So the group that started the organizing for the September 24 anti-war event is called “M19mobilization” because it became a committee to organize the rally on the 2nd anniversary of the Iraq invasion. As mentioned in a prior post today, many organizations and individuals have come together to help plan and sponsor this event.
The GPUT has planned a sign-making party and showing of the Institute of Policy Studies Teach-in Documentary for the night before, September 23rd. It has been widely advertised and the M19 site has had it listed as one event on its website.
So a little while ago, I receive this email from the web master of the M19 site:
Hi Deanna,
I have just been informed that the Green Party of Utah that is recognized by the Utah Elections Office is not sponsoring the sign making event. I know there is some conflict regarding which group is the real Green Party of Utah. Since I’m in no position to determine who the real Green Party of Utah is, I’m removing the part of the event to that states it is sponsored by the Green Party of Utah. I think this the best solution until it can be discussed at the next M19 meeting.
I’m sorry but I can’t think of any other way of dealing with the conflict at this time.
Here is part of my response (the snippped parts contain information I have already posted this week on my blog in previous entries about this situation.):
I understand your predicament and I am going to offer this information.
The Green Party of which I am the co-coordinator is the affiliated Green Party of Utah with the Green Party of the United States. The other group is not recognized by the GPUS.
The elections office recognizes that group as “Green Party of Utah” because of the quirky election code. The first one to get the 2,000 signatures “wins” and gets the name. Basically anyone can do a petition drive under any name and the elections office remains silent on any national recognition or incorporation or trademark.
The affiliated group (my group) has officially incporated with the state and trademarked the name with the state trademark office (I verified that our trademark was intact just two days ago).
The other group is breaking the commerce law by using the name “Green Party of Utah”. Nonetheless, the elections office recognizes them as the entity that has completed the petition drive. The affiliated group is nearly completed its petition drive and will be a registered party soon.
The affiliated GPUT has paid the sponsorship fee, submitted the sponsorship form and has paid the $150 ad in this month’s CATALYST.
(snip)
As an organization, the unaffiliated Green Party has not done ANY outreach efforts since they completed their petition drive. The affiliated group has been diligently engaging in planning for the Bush
protest, the September 24 event (including sub-committees), and other events in the peace movement.
I don’t know who wrote to you to tell you that the Green Party of Utah is not sponsoring a sign-making party, but they are. It will be at Free Speech Zone whether or not it is advertised on M19 site. It has
been widely advertised weekly to several hundred people receiving calendar updates.
I hope this answers some of your questions.
To which the webmaster responded:
Thanks for the info. It was (name snipped)that contacted me regarding this (I’m not trying to fuel the conflict, but I think you have the right to know). Also, just to be clear, I left the event on the site, I just removed anything that indicated it was sponsored by the Green Party of Utah.
I really feel that this decision can not be made by me, since listing either group as the Utah Green Party might look like some sort of endorsement by M19. I can not speak for M19 so I must leave the decision to M19 members. I am not interested in taking sides in this conflict however this seems to be the best temporary solution until it can be discussed further. Whatever decision is reached by M19, I will abide by it.
Ironically, it is the person whose name is snipped above, who also engaged in the harassing behavior last Saturday at our table, who is organizing the peacekeepers for the September 24 event. She has not participated in any of the meetings or planning for this event. Yet she is doing everything she thinks she can to be disruptive. Pretty non-violent if you ask me.
The unaffiliated group continues to be as disruptive in as many ways as possible. This is what the participants of that group are spending their time doing.
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 