Difference between revisions of "Veg caucus gpus appl"

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Accreditation Application of the Vegetarian Caucus

To: Dick Jones and Jane Smith, Co-chairs

Accreditation Committee, Green Party of the United States

7059 Blair Road NW, Suite 104

Washington, DC 20012

January 15, 2013

Dear Dick Jones and Jane Smith,

We are pleased to submit our application for accreditation as the Vegetarian Caucus of the Green Party of the United States (or for short, the Vegetarian Caucus (VC) or Green Party Vegetarian Caucus (GPVC).)

Attached below, we have included all documents regarding caucus accreditation that are required by GPUS Rules and Procedures, as well as additional supporting documents that may be of interest. We begin with our essay "Why a Green Party Vegetarian Caucus?"

Please let us know if you have any questions or need any more material.

Sincerely,

Signed I.EAT.VGN and I.LUV.ANMLS Co-coordinators, Vegetarian Caucus

Why a Green Party Vegetarian Caucus?

In some organizations caucuses are geographic, in others they are ideological and in others, by interest or identify group. Within the Green Party of the United States (GPUS), the role of caucuses has traditionally been to give voice to a "historically disenfranchised or underrepresented and significant sector of the population."

How does one know whether they are in such a sector or group? Its helpful to ask these questions:

- Are your group's interests and concerns often forgotten or neglected, or treated as an imposition, burden or afterthought by the majority?

- Does your group often have to work extra hard to ensure that its interests and concerns are included by the majority in decision-making that directly affects your group?

- Does your group sometimes find its interests and concerns devalued, such that what it holds at the core of its being, is often treated merely as a 'lifestyle choice'?

- Do you find that some who diminish the value of what your group holds sacred, aren't even aware they are doing so?

- Is there much work to be done before the majority truly understands, respects and addresses your group's interests and concerns?

- Does the fact that some may question whether your group fits the definition of "historically disenfranchised or underrepresented" demonstrate why there is a need for your caucus?

For vegetarian Greens, the answer is generally 'yes' to all of the above -- and that is 'yes' before any voice for animals is even contemplated. If we also ask, "are there positive Green policy approaches and practices to address your group's interests and concerns?", the answer again for vegetarian Greens is 'yes.'

For all these reasons, and for the reason's stated in Caucus's Mission Statement (attached below), the Vegetarian Caucus would provide a needed perspective within the Green Party and in the world at-large.

For those who may question this, it's important to remember that the Ten Key Values were originally phrased as questions, not directives. That was so we all can evaluate how they apply in our lives. Like other caucuses within the GPUS, a Vegetarian Caucus would strengthen the process of applying Green values in our own lives, by providing a better understanding of how they apply in the lives of others.

Attachments: Table of Contents

1) A letter of application addressed to the Co-chairs of the Accreditation Committee, indicating the date and setting of the application decision made by the Vegetarian Caucus

2) A list of at least 100 Vegetarian Caucus members, in at least 15 GPUS affiliated states, containing name, address, phone number (if available), email address (if available) and state party membership of each member.

3) Vegetarian Caucus bylaws

4) Vegetarian Caucus platform

5) Vegetarian Caucus appointees to the Diversity Committee.

Names here

Although not required by GPUS Rules and Procedures, we also provide

6) Why a Vegetarian Caucus? (quoted above)

7) Vegetarian Caucus National Committee delegate and alternate

Names here

8) Vegetarian Caucus co-spokespersons

Names here

9) Vegetarian Caucus web page www.veggreens.org, Twitter Page twitter.com/veggreens and Facebook group www.facebook.com/groups/488346394521294

1) A letter of application addressed to the Co-chairs of the Accreditation Committee, indicating the date and setting of the application decision made by the Vegetarian Caucus

2) A list of at least 100 Vegetarian Caucus members, in at least 15 GPUS affiliated states, containing name, address, phone number (if available), email address (if available) and state party membership of each member.

To: Dick Jones and Jane Smith, Co-chairs

Accreditation Committee, Green Party of the United States

7059 Blair Road NW, Suite 104

Washington, DC 20012

January 15, 2013

Dear Dick Jones and Jane Smith,

This is to let you know that by the 100+ members of the Green Party Vegetarian Caucus decided by consensus via an on-line vote between December 26 and January 10 to apply for accreditation by the Green Party of the United States as the Vegetarian Caucus of the Green Party of the United States.

A list of the founding members of the Vegetarian Caucus for the purposes of applying for GPUS accrediation is found here:

www.veggreens.org/founding-members

A list of addresses is supplied separately by .xls attachment here.

Signed

Signed I.EAT.VGN and I.LUV.ANMLS Co-coordinators, Vegetarian Caucus

Attachment: Link to on-line vote

3) Vegetarian Caucus bylaws

We'll insert the bylaws that we are working on here

http://wiki.cagreens.org/index.php/Veg_caucus_gpus

4) Vegetarian Caucus platform

We'll insert text here