy ______________ 15
3.1 Participatory Democracy ___________ 15
3.2 Economic Democracy ______________ 16
ˇ Prohibition of large corporate and insurance
1 Ecological Sustainability company ownership of farmland;
As temporary inhabitants of the earth we are not its ˇ Expansion and diversification of family and
owners, but its caretakers. We are charged with the cooperative organic farming;
immense responsibility of stewardship over the ˇ Improving the pay and working conditions of
earth's resources, and with insuring that these farm workers;
resources remain intact to be passed down to future ˇ Promoting cooperative and community-owned
generations. We share this planet with many other food markets as an alternative to chain
species, and have a responsibility to promote supermarkets;
continuing its biological diversity. ˇ Linking farmers cooperatives to consumer
cooperatives;
The Greens believe in preventing pollution. In
ˇ Increasing the diversity and self-reliance of the
contrast, the State of Massachusetts has spent
food and agriculture economy of
millions of dollars attempting to regulate pollution,
Massachusetts;
and handing out permits to pollute.
ˇ Public subsidies of agriculture going to family
Citizens should have the right to enforce the farmers, not corporate ones;
provisions of all environmental legislation, ˇ The use of tax dollars to purchase development
including the right to initiate lawsuits for failure to rights from farmers in order to preserve
comply with statutory and regulatory requirements. agricultural land;
ˇ The banning of the sale of irradiated food in
The Greens strongly support the right of
Massachusetts;
community residents to participate in the decision
ˇ the preservation of agricultural land in
making process related to the cleanup of hazardous
Massachusetts;
waste sites. The Greens advocate ongoing health
ˇ the expansion and improvement of farmers'
monitoring for inactive hazardous waste sites.
markets;
Energy conservation is the most ecologically ˇ the expansion of opportunities for more
sensible, economically sound and immediately people to garden, and education concerning
available energy resource. how to successfully garden organically.
1.1 Sustainable Organic Agriculture 1.2 Renewable Energy
Our energy needs must be met through the
The Greens advocate the use of sustainable,
development and use of energy efficiency
organic agricultural policies.
technologies, conservation, and renewable energy.
We Greens support: The risk of cataclysmic global warming or
ˇ A phase-out in the use of petrochemically- centuries of radioactive contamination is not worth
derived fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, a few additional decades of energy from outmoded
particularly those that contain known or energy sources. The use of fossil fuels and nuclear
suspected carcinogens or mutagens. Pesticide power should be phased out as rapidly as possible
use on farms causes the loss of irreplaceable We Greens support:
topsoil and victimizes farmers by increasing
ˇ a shutdown of all nuclear power plants in
their dependence on chemicals. Massachusetts
Massachusetts now;
should encourage alternatives to controlling
ˇ no storage of radioactive materials in
pests, such as integrated pest management.
Massachusetts (other than what has been
ˇ State and local agencies should be required to
produced here); keep nuclear waste at reactor
establish pesticide reduction policies and
sites;
implement least-toxic, least-impact pest
ˇ energy conservation and efficiency, and clean,
management strategies.
renewable energy sources such as solar-
ˇ Banning the use of Bovine Growth hormone in
hydrogen fuel, solar-electric photovoltaics,
milk production;
solar-thermal electricity, solar heating, small-
scale hydro, wind power, and biofuels, being
given priority over ecologically detrimental and Those who produce garbage should be held
socially irresponsible energy sources (i.e., financially responsible for ensuring its safe
nuclear power, fossils fuels and Hydro- disposal.
Quebec's James Bay project);
We Greens oppose:
ˇ municipal ownership of power systems, saving
local consumers as much as one-third of the ˇ the use of garbage incineration. Close and ban
cost of electricity; trash incinerators;
ˇ electric and gas utilities being required to ˇ the use of mixed waste co-composting, since
provide financial assistance to residential and the end product is often contaminated with
agricultural customers who install solar and toxics, plastics, metals, and other contaminants.
wind equipment; We Greens support:
ˇ conversion of at least 10% of the ˇ a move toward total recycling through
Commonwealth's vehicle fleet to non-polluting reduction of non-recyclable wastes, composting
vehicles, such as electric or solar-hydrogen organic wastes, and increasing the reuse and
combustion by 2003. The state should also recycling of other materials.
equip a percentage of their parking spaces with ˇ a solid waste program based on promoting
recharging outlets for use by state employees waste reduction (such as the Commonwealth's
who commute to work in electric vehicles; Environmentally Sound Packaging Act and the
ˇ full U.S. implementation of the Kyoto protocol German packaging law), re-use of materials,
and the reorientation of Massachusetts energy and comprehensive recycling and green
policies to comply with the intent of that composting of only food and yard waste, with
protocol; the residue to be placed in small,
ˇ requiring new construction to include environmentally secure landfills.
renewable sources of energy, such as solar
power, and greater energy conservation 1.4 Clean Air
measures; The Greens support implementation of the federal
ˇ conversion of military research labs to research Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 by means of
into alternative energy and energy efficiency, the method chosen by the Commonwealth's
including graduate and post-graduate retraining Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
of research personnel at public expense; including:
ˇ following California's lead and have state
agencies reduce energy consumption by 20% ˇ requiring a fee of at least $40 per ton for
by the year 2003. stationary source emissions. All projects that
We oppose: have not received permits by Nov 15, 1992
should be required to comply with the new
ˇ The Bush administration's planned expansion offset rules;
of the use of coal and nuclear energy; ˇ adoption of Transportation Control Measures
ˇ Oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife which would permit preferential parking for
Refuge; multiple occupancy vehicles and alternative
ˇ Subsidies or tax breaks for the automobile, oil, transportation initiatives (e.g., mass transit and
gas, coal and nuclear industries with the bicycle commuting programs); and requiring
exception of programs to assist them with manufacturers to warranty emission control
conversion and retraining, and with safety and systems with the Commonwealth having the
environmental mitigation measures. power to require manufacturers to recall
ˇ Military intervention or deployment in the vehicles with faulty emission systems and make
Mideast, Central and South America, or all required repairs at no cost to the consumer.
elsewhere, to secure energy reserves.
1.5 Parks and Wilderness
1.3 Recycle Waste
Massachusetts must do more to protect our few
remaining wilderness areas. Wilderness areas
maintain habitat for endangered species and other
plants and animals, help clean the air and reduce We Greens support:
global warming, protect against erosion and
ˇ a ban on the dumping of cancer-causing
flooding, help preserve water quality, and are
chemicals into our drinking water.
important to the emotional well-being of human
ˇ a comprehensive Toxic Use Reduction
society, to name a few of their benefits.
program for all Massachusetts waste generators,
We Greens support: along with strict timetables for testing and
permanent cleanups of hazardous, radioactive,
ˇ expanding existing forest preserves through
and industrial waste dumps.
purchases of conservation easements and
ˇ a fund for conversion from polluting
acquisition of land in order to preserve
technologies towards sustainable technologies;
ecologically sensitive areas;
ˇ increased efforts to protect all residents from
ˇ the establishment of at least 300 foot setbacks
lead poisoning, especially children and
from shorelines for all future construction in
communities of color, both populations
wilderness areas;
disproportionately at risk of lead poisoning.
ˇ a ban on all logging and development in old
growth forest; 1.9 Environmental Racism
ˇ a ban on the laying of fiber optics through We Greens oppose the present practice of routinely
wilderness and parklands; siting environmentally polluting facilities in
ˇ a ban on building highways through or near communities of color and in other traditionally
wilderness and parklands; disenfranchised communities. The Greens support
ˇ a two-year action plan to identify and research legislation to end this practice.
all endangered landscapes and allocate state
resources to acquire them; 1.10 Wildlife
ˇ the creation of a Working Farm and Forest
fund to provide property tax abatements to Our continuing destruction of animal habitats
landowners who pledge not to develop their threatens an ever-growing number of species with
property; extinction. This not only deprives these species of
ˇ property tax abatements or other tax relief for their existence, but will deprive future human
landowners who open their lands to free public generations of the enrichment of having these
use, even on a seasonal basis. species on the Earth. As Greens, we believe that
humanity should share the planet with all other
1.6 State Environmental Fund species.
The Greens advocate the creation of a State For this reason, we emphasize the importance of
Environmental Fund to provide public funds for protecting endangered species and their habitats.
environmental initiatives such as recycling, All policies concerning human settlement, food,
municipal parks and historical preservation, energy, natural resources, water (fresh and salt),
closure of polluting landfills, construction of local coastal development and industrialization should
water and sewage treatment plants, and be formulated to prevent further disruption of the
preservation of open spaces, wetlands and non-human ecosystems' ability to maintain itself.
wilderness areas. The Greens support using
unclaimed deposits from beverage containers for We Greens support:
environmental programs. ˇ ensuring the protection of native animals and
plants in their natural surroundings;
1.7 Direct Election of DEP Commissioner ˇ sponsoring and re-establishing habitats for
The Greens support the direct election of the wildlife, instead of practicing game species
Commissioner of the Commonwealth's Department management for maximum sustainable yields;
of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DEP is ˇ reintroducing native species to areas from
presently doing an inadequate job of protecting the which they have been eradicated;
Commonwealth's environment. ˇ eliminating predator control on public lands
and reintroducing native predators where they
1.8 Toxics Reduction would contribute to a viable ecosystem;
ˇ stopping any further drainage of wetlands and ˇ phasing out of all inorganic and nonplant-
any further development of shore areas; based animal feed;
ˇ strengthening the Endangered Species Act as ˇ regulation of the domestic transportation and
has been recommended by the National slaughter of animals to insure humane
Academy of Science; treatment.
ˇ an end to overfishing of our ocean waters.
1.12 Ethical Treatment of Animals
1.11 Animal Farming As Greens we replace the traditional western belief
The factory farming of animals is an extremely that our species is the center of creation, and that
cruel, polluting and unhealthy form of agriculture. other life forms exist only for our use and
Animals are kept in overcrowded, unnatural and enjoyment, with an ethic that reveres all life. We
unsanitary conditions, causing severe physical and don't believe that our species has a right to exploit
psychological suffering. These conditions in turn and inflict violence on other creatures simply
promote the spread of livestock diseases, which not because we have the desire and power to do so.
only add to the suffering of the animals, but may Our ethic upholds not only the value of biological
sometimes affect the health of the food supply diversity, and the integrity and continuity of
either directly through animal pathogens that can species, but also the value of individual lives and
cause human illness, or indirectly through the the interest of individual animals.
generalized use of antibiotics which develops
Throughout history, humanity has exploited other
resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria. Moreover,
animal species with enormous brutality. We have
American consumption of large amounts of animal
rationalized this through the belief that the rest of
products contributes to much of our society's
creation has been placed here only for our benefit.
cancer, heart disease and other degenerative
diseases. For too long our society has accepted the medical
establishment's claim that animal experimentation
Current animal farming is wasteful and
is necessary, but a lot of evidence shows that not
environmentally destructive. More than half of the
only do alternative testing methods exist but they
water used for all purposes and 80% of all the
might, in fact, be safer and more effective in
grain grown in the U.S. is consumed by livestock.
promoting human health. Animal experimentation
Animal farming is a major contributor to water
is an unnecessary and ineffective, and
pollution and the greenhouse effect through the
inappropriate research method that must be
vast amounts of animal waste and methane
terminated.
released into the environment. Grazing on public
lands - so called "welfare ranching" because it is We Greens support:
largely subsidized by taxpayers- is causing serious ˇ an end to all animal experimentation, including
damage to ecosystems throughout the Western within the military;
states. ˇ a ban on cosmetic and product testing on
We Greens seek to end the inhumane subjugation, animals;
manipulation, and abuse of animals in husbandry ˇ a ban on body gripping traps and the hounding
and the waste and environmental destruction of of bear and bobcat, and reform of the Fisheries
current animal farming. and Wildlife Board;
ˇ re-channeling the billions of dollars disbursed
Therefore, we Greens support:
annually by the National Institutes of Health for
ˇ prohibition of inhumane treatment of food animal experiments into direct health care,
animals and the routine use of hormones, preventive medicine and biomedical research
antibiotics, other chemicals, and genetically using non-animal procedures such as clinical,
engineered compounds like BGH for cows; epidemiological and cell culture research.
ˇ a ban on the genetic manipulation of farm ˇ immediately outlawing the use of animals for
animals, other than through conventional consumer product testing, tobacco and alcohol
breeding; testing, psychological testing, classroom
demonstrations and dissections, weapons planning should generally disfavor expanded use
development and other military programs; of the automobile and instead favor lower impact
ˇ mandating the clear labeling of products to tell public transit (including trains, subways, trolleys,
whether they have been tested on animals and electric buses, and ferries), bicycling and walking.
whether they contain any animal products or Long-distance transportation planning should
by-products; generally disfavor expanded use of the airplane
ˇ establishing procedures to develop greater and instead favor lower impact transportation such
public scrutiny of all animal research. The areas as trains.
to be controlled should include the welfare of
Excessive increases in transportation burden
laboratory animals and a halt to wasteful public
society with countless environmental, energy and
funding of unnecessary research, such as
social costs. Highway accident deaths and injuries,
duplicative experiments;
the potential loss of wilderness to oil drilling, road
ˇ immediately ending the abuse of animals,
kill of hundreds of thousands of animals,
including farm animals, and strengthening our
misplaced public investment in Big Dig type
enforcement of existing laws;
projects, neighborhoods sacrificed to airport
ˇ immediately outlawing all commercial fur
expansion, the lengthening of the workday in
ranching and trapping and the use of goods
isolating commutes, and the spread of disease and
produced from exotic or endangered animals;
invasive species during international shipment of
ˇ prohibition of large-scale commercial breeding
food, to name but a few "hidden" transportation
facilities, such as "puppy mills," because of the
costs. These costs have not been adequately
massive suffering, overpopulation and ill health
accounted for in political decision-making and
such facilities produce;
social and economic planning. We Greens will
ˇ state and municipal governments subsidization
seek means to change land use and development
of spay and neuter clinics to combat the ever
patterns, and the distribution of economic
worsening pet overpopulation problem which
activities, to reduce the need for transportation, and
results in the killing of millions of animals
to use the lowest impact means of transport for the
every year. Where unwanted companion
transportation actually needed or desirable.
animals are being killed in shelters, we
advocate mandatory spay and neuter laws; We Greens support:
ˇ banning the exploitation of animals in ˇ halting the expansion of our road network;
entertainment and sports, such as dog and horse ˇ expanded investment in the Massachusetts
racing, dog and cock fighting, fox hunting, hare public transportation system, to make it first in
coursing, rodeos, circuses and other such the nation and the world, including
spectacles; development of an Urban Ring subway/rail and
ˇ increased funding to expand animal shelters, to the North/South Rail Link in Boston, and a high
curtail the use of killing of animals in shelters; speed rail link between Boston, Worcester,
ˇ innovative programs such as bringing Springfield and other Massachusetts cities;
unwanted pets to nursing homes and battered ˇ giving priority to the development of public
family shelters as a substitute for their killing in transportation that links underserved
shelters; neighborhoods with areas offering employment,
ˇ state and municipal government subsidization services, education or commerce;
of neutering and spaying programs; ˇ requiring that transit agencies make their
ˇ a ban on all state and private-run classroom documents public, to allow for open review and
dissection of live animals. prevent racial and economic discrimination;
1.13 Transportation ˇ a phased increase in the gas tax to reflect the
true costs of driving and to fund public
Our over-reliance on the automobile is fiscally,
transportation, bikeways, and other lower-
socially and environmentally destructive. The
impact improvements to our transportation
automobile is a cause of urban sprawl, air and
system;
noise pollution, social isolation and economic
hardship. Local and regional transportation
ˇ redesigning streetscapes to emphasize traffic vision of authentic justice includes preventing
calming (slowing vehicle movement in crime at its root by reducing social and economic
pedestrian areas), pedestrian access, bicycle inequalities, and by eliminating the cultural
lanes and access, dedicated public transit lanes, acceptance of violence and exploitation. For the
and HOV lanes; Greens, a key goal of criminal justice reform is the
ˇ changing zoning laws and public construction uprooting of the racist effects of a criminal justice
subsidies to encourage development near mass system which disproportionately sentences,
transit; imprisons and executes persons of color,
ˇ building an integrated network of bicycle lanes particularly young black men. Thus a Green
and paths within and between all Massachusetts criminal justice policy is one aspect of a larger
towns, with plentiful bike racks; vision of authentic justice for all people.
ˇ promoting car sharing as an option for
residents across the Commonwealth; Community policing
ˇ tax credits and other incentives to encourage Crime prevention is best done when the
the use of zero-emission vehicles; community and law enforcement professionals can
ˇ interim research into zero emission vehicles work together in a spirit of mutual trust and
such as electric cars in the context of a steady respect. We Greens therefore support:
reduction in the use of cars for transportation;
ˇ actually implementing Clinton and Gore's ˇ community policing approaches;
1992 false promise to increase Corporate ˇ establishment of civilian police review boards
Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards for with a direct role in the development of policy
vehicles to 40 miles per gallon, and 45 miles and the reviewing complaints about police
per gallon by 2015; conduct;
ˇ an end to the racist practice in Boston of ˇ the election of such civilian police review
running the oldest and most polluting city boards, and providing them with subpoena
busses through neighborhoods with high powers and career-track professional
populations of persons of color." investigators with no ties to the police
department;
2 Social Justice ˇ the protection of the due process rights of both
All persons deserve fair and equal access to civil civilians and officers, with civilian police
and social justice, and have the rights to share in review boards having authority to impose
the fruits of our society. It is our aim to remove sanctions on police officers who violate citizens
any and all impediments to attaining civic or social rights.
justice. Gun control
We recognize that it is not sufficient simply to We Greens support:
remove impediments to social justice. We
ˇ - enacting and enforcing strong hand gun
recognize that simply allowing equal access to
control laws and other restrictions on the use
social justice does not guarantee that each
and ownership of guns, including waiting
individual or group will have the desire or capacity
periods and background checks for
to use the courts or other situations to win justice
ˇ purchasing any firearm;
for themselves, unless changes are wrought in our
ˇ - a complete ban on assault weapons (defined
economic, political, and social systems.
as any semiautomatic or automatic rifle capable
of easy operation and rapid fire).
2.1 Criminal Justice
Due process and sentencing
The main purpose of any effective criminal justice
policy is to assure public safety first by preventing We Greens support:
crime, followed by fair due process and ˇ establishing community mediation facilities to
appropriate sentencing, and the education and handle cases that do not need to go through the
rehabilitation of offenders to prepare for their adversarial court system;
eventual return to the larger community. Our
ˇ the right of every defendant to a fair and society, is information. And whereas the right to
impartial trial, in those cases requiring inform oneself about the world around him/herself
conventional trial, should not ever be abridged, and the community
ˇ expansion of the right to competent legal must be ready to assist any individual in his/her
counsel; search for information. We call for:
ˇ public subsidy of an increased number of
lawyers to represent low-income persons The extension of the library system
without charge or at reduced rates in civil and We believe that there should be community centers
criminal cases; that make information and resources available to
ˇ undiminished rights against self-incrimination any who ask, with no regard for their particular
and against double jeopardy; circumstances. A library can be more than a
ˇ expanded rights against cruel and unusual warehouse of books. It can host guest lecturers or
punishment, including an end to the use of classes. It can house various tools or resources for
prolonged solitary confinement of prisoners; the community's use, ranging from computer
ˇ the right of a jury to disregard jury instructions equipment to swimming pools to other resources.
that would clearly produce an unjust result Libraries should provide computer access to
under the facts of the case before them; members of their community sufficient to meet the
ˇ the right of jurors to question witnesses under needs of those communities.
protocols to be developed and incorporated into
the trial process. The resources made available in such community
centers must always be based directly on the
Domestic violence demand and interest of the community at large. If
A combined approach toward domestic violence more people have an interest in automobile
should include education and early intervention, maintenance than in classic literature, more
strict enforcement of restraining orders and/or resources (as appropriate) should be put towards
incarceration, wider availability of shelters and filling the need for instruction in auto maintenance.
support systems for victims and women and Libraries and community centers fail when they
children in domestic crisis, a greater number of see their mission as building community rather
courts available for handling domestic abuse and than responding to the community -- in the former
neglect cases, effective mandatory treatment for instance they tend to choose materials based on an
offenders, and confiscating and barring access to assumption that certain materials are better despite
guns by perpetrators. We recognize that, while inspiring less interest, in the latter instance
most cases of domestic violence are male-on- members of the community find themselves
female, other forms also exist, and all must be rewarded for presenting their real interests and the
condemned and responded to equally. community can thrive.
Economic violence The right of the community to demand labeling
of products
Economic exploitation can be just as devastating to
a victim or community as any other form of The community has the right to demand, of those
violence or theft. Unfortunately, many who who do business in the community, that full and
perpetrate so-called "white collar crimes" are often accurate information about their product be
sentenced with only monetary restitution and/or a presented. The community must have, and enforce,
fine. We propose that perpetrators of these crimes truth in advertising laws. The community may
also receive a sentence of compulsory community demand that full and accurate information about a
service with the people whom they have adversely product's contents be listed on the packaging or be
affected. easily available. The community maintains the
right to distribute warnings or messages about a
2.2 Free and Accurate Public Information product with the product being distributed, if the
Whereas the greatest protection against injustice, product poses any kind of risk to any person using
whether before the law or before one's peers in it, in the opinion of the community.
Language Extending the right to marry
The Greens support and encourage the adoption of As they stand, marriage laws give special financial
English by immigrant groups, so that they may and legal protection to heterosexuals who are
easily interact with and feel part of the broader willing to enter into marriage. Within the existing
community in Massachusetts. However, the Greens limits of age and incest restrictions, we Greens
are opposed to English-only legislation, or other support full marriage rights and privileges for all
actions that make life needlessly difficult for new people.
residents.
The call for repealing truancy laws is also a
To ensure that vital information not be missed by Civil Liberties issue
persons who are not versed in English, the Greens
support the use of other common languages in Children, too, should have freedom of thought,
official documents and signs. In the context of speech, assembly, and the other basic freedoms
Massachusetts, we are particularly concerned about denied them by the state through truancy laws.
Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Creole speakers.
Privacy and encryption
The necessity of doing away with mandatory and
In the modern age, when the ability of the
official truth: Rid ourselves of truancy laws
government to monitor the individual has increased
By their nature, truancy laws create a circumstance one-hundred-fold, it seems important to make
in which most persons are forced by economic stronger statements, and give further protection, to
reality to send their children to a public school. As private rights. As such, the Greens stand against
such, the Commonwealth maintains an official laws that mandate the type or forms of encryption
truth from which students do not have the ability to which individuals can use.
protect themselves. This breaks the ideals of
freedom of thought and the development of Protection of non-citizens
pluralistic society. The Greens oppose policies and standards that give
Persons of the upper classes are given the right to residents, both legal and illegal, fewer protections,
home school in this state, but persons in poverty rights, and liberties than the citizenry.
are not. (To home-school, at least one parent must To this aim, the Massachusetts Greens demand
be home during the day, and the school committee that, within Massachusetts, the Declaration of the
in the area must approve of the parent -- and the Rights of the Inhabitants of the Commonwealth of
state is very unlikely to approve of a parent in Massachusetts, and the Bill of Rights of the United
poverty who is not working.) The result is, the rich States, be extended to protect all people, regardless
are free to give their children any education that of residency or citizenship status, in the
they desire, but the poor are forced to accept state Commonwealth at all times.
education, like it or not.
Truancy laws place our young in a circumstance 2.4 Drugs
that no other citizen of the U.S. would tolerate. Greens recognize that the war on drugs is racist
They are imprisoned without trial or cause, simply and disproportionately targets people of color, poor
because they are under age 16. Their opinions and communities, and victims of drug addiction.
views about what is important for them is always Therefore we Greens support the following:
secondary to what the state thinks is important for
them. The argument is, the best way to train people ˇ legalization of marijuana
to be free citizens is to imprison them for 12 years; ˇ de-criminalization of all drugs, so that a
this is a bankrupt and non-sensical argument. discussion of the issue can take place without
the cloud of criminality hanging over it
Massachusetts was the first state to implement this ˇ immediate treatment of drug abuse as a
draconian policy; perhaps we should be the first to disease, rather than a criminal offense
remove it from the books.
2.3 Civil Liberties
ˇ efforts by community residents to remove and The unlimited expansion of the human population
eliminate the drug trade from their is damaging to the human community and to the
neighborhoods. planet as a whole. Voluntary reduction of
reproduction should be encouraged, provided such
2.5 Civilian Police Review Boards
encouragement is not used in any way to shape the
The Greens endorse the establishment of civilian racial, ethnic, class, gender or other demographic
police review boards wherever supported by the composition of our populations.
community. Civilian police review boards should
have a direct role in the development of policy, as Therefore, we Greens support:
well as reviewing complaints about police conduct. ˇ the right to free and complete birth control
Internal police review of police misconduct should information and devices for all men and women
be eliminated. The civilian police review boards and for all adolescents with or without parental
should: consent;
ˇ be elected; ˇ the right to abortion;
ˇ have subpoena powers; ˇ the right to free counseling and support for
ˇ have career-track professional investigators pregnant women;
with no ties to the police department; ˇ the right to complete free maternity care for
ˇ provide protection of both civilians and those who can not afford it;
officers due-process rights; ˇ the right for both parents to post-partum and
ˇ have authority to impose sanctions on police post adoption leave, and to work at three-
officers who violate citizens rights. quarters time or on a flexible schedule with no
elimination of benefits, during the first year
2.6 Indian Treaty Rights after birth or adoption of a child;
Greens believe that we must respect the ˇ the right to be free from involuntary
sovereignty and treaty rights of Massachusetts' sterilization;
Indian nations. The Greens call upon the federal ˇ expansion and protection of sex, reproduction,
and state governments to honor their treaty and human sexuality education in the public
commitments to indigenous peoples. The Greens schools, covering sexual functions, prevention
support governmental recognition of indigenous of sexually transmitted diseases, contraception
nations right to self-determination and self- methods, prenatal care and health, and the
government. process of bearing and caring for children;
ˇ increased educational and self-help programs
We must stop the exploitation of natural resources for mothers to prevent putting fetuses at risk by
on the lands of indigenous peoples by the state and drinking, smoking or using drugs during
private companies, and the destruction and pregnancy.
pollution of those lands by mining and waste-
dumping practices. 2.8 Workers Rights
The Greens support the rights of indigenous people We Greens support:
to participate in and celebrate their own culture. ˇ the organization of democratic labor unions in
all workplaces;
2.7 Reproductive Rights ˇ rank-and-file movements for democracy in
Greens accept the difficult moral questions that existing labor unions;
many people hold around the issue of reproductive ˇ international labor networks to coordinate
rights. Greens refuse to demonize those who struggles against the international power of
oppose abortion. However, Greens also accept that capital;
the right of an individual to control his or her own ˇ the outlawing of permanent employment of
body, is one that cannot be superseded by the replacements for striking workers;
government. Each individual, with input from ˇ democratic workplaces and workers control of
families, friends, and the community, must make the immediate production process;
the choice for him or her self.
ˇ the right of workers and their communities to of the circumstances under which the crime is
seize the assets of runaway corporations considered to have occurred);
through eminent domain or direct action. ˇ legal and medical support for rape victims;
ˇ school and community programs which train
2.9 Human Rights
women to defend themselves from rape.
Along with our work in our communities, we We Greens support:
advocate for human rights in other nations: the
child enslaved by wage work or stitching clothing; ˇ the enactment and enforcement of legislation
the worker denied the right to unionize; the gay, to prohibit sexual harassment.
lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered person ˇ elimination of job discrimination against
marginalized by their communities; the racial or women with children;
cultural group persecuted by its neighbors; the ˇ programs such as flexible work hours, work-
political activist threatened by death squads; the place child care, and part-time employment at
prisoner tortured or on death row; the person of all job levels.
faith driven underground by forced conversion; the 2.11 Dismantling White Racism
woman faced with involuntary circumcision,
Racism remains a core problem in our society and
domestic violence, or forced abortion.
has precluded equality of opportunity for many
members of our nation. The struggle for
2.10 Ending Sexism
democracy has been continuously and
The Greens want to create an open, non-sexist, systematically frustrated by racist practices and
non-racist society in which all people will be free assumptions that affect every institution of
to develop to their full potential. American life. This dynamic is the basis of
Historically, women's contributions have been oppression of African-Americans and other
fundamental to the development of our society and persons of color, as well as the means by which an
yet continue to be undervalued. overwhelming majority of whites also lose in the
quest for democratic government. The profits
In a society where leadership is almost exclusively derived from racism have contributed to the
male, we support: corporate domination of American life. We Greens
ˇ active efforts, including numerical goals, to recognize that without ending racism, we cannot
create opportunities for full participation by build a just and democratic society.
women; We Greens are actively anti-racist. We see
ˇ strong, effective affirmative action programs, exposing and combating racism as a primary
including programs within unions, to bring component of all aspects of our work and policies,
about full representation of women. from the fight for environmental justice and
Women's liberty is severely restricted by the ever- criminal justice reform, to our efforts to reshape
present threat of violence. We reject the acceptance U.S. foreign policy, education and the economy.
of violence as normal in male-female relationships. We oppose institutional, interpersonal and cultural
At least one out of four women is physically racism. We Greens therefore support:
beaten by a male partner. We must provide help for
battered families, including legal resources, ˇ the full implementation of affirmative action
psychological counseling and accessible centers programs in both public and private sectors of
and programs which aid women in achieving the economy;
freedom from economic dependence on men. ˇ overcoming racism to establish equality of
opportunity for all members of our society;
Rape is an act of violence. We support: ˇ strong enforcement of all civil rights laws;
ˇ programs which provide strong, effective ˇ a zero tolerance policy regarding so-called
measures to combat rape, including marital "racial profiling" (where, based on a "racial
rape; profile," persons are targeted by the police for
ˇ active reform of existing rape laws (including traffic stops, questioning and arrest).
enlargement beyond traditional legal concepts 2.12 Ending Heterosexism
The Greens support legislation to outlaw ˇ financing by the whole population based on the
discrimination based on sexual orientation. ability to pay and avoidance of regressive
premiums for each worker. Large businesses
We Greens support:
should not have the option to opt out of the
ˇ the rights of gay, lesbian and bisexual people health care system to obtain their own health
in housing, jobs, benefits, child custody and all insurance.
areas of life; Prevention
ˇ the legal recognition of gay and lesbian
relationships; Our health care system should focus on keeping
ˇ legislation to provide penalties for acts of citizens healthy, rather than on curing people once
violence and intimidation motivated by bias they get sick.
based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, We Greens support:
disability, age, or sexual orientation;
ˇ enactment of legislation to require private ˇ increased resources to training primary care
organizations and clubs whose membership providers rather than specialists;
services significant business purpose to accept ˇ expanding loan forgiveness for primary care
members on a non-discriminatory basis without providers who practice in medically under-
regard to an individuals race, creed, color, served areas;
national origin, gender, disability, age, or ˇ increased efforts to reduce exposure to second-
sexual orientation. hand smoke;
ˇ increased research into the environmental
2.13 Health Care causes of diminished mental capacity, violence,
The Greens recognize that health care is a basic mental illness, and reproductive failure.
human right. Community Control
Availability Our present medical system is overly regulated to
increase the salaries and profits of doctors and
The Greens support a health care system that other health care professionals, while restricting
provides care to all people in Massachusetts the ability of traditional health care providers such
regardless of their employment status. This as midwives to provide needed medical services.
includes: Community control needs to be reasserted over our
ˇ the adoption of a single-payer, universal health health care system.
care system that provides affordable, quality
health care to all people in Massachusetts. A Long Term Care
single-payer system would eliminate the need Any national or state health care plan should
for private health insurance. This system would include long term care. The Greens support the
also impose important cost controls such as establishment of a single Point of Access to long-
global budgeting on the health care industry term care to ensure that the needs of the patients
while preserving the consumers right to decide and their families - not the health car providers -
from whom they receive health care services; are met. Such an access system would ensure that
ˇ for the longer run, Congressman Dellums's all consumers receive help in obtaining the most
model US Health Service Act, which would not appropriate and cost-effective services, often non-
only socialize health care costs, but also medical community based services, as they move
decentralize and democratize the health care through the long term care system. Early
delivery system by making it publicly owned intervention can help the elderly and disabled
and democratically controlled from the adults maintain their independence longer.
community level;
ˇ long-term care, prescription drug, mental Family Medical Leave
health and dental care services;
The Greens support enactment of a Family
ˇ removing deductible and co-payment barriers;
Medical Leave Act, which would require
employers to provide up to sixteen weeks of
unpaid medical leave during any 24 month period ˇ greater emphasis on individually tailored,
to care for a newborn or adopted child; to provide individual instruction and the development of
care for a parent, household member or child; or to teaching aids designed to identify individual
seek attention for a serious health condition. The problem areas and evaluate individual progress;
employer would be required to maintain health ˇ reduction of class sizes - small classes are a
benefits for the employee for the duration of the critical ingredient of effective education;
leave period. ˇ evaluation of student progress by taking into
account all of their talents and dimensions, to
AIDS Research provide useful input to parents and teachers;
The Greens strongly advocate increased state and ˇ education that encourages cooperation, mutual
federal funding for programs to expand AIDS- respect and teamwork among students, for
centered research, education, and care programs. example, through joint projects and student-to-
student learning;
Mental Health ˇ providing specific remedial training to students
lacking in basic math or English skills,
The Greens support increased investment in
developed and taught by teachers with
community residences to enable those who suffer
experience in such remedial education.
from mental health problems to live independently.
School Funding from Broad-based Progressive
Ethics Taxes
Doctors should be prohibited from referring their We Greens support funding the schools out of
patients to laboratories, clinics and other health progressive broad-based taxes, not regressive
care businesses in which the doctor has a financial property taxes. The property tax is an unfair way to
investment. finance education. The property tax, instead of
being a tax on wealth as initially envisioned when
2.14 Public Education our country was founded 200 years ago, has
The Greens regard education as the basic become primarily a tax on housing. The property
requirement of a democracy based on an informed, tax unduly burdens senior citizens and low and
responsible and active citizenry. The quality of a moderate income households since they pay a
child's education should not be dependent on the higher percentage of their income for housing
wealth of their parents or community. We Greens costs. The quality of a child's education should not
therefore support free public education through depend on the wealth of their local community.
college. Schools should primarily be financed out of the
state income tax and federal funds.
The educational process must be restructured to
emphasize critical thinking and lay the basis for An End to the MCAS
independent judgment, respect for others, and High-stakes standardized tests such as the
social consciousness. Curriculum and teaching Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System
methods should foster a critical citizenry rather (MCAS) will not improve education. MCAS is a
than a passive, de-politicized workforce for capital. diversion from what's needed instead: substantially
We believe that the best educational climate is one increased funding for schools in inner city and
that is flexible enough to adjust to individual needs rural areas so that they can provide small classes,
and that encourages individual self-development experienced and well-paid teachers, well-stocked
through the recognition and promotion of libraries, modern computer and science labs, and
individual strengths. We therefore support the other things successful suburban schools take for
following measures. granted. Ultimately, schools can truly be equalized
only by erasing income and resource gaps among
A Focus on Students' Individual Needs
the state's school districts. MCAS, though, leads to
We Greens support: narrowed curricula aimed at low-level skills rather
than critical and creative thinking, teach-to-the-test
drills, increased failures, and higher dropout rates.
The result will be a workforce shaped to meet significant source of human renewal. We
corporate needs rather than one educated for acknowledge that there are many different
democracy and independence. Thus, we Greens definitions and practices of spirituality and religion
support grassroots efforts to eliminate MCAS from and also that many persons do not believe in
our schools, including the Parents' Call to Resist spirituality or religion. We believe in fostering a
MCAS (calling on parents to refuse to allow their tolerant, multi-cultural society where the full range
children to take MCAS) and the Call for Mass of religious and spiritual beliefs, and non-beliefs, is
Refusal (calling on teacher union locals to refuse to socially and politically accepted.
administer MCAS in the spring of 2002).
We Greens consequently support:
Curtailment of the Privatization of Schools ˇ the right of every person to decide which path
We Greens oppose: is most appropriate f