Globalize Justice - Not War

The theme of the protest is "Globalize Justice - Not War." Two years after its defeat in Seattle the World Trade Organization (WTO) will meet again, November 9-12, in Doha, Qatar, an isolated Persian Gulf dictatorship, in the hopes of shutting out massive global opposition. In response, people across the globe are localizing their resistance to once again stop the WTO's destructive "free trade" agenda.
After the tragedies of September 11, as the world mourns, as the US government plunges into war, as racist attacks take place, as the Anti-Terrorism Bill threatens civil liberties, and as the government manipulates this tragedy to get "fast track" which would gag Congress and Democracy and confer new powers to the executive branch-- so that Bush could push through dangerous new WTO agreements-- at the November meeting, (as well as the FTAA- which 50,000 gathered to protest last April in Quebec), activists are gathering to strategize how to stand up for global justice and establish a foundation for peace.
In San Francisco global justice efforts are inseparable from the local community efforts against the day-to-day impact of the global system at the root of social, economic and ecological problems, environmental racism, skyrocketing incarceration, attacks on immigrant rights, housing displacement, low wages, lousy working conditions and cuts in social services.
Two days of protest are planned, the first, Friday November 9th at noon at Justin Herman Plaza and the second, Saturday November 10th across the Bay in Richmond, at noon, with a March to the Chevron Refinery to support the local environmental justice movement's fight against toxic pollution from Chevron and other industries in Richmond, and for zero dioxin emissions, meaningful local control through an Industrial Safety Ordinance and compensation for damage to residents' and workers' health. Petrochemical giants like Chevron epitomize the corporations that benefit from the WTO and its "free trade policies, devastating local communities and environments across the globe from Richmond and the Bay Area to Nigeria and around the world. Nov. 10 is the anniversary of the execution of Nigerian environmentalist and Ogoni leader Ken Saro Wiwa. On the agenda for the WTO meeting in November are ways to expand corporate control over energy -- including oil.
A broad coalition of groups have been planning actions to raise issues, as well as hopes, to thwart the devastation of the neo-liberal onslaught and the dominant paradigm where money is infinitely more precious than life.
The old tactics of protests, chants, massive civil disobedience don't hold much appeal to the groups working on reframing issues. "There is no alternative"- to industrialization, monoculture, corporate cannibalization...standard economists would like us to believe. But "Another world is possible and paintable" say those opposed to the WTO, hoping that art and humor, the visionary possibilities of a better world will win the hearts and minds of the culture. To them "Another world is not just possible, but "necessary."
Sunday, October 21 twenty-five people gathered at New College in San Francisco to prepare for "direct action" and to become "trainers" in direct action. Veterans of countless demonstrations, they discussed all the different methods used to win over public opinion and the need to remember that they had to clearly decide what their "intention" was when they planned an action. They roll played countless situations, including being beaten and arrested, having an arm splinted and eyes flushed from papper spray. They shared their stories, sang and laughed, and despite the seriousness of their endeavors; they all seemed to be having fun. As Emma Goldman once said, "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution." Emma would probably have a good time with the "swarm" as they try to reignite hope in a dark, scary world with courage, humor, art and a deep understanding of the failure of the reigning institutions.
Teach-Ins on how the WTO and economic globalization policies impact issues from the war in Afghanistan, to the struggle for HIV/AIDs prevention and access to, to environmental justice and prison/industrial complex struggles in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world and -details of how to become involved with the upcoming events will be held-
Monday, October 29, 7:00 - 9:00pm in Oakland at the Black Box Theater, 1928 Telegraph (at 19th St, near 19th St BART), with speakers- Mark Hunter, Aids Researcher, South Africa’s AIDS Treatment Campaign, Henry Clark, West County Toxics, Zachary Norris, Books Not Bars, Antonia Juhasz of the International Forum on Globalization, Carwell James, Project Underground, and Art and Revolution with a performance/spoken word
Tuesday, October 30, 7:00-9:00 in SF Southeast Community Facility , 1800 Oakdale Avenue, near 3rd St, Bayview/Hunters Point with speakers including- John I, ACT UP/East Bay and Berkeley Needle Exchange, Marie Harrison, GreenAction, Antonia Juhasz of the International Forum on Globalization, Performance/spoken word by Art and Revolution, and Bayview/Hunters Point Advocates. Before the Teach-In will be
Mural Painting, 4-7pm and all who wish to paint their positive solutions and alternatives to toxic pollution, corporate globalization and our local and global problems will be welcome. The mural panels will be displayed on Nov 9 -10th..
Saturday November 3, 1:30pm in Richmond Madeline Whittlesey Community Center Civic Center Plaza, 26th & MacDonald, Richmond Henry Clark, West County Toxics
Performance/spoken word by Art and Revolution will also be followed at 3:30p.m. with a TOXIC TOUR of Richmond.
There will be more trainings for direct actions, trainings for speakers, outreach efforts in the weeks to come. Details can be found at http://www.globalizethis.org.