Posted by Ralph I Sato on February 07, 2002 at 20:50:22:
In Reply to: Opportunities & Obstacles in the Global Justice Movement posted by Alejandro Bendaņa, Centro de Estudios Internacionales on February 04, 2002 at 18:58:11:
I agree wholeheartedly with Alejandro Bendana's talk on the future of the 'anti-globalization' movement. He is right in pointing out that we in the US especially have to face and overcome the obstacles thrown up by the events following 911. The biases of media in this country were already formidable before the national security emergency laws surrounding anti-terrorism were passed. If it were not for the Internet, dissent would be impossible in the current atmosphere. Argentina's economic meltdown has become as Alejandro correctly notes, a major issue for the 'anti-globalization' movement to discuss. I have followed the events closely and am convinced that it has become a major challenge for the neoliberal model in Latin America. Not only is the judgment of the entire political system being questioned by all segments of Argentine society but the role of the IMF in bringing about the crisis is also being widely questioned. On the future of the movement, it is clear despite the inhibiting effect of 911, the impact of the period after Seattle has been profound. This influence will continue despite 911. Just today I saw an article at the Guardian newspaper website which reinforces this fact. The article was dated December 13, 2001. It is entitled "Sir Eddie takes protestors' point." According to the article, Sir Eddie George, the head of the Bank of England, said that he agreed with protestors that globalization has not benefited people equally around the world. He said that we need fair trade not just free trade to prevent poor people from being excluded. This is just another example of the changes that the movement has produced but it is clear that the impact is there, even after the opportunistic attempts to silence the movement by implicating it in the 911 tragedy.