On November 30, 1999 Seattle protesters shut down the opening session of the global trade conference for the World Trade Organization. This Geneva-based organization sets the rules for global trade, and too often only considers the needs of the giant multinational corporation at the expense of protecting the environment and workers rights. Although known to violate these rudimentary, sane and humane protections President Clinton still supports this organization, telling us it is good for our country, and the Third World. It is understandable why third world countries oppose any regime against the WTO, (that includes labor and environmental standards) because it would take away their competitive advantage: slave labor to turn out the product at the maximum return. Furthermore, does anyone find it odd that Seattle was chosen as the city in our country to host this conference? After all Boeing and Microsoft, (two of the biggest corporations in the world) have their headquarters located there. So with that knowledge, and productivity up by third world countries, is that an acceptable reason to lie? And, more importantly, what did our president say, or commit our country to, behind those close doors in behalf of big business?

Moreover, the same day that WTO was scheduled to open their conference the New York Times announced the firing of twenty employees for misusing their e-mail. The reasoning behind the dismissals was that the employees were caught using their company e-mail for communicating lewd and insidious dialogue, and pictures, to one another. Through a New York Times legal representative, on one of the morning talk shows, he explained that since the computers are the property of the Times they have the right to make sure they are being used in a dignified manner, and for New York Times business only. Personally I can not defend the use of pornography, or an e-mail system used to deliver it from one person to another. However, again I find it disturbing that the corporate world is becoming so powerful that they indeed can dictate private behavior, and have apparently made it even common practice to monitor their employees' personal e-mail.

Have you ever awakened one morning, turned on the tube, or picked up the newspaper and sensed that everything is upside down? The moral values you grew up with have seemingly gone by the wayside? When I feel this way I can not help but ask myself: Where did they go? And, who took them away?

For the majority of my adult voting life I have leaned toward the Democratic Party. Believing that in life, not all people are created equal, and if you have the means, you should attempt to reach back and help your fellow man. With that attitude, it wasn't hard for me to believe in a young, enthusiastic presidential candidate in 1992. Finally, a man my age, and though I wasn't totally sold on him I did believe in my own generation. After all, we had witnessed the previous generations' administrations lie to us, i.e.: Watergate, the Viet Nam War. My generation knew, and felt, the hurt caused by our leaders lies. Therefore, without further ado, I cast my vote for Bill Clinton. A mistake, I now feel in my opinion, I am living to regret. I voted against him the second time, but by then, it didn't matter. The tide had already come in-there had already been a shift in morality.

In the past seven years, I have witnessed big business, with the help of our government and the manipulation of the media, lie to their own employees, and the American consumer, leading them increasingly to become more powerful. Corporate America has slowly seduced their employees and extracted their character. Because corporations have no morals, no sense of decency, just customers. One by one, employees are given bigger paychecks for the bottom line: results. Regardless what it takes tell the customer what he/she wants to hear and get their money.

I am always taken aback when I hear some one from the Word War II generation tell me that I am out of touch, and President Bill Clinton is the best thing that has ever happened to this country. They tell me to look at the economy stupid, (a phrase I might add I had heard before). I realize most of these people are die-hard Liberal Democrats. They would rather succumb to greed, power and an entity they don't even understand before they would believe that there beloved party has changed its directions, selling out to big business. They are not unlike the old die-hard Republicans, who sits in his/her rocking chair asking Ronnie to return. Neither one of these groups really understand the gravity of what has happened. Example:

I recently watched six Republican candidates debate some of the issues on why they would be a good president for this country. I was amazed when I switched channels to find out that there was only one channel carrying the debate. However, before the debate was finished there was a car chase in Los Angeles. There were seven channels carrying the car chase. Where is the priority? Is it as a people we have become so hardened, and unconcerned that we would as soon watch a potential car crash, or man being shot to death, than a politician tell us about why he should be our president. Or, do we know the candidates are lying and just don't want to hear it, because we hear it all day, in fact we do it-with our company's blessing. Therefore, we watch some idiot, speed through neighborhoods, jeopardizing innocent lives, with no chance to escape. Whom do we identify the most with: the six candidates running for president, or the driver of the speeding car? Or, is it as simple as how can a person who lies for a living, which is accepted by their company, criticize their future leaders doing the same thing.

Perhaps I am too naive to be programmed by the "spin doctors," and what I feel has become a very biased media, (which are owned by big corporations). My concern is that if the morality of this nation, (its character) continues to erode what will happen to us as a "people?" It is my observation that a good portion of this country will accept the corporate and government lies as long as they are fed, and continue to have their toys.

I suggest that if this country stay on its current course we are not far from entering a dangerous emotional area, as it is easy for moral decay to permeate from the hollow character of a nation. If you people can remember your history let us not forget early 1930's Germany. As a country, the people finally became angry-they wanted change. A small, fragile looking ex-paper hanger got up on a soapbox and began spouting off what people wanted to hear-how their government had let them down. And, that man did build them new roads, put them to work, put food back on their tables. Then when that man wanted more the people shut their eyes. They sold their character for money and progress. They convinced themselves that he wasn't evil-he was right. That man was Adolph Hitler. Maybe today it is not one man, but an entity known as a corporation.

Therefore, I hope we begin to use our God given gift of common sense, the ability to tell right from wrong. I believe if we as a people continue to tell ourselves that it is okay to lie, because personally we are doing fine, it won't be long and we won't know the difference between the truth, or a lie. Moreover, with that you lose the freedom to choose.

Now I shall watch another beautiful sunset from my deck, and continue to thank God that I am lucky enough to live where I do, and still control my choices. I am not suggesting that you believe the way I do-I just want you to think about what is fundamentally right, and what is wrong. Then you let your mind, along with your conscience, make your choice. Don't as a country of still free independent people allow yourself to become so blasé a little paper hanger stands up on a soapbox and gets your attention. In addition, for those good, decent people who attempted to peacefully protest the WTO conference in Seattle, "Thank you."

(c) 1999 by Mopam Publishing
all rights reserved
Morris Heldt

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