BOSTON – The Massachusetts Green Party and the Rainbow Coalition Party united their memberships into a single political entity at a statewide meeting last weekend. The merged party also endorsed candidates for state political office: Dr. Jill Stein for Governor, Anthony Lorenzen for Lt. Governor, and James O’Keefe for Treasurer.
"The Green Party isn't only growing through the incremental process of persuading and registering new members, one by one," said Ben Manski, a member of the steering committee of the Green Party of the United States and an activist working on building ties between the Green and Progressive Parties in Wisconsin.
"The Massachusetts merger is the latest in a small, growing number of Green Party unifications with other state and local parties. In 1998, the Oregon Green and Socialist Parties merged into the Pacific Green Party. In 1999, the D.C. Green and Statehood Parties became the D.C. Statehood Green Party."
"This is an incredible example of people coming together to make meaningful changes in our political system," said Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Stein. "The credibility and longevity of the Rainbow Coalition Party will be an immensely valuable addition to the Greens as we continue to deliver our message to the people of the Commonwealth."
The mergers of state Green Parties and other progressive parties connects state and locally based political parties with a national entity. But the autonomy of state parties within the Green Party of the United States ensures that the merged parties maintain their local focus and character. One of the Green key values is decentralization -- locally based governance with the active participation of citizens; self-reliant economies and democratic workplaces that aren't controlled by and for central authorities such as multinational corporations, Wall Street, and international 'free trade' bureaucracies.
The Rainbow Coalition Party's founder, Mel King of Boston, a former state representative, was on hand for the unity agreement and praised the convention's nomination of Dr. Stein.
"Jill Stein is the only candidate who will speak truth to power," said King. "She's the only one that makes issues of racism and social justice integral parts of her campaign."
MORE INFORMATION
The Green Party of the United States
http://www.greenpartyus.org
National office: 1314 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-296-7755, 866-41GREEN
Massachusetts Green Party
http://www.massgreens.org
P.O. Box 1311, Lawrence, MA 01842
(978) 688-2068
