a black anarchist's take on the march/walk-outs (part 1)

i originally sent this to an anarchist people of color list i'm on (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/anarchist-poc/), right after the big march in LA, as just a brief report out for folk in other cities. then a friend saw it on my myspace blog and told me to repost it here.

given some of the conversations i've had with comrades and family over the last few days, i realize that there is a whole lot more discussion that needs to be had, especially but not exclusively among revolutionaries of color, on both the positive and the problematic aspects of the movement(s) for immigrant rights. i anticipate having more to contribute to this larger and more difficult conversation soon.

* * *

Shawn here in LA.

the demo was moving. a sea of people that took hours from start to finish.

there are plenty of reports and pix to be found on places like

http://la.indymedia.org .

there was a sea of tendencies, of course. from internationalist

revolutionaries to American dreamers. from people chanting "Mexico, Mexico"

to others chanting "Queremos un mundo sin fronteras" to others saying "Somos

ilegales, no criminales" to others saying "No one is illegal" to people with

signs quoting the bible to a few of us chanting "no leaders, no bosses, no

flags, and no crosses". when a group of middle schoolers started chanting

"Bush, don't hate! Appreciate!" I had to join in =)

for most folk I'd wager it was their first time at a demo. for all my

criticisms of the limitations of mass marches, one thing is true: a march is

one step to help move people from being spectators to being activists. and

something to remind people who are already activists of the sheer rush that

comes from mass action.

my favorite part was dancing around these drum circles at the end =)

on the train over a lot of people I talked to had heard about the march on

the Spanish radio and TV stations. for all their usual reactionary crap, it

seems the mainstream media (Spanish language at least) stepped up to the

plate on this one. I guess they do have to respond to where their audience

is at.

what does all this mean about "the" movement?

oppression breeds resistance. resistance is fertile.

the movement keeps growing.

hasta la victoria siempre!



--Shawn

It is in dialogue that we find out what we think.

It is in action that we discover who we are.