CALL OUT: HOW TO MAKE TROUBLE AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE- U.S. EDITION

Call out for images and stories about innovative and satirical political pranks, scams, street art and direct action from the U.S.

In late 2009 Breakdown Press (breakdownpress.org) published Iain McIntyre’s latest book ‘How To Make Trouble And Influence People: Pranks, Hoaxes, Graffiti And Political Mischief Making From Across Australia’. Featuring over 640 stories and anecdotes, 100s of images and 14 interviews the book chronicles Australia’s radical past through tales of Indigenous resistance, convict revolts and escapes, picket line hi-jinks, student occupations, creative direct action, media pranks, urban interventions, squatting, blockades, banner drops, street theatre and billboard liberation.

McIntyre is currently compiling material for an edition chronicling similar examples of left wing and anarchist political satire and direct action from the United States. He’s seeking contributions and stories concerning:

POLITICAL PRANKS AND HOAXES that have humiliated the rich and powerful and illuminated, challenged and entertained the rest of us.

INNOVATIVE FORMS OF DIRECT ACTION AND PROTEST such as Critical Mass and guerrilla gardening as well as performances and creative interventions, by groups like the Radical Cheerleaders and the Biotic Baking Brigade, which make political struggle unpredictable and fun.

SATIRICAL AND CONFRONTING STREET ART including graffiti, stencils, stickers and posters.

SCAMS that have redistributed wealth from employers and big business to workers and the community.

BILLBOARD LIBERATION AND OTHER FORMS OF CULTURE JAMMING that disrupt, distort and transform corporate messages and media.

If you’d like to contribute a story or image (anonymously or otherwise) then please send it to thebugler@graffiti.net

The following are samples from the Australian book:

Sydney, 1982- After a tour by conservative Christian evangelist Jerry Falwell is announced, gay and lesbian activists around the country register the business name “Moral Majority” in an effort to forestall the formation of right-wing groups under the same title. Official stickers are also produced bearing slogans such as “Moral Majority Says Keep Abortion Safe And Legal,” “MM Says Sodom Today, Gomorrah The World,” and “MM Says Matthew, Mark, Luke And John, They’re All Queens Where I Come From.”

Australia, 2000- Hackers hijack multinational sportswear manufacturer Nike’s website, redirecting visitors to s11.org, an activist page promoting a Melbourne anti-globalisation protest against the World Economic Forum. The number of hits on the S11 site rapidly rises from around 50 to 50,000 an hour. Despite an investigation by the FBI and the best efforts of Nike, the hackers evade the long arm of the law.

Brisbane, 1978- Jessica Harrison recalls the pieing of right wing Christian campaigner Mary Whitehouse:

“Whitehouse was the 1970s forerunner for much of the Christian fundamentalism that was to follow. She was based in Britain where she was the core of a right-wing ‘family values’ push. She and her followers would campaign for increased censorship of television, in the media, and generally against what was known then as the ‘permissive society.’ Behind her demure little old lady image, she was very much against abortion and any kind of rights for women.

She came to Brisbane as part of a national speaking tour. Given that the state of Queensland was incredibly conservative in the 1970s, she probably thought that she would be very popular there.

People forget now, but back in the late 1970s, there was a general ban on street marches and public protests in Queensland. Supposedly you could apply for a permit to protest, but the authorities would never give you one. Whenever people just went ahead and held a demonstration anyway, the police would come in and beat everyone up. They were extremely keen on stifling any form of public dissent. In fact, it was so repressive that one time when some friends and I were just zooming around having fun in the back of a flatbed truck, we were threatened with arrest for laughing too much!

We were always looking for ways around these laws. At one point, we formed a religious sect devoted to the Holy God of the Bankbook, which gave out weird and political tracts in shopping malls. On another occasion, we rode around on bikes with protest placards on our backs.

In this case, we were inspired by what we had read about [American Yippie activist] Aron Kay’s spectacular pieing actions. It was meant to be a menstrual blood pie, though no one was willing to donate at that time! So we had to use cochineal in an attempt to make it bright red, but the dye made it purple. Flavour-wise it was pretty soapy as we used what we regarded as the traditional recipe- shaving cream.

Once prepared, we all dressed up in our finest and entered as members of the public. One woman was actually a mother, but since she was quite small, she dressed up in a school uniform. Another of our members, a tall young guy, dressed in a suit to do the deed. I remember feeling very uncomfortable wearing a dress, but I was also excited. In some ways, we were pretty scared since there weren’t many of us—luckily Whitehouse’s supporters didn’t get violent.

When Whitehouse made her appearance, our friend let fly with the pie. Sadly, it didn’t hit her right in the face, but it went all over her chest. A number of male voices immediately rang out in incredulous outrage that we could do such a disrespectful thing. She was totally flabbergasted, yet managed to make the comment that at least the pie matched the colour of her dress. We all rushed to the front to support the pie thrower, but were hustled out quickly. A few people were arrested, but they were let off as often tends to happen in these situations. Basically, no one wanted to have to fly Whitehouse back from Britain to appear as a star witness.

It got into all the newspapers. I remember seeing a photo of Whitehouse with pie running down her dress just after it happened. We weren’t really doing it for media coverage, however, we just wanted to make her feel unwelcome. I guess we succeeded.”

Newcastle, 1954- Women who are paid five pounds less a week for the same work as men at a ball-bearing factory introduce an overtime ban in which they stop work for 15 minutes a shift to ensure their work rate reflects their pay rate.

Melbourne, 1994- During an anti-fascist demonstration in neo-nazi leader Michael Brander receives a direct hit to the mouth with an egg. Later that night the winning lob is replayed in slow motion on mainstream TV news programs as the "Goal of the Day" and a "Hole in One".

Brisbane, 1924- Socialists defeat anti-free speech laws by speaking from boats that are tethered just offshore and thus exempt from on-land legislation.

Melbourne, 1992- The creator of Loser Corp. recalls:

“In 1991 and 92 I became obsessed with Darwinian evolutionary theory and its bleak implications for the possibility of a good human society. It made me very depressed for a couple of years, and still does. I wanted to do something dramatic to highlight the issue, like a hunger strike or something. But I thought I’d just get the shit beat out of me if I had to sleep somewhere public at night, so I decided to do a one-day thing, a protest rally against evolution called ‘Losers Against Evolution’. I got permission from the council to do it in the City Square on a Saturday. I think they thought it was a religious group protesting the teaching of evolution in schools, whereas actually I totally believe the theory, and wanted to make everyone as depressed about it as I was. I made banners and leaflets, and sat there for the day. Most of the shoppers ignored it. I don’t think anyone knew what it was about.”

Canberra, 1989- Anti-McDonald’s activists consume large quantities of food colouring before entering one of the nation’s capital’s busiest food outlets. Proceeding to the counter to order a large meal they kick off a Vomit-In puking green, pink and multi-coloured liquid all over the store.

New South Wales, 1915- Industrial Workers of the World members adorn lamp poles, signs and any and all available surfaces with stickers bearing such slogans as “Fast Workers Die Young”, “Someone has to be last- let it be you”, “The hours are long and the pay is small, so take your time and ____ them all” and “A bad day’s work for a bad day’s pay.”

Melbourne, 1973- Hundreds of pro-choice protestors force anti-abortionists to call off a planned rally in the City Square by arriving there first and refusing to leave.

For more information on ‘How To Make Trouble And Influence People: Pranks, Hoaxes, Graffiti And Political Mischief Making From Across Australia’ visit howtomaketroubleandinfluencepeople.org

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