MR. PURCELL: Hello. Good afternoon. My name is Jesse Purcell. I live in Central Vermont. Why are we here? Are we here because we truly believe the USDA or the World Trade Organization, for that matter, genuinely care about our well being? Or are we here out of desperation, out of hope for any chance that these institutions will take pity on us, and out of the kindness of their hearts put aside interests of global capitalism for the betterment of humanity?

If we have learned anything in the past 200 years is that capitalism is guided by growth and growth only. Anything that limits its ability to grow threatens the very fabric on which it is based.

Throughout its history the state has done nothing but strengthen its economic system through subsidies, legislation and military coercion. The Listening Session is nothing more than an illusion of democracy, presented by an institution that's clearly in the pockets of large corporations.

The New England town meeting once formed the basis of the democratic society. The representative democracy that was instituted by the American Constitution centralized that power and created top down republic. The globalization of capitalism and the creation of international bodies like the World Trade Organization form the next phase in the centralization of decision making power.

We have an ethical obligation to confront these institutions with domination and take the power back to our own hands. I am not suggesting that we go back to a golden era of innocence and purity, for that would be equally as foolish. Instead we must learn from the rich social history of which we are part, and create institutionalized forms of self governance.

Instead of pleading with the USDA to dole out charity to the humble constituency, we need to revive town meeting as the most fundamental form of self governance. These town meetings are the most democratic institutions we know in the northeast. This presents itself as a seed for democracy that must be nourished and enhanced to create a rational non-hierarchical society.

Ask yourselves this: Who makes the fundamental decisions that govern our every day lives? Whether it is professional politicians, elected on corporate donations, or a handful of corporate economists meeting behind closed doors with some of the largest multinationals in the world, their aims are the same.

Nothing threatens these institutions more than local self governance combined with a moral economy based on reciprocity and not competition.

Time and time again, activists across the board fail to deal with fundamental issues of decision making power. If we're going to change the structure that perpetuates environmental, economic, and social problems, we must be willing to take the power to govern in our own hands.

Decisions must be a product of discussion. And who is involved in those discussions dictates who benefits from them. If we are not invited to discuss the policies of the World Trade Organization, one and all, around the world, then I say we must create discussion of our own, one and all around the world, in our local communities. Thank you.

(Applause).