Street Talk [11-13] 

Question: The Free Trade Area of the Americas meetings will be held in Miami next week and activists from around the world are coming to protest. What’s your understanding of what they’re upset about?

Jorge Milanes, Miami, banker, 28

“I did read in the paper that they talked about Mexicans being bussed from California to protest the fact that there are a lot of negatives to the FTAA. The independent businesses and farms in Mexico have been hurt as a result of NAFTA. A lot of Mexicans in Mexico have lost jobs. But at the same time there has been an overall surplus as a result. It should be a positive here in Miami. It should help the local economy overall.”

Jeremy White, Miami Beach, pharmaceutical sales, 26

“Globalization. They’re against sweatshops and people being exploited in other countries. Passing a free trade agreement transfers jobs to smaller countries where there are no laws protecting these people. We’re losing our jobs, especially factory jobs, to people in other countries where they don’t have to pay a decent wage or pay for their workers’ health care and other benefits.”

Skip Burns, Kona, Hawaii, realtor, 58

“I’m not sure I understand it all. I do believe it has to do with losing jobs here. I’m not sure that the world is quite ready for globalization yet. I think the counties’ cultural barriers are too strong still. They feel that it takes away from their life and livelihood.”

Lopi Markle, Miami Beach, artist, 25

“They’re protesting the World Trade Organization. The negative effect is that it favors big corporations and because of that a lot of workers are exploited and trade rules and regulations are relaxed and that favors the big businesses and corporations and they get to escape a lot of rules and fair play and things like that. So the people who are protesting are basically right. The vast majority of the world suffers when there’s globalization.”

James Sykora, Miami, chemist, 44

“My understanding is that they’re protesting because they’re concerned that if an FTAA agreement is reached that will essentially cut out avenues of protection when they might have a problem like labor disputes. If labor concerns hindered free trade there wouldn’t be an avenue to address it. The same with environmental issues: if they hindered free trade they could be pushed aside. That’s what they’re here to protest.”

(photos and interviews by Tony Guzman)