[819] in peace2
Re: WTO cyberspace meeting
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Corrina Chase)
Fri Jun 1 15:52:11 2001
Message-Id: <200106011952.PAA14863@melbourne-city-street.mit.edu>
Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2001 15:54:23 -0400
To: Jan Outcalt <jano@mit.edu>
From: Corrina Chase <corrina@MIT.EDU>
Cc: earth-action@mit.edu, peace-list@mit.edu
In-Reply-To: <v04020a0bb73d9c0312c8@[18.54.0.161]>
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No, that wasn't my opinion. My mother wrote that and I didn't see it
before I forwarded. My apologies. I agree with your sentiment. So, any
"hackers" on these lists? ;-)
-ccc
At 03:37 PM 6/1/2001 -0400, Jan Outcalt wrote:
>Re: SIMULATING DEMOCRACY CAN BE A VIRTUAL BREEZE
> By Norman Solomon
>Fri, 25 May 2001 11:06:41 -0400 message forwarded from Corrina Chase
>
>I thought the article was very well written-- good analysis, beautifully
>expressed.
>=================================================================
>However, I must differ with what I gather is Corrina's own opinion, stated
>at the end:
>
> "Perhaps the hackers will use any access to post valid reasons to reconsider
>the effects of some of the policies. The WTO isn't all bad, and the
>delegates do not think they are doing a negative thing. They don't
>understand how they have a negative effect on local economies."
>===================================================================
>
>I don't think it is wise or prudent to attribute motives of kindess, good
>intentions or mere lack of understanding to WTO delegates. In truth,
>unless they are quoted directly (without the nauseating lies of "spin"), we
>don't really know their motives or thinking.
>
>However, I do know that I have met some very wealthy, powerful people. And
>they are not always nice or well-intentioned or just out of touch.
>Sometimes they openly admit that they know they are hurting and exploiting
>the poor. But they simply don't give a damn. The poor are "lazy" or
>"stupid" or virtually sub-human, and always a commodity. And anyway,
>business is business. Nothing personal.
>
>The very wealthy and powerful may indeed have no idea of the damage they
>incur with their influence on cruel government policies. But that is no
>more an excuse than for an abusive man who beats his wife because he
>"thought it was his right", i.e. he was totally ignorant. Certainly these
>people, more than most, have access to information, therapists,
>professionals and others who could help them to become more sensitive and
>informed. That they do not bother speaks volumes. And it is totally their
>own decision.
>
>I would be ABSOLUTELY DELIGHTED to see some of the genius hackers at MIT
>get into the middle of this conference and conduct their own cyberspace
>protest by shutting the whole thing down.
>
>Until these decision-makers agree to hear the voices of those whose lives
>they are controlling and damaging, they have no right to continue to meet,
>secretive and exclusive as their meetings always are.
>
>Jan
>
>Jan Outcalt
>Administrative Assistant (temp to perm)
>Center for Advanced Nuclear Studies
>MIT
>24-215
>77 Massachusetts Avenue
>Cambridge, MA 02139
>Phone: 617-452-3016
>Fax: (617) 258-8863
>
------------------------------------
-Corrina Chase
http://web.mit.edu/corrina/tpool/tidepool.html
