How much did the media portrayal of the WTO demonstrations differ from what you saw firsthand? "There was no media coverage of the events I saw firsthand. I was with 50,000 jubilant, loving people who had gathered in support of some very basic human needs. Symbolic of the mainstream media's mindset about the whole thing was when KING 5's Jean Enerson rather proudly announced on November 30 that "we will not be interviewing protesters today." Instead they regaled the airwaves with repeated loops of a few instances of property damage. Over and over and over. Yet the people on the streets whose stories had brought them from around the world were utterly disregarded."

Do you think violent factions of protesters stole the spotlight from peaceful protesters? "My feeling in general is that it was knee-jerk thoughtless reporting of the mainstream press that created the extent of 'protester violence.' A few windows were targeted and broken. A handful of people were responsible. In my interviews for the book, I found that most people were frustrated about the property damage because they knew it would distract from the issues, yet they were also aware of the irony that it was precisely this coverage that would garner attention to the issues. Personally, I don't think that anyone can be left out of the parade."

Of the many different groups that came together, was there any particular alliance that touched you? "In the labor march I found myself walking behind a group of rice farmers from Japan. They couldn't speak English, yet their joy at being there was palpable. I was very moved by them and wondered, later, if they'd been gassed or arrested or hit with rubber bullets."