Archive for September, 2009
September 30, 2009 at 9:20 am · Filed under From the Trenches, posted by b. traven
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The dust has settled: a total of 193 arrests took place during the G20—a great number of those being random bystanders. 17 people face felonies; one young person is being absurdly scapegoated for $20,000+ of damage, while two alleged participants in the comms group are being charged with “hindering apprehension or prosecution, criminal use of a communication facility, and possessing an instrument of crime,” presumably in hopes of setting a precedent to suppress the use of communications technology to keep demonstrators safe in the future.
Indeed, several people have been charged with “hindering apprehension,” which is a new one to us here. It sounds more like an existential condition than a crime—picture Woody Allen in some sex farce, awkwardly explaining to his mother that he’s been suffering from hindering apprehension!
This report focuses on the events of Friday evening, when police and National Guardsmen gratuitously attacked students at the University of Pittsburgh.
Read on after the jump.
September 25, 2009 at 9:32 am · Filed under From the Trenches, posted by b. traven
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We’re pleased to present breaking news from the first day of the G20 summit in Pittsburgh, which has seen a great deal of spirited resistance and confrontation—perhaps as much as has occurred at any anarchist mobilization in North America in half a decade. This hastily composed account presents the context of the demonstration, attempts to convey the spirit of the day, and raises a few preliminary questions.
In short, the basic narrative of the day runs as follows. The protesters attempted to reach the summit site but were brutally forced back by police. They eventually turned around and marched through Pittsburgh neighborhoods and shopping districts, where the police pursued and attacked them. Property destruction intensified in response to these attacks, and the conflict culminated in a standoff between police and students during which a black bloc destroyed a business district.
One might interpret all this as legitimate acts of revenge for the police murder in London at last spring’s G20 summit; but it also signifies the survival of militant street resistance in the Obama era.
Read full piece here.
September 24, 2009 at 1:13 pm · Filed under Internal Memos, posted by pfm
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The CrimethInc. Guerilla Film Series Volume One DVD set (boy, that’s a mouthful!) has new packaging! We’ve ditched the old, rickety, plastic case and now use a 100% recycled, dual-disc Digipak. It’s quite an improvement and the price is still the same old $10. Check out the new pics over on the DVD page.
PS: For those with the old version, you aren’t missing anything—there is no new content on the discs themselves.
September 19, 2009 at 12:20 pm · Filed under Internal Memos, posted by pfm
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A quick update on Rolling Thunder #8: All subscription copies were mailed out last Tuesday (the 15th) in plush envelopes (photographed here) printed just for subscriptions; some of you have already received them, the rest should arrive shortly. As a small thanks to early subscribers, all copies included one our new, fancy vinyl stickers. Also, as of the end of Friday, every order for RT#8, both individual, and in bulk, has been sent out.
And, lastly, a hearty congratulations to Ms. Stephanie of Los Angeles, who won our random subscriber drawing for a Ne Plus Ultra copy of Days of War.
One more photo of our ritzy envelopes after the jump.
September 14, 2009 at 9:53 am · Filed under Hot Off the Presses, posted by b. traven
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At long last, Rolling Thunder #8 is back from the printer!
Balancing out the previous issue’s focus on breaking news, this issue steps back to reflect on the priorities and relationships that can make resistance effective and infectious. The centerpiece of this issue is a critical examination of the strengths and shortcomings of contemporary insurrectionist theory and practice, spanning 24 pages and a wide range of lines of inquiry. Elsewhere herein, one can find a guide to crafting constructive accountability processes, a survey of the past four decades of anarchist activity in Chile, and a report from San Francisco exploring the broader context of anarchist organizing leading up to and following the Oakland riots covered in Rolling Thunder #7. We’ve also turned up a retrospective by a member of the legendary clandestine prison abolitionist group Os Cangaceiros, distilling the lessons of years of underground struggle. All this is rounded out by inspiring accounts, entertaining anecdotes, magical realist fiction, and a whole lot more. Also, just a reminder that subscriptions are now available, and starting your subscription now, beginning with #8, is an option.
We’ve also composed a new poster to celebrate its arrival and convey one of the themes of the issue.
September 8, 2009 at 8:30 am · Filed under From the Archives, posted by peter p
We’re pleased to present Cienfuegos’ Critique of State Socialism as part of our “From the Archives” series. Originally produced by anarchists in Belfast in 1981, this comic juxtaposes Bakunin’s critique of statist revolutionary movements with the events that subsequently confirmed it. Please print these out, staple them at the side, and share them far and wide!
Click here to download PDF [25 MB].
Anarchists have long argued that all statist approaches to social change are doomed to authoritarian results. This comic illustrates how Bakunin’s critique of state socialism, composed a century and a half ago, was borne out by the events of the 20th century.
Just as Bakunin’s concerns about power-hungry socialists and communists proved prescient, this comic retains its value today, when new politicians and parties are attempting to co-opt popular movements. We should never forget the hard-learned lessons of the Russian Revolution and the Spanish Civil War: those who would wield state power, whether in the name of the people or any other abstraction, can only be obstacles to liberation, if not actual foes of it.
Readers who lack context for 20th century history may find some passages a little perplexing—who was Oswald Mosley, exactly? But if nothing else, this comic provides points of departure to learn about many of the most fascinating and pivotal events of that era. There are plenty of other sources out there, should you wish to learn more about any of these!
September 8, 2009 at 8:29 am · Filed under Internal Memos, posted by pfm
As some may have noticed, Rolling Thunder #8 has not arrived on schedule. Unfortunately, the printer made an error on the cover which has resulted in a delay that is totally out of our hands. We now expect to have them to ship out by then end of this week, or early next week. Follow along on our fatuous Twitter feed.
Update: Shocking news—printer has missed yet another deadline of their own. We now expect to have them for mailing on Tuesday, the 15th. Grrrrr.
September 3, 2009 at 11:57 am · Filed under Hot Off the Presses, posted by b. traven
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The workers who operate the means of production have power;
The bosses who tell them how to use it have authority.
The tenants whose rent maintains the building have power;
The landlord whose name is on the deed has authority.
Armies have power;
Generals have authority.
A hurricane has power;
A meteorologist has authority.
Anarchism is not a rejection of power itself. There are so many kinds of power we affirm: the power to provide for ourselves and one another, to defend ourselves and sort out conflicts, to perform acupuncture and steer a sailboat and swing on a trapeze. We prize the freedom to develop our capacities and capabilities, especially in ways that increase others’ freedom as well. Every time one of us acts to achieve her full potential it is a gift to all.
Authority over others, on the other hand, always comes at the price of power over one’s own life. It is always derived from outside oneself:
The authority of the Constitution, the president, the general, the soldier—
Of the law, the judge, the attorney, the police officer—
The economy, the executive, the manager, the customer—
The scripture, the pope, the cardinal, the bishop, the priest—
The text, the critic, the professor—
The bluest eye, the deepest voice, the thinnest waistline.
Just in time for Rolling Thunder #8, we’ve produced a new sticker on this subject. Screen-printed on vinyl and 4” in diameter, they are going out free in every single order.
For a nuanced discussion of various forms of power and authority, one could try Uri Gordon’s Anarchy Alive; an expanded version of the relevant chapter is available in pdf form here. Uri is currently touring North America.
September 1, 2009 at 1:01 pm · Filed under From the Trenches, posted by b. traven
While our last report focused on the controversial disruption, the 2009 CrimethInc. Convergence went on for five days and four nights before that incident, and many positive things occurred during that time. People exchanged skills and knowledge, built relationships that will last for years to come, and participated in a self-organized, affirmative event full of exciting and fun moments. What follows here are a few personal accounts focusing on these aspects of the convergence.
Read on after the jump!
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