Anarchism

I was handing out zines and water at my city's pride parade today. I had a lot of fun and had some good conversations but I was struggling to describe anarchism in a way that invited further conversation. I've never done tabling before and I also have terrible social anxiety so my mind wasn't on its best behavior. Most of the conversations I had died off pretty quickly as a result.

I figured having a "script" of sorts might help me get through the start of these conversations more easily. The description I was going with alternated between "order without authority" and "opposition to domination and hierarchy". I'm sure there's a better way to put it so that people are more curious or at least walk away with a better understanding, if appreciate getting some help to find the words haha

Since federated moderation remains semi-broken and this community having only one remote moderator left, I tried locking it, but even that seems to not have federated.

I highly recommend using one of the other "Anarchism" communities linked in the sidebar.

also he thought that the CCP wasn't even suppressing free speech, guess who just got banned from a certain tankie cercle jerk instance

The issue, rather, is what picture of “political violence” this messaging serves: To say that “political violence” has “no place” in a society organized by political violence at home and abroad is to acquiesce to the normalization of that violence, so long as it is state and capitalist monopolized.

As author Ben Ehrenreich noted on X, “There is no place for political violence against rich, white men. It is antithetical to everything America stands for.”

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/16439577

What have been some anarchist organizations or approaches to the problems of addiction and recovery? I've done a little bit of reading on the anarchist library and I'll continue with that. I know there are concepts of radical sobriety as well as critiques of the hierarchy within twelve step programs and the idea of addict as identity. I'm interested in any perspectives and ideas.

Something I personally find acutely annoying about recovery programs is that they're almost solipsistic not just about the profits involved and the larger political historical and economic story of addiction. Maybe it's taboo because it's not something one can solve the same way one can make choices in one's own life, but I feel like a bit of a pariah every time I want to remind people that we arent just fighting ourselves but the people who actively make money on our suffering. To me right now anarchism is the best model to describe reality, so I want to know how people who share this model have dealt with and thought about these urgent issues. Keen to be introduced to literature or communities in this vein

There are very few books on anarchism or anarchist authors in Poland - and even fewer female authors.

Such names of female anarchists as Lucy Parsons, Voltairine de Cleyre, Maria Nikiforowna, Louise Michel, Maria Orsetti and others are completely unknown.

No wonder: no books are published either by them or about them.

The exception is Emma Goldman, although even so, most often people know only one quote from her (and that without knowing the context in which she famously said the words), although fortunately a book "Anarchism and Other Essays" was published many years ago.)

There is a chance to translate and publish another book by Emma Goldman entitled "Anarchism. "My Disillusionment with Russia." Like many others, the October Revolution (or, as some anarchists prefer: counter-revolution) disappointed Emma, who watched its course in detail.

The question is: does anyone have and can give or lend this book? If not, can anyone recommend where to buy it from? So far I've only been able to find it on Empik and Amazon, and surely there are better places to get this title.

*As far as I know, the publication of this book has encountered censorship problems. So please give me a hint which edition of this book is the best, probably even approved by the author.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/9766793

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/9430955

I'm interested in getting involved with anarchistic and consensus-driven activism... But where the hell do I start?

There's a semi-local Food Not Bombs, but they aren't meeting at the moment (protesting I imagine).

Are there similar groups I could look for? Are there social media type places I should look? Any kind of newbie infoshops?

I'm shit at making just regular acquaintances, so finding a specific kind of group has been a headache.

Thanks in advance

My favorite author posted this for May Day. I think its an important message in the midst of anti-genocide protests on college campuses and around the world.

Never lose hope!

Hey y'all, for mayday I'm wanting to spread some leaflets, zines, etc around the hospitals in my area. Does anyone have any recommendations for pieces geared towards the medical field?

Does anyone can write something about this? What do you think?

Emergency Social Security Campaigns Meeting
Sunday 21 April 2024 3 – 4.30pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88958156364?pwd=ah3dyMFY3y20G1HajLzZaLNVa3wKag.1

Meeting ID: 889 5815 6364
Passcode: 069808

We have called this meeting to bring together all those worried by and/or wanting to fight back against the Tories’ current all out assault on Disabled people, culminating in Rishi Sunak’s announcement today with plans to cut access to social security for millions of people.

For anyone who is worried, please remember that some of these changes may take time to roll out and others will only affect new claimants not existing ones.

For accurate information on what the key changes announced this week are see:

Tory plans: PIP no longer always cash, WCA harder to pass, UC migration sooner, no GP sick notes, DWP power to arrest and fine (benefitsandwork.co.uk)

Yes, I know the answer is "don't buy them".

Anyway: I've been seeing posts in places that follow the format: "Look how item X in (rich country) costs the same or is more expensive than in Poland"

Admittedly, those posts aren't about basic necessities. They are about football tickets and the stadium beers or about Subway sandwiches. Although from personal experience, I know that this is happening with groceries as well. Inflation and the war across the border was a great excuse to hike the price of some goods. This doesn't seem just to me, given the wage disparity between say Ireland and Poland. But hey, you gotta get that YoY 20% growth somehow. Poland being the poster child of "look what capitalism does".

So when we take the example of buying groceries to stay alive, what alternative do you have to the large stores that are obviously fucking you over? I can afford to pay those inflated prices, I just don't want to affirm the effectiveness of the "let's hike the prices of everything because we have the excuse to" master plan.

Here are some loose (privileged), perhaps not particularly good ideas that I've had:

1. Buy food from the inflation basket The Polish (and others probably too) statistical institution keeps a "secret" basket of items based on which the inflation is calculated. It's clear that at least some of those items are known to the stores, because they always cost less, to artificially keep the inflation down. This could work, as long as the stores don't drop the ball on the quality.

2. Buy local? The thing is that while a supermarket chain has a team of people trying to get people to buy more stuff, the humble farmer selling stuff on the local vegetable market does not.

The same goes for clothes, as I could get bring my own materials and get some made by a local tailor, rather than buying off-the-rack chinesium from Zara. And look a little more old school wearing it. Though a tailor is a different level of service.

My local fancy soap shop is several times more expensive than just buying generic tallow bar soap. Sure it's made by local workers within my city, but that's part of the value, hence the price hike.

At least six people lock themselves in Grade II-listed York and Albany next to Regent’s Park and post notice

Squatters have taken over a pub in London leased by Gordon Ramsay that is up for sale with a guide price of £13m.

A group of at least six people locked themselves inside the Grade II-listed York and Albany hotel and gastropub, next to Regent’s Park, boarding up the windows and putting up a “legal warning” defending their takeover, the Sun reported.

In photographs taken before the windows were further boarded up, a person could be seen sleeping on a sofa in the bar, surrounded by litter.

On Saturday morning, two masked people wearing black tracksuits and carrying backpacks and carrier bags exited the property, running away from reporters before they could be approached for comment.

A notice taped to a door said the group had a right to occupy the venue, which they said was not a “residential building” and was therefore not subject to 2012 legislation in England and Wales that made squatting in a residential building a criminal offence.

The piece of paper, signed by “the occupiers”, also said: “Take notice that we occupy this property and at all times there is at least one person in occupation.

“That any entry or attempt to enter into these premises without our permission is therefore a criminal offence as any one of us who is in physical possession is opposed to such entry without our permission.

“That if you attempt to enter by violence or by threatening violence we will prosecute you. You may receive a sentence of up to six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000.

“That if you want to get us out you will have to issue a claim for possession in the county court or in the high court.”

Ramsay called the police on Wednesday but was unable to have the people removed, it is understood.

Another notice asked passersby for “food and clothes donations or anything else you no longer want or need”.

The occupation of a person’s non-residential property without their permission is not a crime in England, though police can take action if crimes are subsequently committed, including damaging the property or stealing from it.

The Metropolitan police said in a statement: “Police were made aware of squatters at a disused property in Parkway, Regent’s Park, NW1 on Wednesday 10 April. This is a civil matter and so police did not attend the property.”

In 2007, the film director Gary Love bought the freehold of the former 19th-century coaching inn.

He subsequently leased the property to Ramsay on a 25-year term with an annual rent of £640,000.

The Kitchen Nightmares host unsuccessfully attempted to free himself from the lease in a legal battle at the high court in 2015.

The venue went on sale at the end of last year with a guide price of £13m.

According to government guidance, squatters can apply to become the registered owners of a property if they have occupied it continuously for 10 years, acted as owners for the whole of that time and had not previously been given permission to live there by the owner.

Autonomous Coalition does based direct action

Anarchist bros, we keep winning

SPREAD THIS SHIT SON, WE GOT 4 DAYS TO RALLY THE TROOPS.

Made this a few months ago to call out some of my favorite artists, the $uicideboy$ for being well, busters. Their silence on the genocide compared to Denzel Curry using his platform since day one hasnt gone unnoticed.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/8263274

YT Link

Alternative link

cross-posted from: https://discuss.online/post/6031144

While it would be easy to dismiss this as CrimethInc [hereforth the Outlet] cautiously mitigating any potential liability if self-immolation generalizes, the rejection of the framework of martyrdom demands attention. The question is not whether Aaron qualifies as a shahid within the Palestinian context, although demonstrators in Yemen have proclaimed Aaron a “martyr of humanity” and an argument can be made for him having become an anarchist martyr in the lineage of Louis Lingg, Avalon, and Mikhail Vasilievich Zhlobitsky. The bigger issue: the Outlet’s assertion that an individual’s death, particularly in the context of the US, is the “worst of all possible certainties” reveals a deep disconnect with the context of this entire decolonial struggle. In the days following October 7th, anti-colonial anarchist thinkers such as Zoé Samudzi argued that the figure of the martyr marked a fundamental contradiction for the secular left’s ability to fully comprehend and act in solidarity with the Palestinian resistance. The martyrs constitute a force in the present for all who live and continue to struggle. Aaron framed his self-immolation as “not that extreme” compared to the ascension to martyrdom of tens of thousands in Gaza. By implying that Aaron’s choice was too extreme, the Outlet dishonors the reality of the struggle within Palestine and undercuts the potential of Aaron’s sacrifice.

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