My name is Sherman Lee Dillon. I am a candidate for Governor for the state of Mississippi on the Green Party ticket. I have always been a Mississippian. My early years were spent between Meadville and Liberty, Mississippi. I graduated from Mississippi College, got married and have raised 7 children in Jackson. I am honored to be the first Green candidate to run for public office in the state of Mississippi. The Four Pillars of the Green Party along with our key values and a relatively thorough question and answer section (reflecting hundreds of hours of work) can be found on our web site ­ dillon4gov.com. (now, www.shermanleedillon.com/archive/dillon4gov/)

A radio newscaster asked me why I think I am the person Mississippi should vote for. My response was that I have a wife of 33 years, seven children, and six grandchildren so unmistakenly I have more at stake in the future of our state than the other candidates. But, wanting to do something for our state does not mean I can do something for our state. The fact that I have seven children and six grandchildren does however make me uniquely aware of the concerns of families accross this state and how families are effected by state policies. As I have researched, interviewed and investigated public policy for the past six months, I have maintained my focus on "fairness for families and communities." I am even more convinced now than I was six months ago that the Green Party is the party of the future. The Green Party will draw people into the political process and will enable them to make thier voices heard.

My campaign manager, Landon Huey, and I have sought to be diligent with our time and our money. On top of our initial travel and office expenses, we first invested in bumper stickers, then t-shirts. As money trickeld in we next designed and printed our push cards. We are now designing our yard signs and cable TV ads. In order to print our yard signs and book TV time we need another $2,000. We've recieved no financial help from the national office, no state or national funds, and taken out no loans to finance this campaign. Our webmaster, campaign manager, and support staff have all given of their own time and talents. Our campaign spending is only as big as contributions.

My original intention was to run a campaign that got less money from a lot of people instead of a lot of money from a few people. In keeping with that I'm asking you to see if you can help us print our yard signs and get some last minute TV spots to let people know they have and alternative to the ruling powers. $200 is our maximum donation, but don't at all think we have a problem with less than that. After all, we're representing plain people who aren't used to financing campaigns.

We are planning to visit most of the state during these last few days, let us know if you want us to holler at you.

Peace,

Sherman Lee Dillon

Original Letter

I'm in the early stages of what could possibly be the most difficult thing I've ever done: running a serious campaign for governor of Mississippi.

Despite my efforts, following the mainstream has never been something that was easy. This has worked both for and against me, but in any case everything has turned out better than I could have expected. My life is full of pleasure and I've suffered few discomforts. I suppose what I'm getting at is that I never in my life imagined myself running for governor-but now that I am, I welcome the challenge wholeheartedly.

In the summer of 1991 I toured Germany, playing guitar in a country music band. It was there that I first heard of the Green Party. I joined the party within a month, and have been a member ever since.

For years I would write the main office only to find out that I was still the only Green in the state. In 2000 I heard of an attempt to form a Mississippi chapter of the Green Party. I quickly contacted the group and joined in their efforts. I am proud to say that we now have a Hinds county chapter, an Oktibbeha county chapter, and a state chapter. Over the recent months, myself and other local Greens had begun discussing the possibility of running a candidate for governor. When the others asked if I might be interested in seeking the position myself, I accepted their offer.

The Democratic and Republican parties have become so reactionary that their goals seem more determined by the other's actions rather than by any underlying principle or philosophy. The Green party's principles, on the other hand, are clear. There are four pillars to the party. The first is social justice-all people should be treated fairly. The second is grassroots democracy-everyone should get an equal voice. Thirdly, we are committed to environmental responsibility. We want to give our children the same world that we were given. Lastly, we are dedicated to nonviolence-to find peaceful means to accomplish our goals and resolve our conflicts.

I decided to join the Greens and run for Governor because I truly believe applying these principles to our state could make people want to move to Mississippi, rather than away from it. If I can present these principles honestly and clearly to Mississippians, I will have done my part and hopefully the ballots will favor me.

We will not use corporate dollars, nor will we accept donations over two hundred dollars. We want to run a campaign where a little money comes from a lot of places, instead of one where a lot of money comes from a few places.

Yes, I'm writing this to help you understand why I'm running for governor as well as to ask for donations. If you could send two hundred dollars, ten dollars, or even just a note to help me focus on the right issues, I'd be thankful. If you have internet access, you can visit our website at Dillon4Gov.com. Thanks so much for your time.

Sincerely,

Sherman Lee Dillon