The Spirit of Seattle Turns Ten
The Tortoise v. The Scare. A screen shot from a 2007 film depicting the protests, "Battle in Seattle."
An editorial in The Nation eloquently considers the recent history of direct action and resistance to the decisions the WTO makes at its meetings.
The funny thing about supranational organizations is that they talk about global governance but make no provisions for democratic input. Of course, this should be no surprise. Rights are rarely just donated out of good will. Unless they filter from sovereign hands by more pacific osmotic mechanisms of social change, rights have to be seized to be secured. And while protests might do more to raise awareness than shape policy, the conversation continues to evolve between the conductors and passengers on the run away train called Globalization.
