HELP GREENS GATHER SIGNATURES . . . The Green Party is qualified for ballot status this election cycle in all of the four biggest states: New York, California, Florida, and Texas. At this time, 16 states have ballot status in November 2012. NGP is gathering signatures so voters here will also have the choice of voting for the Green Party presidential slate.
In Lincoln, petitions are available at Meadowlark Coffee and Espresso, 1624 South Street. Registered Nebraska voters are invited to stop by for coffee, visit with Adam Hintz from 6:00am to 2:00pm daily, sign a petition, or pick up one to circulate. In Omaha, look for Charles Ostdiek at McFoster’s, 38th and Harney, to sign and pick up petitions.
You must be a registered voter to circulate the county specific petitions. Fill out a voter registration application online here.[pdf] If you can help us identify a public place in CD 3 where petitions could be available, if you would like us to mail you petitions to circulate, or to participate in the ballot access process in any way, please let us know by e-mailing mjberry [at] inebraska [dot] com. Let’s take Our democracy back from Wall Street!
This week’s news: “Roseanne Barr Wants Green Party’s Presidential Nomination,” by AlterNet Staff, February 4, 2012: “Roseanne Barr said Thursday she’s running for the Green Party’s presidential nomination — and it’s no joke. The actress-comedian said in a statement that she’s a longtime supporter of the party and looks forward to working with people who share her values. She said the two major parties aren’t serving the American people.” A Green Party Watch Presidential Poll ending February 2nd asked “Who do you think should get the Green Party Nomination for President in 2012?” See voter numbers here. For brief information about all four candidates, click here.
SAVING AMERICAN DEMOCRACY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT . . . “There’s no question that the political tide is turning thanks to Occupy Wall Street–because there’s actually a political push to ensure that corporations are NOT people, to overturn the “free speech rights” given to corporations by the Supreme Court’s troubling Citizens United decision.“ Add your voice. Sign the petition. In the House, Representative Ted Deutch’s H.J. Res 90, The OCCUPIED Amendment, also says that corporations are not people and they do not belong in our elections. Sign the OCCUPIED petition. Spread the word.
Lincoln area: Congressional District 1
VIGIL AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY . . . Every Monday, noon to 1:00pm, Nebraskans for abolition of the death penalty meet in front of the governor’s mansion when weather is good, 1425 H Street, Lincoln. When weather is bad, the vigil is inside the capitol, near the Information Desk. The lunch-hour presence reminds the governor of a constituency that does not want state killings. Weekly vigils have taken place year-round since July, 1991. All abolitionists are welcome to participate for a few minutes, or the hour. Read the January Nebraskans Against the Death Penalty Newsletter here.
A recent Omaha World-Herald Editorial, “State looks bad over execution esthetic,” by Robert Nelson begins “In the past 12 months, Nebraska officials twice have tried to buy the increasingly hard-to-find drug sodium thiopental for use in executions by lethal injection. Both times, the state has acquired the drug more in a manner you would expect from a desperate drug addict than a state government.” Details of the “embarrassment” are explained in the op-ed.
The Lincoln Journal Star then editorialized “It’s time for Nebraska to abolish the death penalty,” and printed details of Nebraska’s ritualized premeditated protocol for state killing in “State prepares for Ryan’s execution.” On January 30th, another LJS editorial, “Mistakes flaw death penalty,” concludes “…We hope senators take the time to re-examine their beliefs and assumptions. Council’s LB276, which would replace the death penalty with life in prison, recognizes the reality of human limitations. It deserves to pass.” Debate on LB 276,[pdf] began January 26th. Then, Council “requested that debate on her bill to abolish the death penalty be stopped so she can try to get answers about how the state purchased a lethal-injection drug.”
Letters to editors of local papers statewide are needed in response to the scheduled March 6, 2012 execution date for Michael Ryan. Contact information for state senators, and other actions you can take, are here. For more information about NADP, click here. “It is the deed that teaches, not the name we give it. Murder and capital punishment are not opposites that cancel one another, but similars that breed their kind.” –George Bernard Shaw
OCCUPY EDUCATION . . . Occupy Lincoln’s Occupy Education committee is offering a free and open university with weekly talks/discussions through February 13, 2012. The teach-in workshop schedule is Mondays, 7:00 to 8:00pm at Indigo Bridge Books, 701 P Street; and Tuesdays, 7:00pm at Meadowlark Coffee, 1624 South Street. The Monday ECON 99 Course, “Economics the 1% Doesn’t Want You to Know,” consists of informal lectures to present basic ideas on the subject of that week, followed by an open discussion. February 6th: ECON 99, Part 4–“Capitalism, Mercantilism, What’s the Difference?” The Privatization of the Commons. February 7th: “Organizer Training.” For more information, e-mail Hendrik van den Berg, hvan-den-berg1 [at] unl [dot] edu Education is a Basic Human Right.
GREEN TEAM ROUNDTABLE . . . The year’s first Green Team Roundtable will be Wednesday, February 8th, 11:30am to 1:00pm, at the Pioneers Park Nature Center, on the west end of Pioneers Park, 3201 South Coddington Avenue, Lincoln. Roundtables are peer-to-peer networking meetings organized by WasteCap Nebraska for green teams and people committed to sustainable business practices. The Center’s “green roof” will be one of the topics discussed. Presenters will include, Julie Diegel, describing how to organize and maintain momentum for a successful green team; Richard Sutton, discussing green roofs in Lincoln; and a representative from the city’s Cleaner Greener Lincoln program will open the luncheon with a presentation on the city’s new sustainability plan and energy efficiency policy for buildings. For more information, and to make a reservation by noon, February 6th, click here.
LINCOLN PEACE VIGILS . . . Lincoln peace vigils continue at the Federal Building, 15th and O streets, every Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Contact Mark at 402.499.6672 or e-mail mark [at] weddleton [dot] com for more information.
WACHISKA AUDUBON MEETING . . . Wachiska Audubon will meet Thursday, February 9th, 7:00pm, at the Dick Administration Building, Union College, 3800 South 48th Street, Lincoln. “Sustainability of Water Resources in Nebraska” will be presented by Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District, including a 20-minute video entitled “Inside Nebraska’s Water.” For more information, call the Wachiska office at 402.486.4846.
GREEN TEAM ROUNDTABLE IN YORK . . . Hamilton Sundstrand will host the first Green Team Roundtable in York, Nebraska on Wednesday, February 15th. Green Team Roundtables are peer-to-peer networking meetings for the exchange of best practices for individuals and green teams committed to sustainable business practices. This informal lunch meeting will run from 11:30am to 1:00pm at HS, 2800 Division Avenue. Cost to attend the event is $10 and includes a zero-waste lunch prepared by Lilly’s Sweet Tooth of York. To register and pay by Friday, February 10th, click here. For more information, contact Contact Julie Diegel, 402.434.7376, or via e-mail at jdiegel [at] wastecapne [dot] org
NSAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE . . . The 2012 Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Annual Conference will be Friday and Saturday, February 10 & February 11, at the Lied Lodge & Conference Center, in Nebraska City. The Rural Advantage and Healthy Farms Conference will provide interactive educational opportunities for adults and youth, and a chance to network with experts, university faculty, and fellow agricultural colleagues. For more information, click here.
REFUSING TO BE ENEMIES . . . The Lincoln Chapter of Nebraskans for Peace and multiple co-sponsors will show “refusing to be enemies: the zeitouna story,” at Lincoln’s Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street, on Sunday, February 12, 2012, at 2:00pm. Manya Aron-Thomas, who participated in the film’s dialogue process, will lead a discussion following the 58-minute documentary offering “living proof of how the journey of personal transformation may pave the way to socio-political transformation and peace.” The film is free, and Open to the Public.
2012 WINTER LECTURE SERIES . . . Northern Africa from Morocco to Egypt is the topic of this year’s Winter Lecture Series at Lincoln’s Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street. Each two-hour session starts at 7:00pm. The first hour features a presentation, followed by refreshment break and a half hour of questions and dialogue. On the seventh and final evening, the series will end with a 6:00 dinner and a panel discussion at 7:00pm. The lectures are free and open to the public. February 12, 2012, the topic will be “Arab Spring, Islam, and Islamism in Egypt” with Professor Simon Wood of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
OCCUPY LINCOLN . . . The Occupy Lincoln camp site is located on Centennial Mall north of the state capitol. The camp has been notified of a March 1, 2012 eviction date. Occupy Lincoln says it’s ‘not yet ready to end’ and that the city’s eviction deadline is unrelated to renovation, calling the eviction “arbitrary and unrelated to actual renovation work.” Read Occupy Lincoln’s expertly crafted letter to the City, giving reasons for not leaving the mall on March 1st, here.
Both the Mayor’s office and the City Council have asked for calls of support from Lincoln residents so they can legitimately tell those opposed to the camp that many of their constituents are supportive and they are respecting their voice. Contact information for the Mayor’s office is here. Contact the City Council using information here. They represent us, and we need to be involved by direct communications to let them know what we want.
There is a General Assembly three times per week: Sunday, 1:30pm; Wednesday, 6:30pm at Indigo Bridge Books; and Friday, 6:00 to 9:00pm. The Facebook page is here. The Twitter feed is @OccupyLincoln. For more information, e-mail occupylincoln [at] gmail [dot] com or phone 402.585.5865. Corporate Greed is Revolution’s Seed!
Omaha area: Congressional District 2
OMAHA PEACE VIGILS . . . Omaha peacemakers vigil every Wednesday, 4:30-5:30pm, at StratCom/UN-O, 6801 Pine Street, east of the Scott Technology Center on the UN-O campus. Free parking is available at the NE Corner of 67th Street and Pine in a student lot. For more information, phone Jerry Ebner, 402.502.5887. Every Saturday, 1:00-2:00pm, there is a Peace Vigil at 72nd and Dodge Streets. Park next to 72nd Street, in the pet store parking lot. Contact Steve Horn at 402.426.9068 for more information about Saturday vigils.
OMAHA PEOPLE’S FILM FESTIVAL . . . There is a People’s Film Festival every Wednesday evening, 7:00pm, at McFoster’s Natural Kind Cafe, 38th and Harney in Omaha. Wednesday, February 8, 2012, The Festival will welcome Yukiko Shimono,[pdf] a member of the Never Again Campaign— a volunteer people-to-people program. Ms. Shimono, from Hiroshima city, Japan, is touring the country, introducing people to Japanese culture, and spreading the message of remembrance and hope that the world will never forget the continuing effects of the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. She will present two short films on the bombings in Japan. An informal discussion will follow the films. For more information, click here. The People’s Film Festival – Expanding Political Consciousness Since 2004.
SOLAR BUYING CO-OPS & HOW TO ORGANIZE ONE . . . Thursday, February 9, 2012, 6:30 to 8:00pm, the Green Neighborhood Council (GNC) and the Nebraska Solar Energy Society are co-sponsoring a roundtable discussion on the steps involved in forming a solar-buying co-op, at the Neighborhood Center, 115 South 49th Avenue, Omaha. Learn what other cities have done or are doing–lessons and benefits to homeowners and communities, 2012 tax credits and incentives, installation options, and how other co-ops have selected installers. A solar-buying co-op is, essentially, a “support group” for all who are interested in “going solar” and learning from one another and from community experts how to make an informed, cost-effective purchase. Residents who already have had PV or solar hot water systems installed are also invited to come and share what you have learned. A free green book will be given to the first 50 attendees. Questions? Suggestions? E-mail Helen Deffenbacher, hdeffenbacher [at] cox [dot] net. For a schedule of future co-op meetings and a list of discussion questions, click here.
DARWIN DAY IN OMAHA . . . “Scientific Illiteracy: A Public Health Hazard,” a thoughtful discussion of public policy, will be Thursday, February 9, 2012, 7:30pm, at the Durham Research Center auditorium, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Room 1002, in the tower south of Farnam and east of Saddle Creek. In celebration of the 203rd anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, critically acclaimed author and professor John Janovy will lead the discussion. “Progress in medicine, agriculture and other vital areas of society rests on an understanding of science, now threatened by scientific illiteracy not only among elected officials, but increasingly among the electorate itself.” For more information, click here. For information on additional Darwin Day events around the globe, click here. Professor Janovy’s extensive publications are listed here. The event is free and open to the public.
PROGRESSIVE OMAHA MEETING . . . The next Progressive Omaha meeting will be Saturday, February 11, 2012, at 1517 North Happy Hollow Blvd. (mapquest: http://mapq.st/o7rcsI). Michael Gordon, former Executive Director (and current board member) of Citizens For Equal Protection will discuss the re-introduced Omaha city ordinance adding “sexual orientation, gender identity” to the existing workplace non-discrimination policy, sponsored by Ben Gray. CFEP is a non-profit organization that advocates equality for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens of Nebraska. There will be a potluck supper from 6:00 to 7:00, discussion from 7:00 to 8:00, followed by business and social time from 8:00 to 9:00pm. All are welcome.
OCCUPY OMAHA . . . The current Occupy Omaha location is in transition. The official Occupy Omaha website is here. The FaceBook page is here. The Twitter feed is #occupyomaha
ENGAGE OMAHA . . . One of the nation’s first city-wide, virtual town hall websites, EngageOmaha, is now online. Omaha residents may weigh in on issues for the city to consider. Pick a topic, and join the mix here.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR . . . CD 2 Greens will meet on Monday, February 13, 2012, 6:00pm, at Legends Coffee House, 52nd and Leavenworth, Omaha.
Greater Nebraska: Congressional District 3
KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE DENIED . . . Democrats unveiled legislation on Friday that would block export of any oil transported by the Keystone XL pipeline. The Bottom line is the TransCanada Keystone XL pipeline permit has been DENIED. (The White House Statement is here. The Department of State announcement is here.) Both Democrats and Republicans are now floating counter-KXL bills–playing more politics with Our land, water and the health of Nebraskans and our communities statewide. At the same time, “Democrats counter energy security claims about Keystone pipeline project,” as reported in The Hill.
BOLD Nebraska suggests Congress should regulate and discuss oil pipelines, especially foreign oil pipelines, and enact laws that meet basic guidelines: 1) Pipeline will not cross America’s water supply; 2) Steel must be made in the US; 3) Oil must remain in the US; 4) Oil subsides should be removed; and 5) Landowner rights must be protected–no eminent domain for private oil pipelines.
“PSC gearing up for oil pipeline oversight,” by Art Hovey, February 3, 2012, in Lincoln Journal Star, reports on the Nebraska Public Service Commission’s new authority over petroleum pipelines. “TransCanada will reapply for permit,” by Terrie Gonzalez, is a Cherokeean Herald Editorial from Jacksonville, Texas published February 1st quoting a TransCanada spokesman: ‘All options are on the table.’
“Why the GOP Loves Keystone XL and Wants Congress to Approve the Pipeline,” by Mike Ludwig for Truthout begins “Senate Republicans announced a bill on Monday that would allow Canadian oil company TransCanada to begin construction of its proposed $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline that would run 1,700 miles from Canada to Texas.”
“The GOP’s Plan To Corner Obama On The Keystone Pipeline,” by Sahil Kaput for Talking Points Memo January 30th reports “Republicans are pushing full speed ahead to authorize the Keystone XL pipeline via congressional action after President Obama rejected it on the grounds that the narrow time window he had was insufficient to evaluate the environmental consequences. The strategy is aimed at exploiting Democratic divisions and pushing Obama into a corner politically. Most Senate Republicans — along with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (WV) — are now backing legislation to approve of the Canada-to-Texas pipeline. House Republicans intend to attach it to their upcoming infrastructure bill.”
“Republicans to Link KXL Pipeline to Highway Bill,” by Kim Dixon and Paul Simao for Reuters was sourced to Reader Supported News January 30th. “Republican lawmakers will try to force the Obama administration to approve the Canada-to-Texas Keystone XL pipeline by attaching it to a highway bill that Congress will consider next month, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said on Sunday.”
On January 12th, the day that the KXL permit was denied, The Nation published “On the Plains, a Rare Chance at Trans-Partisan Politics,” by Madeline Ostrander. It begins “Long before the Occupy movement swept the country—over two years ago—a political revolt began in one of the reddest states in America. Farmers and ranchers in Nebraska, many of whom are long-time conservatives, got angry about the amount of corporate influence in a single political issue that has since captivated the entire state and upset federal politics: the Keystone XL pipeline.” It’s a good review of Stop the Pipeline Coalition work featuring BOLD Nebraska’s Ben Gotschall, a fourth-generation rancher turned activist for the Sand Hills, a 12 million–acre landscape of fragile, erodible soil and rolling sand dunes.
A new Natural Resources Defense Council Action Alert this past week begins “Congressional Republicans refuse to let the tar sands pipeline die. Just two weeks after President Obama stood his ground and killed the permit for this environmental nightmare, Republicans on Capitol Hill are now threatening to hold key legislation hostage unless Big Oil gets to run a river of the world’s dirtiest oil through our nation’s heartland.” Tell your members of Congress to reject all attempts to force approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline by attaching it to the payroll tax bill, the transportation bill or any other unrelated legislation.
The Keystone XL will deliver billions in profits to Big Oil while you get stuck with poisoned water, contaminated land and an overheated planet. And despite the oil lobby’s propaganda, this fossil fuel boondoggle will raise oil prices in the Midwest and could actually kill more jobs than it creates. Tell Congress to let the Keystone XL pipeline die a merciful death.
STOP FRACKING NOW . . . “Shale-Shocked: Fracking Gets Its Own Occupy Movement,” by Ellen Cantarow, TomDispatch and Truthout, January 23rd, begins “This is a story about water, the land surrounding it, and the lives it sustains. Clean water should be a right: there is no life without it…. But for once, this story isn’t about tragedy. It’s about a resistance movement that has arisen to challenge some of the most powerful corporations in history.”
Petition Congress: “We, the undersigned, call on Congress to pass the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act this year. It’s time to hold the oil and gas production industry to the same standards as any other industry to ensure the safe protection of America’s drinking water.”
PETITION THE EPA . . . Tell the Environmental Protection Agency to immediately prohibit the use of clothianidin and conduct a full scientific review to determine its impact on honey bee populations. Learn more about clothianidin and sign the petition here.
TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA NOT TO CAVE TO MONSANTO AND THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY . . . The Obama administration has unbelievably chosen to approve three biotech crops, Roundup Ready genetically modified alfalfa, Roundup Ready genetically modified sugar beets and a new industrial biotech corn for ethanol production. These decisions are a devastating blow to our democracy and the basic rights of farmers to choose how they want to grow food on their land and the rights of consumers who increasingly choose organic and sustainably grown food for its positive health and environmental impacts. Please tell the President it’s time to stand up to Monsanto and reject GMO crops.
From FitLife.tv, “In the wake of a 12-year battle to keep Monsanto’s Genetically Engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation’s 25,000 organic farms and ranches, America’s organic consumers and producers are facing betrayal. A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it’s time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto’s controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for “coexistence” with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack.”
To help organize or coordinate a Millions Against Monsanto and Factory Farms Truth-in-Labeling campaign in your local community, sign up here. To pressure Whole Foods Market and the nation’s largest supermarket chains to voluntarily adopt truth-in-labeling practices, sign editable text here.
BUY FRESH. BUY LOCAL . . . . Farmers, gardeners, and craftspeople meet through The Nebraska Food Cooperative, an on-line, year-round farmers’ market and local food distribution service offering the best in local freshness. For ordering and pickup schedules, refer to the calendar here. Click here for products and prices from North Star Neighbors, a Cooperative member that doesn’t therapeutically medicate or unduly confine animals. Click here for Tomato Tomäto, Omaha’s year-round indoor Farmer’s Market at 156th & West Center. Shop for fresh foods grown in or very near your own community at Open Harvest, Lincoln’s member-owned natural foods retail cooperative at 1618 South Street. Buying local grows family farming, grows the local economy, and is thousands of miles fresher.
HELP NEBRASKA GREENS WITH GOODSEARCH . . . Each time you search the Internet (or shop online at a participating store), a donation can be made to Nebraska Green Party at no cost to you! To help NGP in this way, enter Nebraska Green Party where it asks you to name your cause here. Bookmark the GoodSearch Homepage, or make it your own Home Page. Enter the url you want in the GoodSearch search box. Each time you do, one penny will be donated to Nebraska Greens. THANK YOU for your support!
Remember, every man-made by-product of the petroleum industry could be replaced by hemp. “Help Save the Earth, Time to Substitute Hemp for oil.“