One page commentary on strategy and violence.
As you read these comments and updates and discuss the situation with others, please keep in mind the difference between property destruction and violence! A system that values property over human life will not be brought down by people hurting each other -- in fact that's what it feeds on. We don't all agree on whether "fucking their shit up" is worthwhile, but we should keep our motives in mind when considering tactical options.
It is not too much to agree that we will:
-work to stop the pillaging of the earth and the exploitation of the masses
-demonstrate that a freer, more egalitarian and just system of direct democracy is possible
-allow the state/capitalist system to waste its energy on police and corrupt itself with oligarchic sycophant corporate media, which is weakening the system's legitimacy
-continue to maintain and expand independent media
-continue to organize in our own communities to reshape schools and city halls into non-authoritarian structures for democratic, participatory discussion, critical learning, and collective decision making
-stand in solidarity with all poor and working people of the world
-defend the earth
AND
that we will do so without attempting to kill anybody!
The overwhelming majority of us agree that a better world will not be born of killing.
The state/capitalist system has a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence IN THE MINDS of "average" (non politically aware) people. Most of us agree that the state's violence is certainly no more legitimate than that of those labeled "terrorist," and many of us don't see any violence as legitimate. Strategically, violence on our part will greatly decrease our legitimacy in the eyes of many people, and scare-off many more who are sympathetic to us. While there may be many reasons to justify a violent war -- such as the immediate and preventable suffering of millions to the indifference of a selfish ruling and middle class -- and violent revolution definitely has the potential to overthrow the present system, IT DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
As Steven Biko reminded South African activists, the real battle is in the minds of the masses. Our main task is not to physically destroy the system which exploits us, but to convince enough people to join us in a new way of living together. With authority comes responsibility. Anarchists like me who don't believe in rulers must be responsible enough to think ahead and consider what effects our actions will have on others.
The fact is, people in this movement are responsible, and put to shame the Los Angeles Times reporter who wrote Sunday that "anarchists, by definition, are not organized." I think it is smart to avoid sounding paranoid, but we must work to expose the infiltration by police provocateurs and all the familiar COINTELPRO practices of the state.
Peace, Love and Anarchy,
actionseed
