Fw: [ANSWER]: Feb 2 Protest of World Economic Forum

["Nello Margiotta" <animarg at tin.it>]

From: "ANSWER" <answer.general at action-mail.org>
To: <answer.general at action-mail.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 10:23 PM
Subject: [ANSWER]: Feb 2 Protest of World Economic Forum


MASS DEMONSTRATIONS CALLED IN NEW YORK CITY OUTSIDE OF THE
 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM: JANUARY
 31-FEBRUARY 5
 
 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2: MASS MARCH AND RALLY
 
 A.N.S.W.E.R. - Act Now to Stop War & End Racism - calls for
 mass actions to:

 "Declare war on unemployment, poverty and mass layoffs - not
 on the people of Afghanistan."
 
 "Money for jobs, education and health care - not war in
 Afghanistan."
 
 We call on thousands of people to take to the streets of New
 York City between January 31 and February 5 in a protest
 coinciding with an annual meeting of the World Economic
 Forum.
 
 This meeting includes political leaders and hundreds of
 representatives of the world's biggest transnational
 corporations, banks and media conglomerates, from
 Chase-Manhattan to GM to Siemen to AOL.  It represents the
 world economic and military structures that have
 impoverished people throughout the Third World and inside
 the United States.  It is these corporate and banking elites
 and government officials who are promoting the war against
 the people of Afghanistan.  They will derive huge profits
 from the sale of military weapons of mass destruction under
 the rubric of combating "terrorism."  They seek to
 consolidate their hold over the oil-rich Caspian region and
 the Middle East.
 
 Since September 11, hundreds of thousands of workers from
 the airline industry, the hotel and restaurant industry and
 more have lost their jobs.  Unemployment and mass layoffs
 are now sweeping through all sectors of the U.S. economy.
 The corporate and banking elites which dominate the U.S.
 government have crafted legislation and emergency aid to
 bail out corporate investors and insurance companies, while
 providing absolutely no assistance to working people who
 have lost their income and are now facing evictions,
 foreclosures and deepening poverty.  Hardest hit have been
 the lowest paid workers, especially those in the service
 sector.  
 
 It is obscene that these modern day corporate robber barons
 and the government officials who do their bidding will hold
 their celebrated annual meeting at the Waldorf in New York
 City while hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are being
 forced onto the unemployment lines.  New York City officials
 will roll out the red carpet for the rich and powerful while
 working and poor people go without a guaranteed income,
 health care or a roof over their heads.
 
 The demonstration is being called by International
 A.N.S.W.E.R., a national coalition that was formed in
 response to the headlong rush to war and racist attacks
 following the horrific events of September 11.  A.N.S.W.E.R.
 has the support of more than 500 organizations and prominent
 individuals and scores of organizing centers in cities and
 towns across the country.  Its national steering committee
 represents major national organizations that have campaigned
 against U.S. intervention in Latin America, the Caribbean,
 the Middle East and Asia, and organizations that have
 campaigned for social and economic justice for poor people
 inside the United States. (For details see
 www.InternationalANSWER.org.)
 
 To endorse or support the February 2 mass march, email
 ANSWER at afgj.org.