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Protestors Give USTR 'Corporate Power Tool Award'; Replace Toilet Paper In Hotel With TPP-TP

from the wow dept

Mon, May 14th 2012 7:13am — Mike Masnick

Ron Kirk may believe that he's getting away with something in negotiating the TPP agreement without the public knowing what he's doing, but sooner or later he has to realize that the public isn't going to take it. With the recent TPP negotiations in Dallas, there was (of course) a corporate-sponsored "welcome gala." However, it appears that some protestors infiltrated the event and were able to announce that the USTR Ron Kirk and the other US negotiators had won the 2012 Corporate Power Tool Award. A protestor by the name of David Goodwin commandeered the microphone at the event and announced that he was Git Haversall, of the "Texas Corporate Power Partnership", and was giving the award to Ron Kirk because "The TPP agreement is shaping up to be a fantastic way for us to maximize profits, regardless of what the public of this nation—or any other nation—thinks is right."

The protestors actually came very close to giving the plaque to Kirk himself, but security got in the way at the last second. Somewhere around that point, a bunch of protestors apparently started dancing around and chanting "TPP! TPP! TPP!" You can see much of this in the video below:

Apparently the protestors also successfully replaced much of the toilet paper in the public bathrooms in the hotel with special TP-TPP:

I'm generally of mixed opinions on these kinds of protests. However, seeing as we're dealing with Ron Kirk, who seems to go out of his way to avoid the public concerning TPP and only listen to corporate interests, any method of making it clear to him that the public is unhappy seems worthwhile.

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Filed Under: dallas, david goodwin, protest, ron kirk, tpp, ustr

38 Comments

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Nina Paley (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 7:25am

Awesome
I'm generally of mixed opinions on these kinds of protests.

Not me. This is excellent. Go witty protestors!
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 7:30am

Re: Awesome
+1

Same here. Show those bastards they're not as cunning and secretive as they think they are. "We the people" are a force to be reckoned with.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 7:38am

Witty, non-violent, generally non-disruptive (e.g., not shutting down the power grid or blocking the flow of water) protests allow us to be creative about our message.

Also, what's the alternative...whining? assassination? Count me out of that jazz.
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Machin Shin (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 7:41am

Re: Awesome
I'm also all in favor of these protests for this kind of thing. The supporters of these bills are using dirty tactics to try and hide what they are doing. As a result I am all in favor of any method used to bring attention to them.

It also goes a long ways to send a message to those working on these bills that the general population will not be silenced. If we can make a mockery of them in their own conferences then do they really think they can control people in the real world?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 7:49am

Re:
"Also, what's the alternative...whining? assassination? Count me out of that jazz."

I wouldn't call those alternatives, I'd call those other steps:

Step 1: Whining
Step 2: Peaceful Protesting
Step 3: Non-peaceful protesting
Step 4: Revolution

Most times, things stop at step 2-3.....but when the ruling class of any group ignores the desires of the peons for too long.....the peons start to push back, and hard.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 7:51am

Exactly, more power to em

Rather have these peacefull protests, then the lenghts they're pushing us to, if they choose to go on business as usuall, if they choose to ignore our more "civilised" methods to let them know our stance and continue to brush us aside, then is their OWN DAMN FAULT, when someone's finally been pushed to far by their fcking greed

All in all, i salute these guys, for taking an active aproach, well done for making it just that lil bit harder for them to brush aside and ignore a difference of an opinion to their own
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That Anonymous Coward (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 7:56am

Re: Awesome
He said they were being all transparent and stuff...
this might raise some questions about his truthiness
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Trails (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 7:58am

Re: Awesome
Agreed, not sure the intended audience is really Kirk...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 8:06am

Now I know what Louis Skolnick did after graduating from Adams College.
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Pixelation, 14 May 2012 @ 8:11am

What I want to know
Where can I get a roll of TPP?
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AdamBv1 (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 8:18am

Re: What I want to know
I would totally buy some. It would be a great way to raise funds for some more hijinks like this.
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Ed Allen, 14 May 2012 @ 8:24am

Send a roll to every member of Congress and to President O'Bama
That might even get mentioned on the evening news.

At very least it would notify Congress that we will not allow another sneek campaign to go through without consequences.
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The eejit (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 8:37am

Re: Send a roll to every member of Congress and to President O'Bama
Enclose it with a message, syaing that if they assist with TPP, that's what they'll become: shitstains on the toilet roll of the public.
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Jeff (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 8:38am

Re: What I want to know
Sign me up! I'd love to wipe my ass with this agreement...
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TtfnJohn (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 8:40am

What I love about this protest is the humour behind it, the discipline and the good nature of the protesters all while getting their very important point across.

It was fun watching the guy who wanted to make the "please stay and mingle" announcement as the award was being announced and presented because there really wasn't an excuse for him to shove David Goodwin away without looking like a complete jackass. THAT would have made the evening news.

I love the toilet paper, it's a lovely touch and I want to know where to get some!

At least Ron Kirk and his cronies now know that people are watching them in case they were labouring under the illusion that the citizenry of the United States and other countries aren't.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 8:41am

Re: Awesome
Me either. We need to stand up to authority more and I'm glad Americans are finally doing that. But there just isn't enough of it ...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 8:54am

Re: Awesome
+1
I agree.The more who Protest this and get it into the Media or the Internet the more people will learn.
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Shmerl, 14 May 2012 @ 9:26am

Super! That's the way to deal with them.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 9:32am

good on those that managed to pull this off. the problem is though, just like other protests, the lack of transparency doesn't change and the bills that are halted simply go into temporary sleep mode. people keep on trying to insist the bills are still needed, that they can be changed effectively to con us, can be re-written or 'have the name changed to protect the guilty'. they still come back because there is so much corruption in government, such a lack of concern for the people and so much concern for corporations, that eventually, the bills get slipped in anyway, giving those that want something that suits only them exactly that at everyone else's expense.
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Ninja (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 9:44am

Re: Awesome
+1 and insightful marked for you. You have to cause tangible damage to be noticed. And they caused a lot of damage without actually causing any physical damage. Epic win.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 9:45am

Re: Awesome
+1

Protest with brains.... like it.

Now to get, no SPAMMMMMM the video out there : )
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E. Zachary Knight (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 9:48am

On my trip to DC
While I was on my trip to DC recently, I kept an eye out for the restrooms that had toilet paper with the Constitution printed on it. Unfortunately, none of the restrooms I visited had any such toilet paper. I guess that toilet paper is not available for the peasants' restrooms and is reserved for the private Congressional restrooms.

I like this toilet paper and would love to be able to use it in much the same way Congress and the White House uses the Constitution.
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Mason Wheeler, 14 May 2012 @ 9:51am

Re: Re: Awesome
Only when we decide to actually do some reckoning. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance, and we've ignored that simple fact for far too long. It's good to see that we're waking up to it now, even if it did take a while...
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Ninja (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 9:52am

Re: On my trip to DC
Sadly I can see the US Govt using the Constitution that way. Sadly.

I think we should infiltrate the Congress and switch all toilet paper with the Constitution toilet paper. Would suit the past few Governments and the current one.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 9:52am

Re: Re: Awesome
obvious, yet still have not learned it.

we serve them food
we do their laundry
we fix their computers
we build their homes

they don't get it....
without us they are nothing.
against us they are nothing.

looks like they are on the road to learning the hard way.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 9:54am

Re: Re: Re: Awesome
What should happen is there should have been tends of thousands, if not millions, of people outside the hotel protesting Ron Kirk at the hotel. Lets see hotel authorities get rid of everyone. Yes, the police will probably come, like with the occupy protests, but at least this may have a chance of making it on the news and getting covered. and, unlike the occupy movement, this has a specific purpose, the media will be very hard pressed to spin it otherwise.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 10:01am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Awesome
Maybe tens of thousands or millions of people just don't give a shit? How about you? Why weren't you in Texas?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 10:32am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awesome
Too far. Doesn't mean I don't care.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 10:37am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awesome
Yeah, a lot easier to care about it than do something.
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Robert (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 10:38am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awesome
I agree that there is a possibility that the majority don't care. They could be asleep, but the could also simply not care. It's akin to farm animals knowing they are going to die and not trying to make a run for it.

Perhaps there's just too much FUD going on that people are no longer affected when a real message of alarm comes along?

Take a look at airline safety procedures, people complain and then they get used to it and stop trying to fight.

At some point though, something has to strike a nerve with the masses and what might help is more creative stunts by people who appear to be "normal." Occupy movements could have done better if the stereotypical protesters were not the only ones interviewed in the lamescream media. And the masses do not look for information with less bias, they just hear what comes through CNN or whatever they have turned on while preparing dinner.

Some say it is the CIA who is responsible for infecting the mass populous with apathy for just about anything. Maybe there is truth to that.

Or worse, as you suggested, maybe people really just don't care.

The question is why?
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ltlw0lf (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 10:40am

Re:
Now I know what Louis Skolnick did after graduating from Adams College.

It was pretty well covered in Revenge of the Nerds 3. However I do agree the he looks a lot like Gilbert Lowe.
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Robert (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 10:43am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awesome
That's a rather old and trite attack on someone.

Caring is better than nothing. Informing people is better than just caring and that's what AC is likely doing, but you're not in their circle so you don't know what they are doing.

I don't join protests, instead I try to inform people in a non-confrontational way. Those I try to inform I try to understand their views first and get them to question things for themselves.

I don't join protests because to me, it's an easy way to be misrepresented and have my efforts turned against me. So instead I hope by getting people to think and question and talk, it will improve their decisions in voting. It's small scale but I my hope is it spreads.

When you try large scale quick changes, they are often easily ignored or reversed. However, slow gradual changes become entrenched and are far more difficult to reverse (such as erosion of civil liberties).
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The eejit (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 12:10pm

Re:
Big Brother is watching you.

Oh, and so are the Illuminati of the public.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 2:12pm

Re: Re: What I want to know
Me too. I still haven't figured out the 3 seashells thing.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 3:40pm

Re: Re:
Actually he looks more like Mr. Slotnick, but I thought the reference was dangerously obscure already. Of course, I realized too late that this film is probably on everyone's Top Ten list here on Techdirt.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2012 @ 6:04pm

Re: Re:
Pardon me for liking my life with my liberty, but I saw what happened in the Middle East last year through now, and I would far rather have a witty step 2 that catches the media's attention and gets public sympathy such that the government can't step in with force and push for us to step 3. It may just be me, though.

Whining isn't a step; it's the Great American Pastime.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 14 May 2012 @ 8:57pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Awesome
Most of us don't care until something bites us in our pocketbooks or affects us personally. It's not a criticism of anyone personally or a nationality it's simply the way humans are hard wired.

The SOPA message got through because people could see how it would affect everyday life on the Web even if they didn't know a DNS server from a TCP/IP.

TPP and ACTA deal with what seems like legal esoterica. Worse, by how it's reported it seems to affect everyone else on the planet except Americans because the US Government is trying to export it's goofy IP regime on the rest of the world so it isn't changing anything at home. At least that's likely the take away from it.

Never mind that it entrenches the entertainment and publishing industries as the definers of what IP is and ought to be instead of the public good. Permanently.

Never mind that TPP makes acts of censorship easier because of who has permanent control over so called "Intellectual Property"

Never mind that the secrecy in the negotiations for both renders the legislative arm of government impotent and grants the executive all the power. Whether the system in the US Congressional one or based on that or the English Parliamentary System. As one of the affects of both is the removal of budgetary control from the legislature and leaves it to the executive in the trade area. That removes the one area of greatest control of the executive which is that it's the legislature not the executive that controls the purse strings.

People don't care because they're already alienated from the political system in most western countries. The citizenry is convinced that governments and legislatures act on behalf of the rich and powerful, the corporate good over the public good, the 1% over the 99%. The CIA isn't needed for that nor do they have the skill to pull that off.

That kind of "conspiracy" isn't required simply because it's true. The CIA is as powerless as the rest of us.

We need to get by the legal esoterica and explain what is so bad about TPP (and ACTA) in terms people can relate to as happened with SOPA.

That's one thing this protest did so well. It brought the discussion "down to earth" while ridiculing those in the bureaucracy who are bringing it about with a wonderful award.

Which means, sadly, that mainstream media won't and hasn't picked the story up.
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That One Guy (profile), 16 May 2012 @ 6:06am

Re: Re: Re: What I want to know
You can get away with not using them as long as you have one of those auto-fine machines near the restroom, but if you don't(or if someone beat you to it), I'm afraid you're out of luck.
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