Do you want a woman for President of the United States? Perhaps, you’d like to see an ethnic minority attain the highest office in the land. Well, you’re in for a surprise because with the Green Party you get two for the price of one. Two Black women are running for President & Vice-President respectively.
Who are they you ask? Cynthia Mckinney former Congresswoman from Georgia and Rosa Clemente activist, and community organizer.
Radio Talk Show host and political analyst Farai Chideya told The Final Call “that she is glad that there are more voices being added to the political discourse in America.”
“I’m a huge fan of political diversity. Whether or not they get a lot of votes, American democracy should have a lot of depth,” said Ms. Chideya, adding that it will be interesting to see the reaction of the “die hard civil rights generation Democrats” to the McKinney/Clemente Green Party candidacy.”
Far too long in the American political landscape has seen the same tired, same trifling political spiel without any variety of ideas, candidates and vision. Now, with this candidacy the public has a chance to really hear substantive issues that may have been relegated to the margin.
To date, mainstream media hasn’t added so much as a footnote to this campaign. No surprise there. Even though, Clemente may not be a household name, Mckinney has quite the following in her Congressional district. Still, their campaign has been flying under the radar of National press coverage & recognition that the other major political parties have enjoyed!
We live in a two party Republic, yet every citizen has the right to organize their own political party as per the constitution. Although, people seem to denigrate Non-Party Affiliates or Independents like they just serve to divide votes from the major party.
However, according to Mckinney, there is a definitive plateau they have in mind to legitimize the party & the issues it speaks to. “We are also aiming to expand the reach of the Green Party beyond its traditional base with the goal of obtaining five percent of the national vote, which would propel the Green Party to major political party status.”
Whereas, most of the gains made by people of color came about by the people organizing & establishing their own party to speak to their issues, values & socio-econo-poli-spiritual center!
For example, the Mississippi Democratic Freedom Party {symbol was a black panther} which really had its genesis in Mississippi during the “Freedom Rides” was such a party. Fannie Lou Hamer, designated speaker was one of the advocates that spoke to the Mississippi Democratic Party delegation on behalf of all the disenfranchised throughout the state.
A few years later after M. L. King & Malcolm X had been assassinated Huey P. Newton & Bobby Seale adopted that same logo/symbol of the Mississippi Democratic Freedom Party: The Black Panther as its symbol & name of the political organization. Thus, the Black Panther Party was born!
Throughout our history as a nation, its always been those marginalized segments in the society that have stood up & demanded that the “powers-that-be” recognize our humanity by ending injustice at the hands of a tyranical government. So, it isn”t surprising in this historical election year that there is still a lot more history to be made, and as a proud tax paying citizen it makes me extremely proud!
Mckinney states, “It is in the interest of the other two major parties to put the Green Party in a box and say they are only interested in the environment, but the Green Party has taken a stand for reparations and for descendants of the enslaved in this country. They have taken a stand against police brutality and racial profiling. They have acknowledged the fact that this country was built on genocide of the indigenous people in this country. So the Green Party is also a justice party, a peace party, a democracy party. Of course it is a party for respect for this planet that gives us life but that is not all that this party is.”
