tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post3208582908150905617..comments2024-03-12T02:18:53.121-07:00Comments on Molly'sBlog: mollymewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10608757779720671118noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-37941136626201266502008-07-16T15:39:00.000-07:002008-07-16T15:39:00.000-07:00Of course, such anarchist organizations as book sh...Of course, such anarchist organizations as book shops, presses etc exist and a very good thing too. I have been involved in such since '68 myself. But this is not the type of organization we are talking about. We are referring more to federations, good examples of which are the French Anarchist Federation, the Italian Anarchist Communist Federation and the Uruguayan Anarchist Federation. Such groups are well implanted and have a fairly lengthy history. The FAF alone has 50 groups - virtually all the major cities in France with a total of 600 or so members. They become a pole of attraction for militants. Here to day-gone tomorrow organizations do not do this. Canada and the US are too large and do not have a well implanted anarchist movement to have national federations. However groups like NEFAC are creating a good regional presence. Nor are such federations merely "preaching anarchism" but are organized in working place and community struggles.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-75501881835225659262008-07-15T21:03:00.000-07:002008-07-15T21:03:00.000-07:00"Forming a LASTING anarchist organization has not ..."Forming a LASTING anarchist organization has not been easy. Disorganization has been a particular problem in the North American milieu."<BR/><BR/>There are plenty of long-lasting anarchist organizations around North America. How long has AK Press been around? 15+ years? How about infoshops and bookstores like Bound Together, Left Bank Books and the Lucy Parsons Center? How about long-running anarchist conferences like NCOR in Washington, DC? IF anything, the reality is that North America has lots of lasting anarchist organizations.<BR/><BR/>"As for "ineffective and insular" and "controlled by a few idiots." this is plainly not the case with organizations like the FAF, CGT=E, etc."<BR/><BR/>I don't know anything about these groups, but the problems I describe are endemic to anarchist organizations at some point in time. If you are going to seriously address your question about why anarchist organizations don't last longer, you have to recognize that the issue isn't organization per se, but the mundane challenges involved in running an anarchist organization.<BR/><BR/>All anarchists are typically involved with an anarchist organization of some kind. If you are talking about anarchist organizations that do nothing but preach anarchism, then that's an entirely diferrent issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-9258406223039253062008-07-15T20:57:00.000-07:002008-07-15T20:57:00.000-07:00"who deserve such kindness- most ordinary people d..."who deserve such kindness- most ordinary people do, while anti-organizational "quack-anarchists" do not."<BR/><BR/>What the fuck is an anti-organizational quack anarchist? Are these people really a bugaboo for you? If they are holding your organizations back, then I wonder how you handle the more mundane challenges of running an organization. I know a few so-called "anti-organizationalists." They run better and more long-lasting collective projects than the people who get all worked up about their so-called anti-organizationalism.<BR/><BR/>"It's in mine, and there are enough of us "nasty people" to block the efforts of thugs to either divert anarchism or to con people into believing that anarchism is something other than what it actually is. Happy bite wounds suckers."<BR/><BR/>Thugs that are diverting anarchism? Do you really believe this? How fucking unanarchist! Anarchism has long been a movement of tendencies which respect the right of different kinds of anarchism to exist. It sounds very leftist of you to be upset about anarchism being diverted down the wrong path. It's a good thing that most anarchists don't share your obsessions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-73522127724375090402008-07-15T07:38:00.000-07:002008-07-15T07:38:00.000-07:00I dont know if Molly is blowing hot air or not abo...I dont know if Molly is blowing hot air or not about this generation thing. What I do know is that this is my feeling. While there are middle aged and older anarchists out there they tend to be few and far in between and I have yet to see a trully multigenerational movement / scene anywhere in North America. My concrete experience is that groups / projects / organisations tend to mainly be generational things.<BR/><BR/>I should have qualified my comment about "organisation". I just did not mean any kind of organisation, I was actually speacking of political organisation (i.e. anarchist federations). Even more specificaly, I was speacking of organisation that unite folks from different cities and town.<BR/><BR/>Every volontary organisation comes with up's and down's. There's no actual receipe to make it work over the long term. In addition to what I already said, I would add that having concrete projects (such as a newspaper) and not being localised help a lot.Collectif anarchiste La Nuit (UCL-Québec)https://www.blogger.com/profile/05887337716213331881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-22659983595348261872008-07-14T22:36:00.000-07:002008-07-14T22:36:00.000-07:00To echo Larry, and with my own "sweet" way of putt...To echo Larry, and with my own "sweet" way of putting in as somebody who was once a "legend" amongst the bikers of Regina for biting off part of a guy's ear in a bar fight in Regina and winning a fight aginst a guy who had over foot over me. I have two hands. Each has a middle finger. You can perch on both of them if you like. As I have expressed before, I am far less tolerant than Larry is and far more agressive. It's all the difference between a Labrador (Larry) and a Chow (me). Different genes. But it doesn't mean that we will be less kind to those who deserve such kindness- most ordinary people do, while anti-organizational "quack-anarchists" do not. <BR/> I tried to reply at length to the responses to this post, but I forgot that Blogger will eliminate such things. I'll try to reply in short bursts as time goes on- and I intend to post further installments of "why anarchist organizations fail". <BR/><BR/> Til then... I intend to be far more offensive to right wing libertarians (the least offensive thing to me), silly post-anarchists and Maosist, leftist idiots(the worst of all things in my mind) than Larry could possibly be. It ain't in his genes. It's in mine, and there are enough of us "nasty people" to block the efforts of thugs to either divert anarchism or to con people into believing that anarchism is something other than what it actually is. Happy bite wounds suckers.<BR/>Molly the Pit BullAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-60792046357177537822008-07-14T20:23:00.000-07:002008-07-14T20:23:00.000-07:00"but arguing that more organization is the answer ..."but arguing that more organization is the answer is one step above retarded. If you have any actual experience in anarchist organizations, scenes or movements, you'll know that the true problems involve more than just having "more organization." It's fucking easy to create an anarchist organization...They usually end up being ineffective and insular, because they are controlled by a few idiots who are interested in maintaining some anarchist orthodoxy...<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the comradely way of addressing people you disagree with. Your tactfulness is most charming. No doubt with such an approach you are a hot-shot organizer. None of us here are retarded, and as for experience I have been involved in anarchist organizations since 1968 and am familiar with European organizations like the FAF and CGT-e. Both Nicholas and Mol;ly also have lots of experience as well.<BR/><BR/>Forming a LASTING anarchist organization has not been easy. Disorganization has been a particular problem in the North American milieu.<BR/><BR/>As for "ineffective and insular" and "controlled by a few idiots." this is plainly not the case with organizations like the FAF, CGT=E, etc.<BR/><BR/>I do agree however that one cannot make a blanket claim about a lack of middle aged anarchos. It may depend upon the area. Here in BC there are a fair number of us silver-backs.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-74189372745434375622008-07-14T17:35:00.000-07:002008-07-14T17:35:00.000-07:00The only place that anarchy is actually working is...The only place that anarchy is actually working is Somalia right now.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately the socialist and other democratic 'governments' are eager to end that state. Of course the West is too. "Gosh we might have terrorists or something if we let anarchy run free! We need a strong central government or terrorists will thrive"! -- ah shucks baby ... are we now advocating socialism? If you understand both, you know they are not compatible. <BR/><BR/>Therein lies the dilemma of anarchy. Anyone who can suggest it is viable along with socialism begets their ignorance.<BR/><BR/>Which leads to the bottom line. The reason anarchy rarely gets far is because there a a bunch of dummies thinking that the enemy is capitalism and the friend is socialism. Yet if one looks at all logically it is clear that anarchy and capitalism is a much more natural fit than anarchy and anything else.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-82136664414916320072008-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:002008-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:00I will pop the big balloon that you've inflated by...I will pop the big balloon that you've inflated by pointing out that you cite no demographic data to back up your analysis. You are simply blowing lots of hot air here. It would be quite easy to provide counter-anecdotes that there are indeed a large number of middle age and older anarchists out there. Just because they don't wear black and go to anarchist events doesn't mean that they aren't out there, being involved in local, community and workplace organizations.<BR/><BR/>Larry opines that more organization is the answer. How dreadfully unimaginative. I've been part of plenty of highly structured anarchist organizations. They usually end up being ineffective and insular, because they are controlled by a few idiots who are interested in maintaining some anarchist orthodoxy. You guys are hitting close to the target with your comments here, but arguing that more organization is the answer is one step above retarded. If you have any actual experience in anarchist organizations, scenes or movements, you'll know that the true problems involve more than just having "more organization." It's fucking easy to create an anarchist organization. It's much harder to address the organizational dynamics that are endemic TO ALL VOLUNTEER-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, anarchist or not.<BR/><BR/>You guys will start having better anarchist organizations when you stop yammering about "organization" all of the time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-89535086648792039342008-07-14T12:39:00.000-07:002008-07-14T12:39:00.000-07:00I also agree with Nicholas that organization is on...I also agree with Nicholas that organization is one of the keys. Anarchism in Canada has -up till the formation of groups like NEFAC and Common Cause - has been very amorphous, with most people not belonging to any organization. It is thus easy for people to get lost. What groups have been formed came and went like mushrooms. Continuity of organization is definitely important. And as Nicholas also says, avoiding burn-out is another.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-5960937756169861112008-07-14T12:31:00.000-07:002008-07-14T12:31:00.000-07:00Perhaps anarchism - or at least anarchist ideas - ...Perhaps anarchism - or at least anarchist ideas - have to become wide spread enough to influence a number of communities. Carara (sp?) in Italy was one of these, even surviving the Fascists. Here in BC there are a number of places, The Kootenays, some of the Gulf Islands where there are three generations of counter-cultural people live and take part in the various cooperatives, community enterprizes and environmental struggles. Only a minority of these people - (a SMALL minority!) would consider themselves anarchists, but the existence of an inter-generational continuity and community shows that it could be possible here among anarchists, if we increase our numbers. <BR/>I think it should be asked why three generations of counter-culturals exist. How is it that so many of the 20-40 year old children of 60's activists (in BC at least) continue to live like their parents, and their children, our generations grand children, seem to be doing the same? First off, the first generation of this trigenerational phenomenon was made up of the most competant, sanest members of the 1960's counter-culture – not the flakes. Secondly, it is simply a better way to live, and I think this is of primary importance. Thirdly, there was enough of the counter-culture in existence throughout the 1980's and 90's that one could actually belong to a community and the children did not feel isolated and swamped by corporate propaganda. <BR/>Thus anarchism in order to stick has to 1. be made up of sane and competent people 2. Be seen as a better way to live by those who come in contact with it and 3. have a critical mass in some region, town or neighborhood.Larry Gambonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04965037776214596919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32250954.post-410100255783831412008-07-13T21:39:00.000-07:002008-07-13T21:39:00.000-07:00Interesting tough.A while ago, I remember reading ...Interesting tough.<BR/><BR/>A while ago, I remember reading an argument in a book published by the french Federation anarchiste. The author was complaining that to be an anarchist you had no other choice then to be a militant. You could not be an anarchist the same way one is a communist or a social-democrat. In other word, you cannot just support the movement and give an hand here and there. To be involved you have to be fully involved (that is, full-time...).<BR/><BR/>I think one of the key is to make room for people with responsability to get involved. In other words, to find a way people can be anarchists like other are social-democrats. My only answer to this is organisation.<BR/><BR/>To be fair, we're not yet into a multigenerational organisation right now. But I've witness my comrades grow older and stick around. I'm 32, I have full-time job and I have 2 kids. 4 other members of my local are in the same situation. We've been able to stick to our guns by rethinking what it meant to be active. In the past, like everyone else, we we're an activist group that was high demanding on it's members. But now we've decided we want to be there for the long run and we have a better idea of what our respectives limits are. It's increasingly difficult to organise with other anarchists (because they follow an activist model that lead them to periodic burn-out) but we are still there and still active.<BR/><BR/>Our local have a minimum work plan that is always in function: answer the mail, publish the newspaper regularly, attend local events to agitate, update the blog and staff the radio show. If and when we have the time and energy, we organise actions or campain. And we meet only as necessary (once a month).<BR/><BR/>Our biggest challenge ahead is to find a way to tap on all those older anarchists who are "lost and on their own" in the social movements. Another challenge will be to keep recruiting youths. Finaly, and it's the biggest challenge, we need to develop an infrastructure that enable people to support the organisation and have a real input without becoming full-fledge members.<BR/><BR/>In my opinion, there are a number of keys to be able to become a multigenerational movement. The most important are the issue of stability, the issue of having a level of activity that is sustainable over the long term and finaly the issue of being able to use the time, energy and talent that everyone is able to contribute.Nicolashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15916064435601366244noreply@blogger.com