OrleansGreens Members,              [UPDATED MARCH 10, 2001]

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-- Bart Everson <b@...>


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Hello All,

The September/October issue of the GNOGP newsletter is in the
making!  We'll want to include articles on local Green activities,
activism and politics in NOLA, and inter/national news.  I have a few
ideas of my own for stories, but everyone's input on the content is
needed.

Here's what I've come up with so far:
New GNOGP office
Coordinating Committee update
Rally for a Green Future on 8/4
FTAA fast track update
Green national congress
Mike Kaplan's newspaper
February city elections
En(t)ergy update

Don't be shy-- all we need at this stage is topic suggestions, not
actual articles.  Please email me ASAP at tmjgreen@... with
your ideas!

Peace,
Tonya

Greens:

Just a reminder to everyone that local activist Antionette Miller will be
speaking about energy grassroots organizing at our rally this Saturday.

The New Orleans Green Party was very supportive of her
organization's(Citizens for Change) campaign to establish a ratepayers bill
of rights for New Orleans citizens.

She will be joined by Greens Matt Gonzalez and Malik Rahim.


Jason Neville
phone: 90-water

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Greens:

Don't forget about the Green Kitchen potluck at John CClark's house
today, August 3 at 7PM.

His address is 7725 Cohn, uptown.

Bring a New Orleans-style meal for our guest of honor Matt Gonzalez!

Peace,

Jason

phone:90-water

**this message was sent and returned a few days ago-- sorry for the delay!!

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Greens:

Don't forget about the Green Kitchen potluck at John CClark's house
tomorrow, August 3 at 7PM.

His address is 7725 Cohn, uptown.

Bring a New Orleans-style meal for our guest of honor Matt Gonzalez!

Peace,

Jason

phone:90-water

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The next meeting of the GNOGP Coordinating Committee will be Sunday,
August 12 at 7:00pm.  The meeting will be at John Clark's office, 125
Stallings Hall, Loyola University.

All GNOGP members are encouraged to attend.

Hey Everybody,

Our office at the warehouse (corner of Palm and Short Sts., next to
Xavier University) seems to be ready to go, according to Neil Guidry,
who I happened to talk to this Monday morning.  Neil says that
everything is operational, except for the plumbing for the bathtub.
So, if a malfunctioning bathtub doesn't scare us away, apparently all
that we have left to do is transfer and arrange equipment and
furniture (which there seems to be a decent bit of; any help could be
used and appreciated).  Again, I haven't seen it myself in months,
but Neil said the basic sheetrock, ceiling work, phone lines,
electricity, etc., is done.  Feel free to send along questions and
I'll field them as best I can.

My schedule:  Tues.-Fri., 11am-8pm daily, although I think by next
week I'll be dropping the Tuesday.

Steve
rylnwrld@...
486-5134

From: Citchange@... (Antoinette Harrell-Miller)
Subject: CALLING ALL GREENS

CALLING ALL GREENS,  CALLING ALL GREENS.

ALERT,

Citizens For Change was called upon to join the NAACP and other activist
groups to protest August 9, the injustice of the LEAP TEST for all
students of Louisiana. This is a fine time to builded a working
relationship with people of color.  Many other organizations has
recognized the strength of Citizens For Change.

PLACE:  500 Camp Street  (Federal Court)
TIME:   8:00 AM
DATE:   August 9, 2001

Please for all that can make it, please bring the green party banner. We
will protest and demonstrate while the attorney Willie Zander and other
are in court session.

There was a press conference held this Monday morning at Xavier
University in the Gold Room.  Citizen For Change was present at this
press conference.

For further information please contact Antoinette Harrell-Miller
(504) 949-1853

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Hello All!

As announced in a previous message, Antoinette Harrell-Miller is running for
city council as a Green!!

There will be a preliminary planning session at Antoinette's house this
Saturday evening.  August 11, 6 PM, 4132 N. Miro.  Everyone who is
interested in taking an organizational role in the campaign is invited to
attend.  Antoinette has asked everyone to bring along a summary of how they
would like to contribute to the campaign, i.e what sort of work you would
most enjoy and/or feel most qualified to do.

Essential work areas that have been identified thus far are:
campaign treasurer
scheduling
handbill design
database & website
fundraising & parties
field operations-- literature drops, phone banking, voter ID, & get out the
vote

(If you can't make it to the meeting on Saturday, you can probably email
your information to Antoinette at citchange@....)

Also, remember the coordinating committee will meet on Sunday evening at 7
PM at 7725 Cohn Street.  All members are invited!


United in struggle,
Tonya

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This may be of interest to local Greens.  -- Bart

-------- Original Message --------
        From: "ITC Operations" <itc@...>
     Subject: Committee For A Better New Orleans
Resent-From: all@...

                    Committee For A Better New Orleans
                         Blueprint for the Future

                        Public Hearing To Be Held
                           At Xavier University


                         Thursday, August 9, 2001

                      Xavier University of Louisiana
               Norman C. Francis Academics Science Building
                    Auditorium, First Floor, Room 105
                      (Near Short and Drexel Drive)

                             6:00 – 8:00 P.M.



         Proposed solutions to critical problems in the areas of::

                     * Housing & Neighborhood Development
                     * Economic and Workforce Development
                        * City Management and Finance
                               * Transportation
                               * Public Safety
                                 * Education

                  To prepare for the meeting, visit the
Committee for a better New Orleans (CBNO) website at http://www.cbno.org

     (click on Blueprint, scroll to the bottom and click on Blueprint
                               Highlights)

                          For more information,
           or to pick up a copy of the Blueprint, call 523-4443



    * Dr. Norman C. Francis is a member to the Committee for a Better New
                                    Orleans.

         ***   Please Do Not Respond To This Email Account!   ***

This was passed along to me by Jason on Sat., 8/11, a message from
Jay Arena:

Labor Solidarity Meeting
Monday, August 13
7PM
Peterson Lounge, Tulane University Center

Steve G.

Greens:

Mike Howells asked me to announce that the Charleston 5 Support
Committee will meet on Mon., Aug. 13 at 7:00pm at the Petersen Lounge
in Tulane's University Center.  Mike encourages all greens to attend.

--Art Carpenter

The GNOGP may want to discuss the important and urgent issue addressed
in the following letter:

Dear Editor,

The New Orleans Group of the Sierra Club is deeply disturbed by the
Audubon Institute's plans to remodel Audubon Park's public golf course.
It looks like a public land grab without public involvement.

Members of the Sierra Club who are concerned about Audubon Park and its
green space have been asking the Audubon Institute for information on
the operation of Audubon Park and plans for a “new golf course” for over
a year, to no avail.  We were shocked and surprised when we read the
information in Angus Lind's column and then saw the fences going up
around the Meditation Walk area.  The idea that a “number of trees” will
be cut down for a parking lot is an affront to the ideal of Audubon Park
as an urban refuge.

The lack of REAL public involvement is outrageous.  The Sierra Club is
calling on the Audubon Institute to STOP all construction and provide
for meaningful public involvement in deciding the future of the park.

We ask all people concerned about Audubon Park to call their City
Councilpersons and let them know their views on the future of Audubon
Park.


Yours truly,

Darryl Malek-Wiley
Chair
New Orleans Group Sierra Club
618 Adams St.
New Orleans, LA 70118

865-8708 home
427-1885 cell

Greens:

Tomorrow I will post the full minutes of yesterday's Coordinating Committee
meeting.  The meeting went very well and we've made a lot of headway on
issues such as living wage/worker outreach, finishing up our office space,
creating a newsletter (much thanks to Tonya), and developing a Green Plan
for New Orleans.

One decision we made I felt should be circulated as soon as possible,
though.

Daisy Bebert was empowered by the committee to be the liason between
Antionette Harrell-Miller and the GNO Green Party.  We want her to talk with
Antionette and let us know as a party her plans and instructions regarding
any involvement in a campaign.

Please do not make any posts on this list, or make any public announcement
regarding this topic unless instructed to by Daisy.  We need to wait to hear
from Antionette/Daisy before we move forward on this issue.

Jason

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Hey Everybody,

On this upcoming Thursday, October 16, about 12noon, a very important
City Council meeting will take place regarding the living wage
ordinance to be voted on this February.

It turns out that the City Council has been dragging their feet
on "formally" placing the state supreme court-ordered living wage
initiative on the February ballot.

So, they need to be shown that people care about this issue, so
please show up if at all possible, to expedite the placement of this
important initiative on the ballot, which would give about 50,000
NOLA citizens an immediate 20-25% raise in pay.

Many Thanks,
Steve
rylnwrld@...
486-5134

On the living wage post, I uncharacteristically got the month wrong;
the city council meeting is AUGUST (not October) 16, 2001, at around
12noon.

Sorry for mistaking,
Steve
rylnwrld@...
486-5134

Please take note of the following urgent communication regarding Audubon
Park.  The web site mentioned below contains information that may be
helpful when this issue is discussed at upcoming meetings of the GNOGP
and other organizations concerned with grassroots democracy.

Subject: Audubon Park action alert!!!
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 20:41:04 -0500
From: Darryl Malek-Wiley <dmw@...>

Dear Friends,

Please go to www.saveaudubonpark.org    and send e-mail to city council
to stop the proposed actions in Audubon Park.

Send this message to any one how might be interested in the future of
Audubon Park.  This is a land grab of Public Land into 'private use'.
It is outrageous!!

Go sit in a tree behind the chain link fence if you can.

E-mail me for more info.

Yours in the Struggle,

Darryl Malek-Wiley

865-8708

Greens:

Our last GNOGP Coordinating Committee meeting went very well.  Here is a
list of the decisions and plans we made in easy-to-read format.  These
minutes include any and all dissent or debate.  Please take the time to read
this because some important and cool decisions were made!

Attendance:

Art Carpenter
John Clark
Steve Godfrey
DJ Pate
Daisy Bebert
Jason Neville
Tonya Jordan (via phone call)

-- Our Treasurer Art reported that our balance is about $750, which includes
$250 made from the Green Rally and the after-party @ Cafe Brasil

-- DJ will call warehouse/office owner Ron Fowler or Neil Guidry to work out
the final touches on our nearly-complete office

-- Tonya has been working on the GNOGP newsletter in Shreveport.  We talked
with her over the phone and ok'd the list of articles that she has been
compliling.  (passes without objections) She has spent $35 of the $110 that
we have given her.  The newsletter looks to be about 6 pages.

-- John will call his friend Andre who has expressed interest in running for
public office

-- Daisy was empowered to contact Antoinette Harrell-Miller to provide group
with information regarding Antoinette's possible campaign (passes without
objection)

-- Jason was elected to State Coordinating Committee as a GNGOP
representative, pending final approval from Membership (passes without
objection)

-- Jason and Steve were empowered to work on a labor outreach plan which
would ditribute information about the living wage ballot initiative and
voter registration forms to hotel/hospitality workers downtown (passes
without objection)

-- Acknowledging the need for a comprehensive Green Plan for New Orleans in
the upcoming elections, a group will begin meeting to create and synthesize
a platform for our GP.  A UNO Geaduate student Rachel who some of you may
know volunteered her advocacy plan to the GP for guidance.  Her plan covers
affordable housing and other Green issues of concern.  John showed us some
elements of the G/GPUSA platform and will get together with Jason and others
to get a plan together

- Our next CC meeting will be Sunday Aug 26, 7PM @ 125 Stallings (John's
office at Loyola)

- Our next General Meeting will be Sunday Sept 9, 7PM @ our new office (7930
Palm St. behind Five Happiness in Mid-City).  At our 8/26 meeting, DJ will
report office status and based on that we might decide to make the meeting a
celebration of some kind to break in the new crib.

Here were some announcements made at the meeting:

- Tonya sent out pledge reminders
- movie series to begin in a few weeks
- Labor Mtg 8/13 at Tulane
- David Cobb has been in contact with Jason about affiliating with GP of the
US
- Malik Rahim and Antoinette Harrell-Miller have expressed interest in
joining the Coord. Comm.

thanks and peace,

Jason neville, GNOGP secretary


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Greens:

Here are reports from two events related to GP that happened this past week.

Labor Mtg: On Monday, workers and labor organizers met at Tulane to talk
about local and regional plans for solidarity.  Jason and Steve talked about
the GP Labor OUtreach plan, and people seemed to like the idea.  One person
who owns a barber shop in the 9th ward gave me his card and said we could
drop off flyers about living wage in his store (he mentioned that many of
his customers are hotel workers).  Steve G. was also at the meeting (I was
late) and might be able to offer a bit more on the meeting.

Living Wage Hearing @ City Council:  I was late to this meeting, too...  but
dozens of people showed up (largely organized by ACORN) to the City Council
Thursday to show support of the living wage ballot issue on the Feb 2002
ballot.  The Council delayed vote on approving the issue until Sept 6th, and
also turned the microphone off when it was ACORN leader Beth Butler's turn
to speak.  The City Council has been ordered by a State Court to approve the
ballot issue, and ACORN told me that they will (or have already) told the
CIty that if they will file suit against the City if they don't cooperate
with the court order.  Once again, Steve G. was on time to this meeting and
might have some more info.

Jason Neville
phone: 90-WATER

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To follow up on Jason's post with info that I gathered from the two
meetings:

The meeting (Aug. 13) of labor people from various ongoing struggles
in the area, which included at least 4 of the Avondale 28 who were
fired a while back for standing up to management, was largely a free-
flowing discussion of how the labor community, in all of these
various struggles, could come together and support one another as
issues and needs arise.  Jay Arena and Mike Howells facilitated the
meeting.  The next one is scheduled for Monday, August 27 at 7pm, but
it's not certain yet, as they're attempting to secure St. Mark's on
N. Rampart (across street from Armstrong Park) for a meeting place.
I assume that they'll know soon, and I'll pass along confirming info
when I get it.

The main event thus far in the years-long, hard-fought struggle to
get the living wage initiative on the ballot was stifled yet again on
Thursday afternoon, Aug. 16, in the city council chambers (although I
was able to get there only at the conclusion, when ACORN folks
outside briefed me on what just transpired inside), as, from what I
was able to gather, the council once again somehow delayed the formal
procedure of placing the initiative on the February ballot, something
they had delayed once already in August as I understand it (and yes,
for some reason or another, La. ACORN head organizer Beth Butler had
the mic turned off when she went up to speak; unsure of details).
The issue is supposed to resurface at a city council meeting on
Thursday, September 6.

Remember, the Louisiana State Supreme Court has ordered the City to
place this initiative on the ballot, as years ago, the necessary
signatures (50,000+) were collected.  After years of the City
fighting the obvious will of the people in favor of big business
interests, I think we need to make clear in no uncertain terms that
we're disgusted with the misbehavior of the City in irresponsibly
fighting its constituents and arrogantly flouting the law for so long
now.  So please, do your best to make plans to make it to the next
meeting to show support, just in case the City's thinking they can
delay this any further:

City Council Chambers (1300 Perdido)
September 6
11am

Many Thanks,

Stevie G.
rylnwrld@...
486-5134

Hey People,

I've had many ideas lately about how we could finally get the Greens
rolling in Orleans.  I've slashed many of my own work hours recently
because I'm very eager to engage in fighting for the progressive
movement in New Orleans, primarily through Green Party activity, as
people are returning into town and we're on the cusp of much
important electoral activity in February.  I think it's now time for
us to get our basics organized so that we can revitalize ourselves
out of the summer doldrums and into active participation in our area
(many thanks to Jason for the great spark that got me goin', which
was his August 4 event with Malik, Antoinette & Mark).

Working on a Green Plan for New Orleans, a constitution, bylaws,
establishing regular office hours, creating an Orleans Greens
website, etc...these are the basics I have in mind when considering
starting points for ourselves.  If we hunker down as best we can, we
could go ahead and knock this foundational stuff right out, whatever
we define "foundational stuff" as, then proceed to conduct whatever
activities the party sees fit to engage in, from a solid foundation.

So, I've been attempting to put my ideas of late into some sort of
coherent format, and I'd like to share them in some sort of informal
setting, like we did from time to time during the Nader campaign, to
great effect, I think.  I would like to also strongly encourage input
from others, to meet with me and/or other party members for
a "general Brainstorming/Informal meeting", or even a series of these
meetings, bringing along your ideas as well.  I think this may be the
type of meeting that could help us to correspond and share with one
another in a more spontaneous (and therefore a more creative) way
than regular general meetings, which are naturally more structured
for various purposes.

I truly believe that these "gatherings", if we choose to engage in
them, could be extremely beneficial, in that ideas that are exchanged
and molded in these more casual gatherings could bring forth
extraordinary, spirited thinking that would be much harder to foster
in the regular meetings.  I know that more structured meetings are
necessary to conduct official business; I just hope to have any
informal gatherings complement the general business meetings by
dynamically creating ideas that could then be discussed at the
official meetings.  My other primary hope for any gatherings would be
the nurturing of community amongst ourselves and others, which
presently exists to a certain extent, but I think it could be even
better if we work at it a little.

So anyway, please contact me if any of this makes sense, or doesn't,
and we could hopefully get a group of us together, from time to time,
to hash out a lot of great ideas that I know we all have, so that we
can put them into real action.

Onward,

Stevie G.
rylnwrld@...
486-5134
(New Work Schedule:  11am-8pm, Tues. & Wed.; fairly flexible outside
of those 18 weekly hours)

At the last Coordinating Committee Meeting it was decided to resume work
on developing the local Green Program, which would also form the basis
for the GNOGP electoral platform.  Would anyone who has any ideas about
what should be included in this program please forward those ideas to
me?  I'll collect the ideas and try to synthesize them and divide them
into appropriate general areas.  We will resume meetings of  the Program
Committee to do further work on the program and draft a proposal for
consideration by the membership.  Please notify me if you want to
participate in the committee's work.  I hope that we will have something
to present to the membership before too long, since there's a growing
sentiment that this is urgently needed.  Thanks, John

[Edited from original post to Baton Rouge Greens. -- Moderator]
From: terminator_71@... The Hemp Car Tour of America website is at http://www.hempcar.org/
Hemp Car has a stop in New Orleans scheduled on Sept.19, 2001.
According to the website no event has been planned.
I would like to see Hemp Car stop in Baton Rouge and GNOGP host an event for the New Orleans stop.

[On WVUE-TV, Ch. 12, Aug 21, 9:00PM & Aug 26, 3:00AM]

East Valley & Scottsdale (AZ) Tribune
Tuesday, August 21, 2001

Globalization's Victims Film Reveals Hidden Horrors of IMF/World Bank
Policies

by David L. Winkler

The award-winning documentary "Life and Debt,"
(http://www.pbs.org/pov/lifeanddebt/index.html ) which airs
tonight gives viewers a glimpse of Jamaica that most American tourists
never see. If you have ever wondered why millions of people throughout
the world so fiercely oppose economic globalization, risking arrest,
brutal interrogations, and being shot to death in the streets, then you
must not miss this film.

"Life and Debt" achieves what so many of my economics professors
attempted in vain: it puts human faces on the monetary policies that are
concocted by the wealthiest nations behind closed doors and carried out
on the invisible poor and powerless throughout the world. If economics
is a dreary discipline, it is only because there are so few filmmakers
like Stephanie Black, and so few writers like Jamaica Kincaid, from
whose book, "A Small
Place," the film is adapted.

"Life and Debt" recently opened the 2001 Human Rights Watch
International Film Festival in New York to outstanding reviews. Its
television premiere tonight on the PBS Network, as part of its "P.O.V"
series of independent films, comes at a crucial time.

On September 29, government officials and bankers from around the world
will descend on Washington, D.C. for the annual meetings of the
International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. As many as 40,000
protestors are expected to greet them.

"The protests and demonstrations... will be of an intensity, scope and
magnitude that we have never seen in this city," predicted Mayor Anthony
Williams. Last year, the D.C. police arrested nearly 1300 people during
the IMF/World Bank summit. This year's meetings have been scaled back to
two days in response.

The IMF and World Bank were conceived at the 1944 Bretton Woods
Conference in New Hampshire. They were designed to prevent another
global economic collapse like the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The original purpose of the IMF was to lend money to stabilize exchange
rates, at a time when all currencies were fixed to the U.S. dollar. But
in 1971, the Nixon administration ended fixed exchange rates, and the
IMF needed a new mission.

During the 1980s, the IMF began protecting private banks and individuals
from bad investments in developing countries. At the same time, it
imposed "structural adjustment programs" (SAPs) on borrower nations.
These austerity programs target the poor, cutting government spending on
education and health care, reducing wages and subsidies, privatizing
public assets, and causing huge dislocations in production and
employment.

"The IMF has created a system of modern day colonialism that SAPs the
poor to fatten the rich," according to Global Exchange (www.global
exchange.org/). Hence the dubious nicknames for the IMF such as the
"Imelda Marcos Foundation," and "I. M. Fired."

The case of Jamaica, a British colony until 1962, illustrates how
colonialism has reinvented itself. Michael Manley was elected Prime
Minister in 1976 on a fiercely independent, non-IMF platform. "The
Jamaican government will not accept anybody, anywhere in the world
telling us what to do in our own country," Manley declared. "Above all,
we are not for sale."

"Life and Debt" contrasts this inspiring oratory with Manley's somber
reflections after being forced to accept IMF terms, and watching his
people descend into poverty and despair at the hands of foreign powers.
This hopeless downward spiral of debt has earned the IMF its reputation
as a global loan shark.

In a speech at World Bank headquarters on July 17, President Bush
proposed "that up to 50 percent of the funds provided by the development
banks to the poorest countries be provided as grants [not loans] for
education, health, nutrition, water supply, sanitation and other human
needs." This would be an important step toward reform, provided that
grants are not conditioned upon SAPs.

For an entertaining primer on the new colonialism, read the "Field Guide
to the Global Economy," by Sarah Anderson and John Cavanagh. Details of
next month's IMF/World Bank summit and protests are available from 50
Years is Enough (http://www.50years.org), and from the Mobilization for
Global Justice (http://www.globalizethis.org).

David L. Winkler is a Valley resident. His email address is:
mediamaven@...

The following message is passed on from the Loyola Greens.  The group
has been asked to help with a large recycling effort Friday and
Saturday.  The result will be the recycling of tons of cardboard, a
large donation to the Loyola Greens, and help with funding an
environmnetal communications scholarship.  The problem is that many of
the group's members are just returning and do not know about this
project. Could anyone donate a couple of hours work to help the group
Friday or Saturday?  If so, please contact the group's president, Rosina
Roibal, as soon as possible.  This cooperation between local greens will
be much appreciated and reciprocated I'm sure.  Thanks!  John

Forwarded message:

The Loyola Green Club has agreed to participate in a cardboard box
recycling project proposed by Loyola University Center for Environmental
Communications.

This takes place Friday Aug.25 and Saturday Aug.26th from 9:15AM to 4:00
PM We need volunteers!  Please come to Buddig Hall (dorm) any time to
help!

Volunteers will be collecting boxes at the Residence Halls at Loyola,
then loading them into a U-haul, then going to a storage unit, where
they will be counted/bundled. Lunch and drinks will be provided on work
days. All will get t-shirts.

The recycled material will be sold. Money will be donated to the Loyola
Green Club for other projects. Also, the money generated by the box sale
will help fund a $1000 scholarship for a freshman entering Loyola who is
interested in Environmental
Communications.

There are an immense number of boxes produced by local universities.
Loyola produces 7 tons of boxes each year which are thrown in the
dumpsters and taken to the landfill. This
generates no positive result. Tulane produces 14 tons of boxes every
fall which they
recycle. We hope that our solution will be environmentally beneficial,
raise awareness about environmental issues on campus, give all involved
organizations visibility with the freshman population, and provide an
economically beneficial solution superior to the alternatives.

PLEASE help our cause. Call 864-0138 if you can help Thursday or Friday.

Thank you,
Rosina Roibal
Loyola Green Club/Environmental Action

Those concerned about a Wal-Mart locating in the St. Thomas area will
want to watch WLAE on Saturday, September 8, 8PM!

ITVS Presents Micha Peled's
STORE WARS: WHEN WAL-MART COMES TO TOWN
Documentary about One Town's Struggle to Define Its Future to Air
on WLAE on Saturday, September 8, 8PM.

   "Robert E. Lee came here to fight In my home town
   Stonewall Jackson just spent the night In my home town
   Hard to believe, but it's true.  Now we've got some body new
   Cause Sam Walton wants to come here too In my home town."
   Protest Song by Woody Tucker,  Ashland, Virginia


STORE WARS, written, produced and directed by Micha Peled, follows the
one-year conflict that polarizes Ashland, Virginia, population 7,200,
when Wal-Mart decides it wants to build a megastore on the edge of town. The
ensuing debate pits neighbor against neighbor in a battle as protracted
and bitter as those fought in the Old West between ranchers and farmers over
land-use issues. The struggle between conflicting versions of the
American dream has on one side those who want to preserve their seemingly
idyllic
small-town way of life versus those who believe in the positive economic
benefits Wal-Mart promises. A truly American story, STORE WARS is about
the right of a community to determine its own future: Which values are
most important? Who gets to decide?

Ashland, Virginia, situated just off Interstate 95 north of Richmond, is
a town where the grocery store allows charge accounts and the doctor makes
housecalls. It is the only town in America where Amtrak pulls into town
and lets passengers off right on Main Street. School bus drivers and
morticians serve on the Town Council and the residents are fiercely protective
of
their small-town character. But this gentle way of life is jolted when Wal-Mart
announces it wants to build a supercenter on the edge of town.

STORE WARS follows the events in Ashland from the first public hearing
that galvanizes residents' opposition until the Town Council takes a final
vote one year later. Arguments for the store include increased tax revenues, low
prices for shoppers and new jobs. Franklin Jackson, an African American town
councilman, wants to bring in those jobs and some of the old timers
don't believe government should stand in the way of progress. Those adamantly
opposed, including local business owners and transplants who came to
Ashland for its quality of life, feel the store will destroy the
small-town atmosphere, increase traffic and provide only low-end minimum-wage
jobs.
Hot debates ensue in churches, on sidewalks and in the local coffee shop.
Says town historian Rosie Shalf, who narrates the film: "The town has
never faced an issue that has stirred up as much emotion as this one."

>  The cast of characters includes Mayor Tommy Herbert and Town Council
>  members who will eventually make the decision, Wal-Mart representatives
>  and the "Pink Flamingos," a grassroots citizens group opposed to the
>store.
>  Mary Leffler, an occupational therapist, mother of four and head of the
>Pink
>Flamingos, is thrown into the political fray for the first time: "I feel as
>if we are
>  about to compete in the Olympics but we’ve just learned the sport."
>
>  Between events in the town, STORE WARS introduces Wal-Mart, the world’s
>  largest retailer and the second largest employer (behind only the federal
>government) in the United States. Colonizing the world through relentless
>  expansion, Wal-Mart opens a new megastore every two business days and
>  has expanded on average into one new country every year. A truly global
>  company, Wal-Mart has redefined the shopping experience for the American
>consumer. The film takes us inside a stockholders meeting, where Wal-Mart
>"associates" and top executives give a rousing rendition of the Wal-Mart
>  cheer and salute and are wowed by Kathie Lee Gifford.
>
>  Wal-Mart lawyer Jay Weinberg, who has won four previous battles against
>  towns who did not want the stores, comes to Ashland from Richmond. His
>  first presentation to the Planning Board for a shopping center as big as
>all
>  the stores in Ashland combined, is met with overwhelming resistance, and
>  Weinberg loses the first round. But after being presented with concrete
>  concerns as to the size and appearance of the shopping center, Weinberg
>  is soon back with a more generous proposal designed to overcome
>citizen’s
>objections. Wal-Mart also begins an aggressive public relations campaign,
>  buying multiple full-page ads in the local newspaper, presenting the town
>  council with a video about its supposed success in neighboring
>  Tappahannock and sending in a community relations executive from
>  headquarters in Arkansas.
>
>  Meanwhile, the Pink Flamingos go to work holding street demonstrations
>  and bringing in their own consultant, Sprawl Busters founder Al Norman, a
>  small-town David who has stood up to Goliath before. Norman explains why
>  Wal-Mart would want to build in Ashland, when another Wal-Mart is only
>ten
>  miles away in Richmond: "Wal-mart operates on a saturation strategy. They
>  place stores so close together that they become their own competition.
>Once
>  everyone else is wiped out, they’re free to thin out their own stores.
>Wal-Mart
>  currently has over 390 empty stores on the market today. This is a
>company
>  that changes stores as casually as you or I change shoes."
>
>  The Town Council does due diligence and goes to visit Tappahannock,
>Virginia,
>  examining the truth of the Wal-Mart video promoting success in the
>community.
>  Instead of thriving local businesses as the video implies, the Mayor and
>Town
>  Councilman Stewart Reid find local stores, in operation for generations,
>closed
>  down for lack of business.
>
>  After intense pressure and with Wal-Mart promising almost $4 million
>dollars
>to
>  build roads, the Ashland Planning Commission passes the proposal with one
>  dissenting vote. The Pink Flamingos mount a last stand effort against the
>store.
>
>  Mayor Tommy Herbert finds himself trying to get re-elected in the midst
>of
>  the controversy, as this happens just in time for the Ashland Town
>Council
>  elections. Shaking hands and going door to door he tries to straddle the
>  controversy. On Election Day, the polls are jammed in one of the biggest
>  turnouts the town has ever seen. Tommy Herbert is soundly defeated in
>what
>  is considered to be a referendum on the Wal-Mart issue.
>
>  But, cliffhanger to the end, STORE WARS shows a Mayor determined to vote
>  on the issue in his last weeks in office, despite his loss in the
>elections.
>  Councilman Stewart Reid tries to stop the vote, claiming it is unfair for
>a
>  lame-duck town council to make this momentous decision. His motion dies
>  on the table without a second.
>
>  The die is cast and a vote is taken. The outcome determines whether STORE
>  WARS is a story about the triumph of a determined group of citizens, or a
>  parable of our times and the inevitable expansion of a global
>corporation.
>
>  STORE WARS is produced, directed and written by Micha X. Peled. The
>  associate producer is Monica Z. Lam. Allen Moore is the director of
>  photography, with sound by Bob Silverthorne. The film is edited by Ken
>  Schneider.
>
>
>  Fact Sheet
>
>  In recent years, opposition to megastore chain stores has spread almost
>as
>fast
>  as the discount retail chains. In many towns where a discount retailer
>wants
>to
>  build store, local grassroots groups hastily organize to oppose it. These
>  groups have become successful enough that mass retailers, such as
>Wal-Mart,
>  Home Depot and Rite-Aid, are forced to take them into account in their
>  expansion plans. This film focuses on Wal-Mart as the icon of its
>industry,
>the
>  object of envy and imitation by its competitors.
>
>  Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world, with over 3000 stores in
>the
>  U.S. and additional store chains in Britain, Germany, China, Korea,
>Mexico,
>  Brazil and Argentina. Its CEO, David Glass, outlined Wal-Mart’s
>objective:
>  "First we dominate North America, then South America, then Europe and
>Asia."
>  Fortune Magazine forecast that in 2000 Wal-Mart would become the #1
>company
>in
>  the world in revenues. Its current annual volume of sales has surpassed
>$160
>  billion (more than Microsoft and IBM combined).
>
>  In the U.S., 100 million shoppers show their support for Wal-Mart stores
>  every week. Its scope of operations uses the world’s largest computer
>  (surpassing the Pentagon) and the world’s largest fleet of trucks.
>
>  Wal-Mart’s rate of expansion is so rapid that every two days it opens a
>  megastore, and by 2004 it will double the number of such stores. These
>stores
>  measure over 150,000 square feet in size (18,000 square meters), include
>  groceries among their 50,000 items and are open 24/7. In addition,
>Wal-Mart
>  opens smaller stores. Each year, the company hires 550,000 more
>employees,
>  replacing those lost to rapid turnover and replenishing its workforce.
>
>  Wal-Mart is the largest employer in the U.S. after the Federal government
>  with over 925,000 employees. Forbes magazine, polling executives (not
>  employees) has ranked Wal-Mart among the best 100 corporations to work
>for.
>Yet
>  employees on average take home pay of under $200 a week.Yet employees on
>  average take home pay of under $200 a week. The salary for fulltime
>employees
>  (called "associates") is $6 to $7.50 an hour for 28-40 hours a week and
>is
>  typical to the discount retail industry. This pay scale places employees
>with
>  families below the poverty line and their children qualify for free lunch
>at
>  school, which amounts to a form of corporate welfare, as the taxpayer
>  subsidizes the low salaries. One third are part-time employees with no
>benefits
>  or job security; many of these employees are limited to less than 28
>hours
>and
>  are therefore not eligible for benefits. The company is staunchly
>anti-union.
>  New employees are shown videotapes explaining that instead of unions they
>  benefit from the Open Door policy, allowing them to take their complaints
>  beyond the supervisors to higher management.
>
>  Fulltime employees are eligible for benefits, but the health insurance
>  package is so expensive (employees pay 35% — almost double the national
>  average) that less than half opt to buy it. Another benefit for employees
>is
>  the option to buy company stock at a discount. Voting power for these
>stocks
>  remains with Wal-Mart management.
>
>  In spite of its large volume of sales, Wal-Mart’s corporate
>contributions are
>  small. Wal-Mart ranked last among major discount retailers, donating 0.4%
>of
>  its earnings, well behind its competitors (U.S. corporations average just
>over
>  1%). A cornerstone of the company philosophy is that it "gives something
>back"
>  by keeping prices low.
>
>  In the U.S. Wal-Mart has come under attack on a number of fronts. Despite
>a
>  well-publicized "Made in the U.S.A." campaign, 85% of the stores’ items
>are
>  made overseas, often in Third World sweatshops. By taking its orders
>abroad,
>  Wal-Mart has forced many U.S. manufacturers out of business. The company
>is
>  also accused of cultural censorship. It compels hundreds of recording
>artists,
>  primarily alternative rock, hip-hop and rap musicians, to "clean up"
>their
>  lyrics as a condition of distribution. Wal-Mart is also criticized for
>  deserting stores that underperform, leaving behind 333 empty buildings of
>such
>  a size that they have no other use.
>
>  Yet hundreds of towns court Wal-Mart. The megastores bring low prices and
>  convenient shopping to rural areas and small towns. They create
>entry-level
>  jobs and added revenue to local treasuries.

From: Jolly8994@...
To: Jolly8994@...
Subject: Navajo friends in trouble!
Date: Mon, 27 Aug 2001 02:45:39 EDT

>  I received an e-mail from Berta Benally out in Arizona and I would
>  appreciate it if you could share this info. with everyone.
>
>  Berta and her family stayed with me last year and fell in love with N.O.
>  They performed at the Dragon's den and interviewed on WWOZ. While they
>  were  here they met Smiley Ricks and talked about the Mardi Gras Indians
>  with him. Maybe they will be able to visit again and collaborate with him
>  or any other interested parties. In the meantime they are struggling to keep
>  their home lands out of an extremely aggressive company's hands while
>  trying to live a  peaceful life.
>
>  They are having an emergency situation I thought you could alert N.O. to.
>  The Peabody coal mining co. has bulldozed an extremely sacred sundance
>  ceremonial site. Sweat lodges were razed, the land stripped, the sundance
>  tree chopped up and shredded. I don't want to go into too much detail
>  here so if everyone would check out http://www.blackmesais.org they will find
much
>  more info. With White Buffalo day approaching Monday, I also wish that
>  everyone pray for  this situation to remain peaceful and that something
>  will be worked out so  that the elders aren't wrenched out of their
>  homelands. Please call me if  need be 314-8217 as I plan to be in touch
>  with Berta and keep everyone  up-dated.
>
>  Thank you... Desier

Don't forget- http://www.blackmesais.org

Here's something I just got on the Audubon Park
issue,  (and be sure to check the web site at
http://SaveAudubonPark.org/):

We are in the process of creating a newsletter that
can be circulated to interested parties such as
yourself, and to the general public. In the meantime,
this message is to alert you to a couple of recent and
urgent matters that have arisen.

BIG EVENT:
The date of the Public Meeting on Audubon Park is Tuesday,
September 4, at 7:00 pm, at the Dominican Conference Center
at 540 Broadway... spread the word!  The Mayor, City Council,
Audubon Park Commission and Ron Forman are being invited.
We urge everyone to attend!

ALERT:
Tree-cutting is scheduled to begin next week (the week
of August 27th) in at least the Meditation Walk area!

REQUEST:
We need help. We hope to collect as many petition
signatures as possible before the Public Meeting on
Sept 4th. If you can help by

Would you be interested in participating in or
organizing a protest in the park at the time that the
first trees are cut? That time is soon! We are looking
for someone to take this on, organize it and create a
splash, and of course for others to attend. We can
provide contact information to anyone who would like
to take charge of this.

If you can donate some time to this cause in any of
these ways, please email us at SaveAudubonPark@...
Please link this appeal to yours, if you would be so kind.

Sincereley,

SaveAudubonPark.org

Greens:

For those who weren't called, we decided at the last Coordinating COmmittee
meeting to go ahead with a lving wage/voter registration  outreach campaign,
to do our part in the citywide effort to get higher wages for workers.

We will meet this Saturday, and every 1st Saturday of the month, at 555
Canal St (marriott) at 10AM.  We can canvass Canal St, handing out
pro-living wage flyers and registering voters.

We have been in touch with ACORN, the main organizer of the New Orleans
Living Wage Campaign, and they are excited that we are taking this
initiative.  ACORN is now having neighborhood outreach themeselves almost
every day, so call them (943-0044) if you would like to help them.  One of
the primary goals of canvassing downtown is to reach out to hotel workers.


I drew up this flyer for the event-- what do y'all think?  Space is limited,
and my feeling is that the message should be simple, direct, and honest.

See y'all on Saturday!

Jason Neville
909-2837
lemme know by Friday so I can make any changes...

Jason:
______________________________________________________
Vote Yourself A Pay Raise!

Did you know that the minimum wage might be increased by $1, which could
mean about $180/ month more for you and your family?

To start getting at least $6.15/hr, we should vote "yes!" for the Living
Wage!

The vote will take place in February, at the same time we vote for Mayor and
City Councilpersons.

Be sure you are registered to vote for this important issue-the Green Party
and ACORN can help you find out if you're registered or not, or you may call
the registrar of voters.

For more information:___________

New Orleans Green Party: 488-6228

ACORN: 943-0044

Registrar of Voter (City Hall): need number


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Note: forwarded message attached.


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