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October 31,
2003
Dear Greens:
THIS LETTER COMES TO YOU FROM THE GREEN FTAA PLANNING
GROUP, WITH AN URGENT CALL FOR HELP. Our mission over
recent weeks has been to organize the participation and
impact of Greens across the country, in the effort to
"Stop the FTAA!" focused on the Miami
ministerial meeting November 20-21 - just three weeks
away. We're writing to let you know what Green parties are
doing to stop the FTAA, but this open letter serves
another important purpose: to ask that you assist our
colleagues in Miami with the organizational and financial
resources an effort of this sort necessarily
entails. Please take a minute to learn how you can
help.
What do we
mean?
Consider the
following: Greens will be arriving in Miami from around
the country, beginning approximately November 15. Many
will find their own, commercial housing. But many will be
staying with Green colleagues in the Miami area. Many will
bring their own transportation, but a goodly number will
receive assistance traveling around Miami from the
Miami-Dade Greens. Many will buy their own food, but
many will find themselves eating food provided by generous
local hosts.
The FTAA
meeting(s), and associated protests, will be taking place
all over the Miami area. Advice about how to get around
efficiently will come from our hosts! In fact, telephone
expenses associated with the effort in Miami are expected
to be considerable, both for individuals and for the local
Green Party.
These expenses,
in a certain sense, are just the tip of the iceberg. For
instance, our planning group is working on a Green guide
to the workshops, the march, demonstrations, and so on, of
particular interest to Greens.
All of this
takes money. The Miami-Dade Greens have already undertaken
heroic efforts to maximize the impact of Greens in this
important struggle against globalization. Now it's time
for all of us to help, even those who won't be in Miami on
November 20.
WE ARE ASKING
ALL GREENS WHO PLAN TO ATTEND (AND PROTEST) THE FTAA
MINISTERIAL IN MIAMI IN NOVEMBER - AS WELL AS THOSE WHO
WILL BE THERE ONLY IN SPIRIT - TO CONSIDER RAISING MONEY
TO HELP THE MIAMI-DADE GREENS.
Literally a few
dollars per Green would make an enormous difference. As a
guideline, we suggest that each attendee budget $5.00 as a
contribution to the Miami-Dade Greens. More would of
course be welcome, but rest assured that our colleagues in
Miami will extend assistance to all Greens, without regard
to contributions received.
What can your
state or local party do to help?
Already, 23
state Green parties and 7 large locals have endorsed the
FTAA Call to Action. We expect this list to grow.
Financial assistance from these Green parties, to support
our colleagues in Miami, would be most helpful. PLEASE ASK
YOUR GREEN PARTY TO DISTRIBUTE THIS OPEN LETTER, AND TO
CONSIDER A PARTY CONTRIBUTION TO THE EFFORT. Your party's
own organizing, coalition-building, and electoral
campaigns will benefit from a successful Green
mobilization against the FTAA.
Where should
contributions go? Your check should be made payable
to the "Green Party of Miami-Dade County," and
mailed to:
Miami-Dade
Green Party
P.O. Box 560325
Miami FL 33256
"Early"
money would of course be the most helpful (but don't let
that prevent "late" contributions!). Each
contribution from individuals and groups will be
acknowledged, and a complete accounting of all funds
raised for this effort will be available on the Miami-Dade
Green Party's website: http://www.miamidadegreenparty.org/Issues/WTO/wto.html
Back to Stop
the FTAA in Miami
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