Re: Re: genoa protests

On Mon, 23 Jul 2001, sime young wrote:
[snip kendall]
> Indeed, there are two points I'd like to raise to
> this part of your statement. First, in the
> "alternative" media, and especially the
> internet-based alt. media there have been masses
> of reports that have provided deeper and less
> biased coverage of the G8 protests, but sadly
> these reports will not reach "the masses".
> Perhaps those of us too old/too chicken to get
> involved at the sharp end could work towards
> addressing this problem. After all, there are
> some excellent writers out there...any ideas
> anyone?

I'm glad you said that! Kendall and I have been planning a blitz for DC
(the next IMF/World bank meeting). Basically, if we want to call ourselves
intellectuals (and we do!) we should be doing some heavy lifting. Media
crit, talking points, flyers, white papers, etc. etc. etc.

Our *big* goal is to organize a "remote support network" for real time
media activism wrt DC. We have some tools and ideas but we'll need more
and the folks to carry it off!

Our current plans (amid the swampitude that is our lives) is to treat
Geona as a dry run...i.e., look back at the coverage and events and see
what kind of things we would *want* to do, and build up a set of resources
for doing them, and get a definitive site on Geona (well, for us) to use
as a segue into DC.

> Second, I'm not in favour of violence where it
> can be avoided,

Careful, it almost *always* can be avoided, if you are determined enough
(simply by *enduring* it rather than resisting it...and
"non-violent" resistence is still *resistence* (which is why I tend to
prefer the term "passive" resistence); the line between "violence" and
"non-violence" can be slim).

> but if you're going to seriously
> attck the capitalist system, then it IS going to
> happen. We should not be amazed that the cops
> will kill us.

Serve and protect....the rich and powerful.

> That is what they were invented
> for, to protect the rich & powerful from us - the
> lowlife scum. If this is a war, they will try to
> kill us. Its not the first time
> anarchists/whatever have been killed by the cops,
> and it won't be the last. sad, but true. We
> should try our very hardest to gain the best
> knowledge we can on protection techniques if
> we're going to get into these situations. Its not
> a game, believe me, the cops are NOT playing
> games here. Violence is a terrible thing, but
> sadly nearly all the greatest victories have been
> achieved via violent struggle.

Yes. Actually, we've *been* in violent struggle. Just because violence is
remote from many of us doesn't mean it isn't going on. *Bringing* the
violence closer to the centers of empire is a *good* thing.

The trick is navigating the line between (violent) resistence and
thuggery...and the general degredation and dehumanization that accompies
ever escalating violence.

> I'm getting a little pissed-off now, I'm going to
> stop writing.

I know the feeling, but thanks for getting this far!

If you want to barf, read this:
	http://www.nypostonline.com/07222001/commentary/35543.htm

"Despite their political pretensions, these creeps are no better than
murderous soccer hooligans, and they deserve to be treated as such."

They tear gas and shoot and run over soccer hooigans? I didn't know *that*
:)

For the interested, I have a (incomplete) draft of a paper I've worked on
about Frederick Douglass and Violent CD:
	http://www.unc.edu/~bparsia/moralsuasion.html

(Please don't cite or circulate it (far) without telling me!)

> stay safe brothers & sisters

Stay alive and free.

Cheers,
Bijan.