The Greens and Direct Action
Written by Pete Goodwin Thursday, 12 January 2012
Taking a showing of 'Non-violence for a Change', a film made by Turning the Tide (a Quaker training team) as the starting point, the Greens aim to take the debate beyond a failing electoral system, into further ways to bring about the fundamental changes needed to build a fair and healthy world.
Whilst the party does pursue an electoral strategy, not least in Bristol with its two Green councillors, the Greens have supported and occasionally promoted non-violent direct action in support of their core principles, one of which states;
“Electoral politics is not the only way to achieve change in society, and we will use a variety of methods to help effect change, providing those methods do not conflict with our other core principles.”
Organiser Barney Smith explained:
“While Britain's politicians are papering over the cracks in a failed and unsustainable economic system, it has taken the direct action of the Occupy movement to focus minds on the real underlying problems. Civil disobedience has a long and honourable place in our history, and much of our progress would never have happened without it.”
“We want to help open up discussion of what is legitimate action to make a better world, beyond the occasional opportunity to cast a vote that is so often irrelevant anyway.”
The meeting is at the Central Friends Meeting House, Champion Square, BS2 9DB (behind Cabot Circus Car Park, Bond Street South) at 7.30pm on Tuesday 24th January
Ends
Contact Barney Smith: 07929 727259 or 0117 329 1677 ,
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