Depictions of anti-globalization movements and activists in the mass media are
often portrayals of a flighty mob interested in either violence or obscure forms
of action with little to no meaning. Demonstrators are vilified as opponents
to the inevitable march of economic and political progress in the shape of globalization
– who are these crazy people to stand in the way of change?
At its worst, events are skewed as to tell another story: the police, paramilitary,
or regular military forces intervene in a chaotic street battle where protestors
are disrupting order and disobeying legal authority by vandalizing and utterly
destroying private property(1). Claims and motivations of demonstrations are
diminished in the face of corporate mass media which tells the story as it sees
fit. In Western nations constitutionally enshrined rights – especially
now in an era of looming terrorism – are being pushed aside by corporatist
and state forces in the interest of “public security”. Rarely is
it mentioned that lives are lost in such conflicts, and if so, it must have
been the fault of violent radicals – such is the case of Carlo Giuliani,
a 23 year-old history student from Genoa and son of a Rome labour official,
who was killed during anti-globalization protests in Genoa, Italy.
Fortunately, there exists a plethora of independent media groups who seek the
other side of things. However, large media corporations dominate the airwaves.
Nevertheless, groups such as the War Resisters League, sites like BigEye.com,
DemocracyNow.org, the Independent media centre, etc., have taken up the task
of presenting the world through
a different lens.
Endnotes:
(1)Ironically, certain intelligence agencies acknowledge that violence at anti-globalization
protests are most often carried out by extremists (usually characterized as
anarchists) and are not a representation of the entire movement (see the CSIS
report titled ‘Anti-Globalization - A Spreading Phenomenon’ )
http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/eng/miscdocs/200008_e.html
Construction
of Media Alternatives
Electronic Disturbance Theatre
War Resisters League http://www.warresisters.org/nva0901-1.htm
BigEye.com http://www.bigeye.com/
Democracy Now http://www.democracynow.org/
News Watch http://www.newswatch.org/
Police, anti-globalization forces clash outside Asia-EU summit (CNN) http://www.cnn.com/2000/ASIANOW/east/10/20/asia.eu.protest.ap/
Anti-Globalization Protesters March Through Washington During IMF and World
Bank Meetings (CNN)
http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0004/16/sm.08.html
Anti-globalization groups protest at WTO's doors in Qatar
http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/view.cgi?category=Canada&story=/news/2001/11/09/wto_qatar011109
Anti-globalization protesters are modern-day Luddites - ICC President
http://www.iccwbo.org/home/news_archives/2001/bbc.asp
Italian group backs Iraq fighters
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/europe/3277029.stm
http://www.phoenixanarchist.org/print.php?sid=25