Subject: re: protests
Hi Matt,
Your personal insights are refreshing and compelling. I am thankful there are people out there who give a damn. It is a shame that a handful of overzealous protestors ruin it for the many–bringing bad press upon the original purpose of the WTO protestors.
The San Jose Mercury News here in California also focused upon the hardcore protestors, but they were thankfully sympathetic to the majority who only wished to protest peacefully. We were told the police fired plastic and rubber bullets needlessly into an innocent crowd. They also fired tear gas pellets. Some people were unnecessarily injured (though police deny this fact). We saw an image of a woman bleeding profusely above her eye. We saw an image of a man throwing a tear gas canister back at the police. Another man, standing over a fuming canister, his hand signaling the peace sign, stood in quiet display of protest over the brutality of the police. The visuals were disturbingly Kent State-esque
NPR pointed out this morning that the authorities overreacted because they were, essentially, unprepared for the number of protestors in the area. Naively, they had not anticipated the possibility of property damage and, consequently, overcompensated in retaliation. If the city of Seattle had closed-off/guarded certain vulnerable areas in advance, perhaps little damage would have occurred. Perhaps too much adrenaline was involved, also.
My own homegrown thoughts are that Americans are strangers to productive protests. We get all flustered and freaked out about anyone having a strong stance on anything. After the social revolution of the '60s, folks have swung the opposite direction. When the boomers graduated, got professional jobs and came into money, they softened. They turned a cold shoulder and a deaf ear upon the issues that once held so much purpose and value. No matter what the cause, though, there will always be a few asses who, in their own anger and hostility, ruin it for the altruistic intentions of the majority. In addition, the news on TV sucks! I never venture there. It's just too sensationalistic. If we want to fill our minds with crap, if we're too lazy to read the paper, or think for ourselves, then we'll flick on the boob tube. While the paper can be just as sensationalistic, it tends to offer more in-depth information than TV news. Unfortunately, TV has become the fast food of media. Americans rely on it for their daily dose of atrocities. Sensationalism sells. That's all that matters in a capitalistic society.
When a majority of people are personally influenced one way or another by the wake of the WTO, changes will come. They may come slowly, hopefully not too late! Don't think the mission of the protestors went unheeded. People are now asking, "Well, what is the WTO all about and why are they meeting in Seattle?" The answer has not been satisfactorily found in the Mercury News. If I have any complaints, it's that our media (newspaper and TV alike) does not accurately educate us. Would you happen to know of any other informative web sites about the purpose/potential of the WTO? I looked at the Seattle Weekly site you sent. I'm curious what else is out there. I'll forward to all I know whatever you find!
Incidentally, I read another article in the Merc. about how China is currently trapped between 2 economic eras. Millions of people are losing their already low paying jobs due to the closing of factories. The closing of these factories reflects China's recent application to join the WTO. While the WTO encourages an open market for China, millions of Chinese find themselves jobless with little (or no) stipends or re-employment programs available. Still, and perhaps remarkably, these same factory workers are hopeful about Chinese membership in the WTO. In times of adversity the human spirit continues to search for hope eternal...
Thanks, again, for your insights and wisdom. I look forward to learning more!
Bethany
