[Peace-discuss] Fwd: FTAA in Miami: A Virtual Demonstration

Tue Nov 18 16:27:11 CST 2003

>Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2003 16:06:34 -0500
>Subject: FTAA in Miami: A Virtual Demonstration
>From: Robert McChesney <rmcchesney at mediareform.net>
>To: info at mediareform.net
>Reply-To: rmcchesney at mediareform.net
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>This week in Miami, negotiations will take place that will have a 
>dramatic effect on your life for years to come. At issue is the Free 
>Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) agreement, described as "NAFTA on 
>steroids."
>
>The FTAA will eliminate U.S. jobs and foster worker exploitation in 
>developing countries. It could override our country's environmental 
>protections and media ownership limits as "trade violations." It 
>could enable U.S. media corporations to eclipse local cultures 
>across the hemisphere and threaten public broadcasting. These are 
>just a few of the implications.
>
>Tens of thousands will protest in Miami this Thursday and Friday. 
>Add your voice, and let's make it millions. Please join our 'virtual 
>demonstration' .
>
>SIGN the Free Press petition to stop the FTAA. Go to 
>http://www.mediareform.net/ftaa/petition . The petition will be 
>delivered to Congress and the U.S. Trade Representative during the 
>FTAA meeting.
>
>FORWARD this email to everyone you know who cares about media 
>democracy and global justice. This email contains detailed 
>background information. We can only reach critical mass if you 
>spread the word.
>
>Mainstream media is not informing America of the realities of these 
>trade deals: America's main media sources themselves stand much to 
>gain from them. It's up to us to educate each other. If you can't be 
>in Miami to say NO to the FTAA, please do the next best thing and 
>join the virtual demonstration.
>
>Onward,
>Robert McChesney
>Free Press
>
>P.S. Interested in media reform? Become a Free Press E-Activist. 
>You'll receive occasional (not frequent) updates and alerts. Go to 
>http://www.mediareform.net/mailinglist.php .
>
>P.P.S. Stay up to date with our free daily headlines service 
>covering a wide range of media issues. Go to 
>http://www.mediareform.net/news/deliveries.php .
>
>------
>
>What's the FTAA?
>
>On Wednesday, trade ministers from 34 countries will begin three 
>days of closed-door sessions to advance negotiations on the proposed 
>Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Under this agreement, US 
>regulations that protect media diversity, localism and the public 
>interest could be attacked as 'barriers to trade.' Media ownership 
>limits could be considered outright 'trade violations.' Most 
>absurdly, multinational corporations could seek cash 'compensation' 
>-- paid for by taxpayer dollars -- if secret tribunals of trade 
>lawyers found our government's public interest media policies to be 
>'unduly burdensome' to competition.
>
>The FTAA is a sweeping agreement that would extend the failed NAFTA 
>model of corporate-driven globalization to the entire Western 
>Hemisphere, minus Cuba. Tens of thousands of protesters will greet 
>these trade ministers with a powerful display of opposition to the 
>FTAA and with concrete proposals for alternatives, in what is 
>shaping up to be the most important showdown over corporate 
>globalization since Seattle.
>
>What would the FTAA mean for media, culture, and communications? Put 
>simply, the agreement threatens to undermine media democracy, 
>privatize public services, and expand corporate power in every 
>sector. Under the FTAA, laws that limit media ownership could be 
>considered 'trade violations,' and public funding for nonprofit 
>media could be attacked. Media corporations would be allowed to sue 
>governments for maintaining democratically created, public interest 
>media and cultural policies. The recent battle against FCC 
>deregulation could be rendered moot.
>
>However, there is reason for hope: the FTAA summit comes on the 
>heels of the collapse of World Trade Organization negotiations in 
>Cancun, Mexico. In Cancun, a newly formed coalition of countries 
>from the Global South, emboldened by protests in the streets of 
>Cancun and around the world, walked out of the WTO in rejection of 
>the strong-arm tactics of wealthy countries. Free Press was there, 
>organizing the Cancun Forum on Communication Rights vs. 'Free Trade' 
>and supporting the Independent Media Center Cancun 
>(cancun.mediosindependientes.org).
>
>The failure of the WTO meetings makes regional trade agreements like 
>the FTAA the leading edge of the multinational corporate drive to 
>override democracy. For all those who support democracy, 
>environmental sustainability, media diversity and human rights, the 
>Miami mobilization this week is a crucial opportunity to carry 
>forward the momentum of Cancun and derail this disastrous agreement.
>
>The trade ministers will be greeted in Miami by hundreds of 
>thousands of protesters from across the globe. Media activists from 
>across the country and around the world will be marching together 
>with thousands from labor, the environmental movement, academia, 
>indigenous populations, small farmers, and many others. Join us in 
>saying, "Our Media Are Not for Sale!" It's the next chapter of the 
>historic struggle that will determine whether or not we trade away 
>our environment, our public services, our culture and our media.
>
>
>WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO
>
>* VOTE Against the FTAA: A broad hemispheric coalition is conducting 
>a truly massive popular referendum on this disastrous agreement, 
>gathering ballots and petitions that will be delivered to the trade 
>ministers in Miami. Cast your vote online today at 
>www.citizenstrade.org/ftaa_ballot.php
>
>* EDUCATE Yourself and Others About the Issues: An extensive list of 
>excellent online resources about the FTAA is appended at the end of 
>this email. Free Press has also developed a pamphlet about the links 
>between corporate globalization and media democracy:
>http://www.mediareform.net/ftaa
>
>* ORGANIZE Affinity Groups to participate in creative nonviolent 
>direct action. We urge everyone who is considering participating in 
>nonviolent direct action to organize trainings in your community 
>before you come. More information and training materials will be 
>available soon. Some resources are available now at www.stopFTAA.org
>
>* SPREAD the Word: Please forward this email to your personal 
>network and to appropriate listservs.
>
>* GO TO FREE PRESS - more on how the FTAA would affect our media 
>system and links to other resources: http://www.mediareform.net/ftaa
>
>* FTAA INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER - breaking news from the streets of Miami:
>http://ftaaimc.org

-- 

Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu