Members of the Massachusetts Green Party urged voters to consider the issues ‘-‘- not the personalities ‘-‘- at play in the upcoming election.
Americans are not apathetic about voting, but many do not understand the importance of their vote, said Merelice, Massachusetts Green Party co-chairwoman. She goes by the single name.
‘Your vote is your voice,’ Merelice said, in a speech Sunday morning at the Community Church of Boston. ‘Your voice really needs to be heard and not just on the candidates.’
The Green Party successfully got presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney and running mate Rosa Clemente on the official ballot in 32 states.
‘The biggest thing to overcome in politics is cynicism and not believing that any candidate is well-intentioned,’ Merelice said. ‘Campaign promises can be kept. There can be good for all.’
Maine Green Party member Alan Clemence said it is important to vote for an issue, not a personality.
‘Voting for a candidate with a clear stance on the issues is not a wasted vote,’ he said. ‘We need to support third parties. If we don’t we will continue to have two parties that are so intensely similar.’
Community Church of Boston member Adam Machson-Carter said he has little faith in the electoral process, but supports the efforts of the Green-Rainbow Party.
‘A vote for Cynthia McKinney is akin to a protest vote or a vote against the electoral system,’ Machson-Carter said.
McKinney campaign worker Lyn Meza said McKinney’s platform prioritizes issues that matter to the working class.
‘We need representatives who are going to speak up for the issues of the majority of people in America, the working people,’ Meza said. ‘We need organization that is going to fight for political power.’
Meza said the party must get 3 percent of the Massachusetts vote in the 2008 election to be on the next Massachusetts presidential ballot.
‘We’re building for the future,’ she said.
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Was Gary Hicks simply standing at the podium at the Community Chruch of Boston event last Sunday morning but didn’t/couldn’t utter an iota on the subject of the importance of voting in a democracy? How insulting of you. Yet another blatant example of “The Invisible Man,” by Ralph Ellison. Was Lyn Meza the co-speaker of the talk with Merelice?
Nicely done.<br/>It’s always important to be aware that our country has other opinions and choices that go beyond our 2 party system.