On the second superpower

In March 2003, James Moore, in response to a newspaper article referring to world public opinion as another superpower, christened it "the second superpower." This was in the aftermath of anti-war protests that had drawn millions of people around the world.

Time has passed, events have changed reality, and I think it is time to call on the "second superpower" again. A fascist government bent on global domination has been re-elected in the US, and with the Rice for Powell trade, it has become that much more uniformly ideological. There are other institutions which can hopefully play a role in taming this rogue state, especially the UN and the European Union. However, the UN is not nearly as strong as it should be, and the EU does not have legitimacy as a global institution. I think the best hope that we have to stop US fanaticism is world public opinion. The vast majority of the people in the world continue to oppose the US war and occupation of Iraq.

The people of the world must let the Bush crowd know in no uncertain terms that pre-emption is not an acceptable foreign policy, and that the goal of global dominance is something that frightens us. There are many ways to do this besides marching in the streets and waving signs. You can lobby politicians in your own country to take a stand. You can network with other activists around the globe. You can talk to your friends about it, and encourage them to take action. You can participate in discussion sites on the web and become your own media. You can unite to implement targeted boycotts of companies that are complicit in the US occupation of Iraq. You can engage in civil disobedience to get your point across.

It's your world. You can change it.