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* * Shut Down FTAA Miami, 2003 * *
* * Chicago Consulta * *
* * October 11 and 12 * *

On November 20 and 21 the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) will meet
at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Miami to unilaterally finalize their
vision of an economic policy that threatens the freedom and well being of
every living being in this hemisphere. Although ordinary people will not be
allowed into the meetings to offer their input, we will be in the streets to
welcome them.

All will be put at risk by the outcome of these meetings, save for an
obscene minority who have seized control of capital and corporate power. The
FTAA is working to give this small group of billionaires and corporations
power over people and governments.

The FTAA threatens to absorb both North and South America into a homogeneous
market, where transnational corporations will be empowered to successfully
challenge any regulation, policy or procedure which runs contrary to their
ideal of increased profit at any expense, human or otherwise.

Under FTAA, more jobs from the US will move to Central and South America,
where workers labor in sweatshop conditions, and the environment, people's
health, and standards of living will be sacrificed for higher profits.

The good news is that over 100,000 people are expected to rain down on Miami
in protest of the ministerial.

The drastic policies that the FTAA plans to unleash internationally will be
mirrored locally by the Miami police department's mission to ensure that the
demands of hundreds of thousands of protesters don't disturb the
multimillion dollar gala being thrown by and for the western hemisphere's
most affluent arch-capitalists and their pet politicians.

WE DEMAND that the policies of the FTAA be struck down.
WE PLEDGE to send a direct and uncompromising message to those who propose
we forfeit our freedom and well being.
WE COMMIT to stop the meeting in Miami, meaning a total shutdown of the
conference through a variety of diverse actions.
WE BELIEVE in our inherent right to free speech and assembly and vow to
protect both our ideals and bodies from any attack from FTAA policies and
police forces.
WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY with all people adversley affected by the FTAA and its
capitalist agenda.

Midwest Unrest, a Chicago radical group, will hold a consulta in Chicago on
October 11 and 12, in order to network with groups planning mobilizations to
Miami and to coordinate our actions. This consulta will be a continuation of
the discussions started in Louisville and Pittsburgh. All who are interested
in forming a radical strategy to shut down the FTAA meeting are invited to
attend.

Midwest Unrest is autonomous, decentralized and nonhierarchical. We object
to capitalism. We reject any system that sees human beings as greenbacks,
the environment as a resource, and culture as a product that can be bought
and sold. We oppose all forms of oppression and discrimination. We respect
peoples differences and the autonomy of groups, individuals and peoples.

Proposed discussion topics for the consulta:

* Updates from organizers on the ground in Miami
* Direct action tactics for Miami
* Padded Block actions and updates from the Pittsburgh Organizing Group
(POG)
* Health and Safety training from Chicago Action Medical
* "Surviving radical demos" presented by the BRICK collective of FRAC
* Preparation of legal, medical and media strategies for Miami
* Formation of a communication network to be used on the ground in Miami
* Jail support and solidarity
* Propaganda and outreach


REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED!

Please contact us ( midwest_unrest_housing-AT-yahoo.com ) ASAP with the name of
your group (if applicable), number of people attending, number of people in need
of housing, as well as any other special needs.


-MIDWEST UNREST