This week the Senate will likely vote to approve the Peru Free Trade agreement, an extension of NAFTA. The following article published on Grassroots Global Justice makes a strong case against free trade agreements:

It is clear that only a few are reaping the benefits of “free” trade agreements (FTAs). Over the past two decades FTAs have created a class of super-rich individuals and extremely powerful corporations. They have disrupted the culture and livelihoods of millions of people, forcing many to leave their homes, and driven many into severe poverty.

On a daily basis, the vast majority of people throughout the world are struggling to survive–to make a living from the land, to earn a livable wage, to protect our health and environment, to assure access to water, housing and basic services. The strategies used to deny us these basic human rights are embedded in FTAs.

In fact, there is nothing free about FTAs. Communities and nations are subjected to the will of multi-national corporations, who sack our natural and human resources, eliminate laws that make corporations accountable, and wrest authority from our governments to provide basic services. The vision of George W. Bush and other “free” traders is that private corporations own the seeds and the food that they create, water and the infrastructure that carries it, medicines and the hospitals that administer them. The ultimate goal is not to eliminate poverty, and promote global prosperity and well-being, but to make every aspect of our lives into a source of profit for corporations.
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Think Progress

A new study by the University of California’s School of Public Health finds that illegal immigrants do not pose as significant a burden on U.S. Health Care resources as is often claimed. Undocumented immigrants are less likely to have insurance, but seek out health care in much lower numbers:

“Low rates of use of health-care services by Mexican immigrants and similar trends among other Latinos do not support public concern about immigrants’ overuse of the health care system,” the researchers wrote.

“Undocumented individuals demonstrate less use of health care than U.S.-born citizens and have more negative experiences with the health care that they have received,” they said.

The study is based on a 2003 survey of 42,044 people. Researchers compared the health care habits of U.S.-based Mexicans and Latinos and grouped the results according to citizenship or other status.

Among the other findings:

Undocumented Mexican and Latin American immigrants “are 50% less likely than U.S.-born Latinos to use hospital emergency rooms in California.”

Mexican Immigrants paid “1.6 fewer visits to doctors” per year than by those born in the U.S. to Mexican immigrants.

Other “undocumented Latinos had 2.1 fewer physician visits than their U.S.-born counterparts.”

Not only are undocumented immigrants not a burden on the U.S. health care system, but as Alexander N. Ortega, an associate professor at UCLA’s School of Public Health and the study’s lead author points out, they “seem to be underutilizing the system, given their health needs.”

– Dave de Give

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 13, 2005

Media Contact:
Carly Miller, Director of Public Relations
Clothing of the American Mind / http://www.cotam.org
carly@cotam.org / Direct: +1.310.459.0988

*Media Advisory for Friday, April 15, 2005 – 7:30 pm

Clothing of the American Mind
Presents
Fashion 4 Change

Fashion Show Highlighting FAIR TRADE During Global Week of Action

Los Angeles, California –

Who:        Clothing of the American Mind presents Fashion 4 Change on Friday, April 15, 2005 at the Central American Resource Center in downtown Los Angeles. This event will be held in conjunction with the Global Week of Action promoting fair trade around the world. Doors open at 7:30 pm with the fashion show beginning at 9:00 pm; shopping, music and dancing will go on until midnight.

What:        The Fashion 4 Change show will highlight items from Clothing of the American Mind’s growing collection of politically progressive designs, all of which are presented on sweatshop-free, American-made products that are considered fair trade. A wide range of pieces from the Clothing of the American Mind collection will be on sale at the event and several unique items will be raffled. The event will be emceed by comedienne Natasha Leggero, whose credits include the off-Broadway hit “Tony & Tina’s Wedding” and MTV’s “That 70’s House.” Fashion 4 Change will also feature cutting-edge sounds from local beat mavens DJ Lillyanne and Cristine.

Fashion 4 Change will focus on highlighting fair trade practices around the world. Fair trade is a growing international movement that ensures producers receive fair prices for their goods; prices that not only cover the cost of production, but also guarantee a living income. The fair trade movement gives consumers an opportunity to use their purchasing power to tilt the balance, however slightly, in favor of the poor. Consumer awareness of the treatment of producers has increased and more retailers than ever are stocking fair trade goods; in turn, more low-income communities are feeling the benefits. Endorsers of the Make Trade Fair campaign include Antonio Banderas, Colin Firth, Chris Martin (Coldplay), Alanis Morissette and Michael Stipe.

When:    Fashion 4 Change will take place on Friday, April 15, 2005 beginning at 7:30 pm.  Fashion show starts at 9 pm. Shopping, music and dancing will go on until midnight. Drinks and snacks will also be served. A $5 donation is requested at the door; $10 donation includes two drink tickets. Proceeds from the event will benefit Clothing of the American Mind, which donates a percentage of its profits to progressive political organizations.  Free parking will also be available.

Where:    Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), located at 2845 West Seventh Street, Los Angeles, California, 90005.

Why:        Fashion 4 Change has been organized in conjunction with Oxfam America’s efforts for the Global Week of Action on trade justice. During the week of April 10-16, 2005, communities around the world, from Uganda to the United States to Uruguay, will call on their elected officials to make trade fair and promote policies that improve lives. Other events include a trade justice bicycle scavenger hunt on April 10, a screening of Stephanie Black’s award-winning documentary Life and Debt at the Echo Park Film Center on Tuesday, April 12 at 7:30 pm and a ‘Stop CAFTA’ (Central American Free Trade Agreement) letter-writing campaign.

Clothing of the American Mind’s mission is to promote, support and articulate progressive values through fashion. The Los Angeles-based grassroots company was born in March 2004 amid the outpouring of popular discontent spawned by the massive mishandling of the war in Iraq. Clothing of the American Mind has since become the official clothier of the politically disgruntled around the globe. Leading up to the 2004 presidential election, the company raised more than $15,000 for progressive political groups. It continues to donate a percentage of its net proceeds to organizations such as MoveOn, The Progressive Majority, Progressive Democrats of America, Amnesty International, Peace Action and others. Among Clothing of the American Mind’s supporters are many high-profile activists and celebrities, including Courteney Cox Arquette, Ed Asner, Matthew Broderick, Don Cheadle, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristin Davis, Ellen DeGeneres, Ani DiFranco, Gina Gershon, Arianna Huffington, Helen Hunt, Ashley Judd, Debra Messing, Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandon, Amber Valletta, Renee Zellweger and countless others.

For more details on Fashion 4 Change and Clothing of the American Mind, please visit http://www.cotam.org. For more on fair trade and the Global Week of Action, visit http://www.oxfamamerica.org, http://www.maketradefair.com and http://www.april2005.org.  Please direct all media requests and other inquiries regarding Fashion 4 Change to Carly Miller at 310.459.0988 or carly@cotam.org.