Yeah, Art of War said some things that need to be said. This is about outcomes.

Anarchist victory will mean that average people come around to the idea that anarchist principles can improve their lives. Right now, this is rare.

Community involvement is the right approach. You've got to live your message. Earn respect for your views by engaging people in your community in a low key, respectful manner.

The masks, though I understand why they are sometimes a good option, scare ordinary people. They instinctively mistrust people who aren't willing to show themselves.

So, there are some things to work on.

I agree with a lot of what the Art of War put forth.

It´s good to fight against your enemy, but if you

don´t provide an alternative, why would the average

person be interested in supporting the movement?

Trying to fight the police state with force is

an impossible challenge except in the most

radicalized countries, where the vast majority

of the population opposes them. And the US is just

far too complacent. The real war is for the hearts

and minds of the americans. Secrecy won´t help

this... it´s better to have your ideas, your views,

your beliefs on the front page of every newspaper...

represented PROPERLY!

If the vision our movement possesses really will

improve life for the vast majority of the people

on this planet (and if not, what are we fighting for?),

the ideas should be able to gain a life of their own.

If everyone works to spread these ideas with their

friends, their families, and their communities,

I think we can build up a lot more support. And a

lot more diversity.

Start building the better world,

and the people will come.

The junta must be met with a wide-spread, diverse, popular resistance (ongoing) whose actions are relevant to the theatre in which they are playing. Currently, direct protest actions seem to be melding into a one continuous action around the world's cities.

Street theatre is vitally important and people will become active as the results of the junta's war on human, worker, workplace, women's and environmental rights in US and the World are felt across the classes. Most countries of the world today realize that we in the US are repressed under the boot of this junta. Getting the message out in multi-faceted ways is important.

At some fast-approaching juncture, I feel that a call for a new US Constitutional Convention will be enthusiastically welcomed by about 1/2 the US population. I see that a re-structuring of the Executive and Judiciary in the context of holding a provisional people's congress will happen against the backdrop of various theatres of action and amid the junta's inevitable declared state of siege.

Anarchists will draw increasing amounts of public support once the road map to liberation is laid out, plainly.

We hope that we did not come across as though we rule out anything more militant than street theater. We certainly don't. We recognize though, that the more militant activities must be in conjunction and with a foundation in our community.

About the secrecy. We were critiquing the fact that the location of the site in Long Beach was postponed until that day. We said that it didn't take the LBPD that long to mobilize. It's a subject open for debate. Some might say it helped a bit.

I hope the debate within the revolutionary anarchist community continues, but like some have said--we need to focus now on our political prisoners in LA.

Art of War

Having the location kept secret means fellow activists are going to have trouble getting to the location as much as the police are, even more so, coz the police have big fast cars etc.

Regarding wearing masks, this is a good tactic if you are doing illegal or dangerous things, like trying to breach police lines but it definitely distances you as an activist from the community and is completely counter productive in a non-violent demonstration, as the dude said, it is scary for the average person on the street.

And I notice on most of the posts on this site, people are hiding their names. Where would community activism be now if Nader, Naomi Klein, Chomsky, et al hid their names? Sure there is a danger but this is to be embraced if we are to effect real social change.

The PD's news or forum at http://202.99.23.237/cgi-bbs/ChangeBrd?to=15 would be interested in kmowing of the LBPD riot and suppression of demonstrator rights.

I haven't read this lengthy piece (URL below)but it seems to put the US status in current perspectives:

http://wwics.si.edu/OUTREACH/WQ/WQSELECT/EXCEPT.HTM

Amen to the art of war

proves to be ineffective without community support

long live "boring" anarchism

We, at Art of War, are a collective of people but many of us keep our names and IDs somewhat hidden because we might risk losing our jobs and livlihoods. Repression is alive and well and so if you believe in revolutionary ideas--then you have to watch it. Chomsky took some risk "coming out" but not much--academia allows it to a greater degree than other places.

Let's keep up these dialogues, fellow truth-seekers. Mutual respect between us, whether we are affiliated with an organization or act alone (like myself), is necessary or progress. The more we all know about how to win, the easier it will be to move forward. Make no mistake, though, progress is slow; a step by step progress that begins with education and ends in action. Can you imagine our brute force if we could convince the mainstream working class of their undeniable connection to what we fight for? Do you know what kind of planning and action it would take to achieve that? We who are perhaps older and wiser are aware of the necessity to first work within the system, and what that entails. But I can't say enough times how vital to the cause I feel are the youthful propensities to seemingly act first and ask questions later. It's pure. Humans are naturally rogues when enslaved, so let the world see! What ends the BlackBloc hoped to reach I do not know. All that matters is that they acted, although it is unfortunate that they seem so surprised at the reaction of the LB Police, and the resulting incarceration of many of their ranks. There WAS purpose, though. I see purpose in the acknowledgement of active Anarchism, but now we must prove to be more than ill-dressed criminals or caricatures on London postcards of Picadilly Circus. Although many of you may not know it, these ideas nullify our place as citizens, and alienate us from future allies. People can't help it if they are too simple to see the beauty in bright blue hair, etc. The hair battle should be the last in our war.

Hats off to Art of War, for lending your view and support to these kids. The absence of an attack on the Bloc is an example of precisely the type of mutual respect I know is needed in order to spread knowledge and increase our numbers.

I would like to ask anyone who may know- where stands the ACLU on these infringements of civil rights? I plan to begin my own investigation into the matter, but would appreciate a 'heads up' on any beaucratic resistance, etc., I should expect.

Peace, and keep talking about It...the Feds are listening, you can rest assured, but they can't spoil EVERYTHING...