|
opinion
Corporate
dominance not far off
In today's world, it is almost impossible to look in any direction
in the world and not see some sort of corporate brand or label.
The influence of
corporate infiltration in America is almost total, and with
the world shrinking every day, images of the Golden Arches
in Red Square and the Marlboro man in remote Vietnamese villages
is no longer incongruous.
The Sports section
of Wednesday's Los Angeles Times had an article on how Nike's
sponsorship of selected boy's high school basketball teams
gives them and their players an unfair advantage over other
schools.
Of the nine local
teams to receive money from the athletic giant, six won 23
or more games.
The teams received
shoes (naturally) and apparel, but were also flown around
the country.
Having an article
on the powerful reach of Nike in the Times did represent a
bit of irony.
The lead article
in last Sunday's Opinion was on how much of a lasting impact
the United States will leave on Afghanistan.
America was represented
as a tennis shoe with a Stars-and-Stripes tread ? and a Nike
swoosh on the back.
There is an old
adage that says, "What's good for business is good for
America."
Author Naomi Klein
was on campus Monday to talk about the evils of America's
corporate culture.
Klein pointed out
that being critical of any American policies during a time
of war ? even trade policies ? is tantamount to subversion.
Contrary to this
theory, it is precisely during times such as this when we
must cast an even keener gaze at Washington, to ensure nothing
slips through under the rubric of war.
Though it has taken
a necessary lower key, given the current situation in the
Middle East, those involved in the anti-corporate protest
movement should continue their fight.
When given the
limited coverage they receive in the major media, they are
usually portrayed as granola-eating, tree-hugging, Ralph Nader-voting,
fringe anarchists, out to cause trouble.
But, this is an
expected portrayal from the corporate-owned mainstream media.
A day when the
world is divvied up between five or six uber-corporations
is not that hard to imagine.
We already have
Starbucks on every other corner. We must do what we can to
prevent them from opening on every corner.
Phil Witte is
a journalism major at Cal State Long Beach.
|
