[19] in peace2
WTO movement and peace
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (jennifer lewey)
Fri Jan 14 00:50:12 2000
Message-Id: <387EB744.4F9351AF@brandeis.edu>
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2000 00:42:28 -0500
From: jennifer lewey <jlewey@brandeis.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
To: peace2@MIT.EDU
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Hi all!
Tonight I attended a talk about the WTO protests in Seattle hosted by
the new Social Justice club at MIT. Three participants in the movement
against the WTO talked about their experience in the protest or
organizing protests in Seattle and Boston. The talk was followed by a
film which consisted of various footage taken by independent media
throughout the event.
What I really found most moving about the film and the speakers was the
presence and efforts of the union members and their solidarity with the
other activists out there. I'm used to being labeled as an idealist
because I am young and an environmentalist (among other reasons!) and it
is easier for "adults" to dismiss my activism on these accounts. But
the fact is that my dad is very involved with his union, and to think
that people in his position would be standing next to "my type" to
protest the same thing for ultimately the same reasons is really
amazing. What was so important about this movement was that people
began to see that decisions which effect the environment, labour, trade,
food, etc. are decisions which effect us all. This is a major first step
towards forging a context of peace: creating a community of human beings
which transcends special-interest groups: perhaps some like to call it a
sort of species identity.
But one question: the WTO happenings have made the word "globalization"
a very threatening concept. But as mentioned above, the globalization
of a human community is necessary for peace, as are international NGOs.
But is trade something that should be limited to national interests, or
is there a modified version of the WTO that could sustain a just
international society? (I ask as a person uninformed of economic
theories, if this seems to be a simple question!)
I look forward to your thoughts,
Jennifer
