The education of Thomas Gregg
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
When Thomas Gregg came to New Jersey seven years ago from Springfield, Ill., it was to further his education at the University of Medicine and Dentistry–N.J. in Newark. But as he worked toward his Ph.D. in neuroscience, he inadvertently embarked on another education.
“I was sort of naďve before coming here. I had a sort of rosy picture of society,” said Gregg, who is running for state Assembly in the 34th District as a Green Party candidate.
“I believed that there weren’t many social problems or if there were, the government was working hard to try to solve the problems, and they’re going to be fixed pretty soon,” said the 33-year-old single resident of Montclair.
Working in Newark, and living in the communities of East Orange and Montclair, led to Gregg’s re-evaluation of his social concerns.
“I’ve heard the cases of police brutality. I read all about the political corruption in New Jersey, and my views are changing,” he said.
The disparity of wealth in Essex County also deeply affected him. “Comparing Newark to Montclair, you see disparity. You go from one town that’s rich to the town right next door that’s poor,” said Gregg.
“I didn’t see this when I was in Springfield, Illinois,” he said. “Being in this environment has changed the way I view politics. Now I’m becoming aware that there is an urgent need for social change.”
As a Green Party candidate, Gregg does not expect to win, but he does expect to have an impact in the political arena. His primary objective is to offer voters a choice other than the two traditional political parties.
“The person in the voting booth should feel that they have an alternative candidate that is closely allied with his or her interests,” he said. “We need representatives who will not just try to say the right things to stay in office, but who are going to do what’s right for the communities they serve.”
Gregg’s highest priority is establishing equitable opportunity in public education. He said, “People should realize that we have to bring up the level of education for the students who are most in need so that they can become good citizens and make a good contribution to society later in life.”
“I’m not interested in taking away people’s wealth or in leveling people down,” said Gregg. “The point is to ensure people who don’t have wealth get an excellent quality education.”
Gregg said that among the many obstacles he faces in his run for assembly, the biggest is the two-party “duopoly” over American politics, as Ralph Nader described it during his candidacy for president.
He cited a double standard when Democrat Frank Lautenberg was allowed to replace Sen. Robert Torricelli on the ballot in the election of 2002, after polls indicated Torricelli would lose to a Republican challenger. The deadline for declaring candidacy had passed, but Lautenberg was allowed to enter the race to provide the people with a choice after Torricelli withdrew his name. Gregg is certain that, as a Green Party member, he would not be able to file as a candidate after the deadline.
Gregg spoke to the differences between Green Party candidates in their priorities and campaigning styles.
“In the Democratic and Republican parties, there’s a way that people are selected to be the candidates,” he said. “And that weeds out people who are too radical [or] would not make good representatives, not make good law-makers.”
“We’re a smaller party. We don’t have mechanisms that the Democrats and Republicans do to choose their can-didates,” he said.
However, Gregg pointed out that those “mechanisms” haven’t saved the nation from the political situation the Green Party opposes.
“People should judge the candidates on their individual platforms,” he said.
A part of Gregg’s platform that he is vehement about concerns the next presidential election.
“This is something that a lot of Green Party members disagree with me about, but I don’t think that we as the Green Party should do things that would damage the chances of the Democratic candidate,” Gregg said. “I believe that the top priority for the next election is to get George W. Bush out of the White House. I supported Ralph Nader when he was running [three years ago]. Now there’s a specific situation [for which] we have to change our tactics temporarily.”
Gregg believes the Green Party’s decision not to oppose Nia Gill in the state Senate race was made on the same basis. “She is closely in line with our political agenda,” he said. “Or at least she’s closer than many other Demo-crats.”
But as voters take to the polls on Election Day, Gregg hopes they will maintain a broad awareness of social issues.
“The voters should not just be focusing on what’s happening within this district,” he said. “You also have to look in the broader context. Look at what’s happening outside.”
As Thomas Gregg has been educated as a citizen in the community, he hopes to educate voters as a Green Party candidate on the ballot.
