I am writing this as someone who is a committed "green" but resigned from the Green Party in November for many reasons including NAMA but more particularly as it was apparent that my membership of the party was obstructing my work in the community as an environmental activist and scientist. It became apparent to me personally that in the current times membership of the Green Party had become a major obstacle to delivering the message of sustainability to the wider community, both within the public and private sector. Rather than fighting battles on sustainability I was fighting battles for the government many of which I inherently opposed.
My immediate concern being that to keep the wider message alive in the advent of collapse of the Green Party support, society needs to have people who will work with all political parties to progress sustainability and the greening of irish politics across all political parties. I was willing to stand for the party in the local elections, but not being successfully I now needed to remove myself from the party in order to remain objective in the public eye.
I have witnessed the slow erosion and collapse of public support for the Green Party both during the last local elections and more particularly in the past ten months.
This must be extremely difficult to comprehend by members of the party and elected TDs all of whom have given enormous commitment to try and change Irish politics for the betterment of Irish society. However the party have allowed divisions to grow within its ranks, it has not listened to its members effectively, has alienated many and many more have resigned from the party in protest. This must be of the utmost concern for the political leadership.
The Green Party are the political leaders of the Green movement in Ireland, yet their ability to connect with the wider community through effective public communications has failed. This must be acknowledged first and foremost if you desire for the Green Party and green politics to grow and develop.
If the leadership of the Party ignore this fact the Green Party will certainly follow the route of the National League Party (1926-1931), Farmers Party (1922 and 1932) the National Centre Party (1932-1933), National Corporate Party (1935-1937), Clann na Talmhan (1938- 1965), Socialist Labour Party(1977-1982), Socalist Party of Ireland (1971-1982) the Progressive Democrats (1985-2009), Democratic Left (1992-1999) and many other political parties that floundered on the rocks of public opinion and changing political circumstances.
The most urgent issue that the Green Party must undertake at this moment is its public image. The public do not see its elected members as "real" people. The public do not fully understand its elected representatives, their motivations, desires, their passion for a new political order and commitment to work for future generations.
They are rather seen as indifferent, aloof, critical, lacking human interaction skills, humour, charisma, unemotionally introverted, pessimistic, the twittering class. Too serious by far to invite to a party, lacking any sense of emotion or fun.
It is of paramount importance that the public see the human and personal side to the Green Party as a political movement, it needs to showcase its values, humanity, what motivates the party, its people, fears, desires for the future, as a political movement it need to win hearts and minds. It needs to show that the Green Party are more than a political party rather a lifestyle and environmental movement that it critical to the future of humanity, in many respects a party beyond politics.
Right now as a political party it is disconnected with the Public, as a movement it is not engaging with the public but rather its own political supporters, many of whom are divided. The party is in freefall, disentangling, the signs are ominous that it may not survive the the next election. Action must be taken swiftly to ensure that the Green Party will survive, prosper and grow.
People need to see Green TD's, away from the office, away from suits and Leinster house. They need to show in some respects their human side, their anguishes, strengths and weaknesses.
In the meantime the Party need to present a movement that in public shows that is not afraid of the next general election, that it believes that the irish public want political change and that the Green party are the only party that can offer this change.
The Party are losing this PR battle and if they do not change and act quickly I fear the GP in Ireland will become extinct before it has any opportunity to address the most important issues of our generation. This indeed would be a terrible loss for the people of Ireland.
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1 comment:
Declan,
I respect your achievements as a real 'on-the-ground' 'walking-the-walk' environmentalist and agree with a lot of your analysis of the situation of the `Green Party'.
But you left. It is no longer your concern. All this bleating reminds me of someone who broke of a relationship to prove a point and can't now understand how 'life goes on'.
The GP leadership have made their pact with their own particular devils. They are not listening to you, nor it seems to anyone else.
'Fugeddabowdit!' as the Brooklynites would say.
Get on with the local work. It is all that will make a difference in the cataclysm.
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