"In My Opinion . . ."
Nov. 30, 1999
Today, Nov. 30, 1999, officially marks the beginning of the World
Trade Organization's huge conference in Seattle. 5,000 delegates
from around the globe have flocked to the Emerald City for four
days of arguing, posing, dealing, and whatnot. According to the
news, leaders of the conference don't even have an agenda.
Instead, all the delegates get to push for their own issues. I
guess it will be a bit like playing "King of the Hill"
inside the Convention Center.
Outside, however, things have already heated up. Tens of thousands of protesters from all over the country have descended on my fair city to put democracy in action (some reports estimate as many as 50,000 protesters). Activists for Human Rights, Animal Rights, Workers Rights, and Union Rights are marching one after another through the center of town, and the demonstrations will go on and on all week long. Civil disobedience reigns.
Protest leaders have stressed the need for non-violent activities, and so far only a few hotheads have gotten out of hand. Still, the actions of the demonstrators outside in the streets are taking a heavy toll on residents and workers. Security measures have closed various streets and parking lots in the already overcrowded center of town. Marches keep shutting down traffic on the remaining congested streets, and many public and private businesses have closed for the week because of the difficulties faced by their employees and their customers. One of my own students said that her father left for work today in a hotel in downtown Seattle, and he will not be home again until the conference ends. Apparently it is safer and wiser for him and for the hotel to have him just live there for the week.
It is too soon to tell if so many people can fill the streets of downtown without seriously injuring someone or damaging property. Many of the protestors' zealous stands are well-founded, and what better way to get their points across than the tried and true tactics of the turbulent sixties? I only hope that cool heads prevail. In order for the voices outside to be heard by the delegates inside they must be insistent, persistent, and resistent to violence. I truly hope that the spirit of civil disobedience doesn't get trammeled by the actions of self-serving attention seekers bent on infamy. That would cheapen the whole concept. **
**A late bulletin: a band of marauders swept through the throngs of protesters today, vandalizing as they prgressed. Windows were broken, small fires were set, and grafitti was sprayed on walls. And this is only day one...