Congratulations to Eugene Platt, Green Party nominee for the 1st Congressional District special election on May 7, 2013!  Contact Eugene at info@voteplatt.com to get involved with Eugene’s campaign.

Upcoming Events

Monday, March 25, 6:00pm, US Customs House

On March 26 and 27, 2013, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments about the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8, two cases that are fundamentally about whether lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Americans should have the freedom to marry. 

The Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) is sponsoring a rally on the eve of the hearings, joining other local organizations and rallies in 35 states across the country to demonstrate in support of equality and freedom to marry for LGBT people.  The rally will bring LGBT people and fair-minded Americans together to shine a light on the broad support for marriage equality from coast to coast.

This peaceful and civil demonstration will be held at 6:00 PM on Monday, March 25, 2013 on the steps of the U.S. Custom House at East Bay and Market Streets in downtown Charleston.  The event is free and open to the public.  All LGBT people and allies who believe in equality and justice are encouraged to attend.

The South Carolina Green Party and Charleston Green Party are co-sponsors of this event.

Announcement of SC Green Party Special Convention, 3/9/2013

Contact  scgreenpartyinfo@earthlink.net or charlestongreens@gmail.com or if you have questions or need a ride!

Seismic airgun testing is used to find deep pockets of oil in the sea floor and is step one toward offshore drilling in the Atlantic.  A jet plane is just a small taste of the disruptive and deafening impact that seismic airgun testing will have on marine life if we don’t take action now.   The proposed seismic airgun testing for the Atlantic is projected to disturb and injure up to 138,500 dolphins and whales.  After seismic testing in Peru earlier this year, hundreds of dolphins washed up dead on the shores often with blood in their ears.  The decibels produced by seismic airgun blasts are loud enough to kill a human and for marine life the stakes are too high.

The U.S. Department of the Interior plans to make a decision in 2013, so join us to send a clear message: NO seismic airgun testing in the Atlantic!  Join Oceana Tuesday, February 5^th at Marion Square in Charleston for a press conference and demonstration urging the Department of the Interior to reject seismic airgun testing in the Atlantic!   We will hold a press conference followed by a mock-seismic airgun test demonstration for 15 minutes using noise-makers to simulate the seismic testing proposed in the Atlantic that will occur every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, for days to weeks at a time.

Contact: Katie Parrish, Oceana, kparrish@oceana.org, or at (239) 537-9507

We will not have a business meeting this month.  Join us as we eat, drink, and be merry at Original Ms. Rose’s Fine Food & Cocktails, 1090 Sam Rittenberg Blvd in West Ashley near the North Bridge (this is the old Sunfire Grill location).   Bring a friend or two and join us!

Join us as we welcome 2004 Green Party Presidential candidate David Cobb of Move to Amend!
Fiery speaker and lifelong activist David Cobb is touring the country for Move to Amend, the national coalition of over 241,000 people and organizations whose goal is to amend the US Constitution to end corporate rule and legalize democracy.

Cobb tells the story of the American creation myth and the Constitution as it pertains to Corporate Personhood and illegitimate but legal corporate constitutional rights, followed by about an hour of facilitated discussion / Q and A.

This event is co-sponsored locally by the Charleston Green Party, the Charleston chapter of the South Carolina Progressive Network, the Charleston chapter of the Carolina Alliance for Fair Employment, and the International Longshoremen’s Association local 1422.

Southern Human Rights Organizers Conference, December 7-9, ILA Hall.

Join human rights organizers, social justice activists, students, youth, workers, and labor and faith leaders in Charleston. Registration: General-$50 Students, youth, and seniors $15. Unemployed free. For details call 662-334-1122 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE 662-334-1122 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or toll free at 888-949-9754 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting FREE 888-949-9754 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or http://southernhumanrights.org/.

Charleston Green Party Social Gathering, Wednesday, December 19, 6:30pm, location TBD.

We will not have a business meeting this month.  Join us as we eat, drink, and be merry at a local restaurant.  Details will be posted once we confirm a venue.  Please join us!

Join us tonight for an election watch party!  We will be at Back Home Bar and Grill, 1812 Sam Rittenberg Blvd in West Ashley.  It’s in the same shopping center as Barnes & Noble but at the far opposite end of the parking lot (around the corner from Moe’s).

Do you have cable?  Watch for advertising in support of Dr. Jill Stein on MSNBC, CNN, and HLN starting today!

Lots happening in October!  Please attend one or more of these upcoming events!

***TONIGHT***
Candidate forum for State House 114, Mon Oct 15, 7:00pm, Old St. Andrews Parish Church, 2604 Ashley River Road (West Ashley)
Sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the American Association of University Women
This is a 2-part debate: Charleston County district 6 and State House 114

Come see Green Party candidate Larry Carter Center face off against petition candidate John Steinberger (tea party and Fair Tax advocate)  for State House 114.  Bobby Harrell has so far refused to debate – what is he afraid of?

~~~~~

***WEDNESDAY***
Charleston GP meeting, Wed Oct 17, 6:30pm, Earth Fare
This is a special meeting!

Film maker Braxton Williams is making a documentary on the struggles of third party candidates in a two party-controlled system.   The main focus of the film is Libertarian candidate for CD-1, Keith Blandford.  Braxton will be at our meeting to interview Greens, as we are facing the same obstacles.

In addition, Dr. Bill Kreml will be visiting us from Columbia to share info on an advertising blitz and accompanying ground work for Jill Stein.  Ads started today (if anyone has cable, please watch for them on MSNBC, CNN, and HLN).
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State House 115 Candidate Forum, Thursday, October 25.7 pm at the Town Hall of James Island

Sponsored by the James Island Messenger

Come support petition candidate Carol Tempel as she faces off against Republican Peter McCoy.  Send your questions to:  publisher@jimpaper.com
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Adopt-a-Highway Trash Pickup, Sat Nov 3, 10:30am, meet at the corner of 5th Ave and St Andrews Blvd in front of the Emanuel AME Church

This is our last pickup of 2012.  Invite your friends!  We need a good turnout in order to cover our entire assigned route.

Our next Charleston Green Party meeting is Wednesday, July 18 at Earth Fare at 6:30pm.  We’ll be planning our efforts to support the Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala campaign so please bring a friend and join us!

Mark your calendar!

Candidate Forum for Senate district 41 special election, Tuesday, June 26, 7pm, Berkeley Electric 3351 Maybank Highway Johns Island, SC (next to the fire station)

Sue Edward is the Green Party candidate and will be participating in this forum.

Green Party Annual National Meeting and Presidential Nominating Convention, Thursday, July 12 – Sunday, July 15, Baltimore MD

Special Election for SC Senate district 41 , Tuesday, July 17

General Election, Tuesday, November 6

Green Party Calendar

Monthly meeting, Wednesday, February 15, 7:00pm, Earth Fare

Monthly meeting, Wednesday, March 21, 7:00pm, Earth Fare

Candidate filing period, Friday, March 16 noon – Friday, March 30, noon

Charleston Green Party County Convention, Saturday, March 31, 2:00pm, Charleston County Main Library (downtown)

South Carolina Green Party State Convention, Saturday, April 28, Columbia

Adopt-a-Highway trash pickup, Saturday, May 5, 10:30am, corner of 5th Ave and St Andrews Blvd in front of Emanuel AME Church

Green Party Annual National Meeting and Presidential Nominating Convention, Thursday, July 12 – Sunday, July 15, Baltimore MD

Upcoming events

Dave Lippmann, Friday, February 17, 6pm, Mad River Bar and Grille, 32B North Market Street, Charleston, FREE ADMISSION

Thrill to the post-corporate comic stylings of satirical songster Dave Lippman. The anti-war troubadour afflicts the complacent, takes the air out of the windbags of the week, and de-distorts history. On the extreme other hand Dave’s alter-ego, Wild Bill Bailout, the Bard of the Bankers, champions the beleaguered 1% in this hysterically funny, not-to-be-missed show.

Presented by Charleston Peace and the SC Progressive Network.

South Carolina Progressive Network’s “Thunder & Lightning Awards”, Saturday, February 18, 7pm, The Big Apple, 1000 Hampton St, Columbia

This is an annual celebration to recognize outstanding activists in South Carolina. This year, we will honor those who played a significant role in stopping the Photo ID law. Internationally renowned singer-songwriter Dave Lippman and his alter ego “Wild Bill Bailout” will entertain, and attendees can bid on silent auction items donated by local artists and activists. To RSVP, email network@scpronet.com or call 803-808-3384.
Citizen’s Advocacy Training Workshop, Thursday, Feb 23, 6-8:30pm, YWCA, 106 Coming Street

Learn how to effectively get your message across to elected officials about issues that matter with special focus on voting rights, immigration, reproductive freedom, and equality. Presented by the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, League of Women Voters, SC Equality, and others. RSVP to jlandry@aclusouthcarolina.org or with any of the sponsoring groups.