The philosopher was the keynote speaker at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum
By Eva Usi – La Jornada

Walking slowly and accompanied by his granddaughter, Ema Lira, the American philosopher and linguist Noam Chomsky entered, amid an ovation, the plenary hall of the building that was once the headquarters of the German Parliament in Bonn, now a conference centre for the city on the Rhine.

Chomsky was the keynote speaker for the sixth encounter of the Global Media Forum, organised by the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle, which on this occasion consisted of three days discussions on the Media and the future of growth.

In a packed auditorium, Chomsky, often referred to as the the intellectual father of the Occupy movement, outlined in a speech lasting over an hour a roadmap towards a more just world.

The thinker, age 85, explained that U.S. power is declining having peaked in 1945 after the Second World War. He said that this decay is dangerous, because it is accompanied by a campaign against terrorism, the most extreme and aggressive in the world. Chomsky focused his presentation on the debate about the existence of a capitalist real democracy and noted that 70 percent of the population in the lower level of income has no influence on government policy.

Among higher incomes there is greater influence in politics, and when reaching the highest on the income scale, ranging from one to 10 percent of the population, we find the ones who have access to it, those who determine policy. That says a lot about the society in which people live.

After the talk, the moderator asked him about the role of the press, to which Chomsky simply replied: I would like the press to tell the truth about what matters, which earned him a renewed ovation which was also his farewell. This was followed by a tumultuous departure that would not have been possible without the bodyguards around him opening his way. Dozens of journalists and guests wanted to hear his opinion about the situation in their countries. Chomsky distributed amongst them some cards with his email address. It is well known that he has such a busy schedule that it takes months before someone may be granted an interview.