I partied with the Green Party

On August 4^th through 7^th, the Green Party held its national convention at the University of Houston.

Even though it would probably be less dramatic than the RNC and DNC, I was still curious about what exactly the Green Party was all about. On August 6^th, I attended their free fundraising party, and it was awesome.

When I walked into the party, the first thing I noticed was that there was an energized band performing at the very front. People were dancing and laughing; it felt as though I were inside a family reunion. There were three open bars, and a delicious food table that contained vegan options. Just from walking in, I felt welcome amongst the strangers. There were literally people of all races in attendance.

The only strange thing about the party is that it was comprised of mostly elderly people and millennials; I wonder where the missing generation could be?

Anyways, the atmosphere was so delightful and relaxing, that it persuaded me, a frugal college student, to donate money without a second thought.

Throughout the night there were several key speakers, including Dr. Cornel West, Green Party Vice President pick Ajamu Baracka, and none other than Jill Stein herself. During speeches, instead of hopelessly trying to maintain face value, each speaker was incredibly genuine.

Robin Laverne Wilson, a woman running for Senator of New York, did not appear on the stage with a feigned smile or an overly practiced speech. In fact, she held a tambourine. Wilson sang chants instead. My favorite?

“All lives will matter, when Black lives matter.”

West, who was tired from the previous event, took the stage briefly only to encourage the crowd to keep fighting for our political revolution. He actually spent most of his appearance talking to the crowd, signing books, and taking pictures.

Unsure of what step to take in regards of political affiliations, during the party I asked Ivan Espinosa, a 25 year old student at Evergreen State College, what he thought about the Green Party.

“More and more people are realizing that that our American political system is corrupt, controlled by corporations, and not in favor of the working class.”

“The Green Party offers a refreshing, revolutionary alternative. It’s the only option forward for progressives that are ready for real change. The lesser of evil is STILL evil.”

There were certain words consistently used at the party, such as, “working class”, “we”, and “equality”. The Green Party wants to make everyone united. So often at Democratic and Republican events, they know that they must speak on topics like “equality”, but also spend a large amount of time bashing on their rival party. There, we felt as though we were a part of the revolution, and not just watching it from the sidelines.

Baraka even said as soon as he entered the stage: “You all have really made me feel at home.”

Eventually (and randomly), Jill Stein walked in, immediately trying to mingle and take photos with the crowd. Stein was the Green Party’s choice, and she fully embodied that spirit. Once she finally took the stage, Stein held up peace signs and spoke on her ideas, such as free Healthcare, free public higher education, raising minimum wages, fighting climate change, transforming the police force, pardoning wrongful incarceration, legalizing marijuana, etc. Stein even named Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, “the most disliked candidates in history.” She also told the crowd to, “reject the lesser evil [idea], and fight for the greater good.”

Stein truly inspired me.

Once the party began to calm down, I spoke to a 54 year old Ohio delegate, Joseph R. DeMare, about his thoughts on the Green Party.

“I think it’s time for the Green Party to take over. We don’t need corporations, because we see the effects of [corruption]. At this point in history, it’s impossible for people to deny issues like climate change, social injustice, and income inequality.”

Fellow Bernie supporter, Catherine Hunter, 27, wants the movement to grow.

“The greens are good but they need lots of help. With the skills we learned from Bernie, it would be relatively easy to earn respect and name recognition. We could really build on what they have started, and hole out a niche where the truly liberal can work toward goals that really mean something without greed or money getting in the way.”

Overall, this event has shown me that I do not have to vote for anyone just because they are “the lesser of two evils”.

Many people use the excuse, “You’re throwing away your vote if you vote for the Green Party; they won’t win.” Maybe if everyone, including the media, would stop making that decision for the public, we would actually have presidential candidates who aren’t lack luster.