{"article":{"id":87163,"heading":"Radical Direct Action","author":"PS-RAAN","created":"2003-10-07 14:22:28","modified":"2013-11-11 00:26:35","last_modified":"Mon, 11 Nov 2013 07:26:35","article":"
Major protests against the Iraqi occupation in the United States are scheduled for
the end of the month, and the end of October. The problem is that these as they
stand now are irrelevant.
Our protest tactics do not work. The demonstrations against the war did nothing
to dissuade the Bush administration from carrying it out. Mass rallies to
demonstrate that the people oppose government policy play on the assumption
that the government could give a damn what the people think. It does not, and it
will not. The government is motivated exclusively by their interests in capital and
power. We know this to be the case by their own admission, by the governments
insistence that it will not be influenced by protests.
There is no usefulness in participating in political activity that has only been able
to serve our own self-gratification. Those who are serious about fighting the
reactionary policies of the US government ought to shift from tactics that have
proven themselves ineffective to those which by their nature frustrate and
undermine imperialism and capitalism.
If the measure of success is political change, or even the scaling back of the
most reactionary tendencies in the government, we, anti-imperialist activists
(anti-war and anti-globilization) are failing. Lets try something new.
We are calling for the development of a new more effective form of non-violent
dissent and an anonymous network to facilitate that aim. We would like to
consider the following points:
1. Measures of success are not the amount of people who show up to a
demonstration, the amount of money raised, the amount of people
wearing black at a protest, the creativity of puppets or street theater or the
vulgarity of our slogans. If we are a movement committed to stopping
reactionary policies of all kinds, then the only measure of success is the
degree to which we can frustrate, undermine and derail the imperialist
agenda.
2. Since the institutions and individuals directing, motivating, and profiting
from reactionary policies are capitalists who measure their success in
terms of profit and power, our ability to undermine their agenda is tied into
our ability to reduce their profit and limit their power. We are not strong
enough to overthrow capitalism, to start a revolution, or to establish a total
transformation of society at this time or in the foreseeable future.
However, we are strong enough to compel individual capitalists and
capitalist institutions that the pursuit of their most reactionary aims will
result their net loss of either profit or power, and thus dissuade them from
those courses of action. If for instance the hawks in the government can
be persuaded that the cost of remaining in Iraq outweighs the value of
retaining it as a conquered territory, they will be compelled to leave out of
a desire to protect their investment.
This is not about reforming the system, reform works inside of and with
regard to the system. This is revolutionary action against the most harmful
portions of the system.
3. It should be made as easy as possible to participate in effective political
activism so that it represents a real alternative to the current form of
ineffective political activism. This is not a call for anyone to become a
guerrilla or to go underground, or engage in non-defensive violence. Most
people do not have the luxury to become full time activists so it is not
expected. It is important to be able to achieve the maximum results with
the most minimum risk and cost to the participants. No direct action which
is likely to result in the arrest and conviction of a participant for a felony
should be attempted; it is simply not the type of thing that is reasonable at
this time.
Given these factors we would like to accomplish the following in the short term:
1. The development of new, more aggressive, more disruptive tactics for use
in demonstrations. The Black Bloc tactic has served up to a point, but it
now amounts to little more than street theater. While we can appreciate
street theater, if our intent is to have a real political effect, we will have to
do more than that.
2. Develop a network of semi-autonomous cells for direct action along
existing models. It is useful to be autonomous for purposes of security. It
is also useful to be mutually co-ordinated for purposes of effectiveness.
Cells should be able to carry out protests and make useful gestures of
propaganda independently, but they should also be able to come together
to accomplish larger projects. To this end, we will develop a system of
anonymous communication to coordinate actions without compromising
security.
If you are interested in participating in this project, please start a new email
account from a public computer or a computer that cannot be readily associated
with yourself (a public wireless network, internet cafŽ, library, university computer
labs, or even computers in stores). Send an email to ________________ stating
your intention to participate in the project, your general location (nothing specific),
your basic political motivation (again nothing specific), concerns, questions,
request for additional information, and anything else you can think of. Do not
include your name, address, phone number, associations, or otherwise mention
anything by which you could possibly be identified from. You can think of a cute
pen name if you like, but don't use one you've ever used before online. Please
allow several days for a reply to your first email.
Love,
PS-RAAN\n","contact":"","link":"","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"\nOur protest tactics do not work. The demonstrations against the war did nothing \nto dissuade the Bush administration from carrying it out. Mass rallies to \ndemonstrate that the people oppose government policy play on the assumption \nthat the government could give a damn what the people think. It does not, and it \nwill not. The government is motivated exclusively by their interests in capital and \npower. We know this to be the case by their own admission, by the governments \ninsistence that it will not be influenced by protests.","numcomment":10,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/10\/87163.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[{"id":87165,"heading":"Bring it, meat","article":"Please start violent protests, I'm beggin ya.","author":"Da Killa","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-07 14:35:08","modified":"2003-10-07 14:35:08","fileurl":""},{"id":87283,"heading":"Take it to the next level...","article":"...and still be completely irrelevant.\r\n\r\nYou should sit around and talk about it.","author":"nonanarchist","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-07 21:20:40","modified":"2003-10-07 21:20:40","fileurl":""},{"id":87296,"heading":"oh, ideas for irritation","article":"like marbles on the freeway or balloon banners road sign removal. ","author":"joker","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-07 21:53:28","modified":"2003-10-07 21:53:28","fileurl":""},{"id":87320,"heading":""marbles on the freeway"","article":"Irritation? No.\r\n\r\nTry "attempted murder", "homicide", "criminal mischief".\r\n\r\nThe DA woould have a cake walk getting you put away.\r\n\r\n","author":"nonanarchist","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-07 22:54:08","modified":"2003-10-07 22:54:08","fileurl":""},{"id":87321,"heading":"But then you could whine about...","article":"...being a "political prisoner".\r\n\r\nEver hear of the concept known as "responsibility for the consequences of your actions"?\r\n\r\nI know, I know...it's a foreign concept to you. But out here in the real world, that's how it works.\r\n\r\nDo something illegal, go to jail. \r\n\r\nJust ask Mumia.","author":"nonanarchist","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-07 22:56:53","modified":"2003-10-07 22:56:53","fileurl":""},{"id":87399,"heading":"Mumia","article":"Just be sure to ask him in French.","author":"Ignatius","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-08 10:53:11","modified":"2003-10-08 10:53:11","fileurl":""},{"id":87409,"heading":"PS-RAAN","article":">Our protest tactics do not work. The demonstrations against the war did nothing to dissuade the Bush administration from carrying it out. \r\n\r\nThat's still funny, even 6-8 months later. A bunch of unwashed, 60's hippie remakes, marxists, self-appointed intelletutals actually believed that by marching in the streets, everyone was just going to put the world on hold and listen to them and do what they wanted. How dilusional is that?\r\n\r\n>Mass rallies to demonstrate that the people oppose government policy play on the assumption that the government could give a damn what the people think. It does not, and it will not.\r\n\r\nBecause the government didn't listen to them and their "superior intellect" then, of course, the government could give a damn about the people. ATTENTION: YOU AND YOUR LICE INFESTED ILK ARE NOT "THE PEOPLE". You make like to project you represent "the people", you might tell yourself that you represent "the people", but you don't represent "the people".\r\n\r\n> The government is motivated exclusively by their interests in capital and power.\r\n\r\nWell, there was that little 9\/11 thing, except for the whackos who believe we attacked our own citizens, and they are here to be laughed at and ridiculed (Although, if you have any protesters in your hometown or in a city or town near-by, it's more fun to laugh at these morons in person. Damn, they get pissed!)\r\n\r\n>We know this to be the case by their own admission, by the governments insistence that it will not be influenced by protests.\r\n\r\nGood for them. They should never listen to a bunch of left-wing dorks. Ever!\r\n\r\n>There is no usefulness in participating in political activity that has only been able to serve our own self-gratification.\r\n\r\nSure there is. You can network with the same group that you've been networking with for the past 50 years.\r\n\r\nBesides, these things are nothing but "feel good" secessions anyway. You can protest and then go home feeling like you made a difference. You've been doing the same thing with LBJ's "The Great Society" for 40 years now. You tell us to not look at the results, it's the "intentions" that count. Well, you intended to stop the war, the results just didn't work out. Why should you change MO now? It won't FEEL as good.\r\n\r\n>However, we are strong enough to compel individual capitalists and capitalist institutions that the pursuit of their most reactionary aims will result their net loss of either profit or power, and thus dissuade them from those courses of action.\r\n\r\nJeez. People who don't have two nickels to rub together to buy a bar of soap and find some water are going to topple capitalism. And how is this going to happen?\r\n\r\n>If for instance the hawks in the government can be persuaded that the cost of remaining in Iraq outweighs the value of retaining it as a conquered territory, they will be compelled to leave out of a desire to protect their investment. \r\n\r\nYou mean if it becomes unprofitable to stay in business then people will take their money and invest it elsewhere? Wow! Who would ever think people would do that. You gotta figure that most people would just shrug their shoulders and say "Hell! I'm losing money by the boatloads when I could be making money if I got out of this and invested over there. But I'm sticking it out. Food, clothing and shelter will just have to wait, Damnit!"\r\n\r\nOn top of that, this same idiots who claims the government won't listen, now wants to "persuade (the government) that the cost of remaining in Iraq outweighs the value of retaining it as a conquered territory."\r\n\r\nSadly for them, this individual represents one of the best and brightest among them. This person can think circles around sheep, kpc, para, meyer, kranky, or any of the others who regularly post here. And still, with this one you still get the same loser concepts you get from the rest. Pitiful. But, it's good for a laugh.","author":"1","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-08 11:31:55","modified":"2003-10-08 11:31:55","fileurl":""},{"id":87636,"heading":"More Cheap Labor Conservative Hypocrisy","article":"You see, Bush Ass-Mirer, you profess to hate anyone who doesn't pay taxes, yet railed against them again and again(you must really hate Weyerhauser which paid ZERO taxes the last couple of years. And in fact got corporate wellfare to the tune of almost 9 million dollars a year. Man you must really hate them. Bunch of sponges). You say you hate anyone who won't join the military, like Cheney,Limbaugh,Pearle,Wolfowitz,Lott,and all the other right wing chickenhawks out there. And you say you hate anyone who doesn't produce jobs,enterprises and products .....like George(Little Boy Emperor)Bush. Once again the difference between the reality and windbaggery when it comes to the cheap labor conservatives is enormous. In other words it is all BULLSHIT!!!!","author":"krankyman","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-08 21:39:56","modified":"2003-10-08 21:39:56","fileurl":""},{"id":87639,"heading":"OneEyedMan","article":"GOP=LIAR\r\n\r\nVery simple.....","author":"KPC","parent_id":87163,"mime_type":"text\/plain","created":"2003-10-08 21:50:52","modified":"2003-10-08 21:50:52","fileurl":""}]}