AMERICAN ANARCHIST MOVEMENT:
VICTORY FOR A BOSTON TENANT:
Anarchism is not just a theory of how people should organize at work, just as it is not the sort of cultism so popular amongst the "post leftists" of the USA. Even in the country where such cultism is most popular the majority (and a growing one at that) of anarchists are becoming more and more involved with the everyday struggles of ordinary people. The article below from the NEFAC website reports on one such struggle, that of a Boston tenant against her "new" landlord. Anarchism is a philosophy of life that extends far beyond the workplace, just as the effects of class society do as well. The struggle of tenants against landlords has a long and illustrious history in the anarchist tradition. Here is another contribution to that history. This story also resonates with the hardship that has been imposed on ordinary American people by the recent sub-prime loan fiasco. One might quibble endlessly about the "best" system for the provision of this or that good under an anarchist society, but there is little doubt that any "anarchist" worthy of the name would agree that 1)decent housing is a basic human right and 2)the right of usufruct should take precedence over formal "ownership" rights.
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Another Successful Eviction Blockade for Boston's Working Class Housing Movement!
On the July 15th eviction blockade led by Paula Taylor and the City Life/ Vida Urbana Bank Tenants Union
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Today, Paula Taylor of the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, her family, friends, the City Life/ Vida Urbana (CLVU) Bank Tenants Union, and various community allies successfully resisted an eviction attempt by Countrywide Financial in another win for Boston's working class movement! Paula- with the bank tenant union and community allies by her side- is asking Countrywide to accept rent money instead of kicking her out on the street and keeping the property vacant. Paula was attacked by the foreclosure scandals sweeping the country, and is now offering money to rent what she once owned.
Countrywide called the eviction off after hearing from the police and the constable that there were 30 people in front of Paula's house ready to resist the eviction, including five people chained to the two entrances. Various local groups came out in solidarity and support of Paula and her CLVU Bank Tenant's Union including: Alternatives for Community and Environment (who called off their staff meeting to attend), Community-Labor United, the Boston Anti-Eviction Network, Worker's World Party, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, BAAM*, Bikes Not Bombs!*, NEFAC* and various individual community allies and militants.
During the three hour wait for the constable to show up, Paula and organizers from City Life/Vida Urbana led the group in various chants and songs including: "We Shall Not Be Moved", "Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Greedy Banks, Have Got To Go!/ Ho, Ho, Hey, Hey, Bank Tenants are here to stay!" and others. The spirits were high, even as Boston Police attempted to order the militants in chains to vacate the premises. With the support of volunteer lawyers, the pigs were held back and left to get their donuts before the rally ended. The contingent stayed militant and resistant as they heard from the constable and then later heard confirmation from Countrywide that the eviction had been called off in the face of resistance!
The rally ended with a commitment by all to stand by Paula, if she received another 48-hour eviction notice, or any other working class tenants threatened with theft of their homes by the greedy and unjust agents of the capitalist banking system. This is the seventh successful eviction blockade of seven by militants, organizers and allies of the working class housing movement in Boston.The next planned eviction blockade may come as soon as next week in Boston's Roslindale neighborhood. For more information or to get involved in future blockades, contact: nefacboston@nefac.net
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