On June 2nd, University of Pittsburgh students re-established the Gaza Solidarity Encampment on the Cathedral of Learning lawn. Students, faculty, and community members peacefully demanded divestment of university finances from institutions and companies that profit from Israeli genocide, apartheid, and occupation of Palestine. Additionally, they demanded the university terminate all research partnerships with these institutions and companies, and reject any normalization with the Zionist regime in Israel.

Photo credit: YES member Matt Nemeth

The university refused to negotiate with the protesters. Instead, they sent police to break up the encampment. Police pulled out guns, struck protesters, and used unnecessary force. One of our members, Don Johnson, was arrested during the protests.  

Photo credit: YES member Matt Nemeth

YES condemns this police brutality and the enablers in local government and the University of Pittsburgh’s administration. Mayor Ed Gainey and Chancellor Gabel refused to work with the protesters or address their demands. Instead, they continue to ignore the protests and turn a blind eye to the police brutality in their community.

YES will continue to stand with the ongoing encampments in universities across the U.S.  We also call for these universities to divest from Israel to stop the ongoing genocide. 

Don Johnson’s trial Monday at 1:30pm in Pittsburgh:
(PLEASE GO OUT AND SUPPORT HIM) https://www.instagram.com/p/C78T86rtAy9/

On May 8th, Joe Biden pledged he would cut off weapon transfers to Israel if they invaded Rafah.  The very next day, the IDF bombarded Rafah.  Did Biden keep his word?  No,  instead he said he will send $1 billion worth of weapons to Israel.

Time and time again, Netanyahu has shown he does not want to end the carnage.  He and his colleagues have denied hostage deals, peace talks, and even negotiation despite offers from mediators.  Members of Netanyahu’s administration have joined far-right marches lending their voices to calls for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza.  Despite all of this evidence, despite the gruesome exterminationist language Israeli officials have uttered during this genocide, Joe Biden will still give them money.  Rewarding and enabling their crimes against humanity.

Even though Biden is sinking in polls, falling behind Trump in five key states, it’s clear where his priorities lie.  He doesn’t care that Trump is openly promising dictatorship. He does not care about stopping that. He cares more about upholding despotism abroad than defending democracy at home.  It’s time to start looking for more options.  And also organize to help anti-PAC and pro-ceasefire candidates.

The Young EcoSocialists of the Green Party of the United States (YES) supports Gaza encampments spontaneously forming at universities around the country.  We also condemn politicians and campus officials attempting to break up peaceful protesters exercising their first amendment rights. 

Students and the youth are always at the forefront of progressive cultural change and the foundation of social movements. Their expression and energy should be encouraged and supported, particularly when it is on the correct side of a great injustice.

However, politicians from both capitalist parties are fueling the fire of the genocide in Gaza, and spitting in the faces of these brave student activists.  We also condemn the brutal over-policing of these colleges.  These college administrators don’t want to keep students safe, but instead punish them for freedom of expression.

Capitalist politicians also weaponize charges of anti-semitism against these students. They proclaim any criticism of Zionism is anti-semitism. YES condemns this because it equates Zionism with Judaism - a harmful stereotype - and erases demands of Jewish protesters.

Despite this, we must encourage these fellow students.  They have already made achievements at Evergreen State College.  Which is the first university to now fully divest from Israel.  Let’s hope for more achievements like these along the way!

Young EcoSocialists of the Green Party of the United States condemn efforts of Republican lawmakers to censor educators. 

Recently in the state of Louisiana, Republican lawmakers proposed a bill to criminalize librarians who join the American Library Association.  The bill also states that librarians would also be subjected to hard labor, and would also be in prison for “not more than two years or both.”  This directly and indirectly chills freedom of speech and association of librarians who use and have used the ALA as a resource during their career. It is also an attempt to weaponize the state to punish an organization that does not cater to the ideology of a political party.

The Green Party of the United States steadfastly opposes censorship in the arts, media, press and on the internet. Our platform values diversity, respect for women, the disabled, and communities who are routinely marginalized in the mainstream media. Direct and indirect attacks on these communities by targeting books that reference them and their values and librarians who maintain those books are unacceptable. The Green Party supports a society that values freedom of thought and expression. We cannot legislate away minority communities in an effort to erase their values, nor should a diverse and free society seek to do so.

We urge young Louisianans to start organizing and spreading awareness about this. As Republicans seek to use the power of the state against marginalized and minority communities, we need a large organization that will fight these forces head on.  So we can start making bigger changes for the betterment of us.

To join us, visit https://www.yesgp.org/join or contact [email protected]. As a dues paying membership caucus, we urge our members to pay dues (as little as $10 a year) to support our work.

You can read the pledge here: http://climate.dsausa.org/about-us/sign-the-pledge/

YES signs on to Embassy Protection Collective supporting those who are protecting the Venezuelan embassy (some of whom are Greens such as GPUS Co-Chair Margaret Flowers) as YES. Further context, Ajamu's Black Alliance 4 Peace has a presence and of course CODEPINK, founded by Medea Benjamin who is a former Green candidate.

In June of 2020, the YES Steering Committee voted to approve a "Solidarity Fund" with the purpose of supporting new members who cannot afford dues at this time.

Members and non-members can contribute.

Funds will be used on a rolling basis in $10 increments to cover one year of dues for new members.

This option will be offered to new members upon joining and onboarding with the Accreditation/Outreach committee.

The member will be expected to contact either the Accreditation/Outreach Chair or the Finance Chair if this situation applies to them.