Letter to the Editor, NYT (unpublished)

To the Editor:

Re "Bush's Talks With Neighbors Are Overshadowed By Storm" (Aug. 20): Your coverage would be more valuable if it reported less on natural obstacles and more on human ones. The protesters, who make a brief appearance in the final paragraph, are apparently against "the trade goals of the three nations" -- but these goals remain unspecified. The protesters therefore end up seeming both irrational (after all, who would oppose the goals of three sovereign, eminently reasonable nations?) and entirely negative (that is, without concrete, creative proposals). Many Mexican social movements protesting the violence and repression that comes with neoliberal globalization, however, have clearly expressed visions of alternative societies. I wonder if this picture would clear up if protesters, as well as politicians, were given the opportunity to share their opinions.

Sincerely,
Daniel Nemser