Free Cash from WTO!

From: Bruce Podobnik, podobnik@lclark.edu
Re: Get Free Cash Because of WTO!
(Or the Misguided Thoughts of Thomas Friedman)
Please forward this email to all relevant lists.

Thomas Friedman, a confused columnist for the New York
Times, recently defended the WTO during an interview on
National Public Radio (Saturday, Dec. 4, Weekend All
Things Considered).  As part of his comments, Friedman
argued that the WTO's ruling against US prohibitions on
non-dolphin safe tuna were meaningless.  According to
Friedman, even though the WTO has forced the US to
overturn the ban -- it won't make any difference on store
shelves.  As shown in the comment exerpted below,
Friedman stated he was willing to pay $100 for every can
of tuna purchased in stores that does not say 'doplin safe'.
     So, let's take him up on his offer. Go to your local grocery
store and buy all cans of tuna that do not say 'dophin safe'.
Send them to Friedman (address below), along with the
receipts.  Ideally, request that Friedman send the money
he pledged to an organization such as Greenpeace.  Being
a honorable gentleman, Thomas Friedman should find
himself donating thousands of dollars to worthy causes by
next week.

The address to send the cans of tuna:

Thomas Friedman
attn: Tuna Campaign
c/o The New York Times
1627 I Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Exerpt from Radio Interview:
Weekend All Things Considered
Broadcast Date: Saturday, Dec. 4
Transcript downloaded from
    LEXIS News-Service

THOMAS FRIEDMAN: I think focusing and demonizing
some little organization called the WTO is completely missing
the point.

JACKI LYDEN (host): So the world that you want to make
then would be one in which trade was even easier than it is right
now, in which individuals could be empowered. I mean, that
sounds good, but I think what the concerns here have been this
week are when we have a good law that protects, say, the dolphins,
then the World Trade Organization has the power to overturn
that. Is it true or not true?

Mr. FRIEDMAN:  Let's take the dolphin case. We boycotted,
we banned tuna caught in nets that can also snare dolphins. I
believe it was Mexico and France, their fishermen said, '
That's a trade barrier.' They took us to the WTO, and
the WTO ruled against us. They ruled it was a trade barrier.
Now, as happened, we lost this case before the WTO. And you
know what we did? We lifted the boycott. And you know what
you should do, Jacki, after today? Go down to the Safeway,
look at the shelves. I'll give you $ 100 for every can of tuna there
that doesn't say 'dolphin safe.' OK?