Community Corner
Occupy Protesters Take on ALEC
Occupy New Brunswick protested the involvement of Johnson & Johnson and other major corporations in a committee permitted to shape and write U.S. policy without voter approval
n the shadow of Johnson & Johnson's main corporate offices, protesters from Occupy New Brunswick called for the pharmaceutical giant to end its involvement in the American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC.
ALEC is a lobbyist group that includes both politicians and corporations and allows those corporations influence in drafting laws. Johnson & Johnson is part of the group, as are Monsanto, Bank of America, Pfizer and Wal-Mart.
About a dozen Occupy New Brunswick protesters gathered in the rain on the corner of Route 27 and George Street around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday to draw attention to the cause and make a plea for Johnson & Johnson to reconsider its involvement in ALEC.
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According to a press release from Occupy New Brunswick, the protest was part of a day of action in 70 cities nationwide protesting ALEC.
"ALEC sponsored legislation includes such infamous initiatives as the Arizona anti-immigrant bill SB 1070, the Wisconsin anti-union law Act 10, and pro-genetically modified food preemptive bills which strip cities and counties from their ability to regulate the planting of GMO crops and pesticide use," the release said.
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Occupy protester Nicole, who did not want to give her last name, said the purpose of the protest was to make people aware of ALEC and what it does.
The organization "Takes power away from individual voters," she said.
Occupy New Brunswick also accused Johnson & Johnson of having a number of quiet but ongoing scandals, including the sale of defective hip replacement parts overseas and lawsuits resulting in a recall of Children's Tylenol and Motrin, according to the press release.
The group also protested that the corporation's recently resigned CEO Bill Welton remains on its executive board.
The protest was held in the morning and early afternoon, and will be followed up by a 6 p.m. general assembly meeting in which speakers were expected to discuss several topics, such as school vouchers, worker compensation and labor issues, Nicole said.
For more information on Occupy New Brunswick, visit the group's Facebook page.
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