Would you join the
Green Party or not? What aspects of green values do you believe should be
ideally incorporated into a "green" party? Do these align, do you
think, with the Green Party? Also, are the Earth First! activists justified in
their actions?
I believe green values have already been incorporated into the Green
Party according to the readings. The Four Pillars borrowed from the German
green party certainly reflect green values, such as ecological wisdom and
non-violence, but also do a good job making them relevant to politics with
grass roots democracy and social justice. The four sets of two added by the American
Green Party to complete the Ten Key Values similarly following green values we
have discussed in this course. The feminist values along with more local and
regionalized economics to achieve global responsibility are all instrumental in
green values. The article went on to discuss the party’s debate over social and
deep ecology. I believe all these aspects of the Green party imitate green
values very well and seem to fit smoothly with a political agenda. If each
pillar or value is sought after rationally and reasonably I think the party
would have a lot of success and I would consider joining it; however, there are
certainly areas where motives could become skewed or actions taken too far that
may turn people away from the party.
I do not think Earth First! is justified in their actions of
monkeywrenching. I think any form of vandalism or sabotage is an immature and
reckless form of protest that shows an equal amount of disrespect towards the
business/company they are attacking. I do not think it is right that so many
resources and so much money and jobs should be put at risk because of an
individual’s selfish agenda. If they are concerned, intelligent and thoughtful
enough they can do it appropriately. A movement to save the environment can’t
be headed by such destructive people. If they want their ideas and opinions to
be respected and considered by the government or private businesses then they should
show some.
I agree with you on both of your points. The Green Party does have some good values, and you say that some actions taken too far may turn people away. I personally think the impossibility of doing away with hierarchy would be the biggest obstacle for the Green Party. I agree that the EarthFirst! people are in the wrong, but just to show where they are coming from, they just want an immediate physical change that they can see and appreciate instead of waiting around for someone else to save the world. Just something to think about.
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