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Bio-dynamic Farmer Hugh Lovel will leave his rich bottom land
Thursday and drive down to Atlanta where he'll link up with Adama
Maweja, a shopkeeper in Little Five Points. From there they will head
for the Secretary of State's office. He and his campaign manager aim
to qualify him for November's election as the Green Party candidate
for Agriculture Commissioner.
He wants to give consumers of Georgia quality farm products that are
vital and untainted and produced at the benefit rather than the
expense of the enviroment. "Can we farm without dangerous chemicals?"
he asks rhetorically. "You bet!" he asserts. "We can't make the
transition overnight, of course, but historically chemical farming is
a very recent notion that cannot last. It's basically untennable, and
it's got farmers on a treadmill where we're losing ground."
Lovel is one of four candidates nominated at the Georgia Green
Party's Wrightsville Convention Saturday, June 6th, 1998. Formerly a
psycholgist he quit practice twenty-three years ago to found Union
Agricultural Institute on a sixteen acre tract West of Blairsville
near the North Carolina border. Presently he is a leader in the
world-wide bio-dynamic movement, putting farming back in touch with
its roots and getting farmers off the input treadmill. 75 years of
implementation world wide shows biodynamic methods in the long run
are much more economical and productive than the chemical
alternatives. Even more importantly, say its boosters, biodynamic
farming regenerates people, the environment and the Earth.
"Our constituency is everyone who wants to live," says Lovel. "Above
all we're realists. We're dealing with the real issues that
Tweedledee and Tweedledum won't touch. Ecological wisdom, human
rights, grassroots government, an economy for all rather than a few,
that's exciting stuff. The very fact we're emphasizing these values
shows we're realistic about not ignoring what's killing us all. And
it's essential to be real about dealing with these things. Without
realism GREEN PARTY values are leaves in an autumn wind."
The Party Convention credentialled delegates who shared a commitment
to what the party calls Green values: Ecological Wisdom, Grassroots
Democracy, Social Justice, Peace and Non-Violence, Decentralization,
Community Based Economics, Feminism, Respect for Diversity, Personal
and Global Responsibility and a Future Focus on Sustainability.
"These are all realistic values." says Lovel. "We want office because
we're ready to muck out the drains and clean up the messes. It's
demeaning--even deadly--to heckle from the sidelines. We want office,
not for riches or fame, but to make politics responsive and real.
Realism is my favorite Green value."
The Greens are on the ballot in eight states and ninety countries so
far. Other states are petitioning for access this year. Already
Georgia Green activists pledge 14,000+ signatures. The Party has
until July 14th to deliver on the 38,112 signatures required under
state law.
"Of course its possible, because its so necessary." says Lovel
"Farming is generally very ill-paid and hazardous. Production is
tainted and devitalized, and the environment is being wrecked in the
process. Who gains? A tremendously small segment of the population,
and if these few only realized it even they don't gain. Everybody
loses, and that's a formula for political change."
Political change recently swept through New Mexico where the Green
candidate, Carol Miller took 17% of the vote in a special election
for the 3rd Congressional seat. The state's plurality voting rules
left most people unrepresented and Redmond--the Republican
candidate--a member of Congress. He took roughly 40% of the vote from
a district traditionally represented by a Democrat. The Democrats
accused the Greens of "spoiling" the election. But Miller points out
that, "You can't spoil an already spoilt system."
"Of course, the deck is way stacked," says Lovel. "But political
dissatisfaction is so great, that we can throw things into a run-off.
And if everyone works hard enough, we'll win. If you're tired of
being politically estranged, disaffected, cynical, hopeless, then
join us. Contribute to our qualifying fees. Register to vote. Get us
on the ballot by circulating our petition. But whatever you do, don't
shrink or sit on the sidelines. If you want to live, give it all
you've got."
"Show up. Pay attention. Speak the truth. Don't be attached to the
results." Says Lovel, "That's my brand of realism."
NOTE: anyone wishing to get involved is urged to call 678/ 467-1625
or 770/ 368-2805.
To reach the candidates, call:
Please make checks payable to:
Georgians
for Farmer Hugh
8475 Dockery Road
Blairsville Georgia 30512
706/ 745-6056
uai@stc.net