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Here is the problem that I have with such stories
coming from both sides of
this issue. 1. 70 years ago the good guys were supporting Russia while the communists were on the way to murdering 11 million peasant farmers for their inconvenience. 2. Capitalism was comfortable supporting Hitler before the second world war and indeed the grandfather of the current President was still trading with them as late as 1942. (Shades of Marc Rich) 3. The US was currently kicked off of the Human Rights Council at the UN for ......? God knows I agree with many reasons but who were we replaced by? The Sudan where they are chopping off slaves' arms and Arab Moslems are selling Christians. Are these people nuts? When these Messianic types of whichever ilk, want to talk to me as a member of the First Nations to enlist my aid in their civil rights plight in the US I always ask them if they had the kind of world their religion taught, would my religion exist? A lot lie but many more just walk away. How could the UN be so stupid as to give the Capitalist just another thing to laugh about on their Cable TV money shows? Self-righteousness is idiocy whichever side it is on but giving your enemy a chance to be self-righteous is just beyond the pale. 4. So, today we are afraid of the fascism of those revolutionaries in the street, and we should be, but to blame them for not taking part in the system when they are economically impotent is gratuitous. On the other hand never forget that new organizations run by fanatics are always murderous and you or your family will die if you happen to be in the way or perceived so. What is the answer? Shame. When you see a religious person committing a sin in their religion, imitate Elijah. Demand that they follow their own rules and talk to them about the immorality of their actions. Reason with them and be firm but kind. Shall we start with a serious discussion of economics and its morality found on both the left and right in the history of the West? Ray Evans Harrell > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Sid Shniad [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: May 2, 2001 4:47 PM > Subject: Looking for Quebec stories > > > Click on www.polarisinstitute.org and tell your story- for democracy's sake. > > More than 60,000 citizens went to Quebec City in late April 2001 to express > their concerns about the FTAA. The motivating reasons for going were many, > but central to the protest is the concern with the rise of unchecked > corporate power, which is increasingly and inequitable defining the world we > > live in. > > The Canadian government erected a fence around the perimeter nearly 4 > kilometers long, 3 meters high and fortified with 6000 police and riot squad > > personnel. This Wall of Shame separated citizens from corporate CEO's who > bought their way into the Summit; trade bureaucrats who skillfully craft > rules that benefit corporations and trade away the public commons and > politicians who have abdicated their responsibility to represent citizens. > > Part of the Wall of Shame came down on Friday, April 20 with the sheer > determination and power of people. What followed was a reprehensible and > excessive use of force that was directed at far more than the few > individuals > who had the tenacity to knock down the Wall of Shame. > > Tremendous violence and intimidation continued over the next few days by the > > security forces. Quebec city residents and protestors were gassed, with more > > than 5000 canisters of tear gas shot indiscriminately into crowds of > peaceful > protestors; clouds of pepper spray were purposefully aimed into the faces of > > citizens, marching riot squads cleared streets well beyond the perimeter > using canine units and powerful water cannons. > > Citizens of Canada experienced the military face of a corporate security > state. > > Now the Canadian government wants to herald the ratification of the > 'Democracy Clause' that took place behind the Wall of Shame, behind the tear > > gas and indiscriminate arrests of peaceful protestors as a major > achievement. > > We at the Polaris Institute do not agree --- we believe that democracy is in > > danger. In fact we believe that the events witnessed by many thoughtful and > > engaged citizens at Quebec City would support the view that the FTAA " > democracy clause" was in fact violated in Quebec City in late April 2001. > > We are inviting people to share their personal stories of Quebec City > especially incidents that indicate there was an "alteration or interruption > of the democratic order of the state". We invite you to document your > experience by visiting our Website www.polarisinstitute.org and click on > 'Democracy in Danger' > > Our goal is to compile stories of truth and peaceful resistance that can be > used as a part of a follow-up citizen's inquiry to demonstrate that a > massive > violation of the summit's democracy clause itself was perpetrated on > thousands of citizens who were exercising the democratic right to peaceful > protest against the FTAA. > > Click on www.polarisinstitute.org and tell your story- for democracy's sake. |
- FW: Looking for Quebec stories Cordell . Arthur
- Magic Circ Op Rep Ens
