Johnson County Green Party Business Meeting
Wednesday, April 9th, 2003, 7:30-9 p.m.
Uptown Bill's Small Mall

Facilitator: Florence Boos

I. Review of agenda, minutes of last meeting;

Florence passed around newspaper clippings (peace camp, students and Greens in the news, political cartoons); review of recent activities. Despite several articles, members have been frustrated with media under-reporting and under-estimating anti-war numbers and viewpoints.

Media recommendation
Peter Harty noted that local cable channel 18 (PATV) is now running Democracy Now, each weekday, around 7 a.m.
Anjali Kholsa added that this also available through the internet, if you have streaming audio, via Pacifica; she recommends WBAI, NY.

II. Legislative Update

Holly Hart: Not much to report. Thanks to legislative partisan haggling over an electoral reform bill that contains several controversial points, our ballot access content has been getting ignored, despite some interest from Sen. Neal
Schuerer and others. It's still good to keep writing, since we hope it will be included in another bill.

[NOTE: It appears the issue may be over for this session; SF332, the bill to which we'd hoped our legislation would be appended, did not make it through the funnel - hh]

Anjali suggesed we come up with a form letter/post card; Greens can set up a day at the peace camp for voter registration and have the card on hand for people to sign. Megan Woodland volunteered to staff a voter registration table at the peace camp, on one or more Wednesdays and /or Fridays.

III. Peace Camp

We were happy to welcome Joe Mirabella, Seth Weese and Anjali Khosla, visitors from the peace camp, at this week's meeting.

As nearly everyone in Iowa City knows by now, several University of Iowa students worked out permission to set up a peace camp on the Pentacrest. This is a 24-hour-a-day operation, staffed round the clock. Students report many good discussions with passersby (some veterans, pro and anti-war people), after bars close (3-5 a.m.), and some harrassment (eggs, property damage). Overall, things have been very positive.

University of Iowa faculty members will offer a series of teach-ins from now until the end of the semester. A chalkboard listing the schedule is set up in front of the camp. Initially, this was to have run until the end of the semester, but it's likely it will be extended to run through the summer.

Florence will be presenting one of this week's teach-ins, on Wednesday Noon: "What the Media Doesn't Tell Us." Barbara Hackmann would like to videotape some of the camp activities and interview some of the campers.

The peace camp is seeking co-sponsors and support; progressive organizations are welcome to have their material on hand, offer talks, etc. Volunteers: they need people during the day; bring a book, study during the morning and/or afternoon.

Florence congratulated the organizers of the peace camp, saying that it takes "conceptual power and idealism to find a new way to state the case."

MOTION for the Johnson County Green Part to co-sponsor the peace camp; Megan Woodland; seconded by Barb Hackmann; PASSED, unanimous.

IV. Panel

Florence suggested holding our next planned panel at the peace camp in the evening -- more planning to come.

V. Earth Day

Earlier, members had suggsted the possibility of the Johnson County Green Party doing something for Earth Day. Campus Greens and the UI Environmental Coalition are already planning something. It was decided to contact them and offer to help with whatever event they are planning.

VI. Politcal Campaign - Impeach/Try Bush, Lobby Congress

The Black Hawk County Greens have suggested that the Iowa Green Party call for an impeachment. It was proposed that the Johnson County Green Party endorse this and bring it to the state delegates for consideration; we will ask Black Hawk County and others interested to look into specifics of what may be possible.

MOTION, for the Johnson County Green Party to request the Iowa Green Party to endorse this effort; Holly Hart; seconded by Joe Mirabella and Anjali Khosla; PASSED, unanimous.

VII. Materials/Literature

Florence has developed a leaflet on Green policy and minority rights, similar to the one she developed on peace issues. Members receivied copies to review. A suggestion was made to mention our advocacy of the liberalization of drug laws.

VIII. Local Politics

Joe Mirabella: The "Over 21 Ordinance" is a hot issue among students; overall, they are not in favor. He offered to come up with a drug policy position paper for review. The students felt that if Greens adopted an anti-21-ordinance stance, Greens and any of our endorsed candidates for next fall's city council election would gain student support. They have been invited to return with more information at the next meeting.

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, May 7th, 7:00 p.m. - Location: Peace Camp (Pentacrest, W. Jefferson Street)

*****
Holly Hart
Secretary, Johnson County Green Party
4-11-03