PHOTO/MICHAEL-LEONARD CREDITOR
By Chris Venn, People’s Tribune correspondent from Los Angeles
Chris Venn: Talk about the “lesser of two evils.”
Hugh Moore: The selection of the “lesser of two evils” is still choosing evil. Every time I talk about the Green Party I hear about the lesser of two evils. The Democratic Party has really pushed the idea that George W. Bush won in 2000 because the Ralph Nader campaign cost the Democratic Party the election. This is all lies and deceit and I hear it every day. This all goes back to the question of political education. We’re led to believe that there are two parties contesting each other’s policies whereas in reality they are just the same corporate party with two wings.
CV: What does it mean to build a broad, mass movement for Peace?
HM: It is my observation that in the late 60s you had enough people involved in the anti-war movement so that the movement obstructed the military industrial complex. When Brian Wilson, a Vietnam Veteran, in 1987 laid down on the train tracks in front of a train carrying weapons to Nicaragua and had his legs cut off by the train … that obstructed the war. The day he awoke from the accident 9,000 people showed up at the tracks and ripped up 300 feet of the tracks. A large peace movement would obstruct the omnipotence of the military.
CV: What role does political education play in expanding a core of Green Party activists?
HM: Education is the key. At the ground level, at the beginning it’s key. Some people say the public education system is only for indoctrination, but I don’t believe that. In the 1950s good education led to a peace movement in the 60s. The real key to the future is education. The California budget for funding education is 49th among all states in the country. This has hurt more than anything else and has led to destroying the peace movement in this country
CV: What is the importance of an independent third Party?
HM: To me, the importance of an independent third party is that it can be more real about the Democratic Party. An independent third party can complain about both the Republicans and the Democrats. I was a Democratic Party Club president. I worked extensively for the election of Bill Clinton for two reasons, health care and making it legal for gays in the military. Under the Clinton presidency, neither of these things happened, and he could have accomplished making gays in the military legal with the stroke of a pen.
I believe we can change this country. We need to prepare for the movement when the movement is there!
Hugh Moore is the Treasurer of the Green Party of San Diego County. He has been a member of the Green Party for 15 years. Hugh is also a member of Veterans for Peace, San Diego.
The most significant happening this year is the Bernie Sanders campaign. It has rallied people to participate in politics and in movement building. I have spoken to some Greens who want to vote for Bernie in the primary but did not know that being registered as a Green does not permit you to vote in the Democratic Primary. Your must be registered as a Democrat or No Party Preference to vote. The last day to change registration is 23 May. I would hope that Greens would want to support the movement that will continue, if we support it. please let your fellow Greens who want to support Bernie that they must change their party registration.
In solidarity,
Elizabeth Fattah