The Meanings of Green: Social Justice

By John F. Foran, Jr.

This is a meditation on another of the Greens' Ten Key Values, the one that is dearest to my heart.

How can we respond to human suffering in ways that promote dignity? How can we encourage people to commit themselves to lifestyles that promote their own health? How can we have a community controlled education system that effectively teaches our children academic skills, ecological wisdom, social responsibility and personal growth? How can we resolve personal and intergroup conflicts without just turning them over to lawyers and judges? How can we take responsibility for reducing the crime rate in our neighborhoods? How can we encourage such values as simplicity and moderation?

The other version is more an affirmation:

All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and equal justice under the law.

It immediately strikes me that these definitions overlap with other core values, among them "Community-Based Economics and Economic Justice," the sixth; "Feminism and Gender Equity," the seventh; and "Respect for Diversity," the eighth. This underscores once again the profound interconnectedness at the core of Green thinking. Fritjof Capra and Charlene Spretnak's foundational 1984 book, Green Politics, articulates a vision of social justice as the intersection of many core values:

"Green politics emphasizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of all phenomena, as well as the embeddedness of individuals and societies in the cyclical processes of nature. It addresses the unjust and destructive dynamics of patriarchy. It calls for social responsibility and a sound economic system, one that is ecological, decentralized, equitable, and comprised of flexible institutions, one in which people have significant control over their lives. In advocating a cooperative world order, Green politics rejects all forms of exploitation -- of nature, individuals, social groups, and countries."

One important link that Greens are making, here and around the world, is with the global justice movement. The Green presence at the January 2003 gathering of the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and the subsequent stands by the Green Party of the United States against the Bush administration's war on Iraq are encouraging signs of the vitality of this link. Out of these movements emerges the outlines of a profound alternative to global capitalist neoliberalism. Social justice has been the foundation of revolutionary political cultures the world over, assuming many local expressions -- "Land and Liberty" in Mexico in the 1910s, "Bread, Land and Peace" in 1917 Russia, "Equality," from 1789 France to 1990s' South Africa, "Socialism with a Human Face" in 1968 Czechoslovakia, "Dignity" in Chiapas, "Fair Trade" and "Democracy" in Seattle. Greens are well poised to contribute to this world-historical project to further global social justice.

What can be too easily overlooked is the question: social justice for whom? Certainly the Green position must look at this matter from the bottom up, from the (disad)vantage point of the most marginalized groups in this society, and globally. This is far easier said than done, and is perhaps especially challenging for Greens in the U.S. with respect to the central issue of race, the source of so much of the social injustice that has defined this country from the start, and which has proven so impervious to reform. We, as Greens, must work through these issues. The recent national initiative to establish an outreach campaign among African-Americans is one encouraging sign of this desire, aimed at "enlisting the participation of prominent African-American political and religious leaders, cultural figures, scholars, and writers to speak out on matters of importance to both Greens and African-Americans. The outreach campaign will especially target historically black colleges and universities" (see http://www.gp.org on this). We must ask how to do this in our own diverse community in Santa Barbara county, with its emerging majority Latino population.

How do we realize our visions of social justice? Part of an answer involves awareness of the social psychology of liberation. Here, photographer Paula Allen and playwright Eve Ensler provide insights that recognize the power of tapping our deepest emotions for social change: "Being an activist means being aware of what's happening around you as well as being in touch with your feelings about it -- your rage, your sadness, your excitement, your curiosity, your feeling of helplessness, and your refusal to surrender. Being an activist means owning your desire."

Social justice should be at the core of a Green vision of the future: Justice for the striking grocery workers and all the working people of our community around the local issues of affordable housing, health care for all, a clean environment, diverse and accountable political representation, well-tended schools, and a living wage. For these same issues at the national level + where defeat of the Bush regime in 2004 looms large as a hard but indispensable first step. And for social justice world-wide, linking our struggles with the global justice movement fighting the WTO and corporate power (the local Greens have just launched a campaign on "Reining in the Corporations"), and with that "other superpower," the world-wide peace movement to reverse the damage done by the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

We must not forget that the core Green values are not only ideals. They are calls to struggle, to organize, to do things together. We want to join with you to make this happen.

If you have reactions to this piece, please send them by e-mail to foran@soc.ucsb.edu. Remember the Zapatista principle, "dar tu palabra" (have your say). Another world is possible. It's necessary. And it's up to all of us.