We have a choice. We can have a cynical attitude in the face of the media and say nothing can be done about the dollar power that creates itself in images, words, digital communication, and computer systems that invade not just with an invasion of power but with a way of seeing that world, of how they think the world should look.

On Independent Media January 31, 1997 A message from Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos to “Free Media” Teach-In, NYC: WE’RE IN THE MOUNTAINS of Southeast Mexico in the Lacandon Jungle of Chiapas, and we want to use this medium, with the help of the National Commission for Democracy in Mexico, to send a greeting to the “Free Media” Conference that is taking place in New York, where there are brothers and sisters of the independent communications media from the United States and Canada. At the Intercontinental Encuentro for Humanity and against Neoliberalism we said: A global decomposition is taking place –we call it the Fourth World War - through neoliberalism, the global economic process to eliminate that multitude of people who are not useful to Power, the groups called “minorities” in the mathematics of power, but who happen to be the majority population in the world. We find ourselves in a world system of globalization willing to sacrifice millions of human beigns. The giant communication media –the great monsters of the television industry, the communication satellites, magazines and newspapers– seem determined to present a virtual world, created in the image of what the globalization process requires. In this sense, the world of contemporay news is a world that exists for the VIP’s -the very important people, the major movie stars and big politicians. Their everyday lives are what is important: if they get married, if they divorce, if they eat, what clothes they wear and what clothes they take off. But common people only figure in the news for a moment– when they kill someone, or when they die. For the communication giants and the neoliberal powers, the others, the excluded, only exist when they are dead, or when they are in jail or court. This can’t go on. Sooner or later this virtual world clashes with the real world. And that is actually happening: this clash results in rebellion and war throughout the entire world, or what is left of the world to even have war. We have a choice. We can have a cynical attitude in the face of the media and say nothing can be done about the dollar power that creates itself in images, words, digital communication, and computer systems that invade not just with an invasion of power but with a way of seeing that world, of how they think the world should look. We could say, Well, “that is the way it is,” and do nothing. Or we can simply assume incredulity. We can say that any communication by the media monopolies is a total lie. We can ignore it and go about our lives. But there is a third option that is neither conformity, nor skepticism, nor distrust. It’s the opption to construct a different way: to show the world what is really happening, to have a critical worldview, to become interested in the truth of what happens to the people who inhabit every corner of this world. The work of independent media is to tell the history of social struggle in the world. Here in Norrth America –The United States, Canada, and Mexico- independent media has, on ocassion, been able to open spaces even within the mass media monopolies, to force them to acknowledge news of social movements. The problem is not only to know what is occurring in the world, but to understand it and derive lessons from it, just as if we were studying, not of the past but of what is happening at any given moment in whateever part of the world. This is the way to learn who we are, what is what we want, who we can be, and what we can do or not do. By not having to answer to the monster media monopolies, the independent media has a life’s work, a political project, and a purpose: to let the truth be known. This is increasingly more important in the globalization process. Truth becomes a knot of resistance against the lie. Our only possibility is to save the truth, to maintain it, and distribute it, little by little, in the same way that the books were saved in Fahrenheit 451; a group of people dedicated themselves to memorize books, to save them from being destroyed, so that the ideas would not be lost. In the same way, independent media tries to save history –today’s history- tries to save it and tries to share it so it will not disappear. Moreover, it tries to distribute it to other places, so that this history is not limited to one country, to one region, to one city or social group. It is neccesary not only for independent voices to exchange information and to broaden the channels, but to resist the monopolies’ spreading lies. The truth that we build in our groups, our cities, our regions, our countries, will reach full potential if we join with other truths and realize that what is occurring in other parts of the world also is part of human history. In August 1996 we called for the creation of a network of independent media, a network of information. We mean a network to resist the power of the lie that sells us this war that we call World War IV. We need this network not only as a tool for our social movements but for our lives: this is a project for life, for a humanity that has a right to critical and truthful information. We greet all of you, recognizing the work you have done so that the struggle of indigenous people is known, and the other struggles are known, so that the great events of this world are seen in a critical form. We hope your meeting is a success and that it results in concrete plans for this network, these exchanges, this mutual support that should exist between cultural workers and independent media makers. We hope that one day we can personally attend your meeting, or perhaps that one day you can have your conference in our territory, so we can listen to your words and you can hear ours in person. For now, well, we take advantage of the help of the National Commission for Democracy in Mexico to use this video to send a greeting. [This section in English] I don’t know if my English is okay, but good luck and so long. Cut.

THIS IS NOT A WAR ON COMMMUNIST OR ON DRUGS IS THE EXTERMINATION OF A RACE AND THE TAKING THE LAND OF CHIAPAS. QUEZACUALT SAVE US!!!

I to am fighting todays corporate america and i also support the Zapatistas because they are fighting for a greater freedom in Mexico my home. Thank you and never stop the fight!

Dear Chiapas IMC, I'm interested in visiting Chiapas, but do not know how to go about it. We must import this new revolution to the U.S.states, it is our only hope. The American People are lost in blind patriotism...almost makes me want to leave this place for good. The problem with that train of thought...is where would I go? The other "FREE TRADE" goons are in leauge with the ones here...or are trying there hardest to be. I am willing to fight, but who can stand up to this Corperate Media, and Militarization of empty space? I was at the Protests in NYC...The WEF, and am seeing how american civil liberties are in grave danger...soon there will be another CountelPro/Mcarthyism era here. Not good for a man like me who speaks hotly and with the passion of the oppressed. Ah well...hopefully somebody listened..even if it is that one goofy CIA..or FBI agent. P.S. Tell Sub Comandante Marcos that I taped the super bowel for him... :) From the belly of the beast Love, Evolution, Peace Maleek

In 1996 Media Island massively circulated Marcos call for a network of independent media. We felt it was in important and credible voice to bolster our efforts to convince alternative media to collaborate better and share resources. For many years we fantacized about transplanting Media Island into a scene where major events were going on. (In fact the Seattle IMC relied heavily on transplanted MII equipment and participation including fiscal sponsorship) I believe Marcos´´ letter helped prime people for starting the first IMC whether they knew the source of the sudden interest in alternative media collaboration or not.

http://www.mediaisland.org

You are not alone. That is what I have to say to my brothers and sisters in Chiapas- my fellow humans. Your word is being spread. Across college campuses like mine, to families and friends- your struggle is not going unnoticed. Do not give up. Do not lose hope. Patience is a necessity, and the rewards will be vast. I am fighting for you. My companeros are fighting for you. We will not give up. I wish you peace and health. You are in my prayers. Muriah

The correct crew size for the train freight crew is five people per freight at minimum to look after the safety codes. Crew reductions of two on the road and three in the yards is an imposed down sizing of the work space and is in sufficient to cover the safety codes. Consequently workers are being killed and injured becuase of short crew sizes. There is supposed to be a caboose on each train en freight. That is so the movement of trains can be covered from both sides of the train, and a lunch room and a sleeping room in times of emergency, and shelter in emergency and other times. The breaking of the unions by the ftaa and wto ect. is a social offensfive against the working class to maximize the monopolies profits at the expense of the workers and the peoples in each local community. However bewing cheap with the lives of the people is not the way to run industry. Workers of the world unite. Put an end to the assault against the living and working conditions of the people. Don't move poisons, warring weapons of mass destruction, and other polluting and impoversishing things. viva liberation, viva electrification.

Dejarán de utilizar la palabra "democracia" cuando bien saben que es una panacea. Cualquier palabra que lo cubre todo y por todos pierde su filo, se desgasta y queda un sonido vacío. Sí "Dios" es omnipresente, entonces la palabra "democracia" deja de singularizar cualquier cosa en particular y se convierte completamente desinformativa, sin contenido, vacía...igual que sï cualquier acción humana incluyendo la tortura, pudiera incluirse en "compasión", la palabra compasión, entonces se encogería hasta llegar a un significado hueco. ¿No se dan cuenta? Cuando lo negro es blanco y lo blanco es negro, ¡carajo! inventen otro color, si no todo es gris. Sí necesitan ayuda para innovar otra palabra y no tienen la imaginación para hacerlo, quizá podrían acudir a Kings College donde alguna vez me dijeron, "darling, we don´t need to use those worn out, contaminated words --"we invent new ones!" Sí los Zapatones han generado una forma tan original de concientizar a "los de abajo" y "otros" en casi todo el mundo...¿no pueden salirse de la impronta de la palabra "democracia"..teedle deedle dumb! La h

We are in the midsts of creatining a "Brave New World" not the one described by Huxley, but one where mutation will take place to encompass the consciousness of all life forms, including those now considered "lifeless" by humans at the present time. No species has destroyed and altered the equilibrium and harmony of this planet as the Homo sapiens have. If need be this species will have to disappear, not by means of mass destruction where other living and non-living entities are harmed. The attack will be specific to the human DNA. Do No Harm! Yours truly, r2d2

en estados unidos nos encontramos pen sando que la pesadilla habia terminado o por loo menos esba superandose pero es todo lo cotrario ;hablando de politicos corruptos y malos gobiernos ,paresiera que como la bateia everredi que sigue y sigue y sigue ,y en tamaulipas y en chihuahua y en michoacan y en guerrero se pelean los gobiernos entre si mismos por el control de los territorios / / perdon esos son los narcotraficdantes; pero ya en estos tiempos ya no se puede distinguir como susedio con un disque ghobernador de puebla o en tamaulipas que los andaban involucrando con los narcos, pero en fin el pueblo comun en donde me ubico yo tambien en ocaciones culpamos alos gobiernos por sus acciones buenas o malas dependiendo a quien beneficien ; y nos pasamos el criticando y criticando sin hacer nada;yo quiero hacer una invitacion general a todos aquellos que tengan la oportunidad de leer este escrito yque se encuentren aca en los estados unidos que le sigan echando todas las ganas del mundo en trabajar si es que todavia tienen el chance y ahorren todo lo mas que se pueda y regresar a nuestro paises e invertir en prollectos productivos para el servicio de todas nuestras comunidades y asi promover esa tan anhelada revolucion social politica y economica [adelante companeros].