Colia Clark Wins Green Party Nomination for US Senate

Green Party of New York Statewww.gpny.org

Media Release

For Immediate Release: March 21, 2012
For More Information: Colia Clark, 646-657-7207
Howie Hawkins, 315 425-1019
Peter LaVenia 518 463-8653

Colia Clark Wins Green Party Nomination for US SenateAnti-War Candidate calls for Green Jobs, Hydrofracking Ban, Foreclosure Halt

Colia Clark won the unanimous vote of the Green Party State Committee to run for US Senate at a meeting held in Manhattan. (video of her acceptance - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0DfCwq_FF4)

Clark, a long time civil rights, peace and women activist, was a Green Party nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010 (http://www.coliaclark.org/) for the seat presently held by Chuck Schumer. (video of her announcement -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ptNbVcsa34&feature=related)

Clark, a resident of Manhattan, is a chair of Grandmothers for the Release of Mumia Abu Jamal. During the Civil Rights era, Clark was a Special Assistant to Medgar W. Evers, field Secretary for the NAACP. Clark later joined the Mississippi Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) doing voter registration work. She was the founder and Coordinator for Poor Women Against Vietnam War, and the former coordinator of the Social Justice Center in Albany.

Announcement of Candidacy of Colia L. Clark
for the United States Senate from New York State

I am pleased to announce my candidacy for US Senate from the great State of New York on the Green Party ticket. 

These are troubling times for our State and Nation. The American people are faced with wars on many levels:  the economy; environment; health care systems; organized labor in both public and private sectors; increased levels of poverty, genetic modified foods which threaten the health of citizens and food production systems’, increased pressure to dismantle large sectors of the public education system and numerous assaults on planet earth in the quest for energy. These aforementioned internal crises and disasters are matched by our government’s steady march toward a great world war.

This is where I enter the Senate race competing for the seat presently held by Senator Kristin Gillibrand; a hawk clothed in the feathers of a shy little dove. It is my intent to wage a full campaign to end the illegal wars which Senator Gillibrand supports at the cost of American lives. These wars and interferences in the affairs of other nations weight down and threaten our fragile economy. Ending the war in Afghanistan will return to billions of much needed dollars to our National Treasury to be used to end the present domestic crisis in education. These are dollars for books, school transportation, laboratories and teacher development.

As Senator from New York, I will propose legislation to end the dangerous hydro fracking of natural gas, and to close nuclear site projects from Indian Point in New York City, Western Pennsylvania, the rivers and streams of Ohio and Michigan, desserts of Arizona, Nevada and icy lands of Alaska to the Gulf stream waters of New Orleans and Mississippi, the seashore of the Atlantic to the shores of the Pacific. No more reports of cancer, lung diseases and other ailments due to the rupture of the shale and poisoning of Americas precious water supply. Frack not, NUKE not, for they are crimes against Mother Earth and an abomination unto the Great Spirit.

I offer my strong support for the “Invest in America Act” and absolute opposition to the proposed “Jobs Act” presently before the US Congress as an avenue for building jobs for Americans. However, I recognize that New York and America need much more.  

As Senator from New York, I propose a massive dose of funds to enact a two prong work development program: a Green New Deal. The first prong of the Green New Deal will focus on immediate and long term employment through investment in infra-structure repair, mass transit and high speed rail development, solar, water and wind energy systems development providing secure jobs for millions of our fellow citizens without danger to the environment.

The second prong of this Jobs development program will provide grants and loans to develop new cooperative businesses and partnership enterprises in public and private sectors of our economy. An example would be the reintegration of agriculture and agri-businesses into public education so that every American child would be trained to feed, clothe and house themselves.

As Senator, I will propose legislation to close forever such dangerous institutions as the School of the Americas and private prisons including those private prisons for “illegal immigrants”.

The Continuation of assault on the human right of women and girls is absolutely unacceptable in any form.  I stand in direct opposition to such violence and on the front line of struggle against all forms of misogyny and abuse of women and girls. A woman’s body is her own not an object of the State to do with as it pleases.

In my role as Senator from New York, I will campaign to limit presidential power to wage war without absolute authority from the Congress.

I stand in direct opposition to any attempt to alter or dismiss the Voting rights Act which if amended or abolished threatens the precious right to vote of  tens of millions fellow citizens in our US  society. African Americans, Latin Americans, women and youth will be without a voice in the decision making of our nation. Democracy will lie slain and dead.

The right to vote came at a high price with many deaths including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Medgar Wylie Evers with whom I worked in that turbulent time to secure these rights.

In my role as senator form the great State of New York, I will pursue justice for homeowners and those who are victims of foreclosures or threatened with foreclosure. Justice must prevail. The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) will be fully investigated to assure that the 5 banks accused of mortgage fraud are not granted immunity from prosecution leaving the taxpayer to foot 63% of the proposed $25 billion dollar settlement worked out by the Obama Administration. Enough is enough, it time the people have a just deal not more money to bankers who engage in bank fraud.