the NYC demos: a report

Chuck Munson chuck at tao.ca
Mon Feb 4 21:38:26 PST 2002


Doug Henwood wrote:
>
> <http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=special&s=featherstone20020204>
>
> A Recovered Movement
> by Liza Featherstone
>
> On Saturday, February 2, approximately 12,000 demonstrators gathered
> in New York City to protest the meeting of the World Economic Forum.
> Since September 11, mainstream commentators and even a few activists
> had been singing dirges for the so-called antiglobalization movement.
> Dissent was deemed unpatriotic in wartime, and insensitive to our
> national tragedy. Protesters were likened to terrorists, not only by
> the FBI (whose list of domestic terrorists really does include a few
> nonviolent direct action groups) but also by the New York City media,
> including the Village Voice.

A nice report from Liza, but I have a few comments:

* It would be nice to see some effort made by writers that anarchists do alot of the organizing and shitwork that makes these events happen. While I don't mind the flack that the anarchist street militants get, it would be fair if independent journalists mentioned the "rest of the story." * I have real problems with the lame messaging that the moderates in the movements are trying to get out. Language like the "global justice movement" and "another world is possible" has good vibes, but I think it contributes to the Yannification of our dissent. Next thing you'll know is that big Teletubby balloons will be dragged down the street with sound amplification in high pitched tones that goes like: "hee hee, another world is possible."

Can we *try* and use some language that the other side is uncomfortable seeing in press or on TV? Would you rather hear Dan Rather saying "global justice movement" or "anti-capitalist movement?" One of the reasons that "Anti-Capitalist Convergence" is more acidic than names that use "global jsutice" is that it uses langauge that is clear about what we are about. There's nothing wrong with being against something, especially in a country whose citizens equate democracy with capitalism.

You can be anti- and also be for something. Unfortunately, sometimes our vision for the future isn't reducible to soundbite slogans like "another world is possible."

<< Chuck0 >>

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