Author Archive
May 7, 2008 at 8:47 am · Filed under Calling All Anarchists, posted by peter p
We’ve repurposed some of our favorite May Day propaganda to spread the word of the upcoming CrimethInc. Convergence (July 16-20, near Milwaukee, WI). Please, download the new materials and spread them widely—bring them to anarchist social centers and infoshops, on your music and speaking tours: invite everyone!
Download 2-Up Flyer PDF : Download Poster PDF
The convergence will be several days of self-organized workshops, presentations, performances, and other activities where everyone can be a presenter—so bring your own ideas, not to mention camping gear and whatever resources you can share. This year there will be a focus on coordinating for the demonstrations at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, as well as longer-range anarchist endeavors. Internationals will share experiences from overseas. Participation is free, of course, along with literature, food, child care, and camping space; the convergence will be a sober, consent-based space.
Locals on the ground in Milwaukee, putting in work for this summer’s CrimethInc. Convergence, have announced a public redirect location at Gordon Park (Locust St. & Humboldt Blvd) in Milwaukee, WI.
RSVP to crimethincbooking@yahoo.com
April 28, 2008 at 7:34 am · Filed under From the Trenches, posted by peter p
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Two years ago we hosted the CrimethInc. Convergence in our town, Winona Minnesota. During that gathering, we attempted to organize Winona’s first Really Really Free Market. Foolishly, we had only promoted this ‘Free Market to the local liberal scene and circulated the news amongst our DIY community. That was a mistake—out of town participants outnumbered locals 20 to 1, our local liberal community didn’t come through, and all the items available at the ‘Free Market would only have appealed to DIY kids anyway. Though we considered that a defeat, we knew we’d try it again sometime.
Find out what happened this time.
March 28, 2008 at 3:31 pm · Filed under From the Trenches, posted by peter p
For the past four years, we’ve had the essay “Wasted Indeed” available in half-sized zine format through our downloads section. The tract originally appeared in Inside Front #∞—this time, we’ve included the original companion piece “An anarcho-primitivist case for straight edge.” In our experience stocking literature tables, these texts have been widely well-received from drinkers and non-drinkers alike (See Matt Power’s Article in Harpers ) and this redesign and addition is long overdue. You will find the new has replaced the old in the Zine Downloads and is accompanied by a reading version for those maniacs who might choose pixels over paper.
January 18, 2008 at 11:15 am · Filed under Read All About It, posted by peter p
Rolling Stone, part of “the American press [that] ignored Oaxaca” during the near-civil war of 2006 pictured in Rolling Thunder #4, has published a story on anarchist journalist Brad Will (presented in its entirety below). Brad was shot and killed by local government officials on October 27, at the peak of the conflict.
The article itself is supportive, having presumably been written by one of Brad’s countless friends, and even mentions Rolling Thunder. Thanks to such shining examples of journalistic integrity as Rolling Stone, it’s possible for revolutionaries outside the United States to get coverage—albeit only a few lines a year and a half late—in the US media. All they have to do is hope some sexy, well-connected US journalist gets killed beside the countless anonymous locals whose lives are ended by US-backed repression.
Let’s keep Brad’s memory alive by supporting all those who still struggle for freedom, in Oaxaca and around the world.
To keep up with current events in Oaxaca, try narconews.com.
Complete article text after the jump.
April 21, 2007 at 3:38 pm · Filed under Read All About It, posted by peter p
“Mindless violence is getting up each day and being complacent. Self-destructive behavior is worshipping routine for its security and praying to the market for happiness or adventure.”
After the presidential inauguration of 2005, nationwide mass mobilizations died down in the United States. Everyone from anarchists to liberals had rightly given up the idea that the Iraq war could be stopped by symbolic mass actions—smashing windows is no less symbolic than a candlelight vigil, unless you come back to smash them again the following week—and without the anti-globalization movement or the election circus to focus on, there wasn’t much left to mobilize people on a national scale besides the standard fare of ecological crises, labor struggles, disaster relief, and defendant support. Activists had to make good on all the rhetoric that had been thrown around about the shortcomings of summit-hopping by finally taking the time to focus on their local communities. In some areas, this has resulted in a lot of great community-based organizing—the recent proliferation of Really Really Free Markets brings to mind the spread of Food Not Bombs over a decade ago. While the relative quiet on the national scale gives the impression that anarchism is going through a minor recession, we won’t find out whether or not this is true until the next wave of mass actions—which we predict for 2008—shows what anarchists have been brewing in their communities.
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March 27, 2007 at 10:32 pm · Filed under Calling All Anarchists, posted by peter p
An enthusiastic and delightful circus of outlaw engineers and charming maniacs are going on a nation-wide tour traveling from the Pacific Northwest across the country, down the East Coast and ending up at the 6th annual CrimethInc. Convergence—and they need your help to make it happen (see below). A dissected and rewired bus, resurrected by Winona Minnesota’s faction of the CrimethInc. Madass Scientists Guild will be converted into running on vegetable oil. Literally living off the fat of the land, this unstoppable veggie-oil guzzlin’ task force could be headed your way.
The purpose of this tour is to stimulate the magic and intimacy already present in the communities we plan on visiting.
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February 22, 2007 at 2:42 pm · Filed under Calling All Anarchists, posted by peter p
This “Just” In from our friends in Minnesota:
From September 1st through 4th, 2008, the Republican National Convention will be held in St. Paul, MN.
As residents of the Twin Cities, as anti-authoritarians and anarchists, we, the RNC Welcoming Committee invite folks from all around the globe to show up and make something happen. Pull this movement out of its rut, or start something new. Let the up-tops know that we could give a shit about their suits, their speeches, their money. Bring your (A)-game, cause 2008 is ours.
Read the rest of this entry »
January 30, 2007 at 11:49 pm · Filed under Calling All Anarchists, posted by peter p
Spring is shaping up to be a busy season: Washington DC will host their 10th-annual National Conference on Organized Resistance (March 9-11), the Bay Area Anarchist Bookfair in San Francisco (March 16-17), Minnesota will host a networking convergence (March 29-April Fools, see below), the Great Lakes Anarchist Gathering is being organized in Ohio (April 13-15), and of course, the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair scheduled for May 20th.
There are plenty of projects to keep everyone busy this season—if you haven’t already, now would be a good time to begin laying plans for this summer!
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January 17, 2007 at 9:57 pm · Filed under From the Trenches, posted by peter p
Wrap up for Anti-Minuteman Project demonstration on Jan. 15:
Marie Callenders restaurant, San Juan Capistrano
On short notice after a last minute discovery of a special Minuteman Project meeting organizers were able to pull together a crowd of about 30 people to make Gilchrist, Minuteman Project founder, and his foolish legions feel unwelcome. The mixed faces of anti-racist activists, community leaders, anarchists, media, and families from the surrounding neighborhood took to the sidewalk in front of the restaurant holding signs and rallying support from the passing traffic.
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November 30, 2006 at 7:18 pm · Filed under Read All About It, posted by peter p
Our CrimethInc. cell is delighted to commemorate the seven-year anniversary of the historic Seattle WTO protests with the release of a new publication, N30: A Memoir and Analysis, with an Eye to the Future. This 64-page treatise draws on the perspectives of anarchist rioters and corporate think tanks alike, supplementing them with maps, forgotten archival material, and contemporary critique to present a coherent, comprehensive picture of what took place in Seattle and how that affected the course of history. Download the e-book and/or replication-ready versions here.
Here follows a selection from the afterword, which briefly addresses the successes and failures of the “Seattle model” of struggle and the extent to which it remains relevant today.
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November 18, 2006 at 10:26 am · Filed under Read All About It, posted by peter p
In response to the urgent demand for literature regarding the current situation in Oaxaca, Mexico, we’ve made a PDF timeline briefly summarizing the chain of events available in 11×17 poster format. Please wheatpaste and distribute throughout your neighborhoods!
These events and more have been documented in photographs here. Read more about it here.
November 1, 2006 at 6:57 pm · Filed under Read All About It, posted by peter p
Between grieving for our murdered comrades and plotting to prevent further such murders, some of us have finished three humble new projects, which are now at your disposal in the downloads library:
DON’T TALK TO POLICE OR THE FBI
Though directed at activists at risk for being harassed by the morons in suits, this poster is a useful reminder for anyone who may at some point be questioned or threatened by the bullies in blue. Our fates and those of our comrades are in our hands, not the hands of our enemies.
WASH YOUR OWN DISHES
Long in the coming, this poster fits neatly over the sink to remind housemates and guests of the anarchic virtue of cleaning up after oneself. To illustrate this point, it offers a hilarious review of how the dishes get washed under every political/economic system from Libertarianism to Anarcho-Primitivism. The illustration is taken from the highly recommended pamphlet Abolish Restaurants, available from prole.info.
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October 28, 2006 at 4:29 pm · Filed under Calling All Anarchists, posted by peter p
On Friday, October 27, an incredible indepedent media reporter, environmental activist, musician, and friend was murdered by government-affiliated paramilitaries in Oaxaca, Mexico. His name was Bradley Will, and he was there as an independent journalist supporting the five month-long teacher’s strike and city-wide occupation against the poverty and corruption of that region. He was the most recent of many protesters to be shot down in cold blood by police in the streets of Oaxaca.
To make it worse, Mexican President Vincente Fox is using Brad’s death as an excuse to invade the region with federal forces and crush the rebellion. A national call to action has been made to take action at Mexican Consulates this Monday to demand a halt to this violent invasion, in remembrance of the values our friend and compañero died for.
For more information on Brad and Oaxaca: infoshop.org : indymedia.org
For a listing of all the Mexican consulates in North America, click here.
Some of you may know Brad from the CrimethInc. convergence in Minnesota last summer, at which he presented a workshop on resistance in Latin America. Please accept our condolences. We share your sadness.
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October 18, 2006 at 11:28 am · Filed under Read All About It, posted by peter p
The Complete Dummies Guide to Stocking Your Literature Table
“See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda.”
—George W. Bush
How To Select Effective Literature
The absolute most important part of a literature table is, of course, what’s on it. The effectiveness of the style and voice of the literature you choose to distribute depends on the atmosphere you present it in. The literature available at an event should appear to complement it seamlessly and push it to the next logical step—e.g., an introduction to street art at a gallery opening or a collection of DIY guides at an alternative music club—be relevant, and up-to-date. Don’t waste people’s time with barely readable 8th generation photocopies; if the content is essential, take an afternoon to renovate it with some fresh images and illustrations and correct margins. Speaking of waste, don’t waste paper either: informative literature is like poetry, say as much as you can with as little words as possible.
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We’ve repurposed some of our favorite May Day propaganda to spread the word of the upcoming CrimethInc. Convergence (July 16-20, near Milwaukee, WI). Please, download the new materials and spread them widely—bring them to anarchist social centers and infoshops, on your music and speaking tours: invite everyone!
