Meet this week's featured candidate, Colia Clark from New York

Meet this week's featured candidate, Colia Clark from New York

"Colia Clark is a veteran of the civil rights movement. Her work has included activism in the fields of women's rights and workers' rights, as well as activism and advocacy for homeless people and youth. Most recently, she has worked with the Cynthia McKinney for President campaign with "Power to the People". Clark is a chair of Grandmothers for the Release of Mumia Abu Jamal.

During the Civil Rights era, Colia Clark was a Special Assistant to Medgar W. Evers, field Secretary for the NAACP. Clark later joined the Mississippi Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) doing voter registration work. In the 1990s Clark was a professor at the University of Albany as well as Director of the Social Justice Center. Immigration reform will be a key focus of the Clark candidacy..."read more

www.coliaclark.org

NY: Open Letter to Greens across the country from Robert Gumbs

Greens,

In line with the issue of the racial problems that the New york Green Party suffers from there is another dimension that needs to be looked at. Whenever, i have brought suggestions for this party to implement here in new york, it's routinely ignored. However, - Karen Young - with the help of a few other people seem to think that they have the right to completely make the New York party into their own image. They hold meetings when they want, they invite who they want to those meetings and everybody stands for it. I try to make a point in a meeting and I am castigated as an arrogant black male, slightly obtuse and definitely unwelcome.

The fact that white men in the New York Green Party asked me to leave the party because of my opinion on certain issues really astounds me. For this to happen in the supposedly democratic Green Party is a tragedy. However, i have had to face up to lynch mobs, made up of my white American comrades in arms in Germany, so this incident will not hold me down one bit. I believe in fighting back.

We have a campaign for Mayor of New York, where the Green candidate has not stated what his Urban Policy is. We have had over 50 black men gunned down in New York over the last 23 months or so, the Green Party in New York has no comment about this, has no plan to say anything about this and the Green Party Candidate for Mayor has made no comment as to what he would do about this.

6 young black men were almost lynched and forced to rot in jail for a crime they didn't commit, the rape of a white woman in central park. There are politicians who are trying to have an investigation as to why this travesty happened. What does the Green Party's Mayoral candidate have to say about this?

Why should urban residents in inner city New York follow a candidate that has not outlined a coherent urban policy?

This is the state of affairs that I believe Greens across the country will say is deplorable. Am I arrogant because as the only black man active in the New York party for the last 5 years i choose to question this state of affairs?

Newcomers have come to New York, with their own agenda, and they think they can twist the party to their tune. Fine - but if you are not going to deal with the issues that concern Black Americans that live in this city, then what the hell good are you for this party?

Does any party that refuses to deal with the just needs of Black Americans deserve to be elected to any public office?

This is why there should be a Black person on this so-called NYC Green Committee. If Ms. Young had taken the time to ask what my objection to their new procedure was, I would have gladly discussed it with her. However, in New York the voice of people of color are ignored in the New York Green Party - unless of course they are a celebrity.

I love Cynthia and Rosa for what they stand for, not as a means to an end.

For those of you that are upset for my opinions - tough, i didn't join this party to be a stooge or yes man. I have a very low tolerance for hypocrisy and when I see it - i point it out. This is a party for Black Men, just as much for anyone else. And I promise by almighty God to fight racism and elitism wherever i see it in this party. Because if we are to guide and criticize the other political parties - we have to make sure that we as Greens are correct.

I would also like to thank the support i have received from fellow Greens not only here in New York, but members from the Green Party Black Caucus and Green party members from other parts of the country.

NY: Reality in the U.S - Robert Gumbs on Healthcare

As I watch events taking place in America today I am sickened. As far as Health care is concerned, the only chance for Single Payment is within the House. The Senate is just the opposite.

So that there is no mistake - I am for National Health Care - without any interference by the Insurance Companies. Now I was a cripple for about 6 years, I spent more time in an out of the Veterans Hospitals than I spent in my residence. I was fortunate enough to get on Social Security and receive Medicare. This past February I was admitted to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, where my spine was removed and replaced with a metal substitute, was it because of my medicare? The doctor who performed the surgery worked on me for over 14 hours. The good doctor would have done the surgery weather I had Medicare or not. Would I have gotten through the Emergency Room, and be introduced to the Neurosurgeon? Who knows. However, I know better than most - the travails of the American care system. I know of the duplicity and heartlessness that Insurance companies put most of the American people through. In a sane society such as France Belgium or Britain, health care is a right of every human being, just like calling a cop or a fireman for assistance. This Market Capitalistic nut house that America has become is so captivated by wealth and greed, that the corporate bullies would charge us for the air we breathe if we are not careful.

So there it is - my heart is for a National Health System - period.

The problem with all of this is that too many of us, at least in this part of the country don't really understand who the enemy is. It's like the old cartoon," we have met the enemy and they is us!"

For those of us who come from the Northeast, especially New York that might seem a little strange, however, if you have had any experience living in America - and I don't mean New York, you will understand what I mean. First of all, New York hasn't been part of the rest of America since the mid 60's. There is a huge group of Americans that need National Health care, but unfortunately, by the same token, you have a huge group of Americans that believe that government interference in health care is anathema. The latter group is obviously ignorant - but they do exist.

I did surveying across the country and I tell you there are a large amount of folks that just want the Federal government to disappear, except for the military of course. You go out to Missouri, or Meridian, Mississippi or Southern Virginia, and live amongst those folks as I have done and you will see for yourself.

You have to realize that far too many Americans, many as poor as church mice, will denounce government like it was sin, they don't care that it could make their lives better. I met working class white folks in Florida that think that FDR and the New Deal were a part of the plan of the anti-Christ.

There is a belief, especially among whites in the more rural areas especially, that only a weakling and blacks and latino's take help from the government. Never mind how the corporate world robs us all, or the fact that the military industrial complex bleeds our citizens of more treasure than any enemy has since 1945.

The Green Party has to understand the problem from a political and psychological level.

At a time when our nation has the technology to feed, clothe, educate and provide health care for every human being in this country. Our citizens, even those with health care are shuffling along like natives in a so-called third world country. But the vast majority of American don't attack the basic problems - they even join hands with their own oppressors. What the Green Party has to do is show the American people why we are the ones to protect their interests, as opposed to any other political party. We have to show them that we're mature enough to actually run a government. We also need to show the American people how to fight for their own best interests and what those best interests are.

Robert "Bob" Gumbs, veteran and Green Party candidate for the 15th Congressional District in the US House (Charles Rangel's seat) has been an active member of the Green Party of New York for 5 years . Bob is the newly elected Black Caucus Delegate to the GPUS National Committee.