The Free Trade Area of the Americas, or FTAA, is a proposed agreement to open borders to capital and expand markets for business across the Americas. The free market system is presented as being beneficial for all countries and all people. However, the information used in promoting the agenda is conveniently shallow in scope and paints over important social, political and economic realities.

Our business and government leaders hide behind statistics that point to increased exports and investment from free trade and promise the wealth will trickle down. It's a fine sales strategy and sounds good enough to satisfy a lot of people. However, the cost to our social and environmental well-being has been left out of the economic equation when it should, in fact, be the foundation of economic theory and practice. The economic model protesters are fighting to change is inherently irresponsible and incompatible with democracy and social and environmental justice as it promotes a structure where profit demands poverty and equality is a threat to the 'balance' of power.

All people should have the right to self-determination and development, but under current free trade policy, multinationals have more influence over regulation standards than do people. Countries will become increasingly dependent on large corporations competing for the highest profit margins and the result will be corporate rule. Environmental standards, labor laws, social justice, political development, even education, language and culture will fall under, not only the influence, but the control of private interest.

In business, the standard which has been set, and strengthened, by the capital model of globalization has led to rationalizing the degradation and exploitation of men, women and children as an unfortunate reality in business practice. The very fact that cheap labor, which goes hand in hand with low, dehumanizing and deadly labor standards and practice, is sought after to compete in the free market game is a sure sign of an ill and failing society.

The corporate sector buys its influence in government, and in so doing, has bought its way out of social and environmental responsibility. Further control is achieved (and paid for by consumers) through advertising and other marketing tactics which work with the intent to, not only compete, but create demand by shaping our family and cultural values, feeding our insecurities, and buying time in our educational and recreational environments. Ultimately, as the system continues to condition a competitive, consumer oriented culture, people's priorities are kept to immediate needs and wants which, of course, is the ideal consumer market.

Considering the communication resources available to government and big business, it is no wonder they have been, and will likely continue to be, successful at implementing their economic agenda. I expect privatization will infiltrate what is left of public space and children will adapt to the commercials in our classrooms. I have no doubt that poverty will increase as we continue to devalue and commodify the life and labor of our brothers and sisters for profit's sake. Certainly, we will continue to deplete our planet of its natural resources and destroy our living environment through excessive consumption and mismanagement.

However, I can not sit back while the powerful and priviledged few sell the idea that democracy and freedom can somehow be equated with the free market system. When we are told something is good for us, it is important we consider who is telling us and why. Freedom should be defined by the people who fight for it, not the people who aim to control it.

I hope, in time, more people will question what we have created. I hope a desire to rid our society of the injustices that plague it will replace the desire to profit from them. I expect change is inevitable and only a matter of time, but regardless of where we go, it is important for me to work towards a better future with the side that carries a moral conscience.

Shawna Nelles

"On this issue of human freedom, if you assume that there's no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope. If you assume that there is instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, that hope is possible, then hope may be justified, and a better world may be built. That's your choice." Noam Chomsky

"The World is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." Albert Einstein

"Even though the construction of the future and its completion for all times sake is not our task, what we have to accomplish at this time is more clear: *relentless criticism of all existing conditions*, relentless in the sense that the criticism is not afraid of its findings and just as little afraid of the conflict with the powers that be." Karl Marx