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Five Reasons
To Oppose the Free Trade
Area of the Americas
By Starhawk
- Earth: The FTAA
would allow corporations to sue governments in corporate courts for loss of
potential profits if governments attempt to ban genetically engineered crops,
regulate unsafe foods, ban pesticides or chemicals, protect natural resources,
regulate logging, or enforce safety standards. Small farmers and indigenous
communities would be further undermined by the influx of cheap foods produced
by agribusiness far away.
- Air: Corporations
have already sued governments for banning unsafe additives from gasoline.
As the hole in the ozone layer grows, governments would lose the ability to
effectively regulate ozone destroying chemicals, or to prod corporations to
adopt and produce the already-existing technologies that would replace gasoline
with renewable, clean alternatives.
- Fire: The U.N.
now estimates global warming is progressing much faster than anticipated,
that the earth's temperature may rise by ten degrees. The FTAA would undermine
efforts to control greenhouse emissions or shift to alternative technologies.
It would also open the door to privatization of utilities and energy production
and distribution, taking control away from communities and government.
- Water: The FTAA
would allow corporations to control the water resources and hydroelectric
resources of the hemisphere. It would undercut attempts to protect water quality
and fair water usage, and to preserve endangered species such as salmon. It
would open the door to the privatization of water delivery services.
- Community: The
FTAA would encourage privatization of schools, universities, medical care,
hospitals, libraries, museums, prisons, transportation, broadcasting, and
many other services previously provided or regulated by communities and governments.
What to do:
Write or call your Senators
and congressional representatives. Tell them "No fast track for Bush!" Fast Track
would give him expanded negotiating authority with minimal congressional input.
Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121)
Major demonstrations are being organized in the U.S. and Canada to protest the
Summit of the Americas in Quebec City April 20-22, when 34 heads of state will
meet to affirm the FTAA process. Get involved! Check www.indymedia.org
for news of events in your own and other areas. (NOTE: this will open in a new browser window!)
Copyright (c) 2001 by Starhawk.
All rights reserved. This copyright protects Starhawk's right to future publication
of her work. Nonprofit, activist, and educational groups may circulate this
essay (forward it, reprint it, translate it, post it, or reproduce it) for nonprofit
uses. Please do not change any part of it without permission. Readers are invited
to visit the web site: www.starhawk.org.
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