The (No Longer) Phantom Menace

As you know by now, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is a broad-based, extremely powerful institution that wants to influence and/or trump the rules sovereign governments have created to run their nations. The WTO favors wealth and profit over things such as the environment, human rights, and unionized labor. The WTO has operated behind closed doors since its inception five years ago and, unfortunately for all of us, it has never developed anything resembling a conscience.

The most important role protestors of the WTO will fulfill is to be that organization's missing conscience.

Also, there are millions of people around the world who oppose the WTO but will not be here in Seattle for whatever reason (distance, finances, etc.).

So, the second most important thing protestors will do is represent the vast world body who cannot protest in person. We need the protests to be huge and sustained from the beginning of the WTO meetings (11/30) to the very end (12/3). It is important for as many people as possible to skip work, school (or otherwise inconvenience their day-to-day lives for one day or two) so that the WTO is forced to pay attention to common people.

This is a historic moment in Seattle. In a very symbolic sense, Darth Vader has arrived and we all have a chance to be Luke Skywalker by bringing this group of billionaires (who want to be trillionaires) back to the good side of the force.

Bring the kids... bring your boss.. bring your professor.

You won't be bored, you won't regret it... protesting is cathartic!