Teach-in on globalization held

Students for Global Responsibility (SGR) sponsored a teach-in yesterday about globalization, featuring two guest speakers who focused on Latin American.

Ben Davis, who works for the solidarity center of the AFL-CIO, explained the problems of globalization and told students how they can help work against it. He said the way to fight against multinational corporations is to "become a part of the political and social movement." He said that as consumers, students have power over the market. Davis gave the example of the United Students Against Sweatshops, who have worked with other unions to successfully ban some sweatshop products.

Davis also talked about ways his organization helps stop globalization, which is mainly through lobbying the government and organizing workers.

A Columbian refuge, who gave only his first name, also spoke to the group about his personal experiences. David, whose mother is the president of a union in Columbia, had been receiving death threats due to his mothers work. He explained the effects of globalization in his country which is damaging the Columbian economy. David said that the only good form of globalization was "the globalization of human rights."

For more information on globalization Davis told students to go to www.solidaritycenter.org and for more information on sweatshops students should go to www.behindthelabel.org