Your recent article on the Green Party secretary of state candidate was welcome and timely (Dispatch, “Gathering Signatures,” March 8-15), but as chairman of the Marion County Green Party, I must point out it was inaccurate in one respect.

Electoral Reform is not one of the 10 key values. Within the 10 there are the Four Pillars, mentioned in the article. They are Ecological Wisdom, Grass-roots Democracy, Social Justice and Nonviolence. The other six elaborate on them and are Decentralizaton, Community-Based Economics, Feminism, Respect for Diversity, Personal and Global Responsibility and Future Focus.

The problem with stating your principles up front is they are then open to misinterpretation (i.e., just because we advocate for nonviolence doesn’t mean all Greens support gun control). But the refreshing thing is that the Greens actually DO state their principles up front, so if you are for trashing the environment, please vote Republican (or Democrat, for that matter).

While it is not one of the 10 key values, it is a key component of bills campaign, under the principle of Grass-roots Democracy. However, it is my personal opinion that the ballot, while making it extremely difficult for independents and write-ins, is open to just about any citizen who wants to run. I say this as a former political candidate, poll worker and precinct committeeman, albeit in Monroe County.

While I know that article space is very limited and there are many issues out there, may I suggest a follow-up article on the Green Party as a party, separate from any particular candidate?

We are not asking for your vote, your money or for you to agree with our principles, we are just asking you to agree we have a right to be on the ballot with everyone else.

If you are tired of “political business as usual” please sign our petition.