People as me, 'Mitchell, why i joined the greens'. Mostly it's asked politely. Most ask if its cuz i love the environment (I assume that it's cuz they think the Greens are a one policy party) or if i am trying to score a hippy chick. Both those things arn't true, mostly.

It was the 2010 General election and it was the 1st time I could vote. So i was pretty excited to be part of democracy. My plan was to make an informed decisions, just like i thought, everyone else did. I wanted to make sure the party that i voted for was closest as possible to what i believed.

I understood what left and right wing politics was, and what it meant to be a conservatives or a progressives.  I understood that right wing governments liked to sell off state assets, spend little money and run the country for short term profits. I understood left wing government liked to spend money, build state assets, raise taxes and invest money for longer term profits. I understood conservatives to be stuck in ways were no old problems or no inequalities are solved. Which i always thought was crazy, why would anyone ever thing, 'this is as good as it gets'. And i understood progressives to be small 'l' liberals, to tolerant and to want to change laws to make people more equal.

I was aware of what the Liberal party stood for, and was almost certain that i would not vote for them, however, as not to be prejudice i did look up there policies (which is hard to do when they don't release them). It was not hard for me to cross liberals off my list.

So it was ALP or The Greens. I was was horrified, and still am, over the treatment of refugees that arrive here via boat. I also think that a secular nation is the only right type of nation, and to say that current marriage laws are secular is flat out retarded. So when i found out that The Greens also thought that way i did, i thought, well damn, that's great, I'll vote for them.

So i told my gf at the time why i think The Greens are the party that i will be voting for. She then signed up on The Greens website to help out on election day. She got a phone call and was asked to hand out HTV. I said i would come along to help her.

So i thought, if im handing out for this party, i better make sure it's not something i will later regretted. So i looked up more policies. Not all i agreed with, and there are still a few that i don't agree with, but they are somewhat unimportant when compared to where the party is going and where politics in general is going. But almost all i agree with.

So i spent the day handing out, rejection is something you got to learn fast when you hand out for The Greens.  It wasn't a bad day at all, i spend it with my then gf and i also met some very nice people.

At the end of the day i went to the election after party and met the illawarra greens, and omg, they are so nice. I talked to many of them and found out more about how the party operates and how each member has equal power and rights in the party, and that anyone can have there say, and can be heard. So i thought, what the hell I think i should be part of this. So i filled in the membership form.