We engage ourselves in Guerrilla Art tactics in attempt to increase the political awareness of individuals and communities about the daily exploitation and injustice that exist within today's corporate capitalist society.

web site: http://www.raisethefist.com/rgf/

"notice: the purpose of this web site is to display, and expand the RGF agenda, not to act as a central office, nor to lead or act in terms of leadership in the organization."

-- from the website

The act of naming, especially naming a community, and then defining the agenda, and even the acronym, is authoritarian. Individuals or small groups "speaking for the people" is authoritarian, and it's what "communist" sectarian groups do. When GW Bush nicknames someone, he's exercising his power over that person. When a community names a member, it's exercising power (and also conferring some shared power to the individual).

Anarchism isn't about taking credit for graffiti insurrection, but creating graffiti, and rendering it a political and social act.

Something to consider, however, is whether graffiti has any political impact at all anymore. Graffiti eradication is part of the official budget, habitually ignored (except by other graffitists and art critics), and the popular forms of hip hop graffiti are rapidly becoming institutionalized.

in response to:

"The act of naming, especially naming a community, and then defining the agenda, and even the acronym, is authoritarian"

They arn't naming the communities agenda, they are naming their own agenda, the groups agenda. How is this authoritarian? This does not apply to anyone else but the group. How are they authoritarian anarchists? They arn't setting an agenda for all anarchists, nor for anyone else. They're simply setting an agenda for the group they've started. (isn't that the purpose for starting a group, to have and carry out an agenda?)

It appears that the language on the site has changed somewhat, and they have added some areas. What I wrote above is rescinded, though the *tone* of it all is pretty authoritarian.

I still stand by the idea that graffiti may not be as revolutionary or effective as it used to be. It's hard to be shocked out of complacency after reading your 1000th piece of graffiti. What would really be shocking is something in LA that's beautiful, free, and humane.

If that's too sappy for the angry kids, maybe they should do everyone a favor and behead those ugly "angels" around town. Those things are hideous and annoying.

Oh, and there's another art issue to rally around: the Zapata / Zapatista mural in Pico Union is slated for destruction. See the SPARC website for more info. The time to act, is now.