Continued from page 19 Some recent, horrendous WTO decisions place transnation- al trade, and “corporate rule" in an easy to understand framework on an ordinary-person, individual level. Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) is a chemical hormone injected into cows to increase milk production. In 1996, the European Union (EU) banned the import of dairy products and flesh that had been injected with BGH, because it poses a cancer risk to EU citizens. Canadian and the US companies complained to the WTO tribunal. The WTO ordered its EU member to lift the ban. The EU has yet to comply, despite heavy sanctions imposed by the WTO. The company that manufactures BGH, Monsanto, is now trying to take Canada to the WTO because the Canadian government has not yet allowed the use of the hormone (largely as a result of pressure form grassroots food produc- ers, ordinary citizens, and Health Canada scientists.) Monsanto also makes chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically-modified suicide-seeds. Genetically-modified food is destined to become one of the biggest issues in this global trade game. The genetic structure of seeds is tam- pered with, so that the seeds will not reproduce. The farm- ers will have to buy more seeds every year to grow what used to reseed itself, just so trans-national corporations can rake in big loads of cash. An American-based multi-national, Texmati, placed a US patent on Basmati rice, saying that they invented this prod- uct. Basmati rice has been grown over centuries by farmers in South Asia who patiently saved and bred seeds to make the rice's renowned characteristics. Texmati would like the farmers to pay them for the right to grow it. In Seattle, at the WTO talks, companies like Texmati and Monsanto will pressure governments to sign agreements allowing the patenting of life seeds, plants and animals, even human genes -- at a global level.’ WTO decisions also attack laws that govern human rights. In 1997, the EU complained to the WTO about a law passed by the Massachusetts state government, forbidding the state from buying products made in Burma. Burma is an Asian country ruled by a brutal and illegal military. Its illegal because the democratically-elected president, Aung San Suu Kyi, is under house arrest. The Burmese peoplehave been enslaved by the repressive military to help maufacture the products of big trans-national companies. (There has been a years-long boycott against Pepsi because of its continuing presence in Burma.) So, the WTO trade tribunal ruled that free trade takes precedence over laws made by elected gov- ernments, and the Massachusetts law was overturned. With the far-reaching, profit-driven power of the WTO, economic sanctions like those that helped get rid of South African apartheid would no longer exist. David Koran, one of the organizers of the anti-WTO Festival of Resistance, has said that if the WTO were around 10 years ago, Nelson Mandela would still be in jail.? The WTO is part of a larger global economic system that is based on the exploitation of people and this planet. This global economic system has globally increased poverty and cuts to social services. Meanwhile over 90% of the world's wealth is being controlled by fewer and fewer (less than 5%of the world's population). So, the rich are getting rich- er. And the rich are increasing their profits built on a struc- ture of low wages, meaningless jobs, more prisons, increas- -ing global warming and deforestation, sweatshops, genetic engineering, and war (the world’s biggest economy). From Nov 29 to Dec 3, the World Trade Organization's Summit will bring together multinational corporations, @)22 — CEO's, and governments to free the way so profit can rule the day. Their strat- egy to concentrate power and wealth into fewer hands is called “economic globalization” or “free trade". But these are merely feel good terms to hide the pain that results from this system.‘ The men who make up the World Trade Organization meet in secret, and make decisions that affect everyone on this planet. With the Festival of Resistance, people will be trying to bring that secrecy out into the light. Thousands of people are expected to flock to Seattle and transform it into a Festival of Resistance. People will be speaking to a deep part of the collective psyche with the use of images that emphasize freedom and liberation, not control and submission. There will be a reclaiming of the streets with giant puppets and street theatre in which everyone can participate. (No consuming of corporate culture here: the culture of resistance is participatory, bring-yer- own, and do-it-yourself). The people who will be creating this ever-increasing, global culture of resis- tance to profits-uber-alles are, of course, idealistic. But, when people get involved and make change happen, it's really empowering. It becomes easier to believe that a new approach to the world's governing system is possible. It becomes easier to believe that the existing social order can be changed “for a just, free, and ecological order based on mutual aid and voluntary coopera- tion!"* Vancouver had a taste of the Festival of Resistance at the end of September, when the WTO Roadshow came to town. This roadshow was comprised of Art and Revolution members from Canada and the States. Dance, music, and street theatre with giant puppets were used at the Vancouver Art Gallery, to inform people about the WTO, and the devastating effects global, economic, corporate-greed trade has on communities and ordinary people's lives. (ust today, | read a headline in the Globe and Mail that the Royal Bank is slashing thousands of jobs, even though they had hefty profits in the last fiscal year). After the theatre of resistance went down at the art gallery, we took to the streets. We marched down Robson Street to stop at the Gap. We called attention to the fact that the family that owns the Gap, also owns a compa- ny in California which is chopping down endangered Redwood trees. We then marched to the office of International Forest Products. Interfor is the logging company which is clearcutting the Stoltmann Wilderness, the last remaining old-growth forest land in BC's lower mainland. It was a “deforestation day”, as that morning, people who had been arrested for trying to protect the ancient trees had to be in court to stand trial. (Some of these same people had been beaten up by 100 Interfor loggers just two weeks before). Through the use of art and marching, we made the connection between cor- porate control of public land and resources. Next week in Seattle the same culture will be rising with thousands of people participating. All of the peo- ple attending the WTO's Festival of Resistance have realized that they need- ed to step outside their comfort zones...because they care too much not to take that step. Perhaps the person who wrote that big bold graffiti urging to resist revolu- tionaries could use her art to step outside the comfort zone of consumer cul- ture. She could be inspiring others to take that step. On the back of the bath- room door of Juicy Lucy's, | read a quote by someone who was liberated from an unjust incarceration through the efforts of global grassroots resistance. South Africa's current president, Nelson Mandela said: “As we're liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Maybe, just maybe, we could have a little of that liberation through art and revolution happening here in our community . . . 1, 2, and3 Vancouver activist, Louise Leclair, with the help from: The World Trade Organization: A Citizen's Guide; Latin American Connexions, The New Internationalist, and The Basmati Action Group. 4and5 —wwwagitprop.org/artandrevolution photos by Bernadette Wycks ...imagine replacing the existing social order with a just, free, and ecological order based on mutual aid and voluntary cooperation! Continued from page 19 Some recent, horrendous WTO decisions place transnation- al trade, and “corporate rule” in an easy to understand framework on an ordinary-person, individual level. Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) is a chemical hormone injected into cows to increase milk production. In 1996, the European Union (EU) banned the import of dairy products and flesh that had been injected with BGH, because it poses a cancer risk to EU citizens. Canadian and the US companies complained to the WTO tribunal. The WTO ordered its EU member to lift the ban. The EU has yet to comply, despite heavy sanctions imposed by the WTO. The company that manufactures BGH, Monsanto, is now trying to take Canada to the WTO because the Canadian government has not yet allowed the use of the hormone (largely as a result of pressure form grassroots food produc- ers, ordinary citizens, and Health Canada scientists." Monsanto also makes chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically-modified suicide-seeds. Genetically-modified food is destined to become one of the biggest issues in this global trade game. The genetic structure of seeds is tam- ered with, so that the seeds will not reproduce. The farm- ers will have to buy more seeds every year to grow what used to reseed itself, just so trans-national corporations can rake in big loads of cash, ‘An American-based multi-national, Texmati, placed a US patent on Basmati rice, saying that they invented this prod- uct. Basmati rice has been grown over centuries by farmers in South Asia who patiently saved and bred seeds to make the rice’s renowned characteristics. Texmati would like the farmers to pay them for the right to grow it In Seattle, at the WTO talks, companies like Texmati and ‘Monsanto will pressure governments to sign agreements allowing the patenting of lfe seeds, plants and animals, even human genes -- at a global level” WTO decisions also attack laws that govern human rights. In 1997, the EU complained to the WTO about a law passed by the Massachusetts state government, forbidding the state from buying products made in Burma. Burma is an Asian country ruled by a brutal and illegal military. Its illegal because the democratically-elected president, Aung San Suu yi, is under house arrest. The Burmese peoplehave been enslaved by the repressive military to help maufacture the products of big trans-national companies. (There has been a years-long boycott against Pepsi because of its continuing Presence in Burma.) So, the WTO trade tribunal ruled that free trade takes precedence over laws made by elected gov- ernments, and the Massachusetts law was overturned With the far-reaching, profit-driven power of the WTO, economic sanctions like those that helped get rid of South African apartheid would no longer exist. David Koran, one of the organizers of the anti-WTO Festival of Resistance, has said that if the WTO were around 10 years ago, Nelson Mandela would still be in jail” The WTO is part of a larger global economic system that is based on the exploitation of people and this planet. This global economic system has globally increased poverty and Cuts to social services. Meanwhile over 90% of the world’s wealth is being controlled by fewer and fewer (less than 5%of the world’s population). So, the rich are getting rich- fer. And the rich are increasing their profits built on a struc- ture of low wages, meaningless jobs, more prisons, increas- ing global warming and deforestation, sweatshops, genetic engineering, and war (the world's biggest economy), From Nov 29 to Dec 3, the World Trade Organization's Summit will bring together multinational corporations, @2 |CEO's, and governments to free the way so profit can rule the day. Their strat- legy to concentrate power and wealth into fewer hands is called “economic \globalization” or “free trade”. But these are merely feel good terms to hide {the pain that results from this system.* [The men who make up the World Trade Organization meet in secret, and Imake decisions that affect everyone on this planet. With the Festival of Resistance, people will be trying to bring that secrecy out into the light. [Thousands of people are expected to flock to Seattle and transform it into a [Festival of Resistance. People will be speaking to a deep part of the collective lpsyche with the use of images that emphasize freedom and liberation, not |control and submission. There will be a reclaiming of the streets with giant lpuppets and street theatre in which everyone can participate. (No consuming lof corporate culture here: the culture of resistance is participatory, bring-yer- lown, and do-it-yourself) |The people who will be creating this ever-increasing, global culture of resis- tance to profits-uber-alles are, of course, idealistic. But, when people get involved and make change happen, it’s really empowering. It becomes easier Ito believe that a new approach to the world’s governing system is possible. It lbecomes easier to believe that the existing social order can be changed “for la just, free, and ecological order based on mutual aid and voluntary coopera- Ition!”* [Vancouver had a taste of the Festival of Resistance at the end of September, |when the WTO Roadshow came to town. This roadshow was comprised of [Art and Revolution members from Canada and the States. Dance, music, and street theatre with giant puppets were used at the Vancouver Art Gallery, to inform people about the WTO, and the devastating effects global, economic, lcorporate-greed trade has on communities and ordinary people's lives. (Just today, | read a headline in the Globe and Mail that the Royal Bank is slashing |thousands of jobs, even though they had hefty profits in the last fiscal year). |After the theatre of resistance went down at the art gallery, we took to the Istreets. We marched down Robson Street to stop at the Gap. We called lattention to the fact that the family that owns the Gap, also owns a compa- Iny in California which is chopping down endangered Redwood trees. We then Imarched to the office of international Forest Products. Interfor is the logging |company which is clearcutting the Stoltmann Wilderness, the last remaining lold-growth forest land in BC’s lower mainland. It was a “deforestation day”, las that morning, people who had been arrested for trying to protect the lancient trees had to be in court to stand trial. (Some of these same people lhad been beaten up by 100 Interfor loggers just two weeks before). [Through the use of art and marching, we made the connection between cor- porate control of public land and resources. Next week in Seattle the same {culture wil be rising with thousands of people participating. All of the peo- ple attending the WTO's Festival of Resistance have realized that they need- led to step outside their comfort zones...because they care too much not to take that step. Perhaps the person who wrote that big bold graffiti urging to resist revolu- lionaries could use her art to step outside the comfort zone of consumer cul- ture. She could be inspiring others to take that step. On the back of the bath- lroom door of Juicy Lucy's, | read a quote by someone who was liberated from lan unjust incarceration through the efforts of global grassroots resistance. [South Aftica’s current president, Nelson Mandela said: “As we're liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” |Maybe, just maybe, we could have a little of that liberation through art and revolution happening here in our community 1,2, and 3 Vancouver activist Louise Leclair, with the help from: The World Trade JOrganization: A Citizen's Guide; Latin American Connexions, The New Internationalist land The Basmati Action Group. sand 5 _ wwnuagitprop.or/artandrevolution ‘photos by Bernadette Wycks we) imagine replacing the existing social order with a just, free, and ecological order based on mutual aid and voluntary cooperation!