----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Munson" <chuck at tao.ca> To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com> Sent: Saturday, February 02, 2002 4:50 PM Subject: Re: Letter From Pôrto Alegre
> Patrick Bond wrote:
> >
> > Comrade Chuck, if you want evidence of the revolutionary character of
the
> > delegation that went from South Africa (leaving NGO/academic yuppies
like
> > myself behind), let me know and I'll give you their names and
affiliations
> > offlist.
>
> But you guys are closer!
>
> > I think there's a really good chance this Porto Alegre can help identify
> > neo-lib capitalism as the enemy, which is a crucial prerequisite for
those
> > of us in Johannesburg who'll be inviting you over on the subway to the
> > August World Summit on Sustainable Development. I was most encouraged to
> > read the following from Agence France Press:
>
> I thought that capitalism was already the enemy. At least that's why
> I've been organizing under the umbrella of the Anti-Capitalist
> Convergence since last May. I always love it when the word
> "anti-capitalist" appears in the papers.
>
> > Wouldn't that atmosphere also intimidate NGO yuppies? Don't write the
WSF
> > off, comrade, just because the deplorable Marc Cooper's having a nice
> > time...
>
> Next time you are in Washington I'll have to give you a tour of the
> local activist scene. You'll understand the class basis if my kvetching
> if you saw what we have to do on sparse resources. Even the more
> moderate groups have to scrape by. You would think that NGO
> organizations with offices and resources would help out activist groups,
> but they generally don't. I don't want to get totally down on NGOs,
> since I have friends that work for them, but there are many of us who
> get upset when they spin our movement as a reformist one.
>
> BTW, I just saw a photo on Yahoo that shows Bono and Desmond Tutu
> schmoozing together at the WEF. It seems the WEF has done a good job
> this year at bringing acceptable members of the rabble inside so they
> can spin themselves off as some long convention of brainy movers and
> shakers.
>
> << Chuck0 >>
>
> Infoshop.org -> http://www.infoshop.org/
> Alternative Press Review -> http://www.altpr.org/
> Practical Anarchy Online -> http://www.practicalanarchy.org/
> Anarchy: AJODA -> http://www.anarchymag.org/
> MutualAid.org -> http://www.mutualaid.org/
> Factsheet 5 -> http://www.factsheet5.org/
> AIM: AgentHelloKitty
>
> Web publishing and services for your nonprofit:
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>
> "Chuck Munson isn't like other protestors."
> -- CTV
>
>