IMF/WB overhaul; US tax breaks violate trade rules; post-N30 middle class anarchists

[John Gulick]

My harsh remark about Global Exchange is based on 1) Medea Benjamin's
controversial comments in the NYT in which she suggested the cops should
have been cracking skulls of (OK, arresting) property-destroying anarchists
in Seattle (while I don't think vandalizing and looting Starbuck's was terribly
politically constructive, Medea's remarks were inexcusable, trying to
build up the credentials of the "responsible left" by slagging a few
rock-throwers), and 2) the fact that Global Exchange likes to build itself
up as a super-militant Third World solidarity organization, when in fact,
stealing the words of a very savvy leftist friend of mine, it is little more
than a glorified travel agency for Volvo-driving Berkeleyites (but I suppose
Global Exchange focuses on "reality tours" and selling peasant collective-
grown organic coffee to First Worlders in order to have an independent
funding base).

I do agree w/both yours and Pat's remarks about Kevin Danaher, though --
a very astute, committed, hard-working, down-to-earth guy ...

Anyway, in the future on lbo-talk I will try to refrain from hair-splitting
and tarring individuals and/or organizations purportedly of the "left."

John G.

I wrote earlier:


>>Maybe I'm unfairly jaded about the "50 Years is Enough" crew b/c a) in my
>>mind they're closely identified w/the opportunistic and self-promoting
>>Global Exchange folks

Doug replied:


>The 50 Years people I know are not like this at all. They're 
>admirable, militant folks, in fact.
>
>Actually, as far as Global Exchange goes, Kevin Danaher is pretty 
>admirable and militant too. He was one of the first - the first? - to 
>come up with the idea of a World Bank bond boycott.
>
>Doug
>
>