WTO meetings- Why is there so much violence?

[mdr55]

Sorry if there is another thread on the topic.

WTO- World Trade Organization (I think, sorry if I'm wrong)

Why is there so much violence when the WTO meets? Aren't they meeting to better the world or stuff like that re: trade? So far a person has killed themself by stabbing, security is tight when ever they meet for fear of violence. WHY?

Thanks.

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[sr71blackbird]

Usually its because the WTO is trying to make free trade around the world and people are afraid that it will affect their jobs, and it does. I worked for a company that manufactured goods and when NAFTA and GATT came along, the people that bought from us now had the opportunity to buy from Mexico and Canada. This was great for them, but bad for us, because we couldnt compete with them. Now, its fair to say that the company should have moved into another market and maybe made something else, but companys usually dont do that. They just keep downsizing or go belly up. I think the reason why our economy isnt doing so hot now is because alot of people lost their jobs, and feel unstable with their future, and this impacts our economy. I can say that it does suck when something you are doing for many years and your making good money and then that happens, that it pisses you off, because it happened to me. I got lucky though and got a better job after all that, but I still feel wary about letting our jobs go away from our own country.


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[Tall_James]

It's probably attributed to the Gatorade jugs full of Grain alcohol and Wyler's Grape Juice that they bring everywhere with them.

Damned college kids.

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[DarkHippie]

Simple, the people who get screwed by the WTO's policies, who end up with living in oligarchal countries run by outside businesses using cheap labor, who have no protection, no right, no anything . . . These people have NOTHING TO LOSE.

Its similar to the labor movement of the early 1900s, except that it is happening on a worldwide scale, and the resentment we brought upon the industrial leaders some 100 years ago is now brought upon us--America, Western europe, Japan-- as we are the home of these mega-corporations that have moved to the third world and basically annexed countries with their wealth.

They are violent because they have nothing left. they are backed into a corner. A farmer who loses his farm to a Burger King ranch, what does he have left? All he can do is wait around to die . . . or make his death mean something.

I'm not justifying violence. I'm only trying to answer the question.

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[Yerdaddy]

There isn't alot of violence at these meetings and the accompanying protests. Considering that there are usually between 50,000 and 500,000 people at these things, there's relatively little violence. In a crowd that size and with the level of frustration that people have about the political issues that these things focus on, you're going to have some nuts and assholes in attendence, and when they do something stupid they make headlines. I was at one a few years ago and the press just followed the small group of anarchists around to capture whatever violence they were going to carry out for the evening news. At one point the punks were trying to provoke the cops but couldn't because the cameramen were in the way. There were some 150,000 people there that day and less than 10 arrests. That not alot of violence.

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[Se7en]

I like when there's violence, and it's captured on TV.

It only helps to further discredit their cause.

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[Mike Teacher]

They are violent because they have nothing left. they are backed into a corner.


I think they meant the protestors you see here on the news. The earnest 20 or 30 or 40-something protesting against all the leather and oil and animal testing and McDonalds and Starbucks; after which they go and use leather and oil and products tested by animals and McD's and Starbuck's.

And yes, the violence does nothing but bolster those who are against them, and embarass people attempting real change; who walk the walk as well...

As for US jobs; its tough to compete with a company who will have you ship the wood to them half a planet away, build and finish the furniture, crate it up, and send it back here for LESS then the wage for the US worker; so I have no easy answer...

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[curtoid]

What Yerdaddy said...

There isn't alot of violence at these meetings and the accompanying protests. Considering that there are usually between 50,000 and 500,000 people at these things, there's relatively little violence...I was at one a few years ago and the press just followed the small group of anarchists around to capture whatever violence they were going to carry out for the evening news. At one point the punks were trying to provoke the cops but couldn't because the cameramen were in the way. There were some 150,000 people there that day and less than 10 arrests. That not alot of violence."

The WTO protests in Washington (with the exception of the first one) have actually been very underwhelming, as far as the number of protestors. DC is use to this stuff, and can contain large groups pretty easily. They are well prepared for the chance of violence.

The media REALLY plays this up.

Last winter, during the national (and international) protests against the war the media would seek out the small band of troublemakers and focus on them, ignoring the peaceful protesters all around. This was documented in the San Francisco protest.

Isn't the WTO meeting in Cancun right now?



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[TheMojoPin]

It only helps to further discredit their cause.

"If Se7en isn't down with it, it MUST be whack!"

Did you just automatically assume you hated what was going on? Is it par for the course? Would you have been thrown out of the club otherwise?

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This message was edited by TheMojoPin on 9-14-03 @ 4:36 PM

[Se7en]

It only helps to further discredit their cause.

"If Se7en isn't down with it, it MUST be whack!"

Did you just automatically assume you hated what was going on? Is it par for the course?

I go to school with one of the protestors.

He has poor hygeine, extremely far-left political views, and last year at the first year anniversary of 9/11 he tried to engage me in a conversation about how Osama Bin-Laden isn't REALLY such an evil bastard.

He's a poor leader-by-example. He's soured me on the whole movement. Well, that and the fact that those fuckers really messed up my commute last year. If something inconveniences Se7en, it must be whack!

Would you have been thrown out of the club otherwise?

What club? The Republican club? I have their names and addresses. They know what will happen to their families should they try and get rid of me. It'll make what the World Bank is doing to those poor third-world countries pale in comparison.

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[TheMojoPin]

What the hell does Osama bin Laden have to do with globalization?

Stupid hippies.

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[sr71blackbird]

What the hell does Osama bin Laden have to do with globalization?


Saddamma bin Laden is pissed at us because of our wealth and is trying to bankrupt us by attacking us in such a way that we go broke trying to destroy them. He's a crafty fuck


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[TheMojoPin]

bin Laden is pissed at us because of our wealth and is trying to bankrupt us by attacking us in such a way that we go broke trying to destroy them. He's a crafty fuck

But he's richer than...most Americans...himself?

So...CONFUSED.

Head...splitting....why...WHY?!?

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[monsterone]

Stupid hippies.



well said. when in doubt, blame hippies.

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[Se7en]

What the hell does Osama bin Laden have to do with globalization?

Stupid hippies.


You tell me. All I know is that he was trying to sell me on the idea that bin Laden wasn't such a religious madman.

Of course, this WAS the same guy who wore a stylish "Bush is the real terrorist!" shirt about every day for a week during the war protests.

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[HBox]

Well, I understand Se7en more now, if just a bit.

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[TheMojoPin]

You tell me. All I know is that he was trying to sell me on the idea that bin Laden wasn't such a religious madman.

Of course, this WAS the same guy who wore a stylish "Bush is the real terrorist!" shirt about every day for a week during the war protests.

If I didn't know as many ineffective, misguided idiots as he's describing, I'd just say this guy was a blatant undercover plant for "The Man".

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This message was edited by TheMojoPin on 9-14-03 @ 9:38 PM