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is
democracy
looks like!
Erica Wiggins
STAFF WRITER
"If you've come here to help
me, you're wasting your time.
If you've come because
you've realized that your libera
tion is bound up with mine, then
let us work together."
- Australian Aboriginal
woman at New York's protests.
Ten Guilford College stu
dents from GANe (Guilford Ac
tion Network) and several from
Amnesty International joined an
estimated 13,000 people (ac
cording to indymedia.com) in
New York City on the weekend
of Feb. 1-3 to protest the World
Economic Forum. Here's what
they have to say about the week
end:
"It felt wonderful to be
around so many kinds of people
that united for the same cause,"
said Debbie Harris, a sopho
more.
Harris also said, "Union
workers, environmentalists, mi
nority groups, and students cre
ated quite a sight: rhythmic
drumming, puppet shows, and
chanting. As a think tank, the
World Economic Forum has a
great amount of representation
when policies are made. How
ever. they are only representing
Lover of people, Afeni Shakur
Continued from Front
Somehow she deserted her anger and prayed for the strength to let her son go gracefully, "my most beloved son, my light ol my lile,
spirit of my family, God help me ... let me help him leave."
Afeni discussed art, and how influential it was in Tupac's upbringing. Music was his passion in life, and for Afeni (as well as
millions of Tug^cJans) }t "covered every emotion".
its deeper social messages, has been very important to Afeni.
: pes|K>nse to an audience question regarding the quality of music that all to often is a result of the cut
throat, capitalist music industry. 'Tupac."never gave; you any garbage," she said of her son's music. ;
Features
the most powerful
and wealthy, and in
herently the voices
of the powerless and
poor are silenced. At
this time of international crisis,
it's absolutely critical for those of
us who seek a better world to
unite and spread our message.
We believe that a more demo
cratic, civil, and compassion
ate society is possible."
Leonora Tisdale, a junior,
commented, "It was successful
because so many kinds of
people showed up, (like the
Anti-Capitalist Convergence
and Another World is Possible)
and there was solidarity among
them. But peace doesn't make
the press."
World Economic Forum or
ganizers said that they moved
the conference to New York
City to show support for the
city, still ailing in the wake in
Sept. 11. However, many
people suspect that the W.E.F.
simply needed a new place to
meet, since protests were get
ting so heavy in Davos, Swit
zerland, where the conference
is usually held.
These same people theo
rize that since New York City
is so freshly traumatized and
its police and fire departments
are so heroic in many Ameri-
The Guilfordian
Democracy alive and well in New York City
cans' minds, protesters would
be intimidated.
In a sense, their strategy
worked. There was less willing
ness to do direct action or con
front the police. However, there
was still a similar number of
people as at recent meetings of
organizers of corporate globaliza
tion, like the International Mon
etary Fund, World Bank, and
World Trade Organization.
Gigi Burkhalter, a senior,
added, "There were so many cops
that we really didn't have any
control."
Near the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel (where the W.E.F meetings
were held, and the destination
of the march), the police barri
caded protesters into a small
area. The only way out was to go
back, or to exit where police let
the protesters out one by one.
Once protesters left that way, po
lice would not let them back in;
the police effectively ended the
march.
"People sometimes accuse
activists of not being well in
formed." sopohmore Ryan Maher
said. "It was great to see so many
kinds of people who knew what
February, 15 2001
was going on and actually gave a
damn. This is real. It's deeper than
sensational. It's more than roman
tic. The WEF, FTAA, IMF, and
WTO are 8.5."
Maher also said, "We're on
the threshold. The times we're liv
ing in, it's like an orgasm, and now
' the time when we're going to
either regret the orgasm or be for
ever thankful that we had sex.
Choices are being made by people
who aren't elected. Their power
isn't checked, and if we don't get
pissed off, they're going to con
tinue to feed us Soma."
Ari DeToro, an active mem
ber of GANe, was planning to go
to the protest in New York, but
couldn't at the last minute. Still,
she had a statement: 'When 1000
rich, mostly western men gather
privately to lay plans to exploit the
majority of the world for personal
gain, it doesn't sit well with me.
The ethnocentric capitalist drive
that lines so few pockets with
riches and destroys cultures
needs to be stopped, and as a
privileged white American, I feel
1 should utilize my privilege be
cause this is affecting so many
people with no voice."