Smack a White Boy Part Two: CrimethInc. Eviction

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Friday, July 31 2009 @ 12:38 AM UTC

Contributed by: Anonymous

There were those that had experienced CrimethInc's oppressive culture and people for years and others who had experienced enough oppression after just a few days. Our goals were to stop CrimethInc, their gentrifying force, and to end the convergence right then and there for all that they had done.

Note:this is a brief summery of the actions that took place, and in no way describes the situation in full

Dread locked white punks, crusties with their scabies friends, and traveling college bros swarmed a space on the dividing line of gentrification in the Bloomfield/Garfield/Friendship area late July 09 in Pittsburgh for the annual CrimethInc convergence. Whereas previous CrimethInc convergences had been located deep in wooded areas, this particular one took place in a poor, black neighborhood that is being pushed to the borders by entering white progressive forces.

There were those that had experienced CrimethInc's oppressive culture and people for years and others who had experienced enough oppression after just a few days. Our goals were to stop CrimethInc, their gentrifying force, and to end the convergence right then and there for all that they had done.
[but then CT pulled a pincher move and brought in their reserves. We had no choice but to retreat...]

Just a few blocks away, eight anarchist/autonomous/*anti*-authoritarian
people of color* gathered to discuss a direct confrontation. We arrived from
different parts of these stolen lands of the Turtle Island. Some came from
the Midwest, some from the Northeast, some born and raised in Pittsburgh.
Altogether we represented 7 different locations, half of us socialized as
female a variety of sizes, skin color, with identities of queers, trans,
gender-queers, gender variants, and womyn. With little time and a desire for
full consensus, we quickly devised a plan. A local apocista offered safer
space housing for unarrestables, parents, and children of color, we planned
to extend that offer to the best of our abilities. We departed toward the
convergence from our local apoc Pittsburgh friends with complete support.

Upon entering the convergence space, we each immediately began to fulfill
our roles. One apocista's role was informing a mother of color and her child
about the action and then offering safer space housing for the duration of
their stay. This same apocista also began informing other POC that were not
already aware of our plan of what was about to take place and inviting them
to join us or to remove themselves from the area if they chose. Some
apocista checked in with allies about our time schedule, also ensuring that
there would be look outs for cops.

The majority of the CrimethInc kids were in the ballroom on the second floor
watching and participating in a cabaret. A group of us began gathering
attendees' packs, bags, shoes, banjos, and such from the other rooms on the
second floor and moving it all down the hallway towards the stairs. We had
gone pretty unnoticed, mostly due to lack of lighting.

Once those rooms had been emptied, it was time for the main event. We
gathered at the ballroom's doorway furthest from the stairs following the
final act of the cabaret.

“On the count of three. One, two, three!” one apocista said.

“Get the fuck out!”, we all shouted.

And the eviction began. One apocer began reading 'An Open Letter to White
Radicals/Progressives', while the others began yelling at the attendees to
gather their things and leave. Irritated by their continued inaction after
about 10 minutes or so, one of the people involved in the action shouted,

“This is not an act! Get your shit, or we'll remove it for you!”

Some white people started grabbing their bags and heading towards the back,
but most stayed and watched as we piled their possessions in the hallway. Of
course, many of them stayed pulling back bags from our arms, physically
restraining us, attacking us, creating blockades, and trying to engage in
dialogue about what was happening. We were not open to negotiation and
stated such. There is no negotiation for colonization. As we were approached
with physical force one of us responded with,

“Don't try to fight us, we are not pacifists, we will defend ourselves!”

[a couple of hours of moving bags, being forcibly moved, blockaded,
physically and verbally attacked, and yes defending ourselves]

one apocista was pushed down stairs

one was pulled out of the room

one was picked up and taken out of the room

a female bodied persyn was almost punched in the face by a white male when 2
others pulled them back

female bodied persyn grabbed by a tall white man while others yelled get her

a mother of color came in to defend us and pull a poc organizer off one of
us

poc organizers forcibly closing door on us, crushing our bodies and heads.

One grabbed a big board that was used to push us out the door.

After quite a bit of time and effort used by folks to get us out of that
space, we remained standing.

The cops had approached, a call was made to one of us upstairs to inform us
that there was a policeman outside and they were being talked to by a police
liaison and the situation was under control. We looked around to see other
people of color and a medium sized group of mostly cis white males that were
left. While at this point mostly engaging in discussion with other poc and
poc organizers some people convinced the remaining stubborn white people to
leave, after telling the last white persyn there that they were not welcome
in this space, the doors were locked and caucusing began.

After 20 minutes or so, most everyone had expressed their opinion, people
were emotional, tired and the discussion ended. We removed ourselves from
the space. One apocista involved in the eviction conferred with a medic to
try to regain normal breathing due to an asthma attack that had been taking
place over the last 3 hours of the eviction. We all exited, we were greeted
by friends, allies, and others that had helped us by participating in the
action.

We said our goodbyes, and departed towards a locals house to debrief an
discuss the events that had just taken place.

*Why was the Crimethinc. Convergence specifically targeted? *

It had first been proposed by some Pittsburgh apoc that the conference, its
organizers, and its attendees be addressed initially by a boycott. There
were apocers from Pittsburgh who made a call for action and Smack a White
Boy Part Two was proposed and some local Apocers gave 100% support for an
action. This support for an action had much to do with the CrimethInc
organizers' disregard for the role they and CrimethInc attendees could play
in gentrifying the neighborhood in which it was held. In email
correspondence with one apocer that attended the convergence for its entire
duration, the CrimethInc. organizers refused to address that they were
organizing a white event (an event that, despite the attendance of a small
handful of poc, was structured for white people, largely by white people,
and as a white space). The organizers did not obtain the consent of any of
the relevant communities before arranging for a convergence and went so far
as to attempt to buy a building in a poor black neighborhood. By the lead of
the white man specifically, white people are still invading, stealing, and
colonizing. Organizers also implied that simply because they were no longer
buying a space for the convergence, concerns about its impact on surrounding
communities were invalid.

There were also apocers from around the country that had come to the
convergence with no knowledge of the previous conversations that had taken
place, yet were still appalled and disgusted upon entering the space. There
were people from other cities that were on call and ready to come help take
action once people attending the convergence and locals decided what kind of
confrontation was necessary.

Despite concerns, a large mass of white people were brought to a site of
gentrification and contributed to it, setting up a white space along Penn
Avenue. People of color both within that convergence and within the
communities it was situated were alienated. Many people of color attending
the convergence were regularly silenced and disrespected. One wonders also
how all the bros, overt perpetrators of white male power, can call
themselves anarchists. Similarly, those who spearheaded and those who
participated in the inappropriate jokes workshop, self-labeled though they
may be, are no anarchists in our eyes. To the contrary, within the
“movement” these people are some of the most overt perpetrators of
oppression. Setting up “safe space” for racist, sexist, homophobic, and
transphobic jokes is not anarchism, it is the continued violence of
white-led oppression verbally embodied.

To all those who hide your oppressiveness and your privilege behind
“anarchism,” as you can see, your perpetuation of white supremacy and
patriarchy have not gone unnoticed. Throughout the convergence, you
disrespected peoples' gender identities, and lied to and ignored neighbors
of color. And many knew full well that there were at least two perpetrators
of sexual assault present at the convergence (which went against the
convergence's own policy), yet nobody said or did anything.

*Why CrimethInc.?*

CrimethInc has been/is the breeding ground for white anarchists. They
encourage the culture of dropping out of society, which makes the assumption
that the reader/attendee has that privilege and therefore their words speak
only to those that have it.

Refusing to try to create a culture of calling people out on their shit
allows for people in privilege to remain stagnant and thus creating “safe
spaces” for the oppressors.

CrimethInc organizers have on many occasions attempted to try to dominate
and control mass actions.

The furthering of our (oppressed peoples) silencing to create harmony to
just sit back and deal with the oppressive behavior that we face within the
“movement” for any oppression of that beyond class. The attitude that these
oppressions are either irrelevant or not as important

Having no effective or serious anti-oppressive analyses or stance shows us
that combating oppression is not in their interest

*Why the White "Anarchist" Movement?*

All of us who have participated in this action have interacted with white
anarchists for good amounts of time in our organizing and/or lives. Our
relationships with these folks have varied. But let us tell you this, not
one of us has been unaffected by the racism within the movement. Don't think
these are isolated instances. White supremacy plays a role in everything.
The anarchist scene reproduces the same oppressive social relationships we
face throughout society, and furthers the notion that oppression does not
exist within the movement. This silences many. [Note: watch Born In Flames]

We see this blatant oppressive behavior and failure to address privilege and
each individuals role in the furthering of oppression [see bottom
for:internalized fascism].

Most of us have to spend our lives in unsafe spaces, and it is worsened with
white peoples inability to help address oppression.

Euro-centric anarchism that also fetishizes people of colors struggles

Colorblind, Pretending we are all coming from an equal position

Failure to barely even question cultural appropriation.

Continuously fighting for the white issues in oppression. which has divided
the feminist movement, gay rights movement and the anarchist movement in the
US.

Failure to deconstruct white supremacy for what it truly is. meaning it's
not just about nazis.

The white race continues to be a parasitic force through cultural
appropriation, colonisation(they call it gentrification these days). They
brought and continue genocide. Disease, slavery, starvation, capitalism,
patriarchy, Christianity. Each and every white person benefits from white
supremacy and the oppression of people of color. ultimately they will serve
their own good. White anarchists tokenize/fetishize indigenous and other
people of color. We are objectified and become something to be managed and
be organised by whites, or educated by the white man. We are sexualized by
the white queer anarchist movement. From the eco, feminist, unionist,
student, communist, punk anarchists; in the end they show their white
supremacy.

*Things to address*

Apoc- the acronym stands for anarchist/anti-authoritarian/autonomous people
of color. It is the name of different collectives and groups. it is also an
individual identity, and a movement. Anyone who is such can claim the
acronym apoc. ie, you don't have to go to meetings to bash back, you don't
have to have a group to be apoc.

Our autonomy- the different people who participated in the "eviction" came
from all around the country to the CrimethInc convergence for their own
reasons. some were hoping to see some change in the role that white
supremacy plays, some went to "educate" white folks, some went to see
friends, and some for the sole purpose of taking action.

Race traitor- there are rumors afloat that the term "race traitor" was used
towards mixed people and other who weren't participating. this is untrue.
the word was used towards specific individuals and their personal history of
posturing a role in upholding, defending, and ultimately furthering white
supremacy. for instance, by the spreading the idea that it is because we are
not doing enough, that it is our fault that we are oppressed.

Unnarrestability of individuals- this convergence was filled with an
absolute disrespect for the unnarrestability of individuals persyns, even
when it was brought up repeatedly by them. For unarrestable people of color,
this is serious! It has nothing to do with not being anarchist or punk
enough and shouldn't be thought of that way at all. Undocumented people
especially shouldn't have to beg to be protected by the anarchist community
and those they call "friends". Consideration of unnarrestability is the MOST
basic thing white anarchists need to think about to have a mindset conscious
of undocumented people. Keep your fucking community safe. Until then, you
aren't any kind of ally.

For the unarrestables that were “evicted” at this convergence, you spoke
once and your voice was heard round the country, echoed throughout the
community, people spoke in defense of you, and against this action for you.
When we scream for support, we are not heard, and our struggles go
unnoticed, because we are invisible from the get go.

displacement and oppression of white people... I wont even give lip service
this to this point

tactics- This was a direct action, whether anyone likes it or not the
purpose was to end the convergence, and the convergence was ended
effectively and efficiently. Disgruntled attendees speculating on better
tactics or a better messege is fairly useless – the purpose has been
fulfilled

anarchist fox news, honestly, listen to yourself, can you not hear the white
supremacy in your own voice?

*Memorable Quotes*

"While we were bein' kicked out, I was looting the kitchen.” -white attendee

"This is the most racist thing ever"-white convergence attendee”

"you're taking advantage of anarchists because you know they wont call the
cops" -organizer

"we don't know that, answer me a question, how many snitches at snitch camp
this year?"-:apocista

"race doesn't matter" -white attendee

"we're gonna have an orgy against this" -white attendees

"what are you still doing here, we've been doing the same thing before you
came here, while you are here, and will continue after you're gone'' -a
white convergence attendee

"we're all from africa" -white attendee

"you can't smash patriarchy, you can't destroy racism" - opposing poc

"what do you want me to do hate myself because i'm white" while
crying

"look around almost all thats left is cis white guys"

"in response to talk about genocide, rape,colonization, white people
responded with "that wasn't me"

"if you touch the puppets, i'll fight you”

"j, i'm gonna be picking you up now, can somebody please help me pick j
up{while trembling and screaming "i don't want to drop them, people will
think i'm racist" -white persyn

"somebody give me some mace, they need to get the fuck up outta here"
opposing poc in reference to apocista's taking action

"we're closing the door on you, as they precede to crush our bodies between
the door and door frame"

"i live in this neighborhood!" said by a few white people

"its a apoc black block performance about gentrification" after which many
preceded to clap

"me? did i do thesethings, little ian?"

"but i gave you a ride" white attendee

"lets organize a sit in against this!" white attendees congratulating
eachother

"why are you oppressing us?" -said by white folks

"apoc owes me a week of my life and i'm gonna get it back" -organizer
"i have a crush on all of you poc, i like big booties" - read from the crush
jar

"this temporary inconvenience is nothing compared to gentrification and its
permanent displacement" apocista to the crowd

"wait, i worked with you in new orleans!" -white attendee

"the neighbors liked our presence, and they are happy CrimethInc is here"
-organizer

"you're violating consent" -in response to taking action

"this is enough to call the cops" -said by multiple people at multiple times

"we're all anarchists here we're all fighting for the same thing" -white
persyn

*"People of Color refers to folks who self-identify as a person of color,
whether it be yellow, red, brown, black or mixed skinned people. People of
Color can include, but is not limited to African, South American, Central
American, American Indian, Caribbean, Southeastern Asian, Arab,
Mediterranean, Indigenous Turtle Island and Aboriginal descent.”

http://illvox.org/2008/05/an-open-let...-radicals/

http://illvox.org/2008/05/bring-it-to...sradicals/

http://illvox.org/2009/03/smack-a-whi...orts-back/

*We would like to extend the invitation for any apocers that didn't
physically attack us to the apoc conference august 6-8th*

http://illvox.org/ne-apoc-conference-09/
*
"We declare our right on this earth...to be a human being, to be respected
as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society,
on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any
means necessary." -Malcolm X*

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[...] (and Baby, I’m Not an Anarchist)” by Hegemonik (referencing one online war but predating the infamous Pittsburgh altercation between rival anarchist factions) is close to my heart as the founder of the Anarchist People of Color email [...] [read more]
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Smack a White Boy Part Two: CrimethInc. Eviction | 103 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Authored by: veranasi on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 06:28 AM UTC

I've heard mixed accounts about this action. I was not able to attend, so this is an outsiders view.

The issue of where to hold a convergence is complicated. In the past, APOC have criticized white anarchists for holding convergences in rural areas out of reach from poorer folks and people of color. Obviously, holding a convergence in a far off wealthy suburb is logistically difficult.

Someone I talked to in discussion suggested that the exodus of white folks emulates sending in POC cops to deal with the confrontation. I understand that this was a request but, it kind of looks bad.

I think a separation of APOC and APOC chapters needs to be taken into account. An APOC chapter does not represent all APOC. Every APOC is an individual person and so, I don't think any criticism should thrown at APOC as a whole but rather those who participated in this action.

There are those who are frustrated because every time the "movement" gains steam the questions of race and gender come up. The lack of or loss of power is a question that sincerely needs to be discussed. Many across the internet are screaming "nationalism". This doesn't appear to be nationalism but rather a building of frustration over the past couple years. My clearest thought is: do we have underprivileged folks' backs?

While the other Left is mostly irrelevant, this is why they have better retention rates. There is little or no accountability within the anarchist milieu. Theoretically, this was a social rupture at the Crimethinc convergence. As in, fire was set to the racists, etc. In any realm outside of the anarchist milieu, APOC would have been kicked out, the police would have been called and the story would have ended there.

So, is the future going to be full of these social rupture across the milieu or will there be a serious discussion? I have yet to see a serious discussion. The internet is not a good place for this. When the milieu is super concerned about activists who separate themselves from the oppressed a real discussion needs to be had.

1. Oppressed within the milieu don't see a push to fix or alter this relationship.

2. The oppressed outside the milieu much like the dominant culture outside the milieu could give a damn about our internal squabbles. I mean to say, anarchists are irrelevant, again. 10 versions of TCI can come out and offer all sorts of social capital, but so long as people see these internal conflicts no one is really going to give a fuck.

Also, I want to say that I don't hate Crimethinc, I pretty much love them for personal reasons.

Authored by: rechelon on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 06:48 AM UTC

I am ceaselessly surprised at how little I give a shit about this entire brouhaha. But if I could interject a brief bit of pompous high-horsery before the coming InfoshopTM rendition of this shitstorm...

A note on the definition of racism: While it's more than understandable to see folx react violently to those who try to tie "racism" to something as watered down as mere prejudice and then equivocate the unequivocal, the defensive and reactionary attempt to define racism as a single almost-essential, unchanging polar reality is just lame. Even more so is the appeal to a simplified reading of historical, systemic and institutional bias as the foundational distinction to be applied when evaluating white-on-poc framed transgressions versus poc-on-white framed transgressions.

I spent my childhood in the projects and got jumped on a fairly regular basis and generally started out on all social levels as a white punching bag. Completely cut off and insulated from whatever avenues of privilege my whiteness might have gotten me in the rest of American society, the background bullshit I had to deal with in my world felt pretty damn systemic and institutional to me.

Struggling to live as "neither (1) ruler nor (2) ruled" has always been the integral element of Anarchism. My point is that once you start to believe -- by virtue of some analysis or another -- that you're so low on the totem pole, so inherently righteous in your upward blows, as to be entirely immune to (1) and thus needn't check your relations for it... shit is going to end badly. No matter how fucking atrociously oppressed you may be you're still capable of acting in an ultimately oppressive manner. No possible conditions in the universe can free you from the obligation of ethical introspection.

/personal tic

There are massive issues with white privilege and just ridiculously fucked up shit in this movement. And they need to be fucking addressed. I've seen and heard some shit that definitely warranted baseball bats. But it'd be absolutely wonderful if we could all address the rest in an open, honest, self-searching, inquisitive and intellectually vigilant manner. Maybe along the way we could navigate some of the tricky issues of consent, representation and autonomy that played out in Pittsburgh. Barring that -- and who the fuck are we kidding? -- can we at least try for a little self-awareness in just what the fuck we're saying and its implications?

(Hey, remember back when empathy was the foundation of our conception of liberty?)

Also, seriously, stop addressing "APOC" as though its some homogeneous entity. And while calling nationalist and separatist shit out is great and all --and obviously we all know that BANA takes fuel from this shit-- if the white kids could stop it with the incredibly obnoxious and infuriating "if mean ol' POCs dare hurt our feelings then they've only themselves to blame when we become neonazis" it'd make me want to kill humanity just a little less.

Authored by: HPWombat on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 07:51 AM UTC

I found this sequel to be as hyped as the previous and it ends like a promotion for sponsored events. I've read the anarchist news dot org and the livejournal discussion on this event and some thoughtful things were said as well as a clearer picture of what actually happened was given by several commenters. I'm hoping that some of the evictors will add some thoughts as to why they participated in the eviction. I also hope they can see how confused this action was performed. The organizers had attempted to accommodate most concerns relating to their convergence that were brought up to them. They also went out and talked with people in the neighborhood about their convergence to see if there were any concerns they might have with holding their convergence. I'm not a fan of these convergences, but I also don't think this action by some Philly APOC was thought out enough to merit the hyperbolic denouncing this reportback gave the convergence.

---
embrace the dork side

Authored by: communitycntrl on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 08:50 AM UTC

so wait, 8 people from 7 different locations confronted CrimethInc about gentrifying Pittsburgh???
hahahaha.
that means at most there were only 2 people actually *from* Pittsburgh, and who knows if they were from the neighborhood being defended.
hahahaha. jesus christ.
this is the dumbest thing i've ever read.
fuck anarchism, i'm out.

Authored by: concreteandsteel on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 04:59 PM UTC

good. so long.

Authored by: AntiOedipus on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 07:02 PM UTC

I hear you. Most anarchists suck hard.

Authored by: Necrotic State on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 08:57 AM UTC

The writing is a little disjointed, especially at the beginning and at the end. However, if folks skip that and jump to the middle or so, they will find a pretty decent listing of points that the white anarchist movement needs to deal with. It's sad to say that after all these years this remains a problem. I'm sure these questions were similarly un-dealt with before I got involved in the anarchist movement, but I can say with a good amount of disappointment that I have seen demands like this come up and get dismissed by white anarchos several times since I got involved in the movement, ten years ago. If I'm frustrated by this continuing failure by white folks to "get it", I can imagine that apocistas must be infinitely more so. In particular I can remember specifically getting into the question of CrimethInc in "Against the Corpse Machine" in 2002, recently and quite coincidentally reposted here a week or so ago. So it's been a while and although I've seen some growth from them on race since then, I haven't seen anywhere near enough. Anyhow, I hope this recent action does provoke some thought and, most importantly, changes in the way that white anarchists think about struggle, themselves and others. I have my doubts though. It just so happens that I was revisiting some earlier Phoenix Insurgent work on this very issue that addresses the same question. I have added an introduction to it that brings it up to date. I think if white anarchos gave it a read, although it addresses a different but similar situation a few years ago (or perhaps BECAUSE of that), they might get some insight into the issue. Regardless, I would advise white anarchos to think hard about these questions. It's beyond high time that they were addressed. No One Whines Like a White Kid -- Revisited

Authored by: Juniper11 on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 10:26 AM UTC

As someone who lives in Pittsburgh a couple things:

This article is a gross distortion of what occured

No one from Pittsburgh participated in this action

Local anarchists of color had discussions prior to the event about the possibility of intervening in the event. There was no consensus locally, with as many folks strongly opposed as for.

The only person of color who was at the convergence and participated later said she was tricked into participating by a gross misrepresentation about why it was happening and who had called for it.

Much of the actual physical contact during the eviction was between people of color attending the convergence and the philly apoc crew who accused those opposed of being "race traitors"

Participants in the action shouted things like "get the fuck back to Europe" "I'm sick of seeing your white faces everywhere"

Participants destroyed some peoples stuff and seperated people from personal belongings including medication

Participants misrepresented the action during it as being on "behalf of Pittsburgh APOC." This served to give it an air of legitimacy. There is no Pittsburgh APOC organization.

Participants claimed this convergence was in a black neighborhoods which its not. They claimed "Pittsburgh puts ALL it's infoshops in black and brown neighborhoods" which we don't. The only infoshop here, the bigidea bookstore, is in Little Italy. These same folks yelled at a long time Italian pizza shop to "get out. stop gentrifying the neighborhood." Besides having large support locally this shop is the ONLY pizza shop that would deliver in Garfield while other places claim the area is "too dangerous."

This action was incredibly triggering for those who've suffered physical and verbal assault in the past. It's never okay to trap people for a physical confrontation and abuse, some folks are not able to deal with that because of past experiences.

Authored by: Juniper11 on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 03:25 PM UTC

So I wasn't misunderstood let me be clear in that there were a number of people of color at the convergence, and this was a greater number than those who came from philly to evict them. some of them got into physical stuff with the evictors. the one person of color comment was specifically that only one person of color attending the convergence joined the evictors and she made clear later that it was under entirely fabricated circumstances. they told her and her baby to leave the space and then brought her into the action with claims pittsburgh apoc had called for help in putting on an intervention.

Authored by: HPWombat on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 11:24 AM UTC

I was asking about race traitors and how one betrays the white race on another thread before it got locked. Can you give some detail on solutions/practices Phoenix does to understand or "get it"? I seem to see a lot of attempts by others to tell people how to "get it", but there never is any detail and usually there are references to books/websites that only describe racial problems and offer no solutions. How can a white person find themselves not at odds with people of color over race relations? How can a white person dismantle privilege? Perhaps there is a possibility of having a discussion here on solutions white people can make?

---
embrace the dork side

Authored by: punk on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 10:16 AM UTC

I dont think the people running COINTELPRO could have been as smart as these so called "APOC" nuts. This is why people laugh at you and this movement will never get anywhere in this country. Like one of the previous posters said, if this is how anarchism presents itself in this country, its time to move on to something more rational.

Authored by: frank nowarcyck on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 11:03 AM UTC

granted this is an assumption, but i'm willing to bet this entire group was not first nation folks. in which case it seems awful funny to speak of cultural appropriation and then refer to north america as 'turtle island'

Authored by: exworker on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 11:08 AM UTC

I'm not even sure why this "eviction" is deserving of any attention or discussion at all? I attended the convergence and I can't even begin to fathom what these people were thinking.

To be clear--this has nothing to do with racism. These people were infiltrators and attackers and should have been seen as such. The local organizers should have had a plan in place to deal with infighting and confrontations like this. There were 8 people agitating and literally hundreds in attendance. I understand the complexity of the situation, given these were people we had interacted with all week and I can appreciate the confusion that was going down, but c'mon--at a certain point when people are throwing your shit out and pushing you around it needs to set in that the situation needs to be dealt with.

The fact that this couldn't be resolved* and essentially ended the convergence early demonstrates our collective failure to effectively organize as anarchists--and proves to everyone else that our models in fact, don't work.

The fact that these folks were even able to craft a pseudo-communique about this shows how utterly sad the situation is. They had no interest in dialogue--they admit that their sole purpose was to disrupt and end the convergence. What else needs to be talked about? At that point, ALL of their supposed concerns and "points" are moot.

This was a really sad event. Again, if those who created this disruption have no interest in positive dialogue towards a solution to whatever problem they had with this, what could possibly be left to discuss?

*it's also important to point out that resolution doesn't always mean coming to happy conclusions via polite dialogue with the other party...sometimes it means defending yourself. in this case, it should have meant removing said individuals from the premises until they were ready to discuss the problems....

Authored by: alta fuoco on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 11:13 AM UTC

An introduction to sentimental intelligence

I'm in Berlin right now. I missed the crimethinc gathering this year. I missed it many times in previous years. However, crimethinc as a project has been very dear to my heart since the late '90s. Perhaps many younger folks can't remember a time in the US where anarcho-punk had seductive qualities; where it located mostly white folks from different class back grounds and gave them meeting spaces in sweaty basement shows and at small record stores. It was an important space for an incredibly fractured and damaged quality of life in the US. Crimethinc had an integral part in congealing the practices of DIY and radicalism, elaborating the practices of squatters in the Lower East Side, and anarchist and autonomous movements throughout Europe and Latin America, and making this intelligible and material for comrades here.

Today I find myself in other projects. There is no longer the intimacy of the basement show, nor do I find an immediate intimacy with other poor whites based on our shared conditions or subculturual practices. The comrades I feel most close to also feel crimethinc close to their hearts, and also feel alienated and even antagonistic to crimethinc. Maybe its personal problems, maybe its political—its difficult for me to say.

In my somewhat long, so-called political education and trajectory I've had the fortune to meet comrades and share discourses that momentarily generate spaces to “forget” about how we are constructed with particular roles and identities. We always return to them, sooner or later, because this shit society still functions, but these spaces mean quite a bit to me—in a riot, or in an intense theoretical discussion, or in shared erotic spaces. In '04 My neighbor told me of his involvement in the Brown Berets and gave me the tour of what was called “Molotov Cocktail Alley.” He does this with nostalgia, and regret for a dead time. That same year my friend who I go to hipster parties with and I share our feelings of difference over far too much wine and cigarettes; what does it mean to be poor and black in the DIY scene? That we both have nothing to go back to, that we both move strange commodities around for wages, that he might be shot in my neighborhood, and I may be politely asked if I am a terrorist by the FBI.

Race, violence, power:
1. There are no white people, there is a whitened subjectivity
2. There are no black subjects there is a black body—a body is excluded from the polis
a. The black body is historically constructed as a slave. Without slavery—a relation of libidinal economy of death—there is no blackness, african-american.
I spent far too much time pouring over old journals of Race Traitor, talking with comrades in American Indian Movement, talking with my friends who do anti-oppression trainings, making burritos and coffee for comrades who do day labor. Talking about violence and race and violence and race...

I can't say I'm not slightly pleased that this APOC clique made an attack which revealed tensions and social conflict. They specifically pinpointed a vulnerable subcultural event connected to their political position, and brought discourses to the surface. The strange thing is, if this crew wanted to attack whiteness, I don't feel attacked on this side of the internet. The other strange thing is, if I were there with my comrades and I felt attacked, we would most likely fight them. Not because we care about people's property per se, or because we love subcultural events, but because “my enemy's enemy is not my friend.”

Racialized power is probably the linchpin in the US. It is most likely the key to opening all the doors of social struggle in the US. On the other hand, there is no coherent white, no coherent black, no coherent latino—much less a coherent “people of color.” This is an important ethico-postion that my comrades and I occupy, and we will fight you over it. We can no longer rely on identities (subjectivities) for community. If we could, all the problems that anarchism in the US has would already be subsumed to an ideological unity of the big tent of anarchism—it clearly isn't. Is it worth even mentioning the illusion of Obama? Who fell for that? Did the the kids getting Hyphy in Oakland fall for it?

Yes, lets make total fucking destroy on everything—especially what we like. War? Yes, but without recourse and without justice. There is only one logical position on identity politics: exodus.

I call “global civil war” the generalized hostilities which function as the normal course of conflict in our society, the conflict that takes place in all hierarchies. Social war, is the war which suspends global civil war—the war which practically dissolves the fiction of society. It has two sides and each has a fighting potentility. In moments (literally: now-time) when whitened subjects and black bodies rupture with their functional conflict, with their passivity, and with their governability, there is social war. When bodies become forms-of-life which make bodies no longer about an “individual” but about living-territorial power, there is social war.

As a comrade, lopez, said in another post on “why she doesn't give a fuck about your insurrection,” we take these smaller ethical positions extremely fucking seriously. We want out, we want out of capitalist time and out of its possibilities of being (of being white, being black, being queer, being poor). We see social war in its resonances across the world. How does occupying a subcultural gathering, spreading guilt, and then having a meeting about it resonate with my non-white comrades? What does this APOC clique become in these shared moments? What will it do when it receives recognition for its subjectivity? How does this APOC action multiply moments of social war and not merely the functional conflict of normalcy?

Authored by: blackhand on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 12:02 PM UTC

ironically perhaps, this is one of the few readable and coherent responses i've seen anywhere.

Authored by: anony mouse on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 01:30 PM UTC

Word up. Alta fuoco's comments are I think among the most thoughtful that I've seen on this event (I would also give a shout out to Rechelon, above). But on the question of subjectivities, one cannot simply will an escape from capitalist (and racialized) subjectivities, nor is their rejection simply a question of elecitation of Other desires through the event. Difference and repetition - we are haunted by our past becomings even as we seek out new possibilities. Which is all the more reason to take this shit seriously. Yes race is a construct, one that must be demolished. But to do so means a serious reckoning with our racialized desires, which unfortunately for far too many of my white comrades are attached to privilege, oppression and occupation. There is no "trick" to turning off five hundred years of genocide, to removing oneself from its perpetration, despite having the best intentions (or the lack thereof). In answer to the question above about how to dismantle privilege, it has to be central to our praxis. It has to be prioritized in our analysis, in our practices. Especially if we want to consider ourselves "revolutionary" in North America.

Especially living in a settler society. So, all of that said, I think that while the critiques of representation concerning the APOC affinity group that launched this action may be valid, there is every reason to heed both the critique and anger that is voiced in this reportback and was embodied in the action. No, nobody is above critique or the need for ethical introspection. But I find it quite telling how quick many white people have been to immediately turn this around and react against this action rather than engage in such ethical introspection through the more mundane practices of our millieu. Especially, I should add, those who were NOT there and dealing with the violence, confusion and vulnerability that resulted.

Authored by: engine summer on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 01:11 PM UTC

thanks. once again i think you've hit the nail on the head...

there seems to be this big trend right now towards reproducing the, as you put it, "the functional conflict of normalcy". check it out everyone, the prole anarchists hate the middle class anarchists, the anarcho liberals and anarchafems hate the insurrectionaries (who hate windows), and of course, apoc hates white anarchists!

yes, these are important real divisions and i appreciate attention being brought to them. but mostly i find myself wanting to say that more and more it all just feels really sad to me, at least in the way people are going about it - not because no one is deserving of these critiques or because we're 'doing the enemy's work' by knifing each other in the back - but because all anarchist activity is still irrelevant to 99% of the population and the only goddamn thing some of us can think to do is how to tear away these little bits of subcultural capital from other groups - along the oldest, deepest fault lines we can find. sad because it seems some of us feel so enraged and powerless before the massive structures that we confront that the only ones we can think to make pay for it are the other malcontent misfits sitting next to us, since they're so much easier to pick on. again i'm not saying they arent worth picking on, but is it really the best use of energy? if shit like this is the only way to start opening eyes thats sad too. i want to add though, that the justifications often seem to rest on some weird essentializations.

in this case, for instance, since when do all white people who live or hang out near brown people automatically cause gentrification? gentrification has to do with the cost of housing and market forces far beyond the reach of all but very wealthy individuals. yes, white hipsters and activists are some of the most annoying people on the planet, sure, but i don't think it's because where they choose to live - isn't blaming them for gentrification a bit like saying that global warming is the fault of people who don't buy fluorescent light bulbs? and what is the alternative anyway, geographic racial segregation? how exactly does this differ from national anarchists' perspective again?

finally, on a personal note if people really said "go back to europe" (and i have heard such sentiments expressed by 'radical' poc) that's absolutely disgusting. yes, i'm "white" although a hundred years ago i wouldn't have been, because i'm irish, polish, jewish, and hungarian; my family on both sides was driven across an ocean by genocide, proletarianization, colonization, political purges, war and famine - imperialism of every sort. i don't have a europe to go back to. the author of this piece thinks this isn't worth even "lip service". maybe it's just "ancient history"? yet it appears to be a blind spot regarding the processes of immiseration that have led to our presently racialized reality as such. obviously, at birth i was assigned a stake in the continuation of the white race. embracing anarchism, i have a share in destroying it. this is not an easy process considering whiteness was hundreds of years in the making, and considering i benefit from it daily, just like capitalism, speciesism, patriarchy and everything else that structures this fucked up world i manage to exist in.

i do think this deserves appreciation for dragging some things into the open; it speaks volumes about legitimate frustration, but very little about effectively dealing with them. for instance i can't believe bay area anarchists are sitting by while BANA spreads their crap. shame on them too.

sad, sad, sad.

Authored by: AntiOedipus on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 07:11 PM UTC

Thank you: Far more articulate than my rage and frustration could allow me to be.

Authored by: aznpantha on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 12:31 PM UTC

wtf, "apoc"erz...

just organize your own shizz...

or demand the whities to throw a party for the neighborhood.

them tighty whities are decadent folk, they know how to paaaaaartey,mad joints and blow 4 da masses. word mathaFuHK.

Authored by: Al Ligator on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 01:05 PM UTC

Yeah, white people need to stop trying to be radical and go back to climbing the corporate ladder.
That will solve all our problems.

Idiots

Authored by: Admin on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 01:34 PM UTC

I rejected this piece several times, so nobody should blame me for posting it here. But there are folks, including at least one editor here at Infoshop News, who think folks should be able to read this account.

I think that these actions against the Crimethinc conference are completely idiotic. Really, so stupid that there really isn't anything to discuss. It's really dumb to think that what amounts to an activist conference is somehow "gentrifying" a neighborhood. This thinking shows that a few folks don't understand anything about the process of gentrification or who the real gentrifiers are in urban neighborhoods (e.g. capitalists). A conference--of any kind--does not cause gentrification.

To me, this really smells like some ill-advised political attack on Crimethinc for reasons aside from real community issues.

This is a real embarrassment to the APOC movement.

Chuck0

Authored by: mrsituationist on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 01:57 PM UTC

I don't know what's more embarrassing... that this 8 person Philly APOC guilt-trip was actually staged or that 100+ "anarchists" obliged themselves to be guilt tripped out of a space. APOC and the Crimethinc are two sides of the same identity politics coin. Crimethinc gets the "allies" it deserves and APOC gets the fights it picks and can predictably reap the white-guilt it sows.

Authored by: JBizzle on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 02:27 PM UTC

it'll be interesting to see in the next few months/years which of this "apocistas" are FBI agents.

seriously, what a load of shit.

Authored by: Class Action on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 02:51 PM UTC

Accusing APOC of being Feds is unacceptable. Criticism is good, badjacketing is fucked up.

Authored by: punk on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 03:11 PM UTC

i would hope some are, because at this point whether they are or arent is irrelevant because their goal of stupidity aggression and division is identical to the goal of the government. If they are not then there is little hope for any kind of actual broad workers movement.

Authored by: blackout on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 03:38 PM UTC

For the record I think that this "action" was totally fucked. I had an open mind but the more I learned about it the more I believe that. What is interesting is that it seems like somewhat of a role reversal. I was at a benefit house show for political prisoners organized by APOC NYC that was disrupted by Crimethinc last winter. Apparently some out of town Crimethinc folks without any prior warning attempted to evict one of the hosts of the show (someone who lived at the show space) because he was essentially accused of being a jerk in the context of a past romantic relationship. Of course also sorts of seemingly uncalled for alarmist language was used as an excuse for why this was important but in the end all that was made clear is that identity politics is a perfect way to divide those of us who should be united in our attack on those motherfuckers that hold real power. That is not to say male, white, gender, and class privilege should not be address, but it is suicide to start expelling people before attempts are made for dialogue and understanding.

Authored by: Dr0123 on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 04:10 PM UTC

This is one of the worst actions I've ever heard of. The fact is we are all different, if we forget our privileges it should be pointed out and discussed but this sort of infighting is disgusting. We can't be expected have the same life experiences and therefor the same understandings as every person in the world. The best we can do is share our experiences in an attempt to better our own understandings. For sure white people should be reminded of their privilege but that does not make white people the enemy.

This action is anything other than anti-authoritarian and after reading various account sounds like it verges on some form of nationalism, separatism or even fascism. The CrimethInc folk should have kicked them out. Why did they take that shit? The feminist take over of the AMC in the UK was equally as poignant and way more productive.
http://www.ainfos.ca/en/ainfos22812.html

Authored by: engine summer on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 04:10 PM UTC

uhoh, looks like the fnb conference is getting rolled on next!!

http://anarchistnews.org/?q=node/8785

i almost wish i could just take back what i said already and just say that i seriously hope every activism and/or identity politics oriented branch of the "anarchist" scene just destroy each other permanently.

some people wanna live communism and spread anarchy; other people just wanna play king of our lame little hill...

Authored by: Admin on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 04:22 PM UTC

All of this infighting is stupid, ridiculous and depressing.

After decades of being exposed to this shit, I've concluded that anarchists and other radicals need to spend more time around non-political people. Being around people who don't give a shit about these internecine squabbles might help us work together more. Or at least cut each other more slack.

For example, there is this big spectacle right now in the media and American politics about the Henry Louis Gates arrest and the subsequent White House "beer summit." Many Americans think that Obama and Gates are racists. If we can't get those people to overcome and transcend that kind of stupid racism, then aren't doing some obscure navel-gazing about these issues within our movement? I think that these issues should be discussed, but this action in Pittsburgh was just foolish.

Chuck

Authored by: strangers on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 05:35 PM UTC

Hear Hear. Folks need to get out of their bubbles a hell of a lot more.

Chuck, I had been wondering why this wasn't up on Infoshop. I'm glad you finally decided to post it. People do need to hear about this. Even if it's about the most depressing thing I've heard all week.

Authored by: veranasi on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 06:52 PM UTC

Honestly, i have been having fantasies of this exact style of eviction happening in the halls of congress all day. call it bad politics or whatever. more disruption! more disruption!

Authored by: aznpantha on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 01:42 PM UTC

god dayam, that is some refreshing shit to hear

Yes, please please please disrupt Congress shit. FUK, Congress sessions on C-SPAN make me want to sleep.

WHILE YOUR ARE AT IT PLEASE LET OBAMA KNOW I SHAT IN HIS GREY POUPON. LOL JK (?)

Authored by: blackout on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 06:55 PM UTC

Brings to mind the New Black Panther Party - uncompromisingly nuts and full of rage.

Authored by: crudo on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 05:49 PM UTC

Grab a hot towel and a chicken burrito, it's a battle royale!

The first thing that pops into my mind when I read this is how problematic the critique that is being leveled against crimethinc is. I have my own problems with crimethinc, I think essays like "Dropping Out" published in Rolling Thunder, and about the revolutionary potential of subcultures was pretty stupid. However, crimethinc does attract a lot of people that aren't middle class white kids. When me and my friends (largely all working class white and latin@ kids) were getting into anarchism, we were into Noam Chomsky and Crimethinc. That was our shit. Everyone wanted to squat, dumpsterdive, hop trains and all that. And we did. And it was awesome for a while, and then we all had to get jobs and yeah...But still, I don't think you can say that anyone who is 'into' crimethinc is X.

I don't think that this "eviction" will produce anything tangible in regards to POC on the streets of Pittsburg having more power or control, or having one a battle against gentrification - if anything they'll be even more confused about anarchists and what the fuck they are about.

On the other hand, I think if people in APOC who carried out this eviction were interested in creating debate about whiteness within anarchism, then I think that they went about it in a way that will have people probably just reverting back to generalizations and knee jerk reactions.

---
where the proles where the proles where the proles at?

Authored by: Admin on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 06:42 PM UTC

I'll buy everybody in the movement a burrito when everybody finally understands that collective projects like Crimethinc reflect many different views of those in the project, so that criticizing Crimethinc in total is really pointless. The same goes for anarchist magazines or anarchist groups. People should criticize specifics. Several years ago, the Fifth Estate published a stupid feature story about UFOs. You don't respond to that by dismissing the entire publication, rather you criticize the specific article and the decisions that led to it publication.

Many people have criticized Crimethinc for glorifying drop out culture. This is a reasonable criticism, but dismissing the entire project because you dislike this one thing is sloppy critical thinking. Then there is the fact that many people can make a good case for promoting dropout culture. I think that dropout culture can be a liberating thing for young people, but I don't know of many people past the age of 30 who are interested in that kind of lifestyle.

Chuck

Authored by: AntiOedipus on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 07:01 PM UTC

As a resident of Pittsburgh (hell, a resident of Bloomfield/Garfield) who was volunteering time at the Convergence space and staying on site due to the fact of being too poor to afford an apartment where I used to live, I find it hard to put the obnoxiousness of this action into words. Who the fuck do you think you are? If it wasn't so stupid and insulting, I would almost find it quixotic: A bunch of out-of-city "radicals" with the money and privilege to travel into the city storming into my backyard trying to evict me. Vanguard pieces of shit are lucky I didn't have any of my gear in that room, or heads would have been cracked. Sometimes, you need to call an asshole an asshole, and frankly, yinz reek of it.

The sheer opportunism (and arguably, cowardice) of this struck me immediately: When my first question "Were these local folks?" was answered in the negative, I could barely see straight. Right down the street exists the Bloomfield Garfield Corporation, a site of gentrification that will continue to sap life out of the community and make it a less affordable place to live long after Crimethincers vacate. Or Garfield Artworks, or the various other galleries that populate the streets of Garfield with "privileged white folks" (ones with money, to boot!) every weekend, or every night. Meanwhile, in my time away from Pittsburgh, I return to my neighborhood to find housing prices steadily on the rise, more heavily policed, and can't even afford to continue to live where I have for years. You can thank the Children's Hospital for that, but I didn't see any of yinz evicting doctors, either.

Gentrification is not simply about racial politics, unless, of course, that's all your ideological lens allows you to see. It's first and foremost a class issue, one in which race is wielded as a weapon, and some motherfuckers who can afford to come into my town from Philly, regardless of identity, can kiss my yinzer ass. And to mock statements like:

"i live in this neighborhood!" said by a few white people

... make me want to invite you back. You can afford it, right?

Not that the reaction the next day at the convergence was any better: Having gone back to attend a meeting about the previous night's incidents with the intention of arguing strongly in favor of plans continuing, I was bombarded by defensive hippies moaning as if smarted by white guilt, and effectively told that anyone who wasn't present for the conflict was not worth hearing from. What the fuck ever: A handful of kids from out of town coming into the city to fuck with a whole bunch of other kids from out of town, all leaving, and gentrification and other such things go about their business.

And the world could care less....

Authored by: vov35 on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 08:13 PM UTC

wow I just lost faith in infoshop.

most racism is a thing of the past, we're all anarchists, we're trying to reshape society, yes there are plenty of non-white people in poorer living conditions and such. this is a direct result of the same damn society crimethinc as well as infoshop seek to replace. the majority of the population is white, so it seems right that it is the majority of crimethinc... nothing racist about the statistics.
Not to mention that white anarchists are probably the least racist white people there are...

Authored by: veranasi on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 01:00 AM UTC

"most racism is a thing of the past"

it's experiences time:

I come from a "white trash" background. white trash is what white supremacists call those white people who are unacceptable, usually those from poorer background or involved in interracial relationships/families.

My parents divorced when i was young. my mother married a native and my dad married someone who ended up being in the KKK. Needless to say dad wasn't married to her for long.

My mother and the native divorced and my mother married a black man in 1994. The native attempted to join the KKK but was rejected.

Because my parents split i've had the opportunity to live in both rural Pennsylvania and the deep south for most of my life. There are people who still refuse to talk to me in PA because I dated a black girl in high school.

Living in Opelika, Alabama, with an interracial family, I've had doors closed on me because my little sister is black. In 1999 my mother was denied a job at a local college because of her living situation and her daughter. I suggested we call the ACLU. The rest of the family said no, because they didn't want burning crosses in the yard. My family ended up living in projects strewn across the region. Did I mention my mother had to sell drugs to make ends meet?

In 2005 the KKK dropped leaflets in my yard. In 2006 I went to an ARA action in Gettysburg, PA (the part of PA I have spent most of my time in) only to find the number of pro-rally attendees outnumbered the Nazi's and ARA combined. They were my co-workers, people I went to high school with and my neighbors. Literally, my neighbors. I live on a mountain. The next house down is a Klan family. The house on the other side of the mountain is a Klan family. The people I work with exchange Obama themed racist phone messages with depictions of Obama as Buckwheat from Our Gang.

So, um, no, fuck you, racism is not a thing of a past. You've never been threatened by the Klan.

Thurmont and Taneytown, Maryland are known strongholds for white supremacists in Maryland. Thurmont for the Mississippi Knights of the KKK and Taneytown for the Pagans, a white supremacist biker gang. Out in Sharpsburg there is NSM chapter. In Frederick, there exists a group called the South End Coalition whose sole goal is to clean up the south end of the city. The South End is the poor neighborhood. It's open gentrification. A few years ago the police killed a little Latino kid with a water pistol. A couple years ago, they tased a black man to death. They've never accidentally killed a white person. Casa de Maryland is strongest here because ICE keeps their victims in the local jail. Frederick County actually has English-only towns. Racism is certainly not a thing of the past.

I am probably one of "APOC's" harshest critics. It's almost always about clarity of messaging and I disagree on organizational structure, etc. The APOC project is something I most definitely want to see succeed. While perhaps white supremacy may have a post-marxist label in the area you live, white supremacy is an open movement in these parts. "Most racism" is not a thing of the past.

Authored by: Dr0123 on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:28 AM UTC

This is the sort of shit we should be organizing against. APOC's accusations against CrimethInc. down compare to this sort of shit.

Authored by: veranasi on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 06:04 AM UTC

this shit exists everywhere. it's not localized in just Opelika, AL/ Gettysburg, PA/Frederick, MD. to find it means to actually go where non-activisty people are. it means getting a job to see how regular people interact. it means not separating yourself from the oppressed. the state and white power is incredibly convincing. one of the Klan families here is of Irish descent. They used to meet in an Irish Restaurant. A fucking Irish restaurant!

Crimethinc is one of the hardest working projects for around, but some folks just see traveling around the country dumpstering here and there as a separation. you might even meet some racist scumfucks, travelling. I've never heard a story about a FTRA vs. anarchist battle.

Authored by: veranasi on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 06:17 AM UTC

it's too early to on this thing.

Authored by: exworker on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 08:14 PM UTC

I'm troubled as to why folks here find the need to frame this "action" as anything other than disruptive for the sake of being disruptive....why is there ANY talk about accountability or race going on? The attackers themselves have stated that they have/had absolutely no interest in any sort of dialogue with the convergence organizers or attendees and that this wasn't due to any set of specific circumstances--only that the majority of the people in attendance were white and therefore gentrifying the black community the space resided in.

Accountability towards issues of race, sex and gender are all good discussions to have but they should not be associated with this act of aimless disruption.

Authored by: Admin on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 10:32 PM UTC

Excellent points. These actions are inexcusable. These people were disruptive for misguided reasons. It's interesting how this thread has brought out perspectives from people in Pittsburgh that have shed some insight into these actions. I guess I was wrong about not approving this story sooner.

Chuck0

Authored by: nostalgia on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 09:12 PM UTC

So a bunch of batshit crazy buffoons come from out of town to a neighborhood they've never been to before, tell an anarchist convergence to get out of *their* community, and pretend it was an action against gentrification? I don't even know how much this is worth discussing, it's like having a political debate with some wingnut in People's Park about 2012 and Lizard People.

But seriously, what did this do but further highlight the irrelevance of a handful of anarchists to actual communities of color?

I remember being at the APOC caucus at last year's crimethinc convergence and at least one of the clowns responsible for this action was there whining about some white woman dancing in a grass skirt being cultural appropriation for a half hour. When I suggested that we use the rare opportunity of having so many anarchists of color in one place to discuss work we do in communities of color and ways we can become more relevant to these communities, his response was ":-|..........................". Ya'll are some scared to work in communities of color ass mutha fuckas, so you pretend to struggle against white supremacy by starting some dumb ass scene gossip that no one outside of your circle gives a flying fuck about.

If you really think a bunch of traveler kids rolling around in some dirt for 5 days is responsible for the gentrification in Garfield, you are out of your god damn mind. Wasn't the Bloomfield Garfield Corporation, the group responsible for evicting working class bars on Penn Avenue and working to raise property values in the neighborhood attempting to get the convergence evicted?

Ya'll are really on some astronomically dumb Symbionese Liberation Army, New World Order, Area 51 type bullshit.

10 years from now, I hope to be in the streets defending the commune from the police, while ya'll are going to be sitting in some room with 3 wingnuts working on your new zine and arguing about whether to spell "person" with a "y" or a "7".

Authored by: Admin on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 10:45 PM UTC

Several years ago there was this idiotic discussion on the Washington, DC Indymedia website about some punk club causing gentrification in a Washington, DC neighborhood. There are well-meaning activists and anarchists out there who do good community work and are sincere about fighting gentrification, but they get lazy and attack the symptoms of gentrification instead of the real causes.

I'm intimately familiar with gentrification issues in neighborhoods in Washington, DC and Kansas City, Mo. One thing I've learned is that you may think you know what the neighborhood residents want, but they are often thinking and wanting something completely different. Small businesses and independent projects are often welcome in poor communities and depressed neighborhoods. Several years ago we opened an infoshop here in KCMO. It was initially in a light industrial neighborhood known for its art galleries. Several years we reopened in a poor neighborhood that demographically is mostly African-American. Our project is considered a vital part of the neighborhood by the residents there. Many of our music events may tend towards having lots of white people, but we've had a range of events over the years. Our day-to-day operations have been more important to the community, especially the free internet that Infoshop.org provides to the space.

The neighborhood leaders in this KCMO neighborhood see the infoshop as an empowering and inspirational project. They see it as one tiny bulwark against gentrification. (I don't see gentrification as being an issue in this neighborhood for several more years given the state of the economy).

But going back to the discussion about the punk club in Washington, DC. A venue such as that does not cause gentrification. It's not even much of a symptom, since bigger symptoms are galleries, artists, restaurants and improved middle class housing. But the most important reason why criticizing this punk club was so misguided is because gentrification is CAUSED AND IMPLEMENTED BY CAPITALISTS. Capitalists have the money to transform neighborhoods. Anarchists do not have the money. Hell, we have enough trouble keeping our spaces open.

Chuck0

Authored by: sheep on Friday, July 31 2009 @ 11:21 PM UTC

Well it looks like APOC (not just individuals from APOC) endorses this action as they have this article posted up on their website:

http://illvox.org/2009/07/smack-a-whi...-eviction/

Hey, there is an upside! If APOC continues to do these attacks, they will help train anarchists on how to prepare and deal with getting raided, so by the time the state starts raiding us we should be ready by then!

Authored by: veranasi on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 12:29 AM UTC

I'm not sure if infoshop.org endorses every story it accepts.

Authored by: Admin on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 09:20 AM UTC

Of course not! Infoshop News is a news service, which means we post news and opinion from a variety of sources.

That's how most media organizations operate.

Authored by: aznpantha on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:21 AM UTC

c'mon... "the state" don't give a fuck about us, don't give a fuck about me.

keep believing the bullshit that we are anywhere close to rupture and social revolution.

Authored by: CaseyFord on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 10:02 AM UTC

From illvox.org's "About" page:

However, illvox is not APOC.... illvox emerged in June 2007. It is manifested and maintained by a small collective of people of color.

Authored by: Brennus on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 01:30 AM UTC

So, a bunch of sketchy fucks start taking peoples' shit, and when confronted, complain about those trying to stop them. Right. Y'all best stay the fuck on the east coast. That shit don't fly out here.

To Crimethincers: next time, throw them ALL down the stairs. Then spit on them a couple times.

Authored by: aznpantha on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:16 AM UTC

you forgot the part about calling them gooks, spics, chinks, niggers, etc..

C'mon, have some perspective.

Authored by: greya n on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:25 AM UTC

just wanted to quickly say thanx to apoc for evicting the stupid fucking crimthinc convergence. not much of a point in posting but their seems to be such a dire need of supportive comments. i wasn't there, i don't know the history of that neighborhood, i'm sure that their are valid criticisms of the action and fuck ups and whatnot. but the reaction that i have followed on the internet should be more then enough justification of sabotaging such a racist ass scene that is somehow unaware of its constant assertion of white supremist entitlement. "anarchists" in this thread are being openly racist, denying racism, acting as if there is such a thing as reverse racism, claiming that shutting something down is authoritarian (since when do anarchists think that it is "authoritarian" to fuck up the fucked up?), acting like white hippy victims and sticking up for the klan? and people wonder why their shit got thrown out and poc felt frustrated past the point of politely explaining to people who are never going to get it that what they're doing is not okay? do you really think that none of these people have engaged in dialog with white anarchists about race before? don't you think that it is inherently racist to presume that people of color are responsible for healing white people's racism with a never ending well of patience for a movement/scene that never seems to make any progress regarding it's mirroring of the straight, cis, middle class white male power structure? would you not be mad if a bunch of straight, cis, middle class white males wrote your lived experience of oppression off as "identity politics" and therefore irrelevant? as far as i'm concerned, it is the straight, cis, middle class white male anarchists who are the irrelevant ones! fuck the convergence, fuck your whining! if the respelling of womyn, etc is so insignificant why is there always such defensiveness around it? you sure you're not threatened by the idea of womyn's autonomy? i'm a white working class genderqueer trans womyn. i'll never transcend white privelege or understand poc experience. i don't know how to be an ally or if there is such a thing. and poc don't need me to validate their anger and their action, but i couldn't handle this white kids stick together mentality for a comment longer...

Authored by: aznpantha on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:37 AM UTC

what does "cis" stand for. i've been outta the loop for a while.

Authored by: communitycntrl on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 10:30 AM UTC

it means:
if you don't know the right terminology to signal inclusion into our subcultural activist ghetto then you must be a racist. duh.

Authored by: Fisher on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 06:03 PM UTC

"Cis" is short for "cisgender" which is a term that describes someone who is not trans. Since the poster *is* trans, I presume it's a word that gets used in their life almost continuously and I can hardly see it being a matter of them trying to prove that they are cooler than you for knowing it. In fact, for a trans person to go around explaining themselves 24/7 would be pretty exhausting and demoralizing for them. It's not about making you feel excluded. Just ask what it means like any other word you don't know.

Authored by: communitycntrl on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 10:55 AM UTC

"politely explaining to people who are never going to get it that what they're doing is not okay"

it seems the heart of this matter is something that every anarchist should be thinking hard about: where is the line drawn on what is oppressive and what is not?

this is the question that identity politics blurs.
the older, class-based anarchism would say that oppression is being forced through economic of physical coercion to do things one would otherwise not do, like work, taxes, paying rent, etc....
does oppressive include being a marginal part of gentrification by living in majority non-white neighborhoods as a white person? even though that white person is as powerless as their neighbors to stop land developers and landlords from raising rents, buying properties, getting more police in the 'hood, and renovating and selling properties to yuppies who price out the white and black people who used to live there?

how many degrees of separation away is it acceptable to "hold people accountable"? should anarchists/POCs be beating up people who pay taxes because that money pays for prisons and police and imperialism in nations of non-white people like Iraq? or bus drivers who let a white supremacist get on their bus while on their route? etc...

this is why i am for an anarchist praxis that focuses on fighting the oppression that is happening DIRECTLY in one's own life, not on being a fucking savior for someone else (in this case, the PGH neighborhood that was being "gentrified"). not confronting the oppression that is occurring directly in one's own life, but rather confronting oppression that doesn't directly affect you looks like people with nothing better to do to me, people whose lives are peachy and have the time and energy to worry about saving other people (and in the process making themselves feel good about "challenging oppression"). and even have peachy enough live to drive 6 hours each way to do it!

what's more oppressive:
trying to physically force people out of a conference, or being a tangential link in gentrification of a neighborhood (which is a process that proceeds 99% through the actions of capitalist land developers and landlords, by the way)???
the physical coercion is definitely more oppressive, and it is DIRECTLY oppressive.

Authored by: strongwindsahead on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 01:35 PM UTC

Maybe I misread the action reportback, but the action seemed to be just as much about the fact that the event was another white dominated space set up for white people as it was about the event gentrifying the neighborhood. In that case, it was people taking action about something that directly affected them.

Authored by: JBizzle on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 06:35 PM UTC

but it DIDN'T directly effect them. none of the evictors were from pittsburgh.

Authored by: Wargasm on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:26 AM UTC

This may be one of the dumbest, most obnoxious charades I have ever read about. The reasons given for this action make no fucking sense. “Most of us have to spend our lives in unsafe spaces, and it is worsened with white peoples inability to help address oppression.” Word!!! If the white race is some “parasitic force”; if that is how easily a vast plethora of people can be categorized, why even ask for their help? Why would you accept, or want, a parasites assistance in the first place?

Then we see “the white race” have some “failure to barely even question cultural appropriation.” This is completely meaningless, and ridiculous. It assumes that “cultures,” “races,” or whatever are stagnant and total, which, particularly in this hemisphere, is patently absurd. Clearly, certain social roles are enforced by various social forces, but this is what should be challenged; not attacking anyone who doesn’t fit into perceived roles in the first place.

There may really be no reason to tackle any of these blatant inconsistencies and absurd statements. But the action, in itself, is possibly one of the most foolish things I have ever heard of. And what really sucks is that, years ago, I was really interested in APOC, and like veranasi, I wanted to see some successes. I had hoped that APOC would become a dope social force, a force that could challenge or attack accepted subjectivities, and maybe alter the dialogue in some unique way. However, it is becoming increasingly clear I was wrong.

Lastly, I wouldn’t be writing with such finality in my condemnation if this there wasn’t similar nonsense being repeatedly written. We see on @news from APOC that, “Food Not Bombs is a white supremacist movement.” Then we have this action that, not only reinforces some of the ugliest characteristics of the social system, but actually creates, or attempts to create, the appearance of some kind of fundamental racial split, when that is hardly the case.

And people should beware. Eight wingnuts can be far more detrimental than most people would probably like to admit.

Authored by: aznpantha on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:33 AM UTC

some of these responses are typical obnoxious whitey subtle racism.

i'm not surprised considering how all this race supremacy bullshit is conditioned in all our lives.

ya know what, i don't give a fuck. people aren't perfect. but i will call you out on your shit, feel free to call me out on mine.

When contradictions and complexity turn into what people think are sides versus sides then there is no basis for social revolution.

It becomes race/ethnic/'insert arbitrary distinction here' war. It becomes NIGHTMARE, niggas

Authored by: DarkFighter on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 05:57 AM UTC

If there is something more ugly than fascists it is black people acting like fascists. They should change their name from A.P.O.C. to Fa.P.O.C (Fascist People of Color)

Authored by: HPWombat on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 01:10 PM UTC

Though I continue to agree with most of the posters that this action by some Philly APOC's was inappropriate, I also wanted to take advantage of the conversation to discuss ways white anarchists could work towards challenging white privilege specifically and privilege in general.

From my searching, from A.R.A., M.A.C. R.A.C. B.T.R. A.P.O.C. P.C.W.C. and N.E.F.A.C. there is little presented that exposes a concentrated effort by any of these groups to challenge institutional racism or white privilege other than a few minor activist campaigns, A.R.A., F.n.B. styled food mutual aid, needle sharing programs, Copwatch, Video Showings and so on. There doesn't seem to be a great amount of effort by those that would be "anti-racist" or "race traitors" to go beyond an information campaign and into any sort of attempt to root out the problems of white privilege or institutional racism. While many would point out the ignorance of some white anarchists on these issues, without a viable practice, I find educational campaigns to be elitist and overly hyped beyond what most would like to see from an anarchist attempt to tackle these problems in a practical way. Though anarchists aren't powerful enough by themselves to overcome racism as a minority for radical transformation, it would be more than interesting to discover ways that people are attempting to overcome systemic racism beyond simply announcing our desires to "go to the community" and "challenge the institutions of racial power".

Perhaps instead of digging at some of the Philly APOC'sters for their obvious failure in bringing forward a positive contribution to a discussion, we could open the discussion to more interesting ways anarchists could approach the issue, be they attempting to challenge "white privilege" they have been granted or overcoming the lack of privilege and racism of the system and throughout culture? Anyways, just some thoughts that I hope could bring forward a conversation that might open more doors than close them.

---
embrace the dork side

Authored by: exworker on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 03:37 PM UTC

I'll say it again--Who's talking about white privilege? This seems to be more about being white period, which is of course why there can be no discussion nor any resolution other than ignoring it and stopping this sort of aimless infiltration when it happens.

Writing lengthy paragraphs about our heritage and how "rough we've had it" in response to something this absurd validates this kind of behavior and is counter-productive to any sort of growth in our communities.

What SHOULD be on the table for discussion is how our communities deal with aggressive force in any form--how we protect each other, how we handle the situation in general, etc. And in this case, I would say it was an epic failure. 8 people were able to dominate and set the terms of a situation that was made up of hundreds. Many people didn't feel safe while this 'eviction' was taking place. Let me ask you this--if we aren't going to rely on the police to keep us safe, and we can't rely on each other to have our backs when something like this happens, what do we have?

There are organizational flaws here within the convergence structure as a whole that need to be dealt with and this situation is a good reminder of how far we need to plan when hosting something like this in our towns.

Please, let's stop giving weight to this 'action' by engaging in defensive responses. Let what happened be an example to us all that it's not always the authorities we must learn to deal with--sometimes it's each other.

Authored by: HPWombat on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 03:56 PM UTC

This isn't a defensive response. I was asking these questions on the ARA conference announcement thread before this action was news, but the thread was locked, so I figured we could discuss it on this thread. I would enjoy a conversation on racism and white privilege on an on topic thread, this is on the topic.

I think you bring up interesting points as well that deal with another aspect of this event. I've been to several events where I have acted as "security" to defend the event from the police, fascists or other hostiles. This was not an official capacity, but I had developed a consensus with many people there that felt there could be a threat to the event and thus were "on call" should anything occur. Perhaps one of the benefits of being associated with militants is their willingness to physically defend space until a critical mass can be formed by all participants to prevent an encroachment by outside forces.

---
embrace the dork side

Authored by: exworker on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:10 PM UTC

I guess what I mean is, that while it is a really important discussion to have--I definitely feel that issues, like racism, need to be talked about much more often in our communities, especially at events like these that need to accommodate the needs of a wide variety of people--it's troubling that such an aggressive, totally fucked up action like this would generate any sort of positive discussion other than that of a security and organizational flaw.

Forcing someone to listen to you--or in this case, plain do whatever you want--by physically pushing them out of a space and verbally abusing them is obviously not how a healthy relationship works--it is how abusive relationships work, however, which some of us may be familiar with.

Lets talk about these issues because they're important to us and because we recognize that no matter how hard we try to escape the inequities of capitalism and the horrors it has brought upon each and every one of us, we're going to be fighting these problems for the rest of our lives--revolution or not.

I refuse to be bullied by this type of behavior into what should be a healthy discussion.

Authored by: HPWombat on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:27 PM UTC

I think I understand your feelings exworker and I hope that you would allow me to have the discussion I'd like to have on this thread without feeling that such a discussion was forced or bullied into creation. I'm genuinely interested in ways of confronting white privilege and institutional racism and was already starting my research on this subject before the news broke on this action. It is unfortunate that "smack a white boy 2" was done in the manner it was and hopefully my attempt at discussion can add to a conversation they could've had, but didn't.

---
embrace the dork side

Authored by: exworker on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:40 PM UTC

fair enough, carry on :)

Authored by: esvinge on Tuesday, August 04 2009 @ 01:47 AM UTC

Hey just found out about this whole incident a week later and have various things to say about it but I found your comments on trying to find ways to address white supremacy and privilege to something worth responding too.

I could share my anecdotal story about Crimethinc and the A-Zone back in 2000, but I'd rather save it for a different forum and try to brainstorm some simple ideas for how we can deal with really intense subjects such as this.

Really I'm not sure if this is something that can be addressed by simple dialog or conversation but I must say although I think it sounds fucked up and violent at least this is an interesting way for the convergence to end that makes people think. This was a direct action, and as anarchists seem to rejoice in disrupting people of power's ceremonies and conferences to express a political disagreement then I suppose they should be willing to deal with the same experience when it is thrust upon them by people they disagree with. This isn't to justify their actions or their attacks on private property (truly the most sacred of all forms of property). I just think it is interesting to see this happen, but I really do feel bad for the people who were emotionally hurt or subjected to unwanted trauma.

Now really dealing with white supremacy isn't a simple issue of confronting issues, I think the simplest thing I have heard is what is important for people to do is to become friends and interweave their lives with people who are different from them vs. allowing ourselves to fall into the marginal identities that we so easily become attached to. Actually relating and communicating with others is a real challenge, and to try to deal with and overcome this shit is hard.

Really building actual relationships and solidarity and mutual aid is more difficult than simply protesting or engaging in a activist pressure campaign against a certain issue. For struggle to really succeed it needs to be based out of trust and open communication, and that kind of shit is really hard to do at a convergence when you are surrounded by strangers. I know that I have felt alienated, isolated and just kind of shitty when I have been a minority in the past. This is in no way to say that people who are white and male in this society can actually understand what it must feel like to be a person of color, to be under constant threat of police harassment or murder just because of the color of their skin. It's just that many white anarchists have never even not been in the majority, for anyone who grew up in suburbia and realized it sucked and that there was more to life than consumerism, such as freedom. I think that Crimethinc represented a way out to a life of mediocrity, but did it give them the ability to realize the difference growing up in poverty and surrounded by constant threat of violence by both the police and other people. Fuck no it doesn't. Does it erase all of the hatred, misogyny, racism and the like that underlies the suburban mindset. Nah, it just makes at best someone feel bad about that shit.

Fuck, well I'm glad that this action happened (even if I don't agree with the tactics or their impact), but I do think it brings up some pretty important issues that "we" meaning the entire anarchist mileu need to deal with if we are ever going to expand beyond being a lifestyle/identity choice for punks.

I've been out of the loop of anarcho-commentary for a while, and I doubt that I'll actually get back into it this easy, but I'm glad for all of the dialog and the like, and wombat you should get in touch with me if you are actually serious about talking about this stuff, I just don't dig the internet too much these days.

Authored by: revterry on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 01:39 PM UTC

You mean this isn't some kind of fucked up satire on the trends of inside anarchists politics? I laughed my ass off because i could see the reflection of me and the people iv known with in the anarchist community and hoped they all found it as funny as me. But now that i know its real i just might shoot myself in the foot as pence.

Authored by: concreteandsteel on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 04:04 PM UTC

For what it's worth, and that probably isn't much at this point, here's what i have to contribute:

First, i have to say, i am happy that this action happened. Initially i was concerned about the possibility that it may only incite negative reactionary "dialogue" between these select members of APOC - ironically, as i will explain later, misunderstood to represent "the" (entirety of) APOC - and CrimethInc-ers/Pittsburgh folk. Fortunately, i've seen very little bigotry or dismissal of the eviction since it's been reported; it has given some people a major(ly necessary) privilege-check, and has caused others to post some really insightful posts. In that regard, i would say the action was successful. This isn't the usual shit-shooting/petty infighting, this has provoked (generally) a very honest and open discussion. While their immediate goal was to shut the convergence down, i think the generation of a discourse on the pervasiveness of the "whitened subjectivity" alluded to by alta fuoco - even in our community/collective identity/unified yet undefined gathering of individual beings/[insert whatever description you see fit] - is of great value and importance to them.

Secondly, i do agree with the sentiment that this action could have been more productive. (We could certainly say this about any "(in)action", or our praxis as a whole, but i digress...) I mean this in a two-fold sense: i feel that, rather than using militant passion to disrupt a temporary, potentially gentrifying force - and (allegedly) causing folks to be triggered - an infrastructural entity could have been targeted. Afterwards, a communique could have been written calling out CrimethInc-ers on their self-indulgent inactivity. The reason why we* attack points where capital manifests is because quantitative economics is the only language our oppressor speaks. CrimethInc, by definition as a collective of anarchists, must at least state its claim against prejudice/discrimination/hierarchy in all forms, therefore people should be able to communicate with them in a less confrontational manner. (In any case, i too am glad that these select APOC-ers did decide to, "stop being polite and start being real". We shouldn't have to have all of our conflicts constantly mediated; we should be able to have unabashed speech with each-other.)

*though never myself or anyone i've ever known personally

Incidentally, i find that many of the eviction's recent criticisms have been misguided, as (ironically, remember) their misunderstanding of it has caused them to generalize, and see this as an action by APOC against CrimethInc. This was not an assault on CrimethInc, although that may have been the assumed form, but an assault on passivity and normalcy. CrimethInc was not targeted for its petite-bourgeois drop-out politics, the convergence was targeted because it was seen as a threat (by some) to the community but more importantly because it was signifying complacency in a multitude of ways (when you're an environment largely populated/organized by straight, cis, white males, "inappropriate joke" workshops can not be in any way considered as empowering or reclaiming).

No, this wasn't the best course of action, but it was/is absolutely worth our time to consider the points they were trying to make, and the shit they were trying to call out.

Authored by: Admin on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 06:00 PM UTC

You seriously have your head up your ass.

You ignore the fact that these actions have been roundly condemned by people in several forums. You ignore the fact that these actions are totally fucked up--since when do anarchists go and disrupt a meeting of other anarchists? Then you come at us with some fancy language about "subjectivity" and other nonsense. You applaud the APOC action because Crimethinc supposedly preaches some kind of inaction and privilege, yet your post sounds just like something that would come out of the mouth of some college-educate privileged person.

There is a reason why many of us long-term anarchists tune out these discussions and debates. There may be some good dialogue that can be had about privilege and oppression, but these discussions are always derailed by morons, idiots and by well-meaning people who've turned off their BS detector.

Chuck

Authored by: Bob Newhardt on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 03:47 PM UTC

Wow Chuck0, how is calling people "morons" and "idiots" in *any* way constructive? And if "most of 'us' long-term anarchists tune out these discussion and debates", you sure seem to be responding pretty far into this thread.

My only comment on this matter is that if anarchism isn't about confronting and dethroning white supremacy (and, yes, white privilege is a part of that), then *what* is it about? I mean, we are opposed to the state and capitalism, but if you look at the history of both I don't see how you can separate them. But, based on many of the comments on this thread, apparently not everyone shares this analysis. The fact that we can't have a conversation about these issues without so many people getting defensive and abrasive (including you, APOCistas) tells me that we have a loooong way to go.

Authored by: CaseyFord on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 08:13 PM UTC

The characterization of this action as being against the content of the conference (both how people of color were treated and the workshops that happened there) seems somewhat dishonest to me. Maybe all the workshops were posted beforehand or something, tho that wasn't the impression I was under (not that I was looking for a list like that). But how could all of that stuff be known about in advance? I mean, there was talking of *something* happening (the exact form wasn't known or clear to anyone I've talked to in Pittsburgh) for weeks prior. The action seems to be about two things: gentrification and disliking the culture within Crimethinc.

The first reason would be a very good reason if the organizers had bought the building, which was what they were originally planning to do. But then the organizers changed their plans to (try to) address people's concerns about gentrification. And let's be real, a lot of white people regularly going to a mostly non-white area can absolutely aid gentrification, no matter how anti-gentrification those white people might be. Artists and business hippies (you know, little capitalists who run hippie food joints or whatever) are far more scared of black folks than crusties and artists and business hippies make yuppies feel like they can move to a neighborhood. That said, I personally don't really see a short conference of "undesirables" as doing anything for gentrification. The most I think could be argued was that there were extra police around because of the conference, but that's hard to even gauge because 1) there's a lot of cops around Penn Ave anyway (weed n seed) and 2) there's been a marked increase in cops all over the greater Pittsburgh area cuz the cops are trying to increase revenue. Plus, the Crimethincers were told by some folks from the neighborhood where not to go and as far as I know, they complied.

The second reason is possibly even more complicated. Crimethinc has never interested me on like, any level. But I know that a number of people of color feel like white privilege (and privilege in general) exists unchecked within Crimethinc and its supporters. On the other hand, a lot of people also hate the drop-out culture associated with it. The first part is fucked up and true as far as I can tell from the outside. The second part is part of why I don't like Crimethinc, but it's also not a reason to evict them from a neighborhood. And one of the things about this action that bothers me is the impression I have that it had more to do with dislike of dropout culture and traveler kids than the political shit, tho that impression could totally be off.

Authored by: totalxliberation on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 11:38 AM UTC

It is taking everything in me to not just write a string of profanities about why your post is wrong and you're a total fucking asshole. But instead i'm going to go through this. But first and foremost, how fucking dare you, who the fuck are you, to say shit like this?

rather than using militant passion to disrupt a temporary, potentially gentrifying force - and (allegedly) causing folks to be triggered - an infrastructural entity could have been targeted

Allegedly? Because I have a background in doing counseling, I spent the rest of that night and most of the next day talking to people who were having panic attacks because it was triggering. At least a dozen people were crying hysterically and shaking. Fuck you. When someone says they're feeling something, that's real. They don't need to explain it or validate it to your worthless ass. Which is supposedly the reason that you support this action to begin with, because people felt like they weren't being heard and did what they though would help their concerns be addressed. Even though it's just your meaningless guilt. Fuck off.

I am aware that historically calling tactics into question has been used to discredit peoples experiences. This is not my intent, and I hope it is not read that way. I acknowledge fully that people felt alienated and in a lot of cases oppressed by the behavior of people who attended the convergence, and those experience are absolutely valid. That being said, the tactic used reminded me very much of one that is quite familiar to me, as it is used quite a bit in the Animal, Liberation movement, particularly in Anti-Vivisection campaigns. Screaming in peoples faces is not used to open dialogue. It is used to silence and traumatize. Which is totally fine when you’re dealing with your enemies. I have never heard of a vivisector or employee of a target come out and say “OH! Of course! I didn’t think of it that way! You’re right! I am an awful person! I should enter into a dialogue with you about what we can do to make this right!”. So why was this used on people who in theory we’re trying to build relationships with? And aside from that, what about the experiences of those who have already survived serious abuse? Do those experiences not matter? Just like above, is it alright to traumatize your comrades in "hopes" of making them grow? Because I can assure you with 100% certainty that trauma does not help people grow, in fact it does the exact opposite and shuts down certain developments and fucks you up. You have no right to do that to anyone except our most hated enemies.

I am almost completely sure that this action was planned well in advance of the convergence, and it's totally unacceptable that it was carried out this way. There were literally at least 10 workshops in a 6 day period that were directly involving privilege, race, or gentrification. Does this mean fucked up things weren't said or done at the convergence? Absolutely not. I personally witnessed some of them, and that is certainly something that needs to be addressed. But playing out other abusive power dynamics certainly is not going to help that.

And lastly I want to quickly touch upon "identity politics". When some of us condemn identity politics, we do so not on the basis of saying accountability or gender or race or religion or whatever don't matter, but we are talking about something very specific, the politics of identity. Many of us have been personally victimized by this particular politic. Many of us who are queer, are POC, are womyn, are completely fucking alienated and turned off by our identities and experiences being turned into a political bargaining chip. I am an anarchist, NO ONE SPEAKS FOR ME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. I just want to stress that one more time; NO ONE SPEAKS FOR ME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. And that is the root of why this action was a problem, and why it would've been a problem, even if it hadn't traumatized anyone. Some kids came from out of town (one of whom I know was not at the convergence AT ALL and was specifically asked by other POC to not use their experiences as justification for their actions) to a neighborhood they have no connection to, claimed to represent both the people living there and the people of color attending the convergence (in some cases explicitly against their wishes), and performed an action that really fucked with a lot of people's mental health in a lot of serious ways. This is what is meant by identity politics, the using of other peoples lives as political capital. It's for liberals and statists and authoritarian communists, not anarchists. You want to do something controversial on your own, I have zero problem with that. Everyone should actualize their needs and desires however possible. When it becomes something you do for others, then i'm going to call you on it. And despite the way this reportback was written, I personally talked to many POC who were at the convergence and felt alienated by the fact that a small group claimed to be representing their needs and desires (in some cases explicitly against those needs and desires).

And lastly, regarding the inappropriate joke workshop, they expressed that they were upset that no one came to their workshop just to yell at them. Because we didn't give a fuck about those stupid kids or their workshop, and I was personally pretty offended by it, being both queer and jewish, two groups which I know are really easy targets. The people who had the workshop came up to a few of us during lunch and asked us if we wanted to hear the "best" joke. We said no. And not an angry no, an "I don't give a fuck about you or what you're saying in the slightest" no.

Which brings up the question of affinity. Who do we associate with and why? Why do we allow people who can't even be bothered to read the sign on the door that says no speaking for other people? The sign that explains why gender and biological sex are different, but yet I still have to call out some fucking wingnut on this at least twice in one workshop? Why do I have to have a basic intro workshop for someone who can't even be bothered to learn the most elementary points about something on their own, about the experiences of people they supposedly care about? To me that indicates the person is uninterested if they won't take the first step, so why am I, as a person who is oppressed, the only one responsible for educating you on my oppression?

Just what i've been feeling lately. And also this forum demonstrates why I've been hesitant to talk to people who weren't at the convergence about it, because unless you were there you are going to characterize this however you want, regardless of what actually went down. Those who need to see APOC as a parasitic social force are continuing to do so (possibly with good reason), but will also continue to not want to address the experience of alienation in radical communities on the basis of gender or race or whatever else. Those of us who have already been thinking about these things will continue to do so, and those of you who wring your hands and cry about the color of your skin without meaningfully addressing privilege or even starting the conversation in a constructive way will continue to do so.

Until people start taking other people's lived experiences seriously, I have very little faith in this movement beyond the people I already know, love, and trust.

Authored by: concreteandsteel on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 12:59 PM UTC

In that case, i'd like to modify my original post: i feel that, rather than using militant passion to disrupt a temporary, potentially gentrifying force - and causing folks to be triggered - an infrastructural entity could have been targeted.

I'd like, also, to reiterate my final statement to clarify the fact that, in a larger sense, we (including almost everyone who has responded) are in relative agreement:

"No, this wasn't the best course of action, but it was/is absolutely worth our time to consider the points they were trying to make, and the shit they were trying to call out."

Authored by: totalxliberation on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 01:33 PM UTC

And I am trying to stress that any constructive conversations we have about race and heritage and how they play out in anarchist circles will happen IN SPITE of what was done by the people disrupting the convergence, not BECAUSE of them.

Authored by: redbe@rd on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 09:10 PM UTC

I am looking for some good information on how to confront my white privelege and/or becoming a white race traitor. Can anyone help?

Authored by: Fisher on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 07:12 PM UTC

I don't claim to be an expert but here's some things that have proven helpful for me: I take in info from outside anarchist frameworks and learn what I can from them. I was influenced a lot by some of the neat lists Ricky Sherover Marcuse has on her website: www.unlearningracism.org/writings (though I'm not so psyched by her zionism). I also really like reading theory on race and intersectionality (how oppressions intersect and compound or complicate one another - I've gotten a lot from reading bell hooks and audre lorde. For the record, I went to vocational school and I like reading theory), reading histories of peoples of color and POC resistance movements of all sorts (even authoritarian ones - I want a good picture of history and context). A good start for US history is Ronald Takaki's "A Different Mirror" which is like a multicultural People's History of the US. It's not particularly radical but it sheds light on so many aspects of american history that I was clueless about. I also make an effort to go to events put on by POC groups radical or otherwise to become familiar with local issues and how they affect people, cultural norms different from my own and to work on being comfortable being one of (or the) only whatever in a room (white guy, straight guy, guy, etc). I grew up in a 99.9% white rural area so I missed out on a lot of basic cultural cues. I specifically try to read theory, zines, books, websites and listen to audio by radical POC and anti-racist whites to get an idea of what sorts of dialogue is going on out there and what issues are important and what problems are most common. I go to workshops that will get me into heart to heart conversations with POC and white folks about these issues and specifically seek out skills that make me a better and more respectful listener so I can ask good questions about people's experience without being a jerk or intrusive. I examine my own insecurities and work to overcome them so as not to get trapped in white guilt which is just not the point at all. It doesn't always work. Sometimes I act from guilt or I'm really oblivious or awkward. Sometimes not. If we're unwilling to be awkward or uncomfortable, we can learn nothing. I process shit w/ white folks who take it seriously and aren't bogged down in their guilt. Also, I get involved with projects that make me deal with heavy shit. I learn how to take criticism without getting defensive. I learn to give criticism and to be direct without being an asshole. I assume that I haven't gotten it all figured out yet and keep learning more. I especially, as an anarchist, seek out as much info about race that I can find that comes from the anarchist and prison abolitionist movements. There's a bunch of insightful stuff at Colours of Resistance, illvox.org, Affinity Project, and other places. Try googling them and reading all their essays. Even if I disagree with something, it gives me more context and questions to ask and ideas to reflect on. Most of all though, learn to respectfully listen and ask and don't expect people to take you by the hand. We have to put a lot of initiative into developing our shit just like anything else that we care about. It's a work in progress.

Authored by: redbe@rd on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 12:31 AM UTC

Thank you very much fisher. I too come from a very rural agricultural/mining community where POC are very few in number. I don't wish for anyone to hold my hand through this. This action has definitely made me think about things I never had before, in terms of my relationship to white supremacy. I was having a hard time finding information on how to do start incorporating this into my struggle. For all I've done it seems, there is always more I can do to understand and try to challenge my racial privilege.

I will take what you have given me very seriously, as well as a few emails I have gotten on the subject.

thank you to the Autonomy People of Color that participated in this action for giving me a forum in which I can understand the questions that need asked, and thank you for a starting point on how to get them answered.

Authored by: seattle206 on Saturday, August 01 2009 @ 11:41 PM UTC

I haven't seen anyone critically write anything about Crimethinc here. Do people not understand that "Crimethinc" is VERY OFFENSIVE to a lot of people of color? No one has even tried to understand that, it seems. (Although, as it were, it's hard to read every word of all the comments happening about this on every website.)

Even if people are very defensive about their whiteness, and, unable to open their eyes, let me say this:

This action has elicited much discussion over issues that have rarely been talked about meaningfully in most white anarchist circles. It seems that it will be discussed for awhile, as well. Even the harshest critics of this action seem to acknowledge that "the issues brought up are important", so, the proof is in the pudding, I guess...

Smack an Opressor Part Two: CrimethInc. Eviction

Authored by: WorkerFreedom on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 12:59 AM UTC

1. In order for anything to be gentrification,they actually have to move into the neighborhood, just having a conference there is not enough.

2. The krusties (traveling Kids) themselves do not raise the rents they are often squatters so they do not pay rent,or buy many things,so they don't raise prices. It's usualy the hipsters that trial after them that raise the rents and prices.

3. There are bigger issues for communties of color then this, why doesn't APOC start a cop-watch or have toturing sessions for children of color. making inroads in those communities is more inportant than this stuff.

4. Other groups can be victims of gentrification as well .

5. Groups that are active in gentrification can also become victims of it and visa versa

Question: I do not know much of anything about crimethink to know weather it's theories are inherently racist or not, if some could please elighten me.

Authored by: HPWombat on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 01:08 AM UTC

"Last week, a group of anarchist people of color (APOC) forcefully evicted a weeklong anarchist gathering in Pittsburgh. The Crimethinc. Convergence is an annual event full of workshops, theater, music, and anarchist politics hosted by a loosely organized anarchist action and publishing collective (hard to pin down words to describe them; this is my label not theirs), Crimethinc. Crimethinc. is known among anarchists and leftists for beautiful, heartwrenching, and epically privileged writing. They made a horrible reputation for themselves when one of the first books they published had the words "Poverty: If you're not having fun, you're not doing it right" emblazoned on the back cover. One friend of mine describes Crimethinc.'s romanticization of traveling and reclaiming space as the new colonial adventure novel, paving the way for gentrification by making hunger (dumpsterdiving), homelessness (traveller kids), and unemployment into games to be explored by bored, rich, white suburban kids. Neoliberal imperialism follows shortly behind." - debunkingwhite on livejournal

---
embrace the dork side

Authored by: rjuinm on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 10:01 AM UTC

We ain't going no where, and I'll be dead soon which make me sad (both of those aforementioned facts). Divisiveness just don't seem to go away especially when we focus on our differences. We one of the posts mentioned that the APOC klan may have been government/corporate sponsored that got my attention.

Authored by: Dignified on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 11:06 AM UTC

CrimethInc and APOC get the enemies they deserve.

Agent Provacateurs

Authored by: Brian on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 01:50 PM UTC

Huh?! What the fuck is all that shit! What is a cis white person? Talk about racism, talk about sectarianism, and misdirected anger. I wouldn't be surprised if this APOC action was perpetrated completely by COINTELPROesque agent provacateurs as a way to divide and conquer.

If this wasn't a divide and conquer infiltration then this is just another example of why I often feel the need to distance myself from certain parts of the "anarchist" movement and why I tend to identify as a libertarian socialist.

What a bunch of idiots! If this represents anarchism in the U.S. We are truly doomed!

Authored by: greya n on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 04:18 PM UTC

"cis" is short for cisgendered and cissexual, meaning not transgender, not transsexual.

Authored by: shevek on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 05:21 PM UTC

I will start off by saying that if anyone had it coming it was the crimthinc crowd. I would also like to say that I completely reject Marxist-Leninist groups and ideology and believe groups like ISO and ANSWER have been extremely counter productive in anti-war organizing.

However, we as a community didn't really confront the equally as lame action taken by some so called "Anarchist People of Color" during the March 20 ANSWER/ISO march when it happened. http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?...0131715500

As obnoxious and trivial as this situation is, it is still important to debunk whatever ideological ground these actions are being taken under. For what ever reason, this kind of authoritarian and abusive behavior has gained traction among a group of people in the APOC movement. This needs to be dealt with. I live in Chicago and (from a distance) witnessed the implosion of Bash Back this summer. I got to see first hand how bad politics can manifest itself into dissipating potentially positive political energy, lead to people getting hurt and can lead to the young people of our movement into burnout and disillusionment.

Within Bash Back, there was a definite strand of insurrectionist, anti-political, identity based politics which was equally as idiotic as some of the tendencies now existent in APOC. This strand within Bash Back put it's theory into practice this summer at the expense of people's safety in the movement. They also left a huge mess in Chicago for younger activist to pick up (http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?...=Bash+Back). The people who instigated these actions didn't have to deal with any of the consequences. They left a mess for other to deal with and thankfully it wasn't worse.

I know some of the people in both of these groups and I can say that some of them are nice enough, young, smart people. For all the older activist, it's important to remember where we come from. I remember being a young activist and coming into the knowledge of the problems of the world and not even knowing were to begin in becoming an activist or finding a way to relate to the struggle. In addition, anarchist are a oppressed political community in itself with people waiting around every corner trying to hood wink us and lead us down bad and counter productive political paths. Combine this with people from oppressed back round who have to deal with these complexities within a movement that can be oppressive to already oppressed people. This creates all the ingredients for the Bash Back and APOC debacles.

It's easier to turn on one another than to organize against the daunting problems and issues facing us. For the people who resort to the kinds of actions taken (the bash back "street party" and the "smack a white boy" actions) it gives them a visceral feeling that they are actually doing something political when in actuality they are not. In both these incidents (the Bash Back fallout) it was easier to point the finger at the "others" in our movement as being not "radical enough" and being oppressive. The people who do this get to feel like they are actually doing political work and at the same time get a free pass for not doing good organizing that actually challenges the system. What's left in the middle is a bunch of people (some of them well meaning) completely alienated and disillusioned by the situation. Many of these people happen to be smart young people we so desperately need in advancing our struggle.

In general we need better practices in dealing with oppression in our movement, because there are some legitimate critiques coming out of the APOC crowd. We also need to keep in mind that there is a lot of white guilt in our movement and knee jerk white guilt reactions aren't helpful either.

It might be helpful to deal with idiotic ideological positions such as some of the worse strands out of APOC and Bash Back (I realize there are differing tendencies in each group) sooner than later. We can't remain silent about these political tendencies, because they manifest themselves into very counter productive incidents. The DC action was a prelude to the Pittsburgh action. There is a precedent for this kind of stupid behavior and we need it to not grow and become even more prevalent in our movement. This is completely unacceptable behavior and these people need to be held accountable and their stupid authoritarian politics need to be ripped apart and seen for what they are.

Authored by: Dignified on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 09:25 PM UTC

Why hasn't crimethinc responsed, in any fashion, to the "eviction" of the crimethinc convergence or the following communique? Doubtless to say, many of us find this debacle to be quite troubling and it is vital that we get some sort of coherent discussion happening here and a statement from them or at least some enlightening comments on the thread would be helpful. If indeed there was such substantial "oppression" happening within the convergence then crimethinc needs to acknowledge this and deal with it or if it is the case that your gathering was taken over and evicted by a group of foolish leftists acting out of their own sense of self-importance (which is my suspicion) then we deserve to know why no one adequately responded to this provocation by kicking their asses out. 8 people shut down a convergence of over 200, how? Silence on their part is inexcusable. what's going on here?

Authored by: Juniper11 on Sunday, August 02 2009 @ 10:02 PM UTC

To be fair to crimethinc, it's better they get it right then get it out quick.
Yes. A small number of POC's from out of town shut down an event being attended by a greater number of POC's and others. Crimethincs show so crimethinc has the most agency in the response. You can't really blame them for not having prepared for this.
Obviously, if similar shit is attempted towards Pittsburgh spaces or groups its going to an entirely different fucking story and you all better not be down on us if that kind of situation blows up.

Authored by: puneta on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 09:07 AM UTC

"Alternative Reportback":

http://www.anarchistnews.org/?q=node/8900

Authored by: laozi on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 11:11 AM UTC

thumbs up to this alternative report back from another autonomous POC that happened to be attending the convergence but was not with Philly APOC.

Authored by: Gerald on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 04:33 AM UTC

WOW, APOC sucks...

Authored by: CaseyFord on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 06:51 PM UTC

A single chapter (or a few people from a single chapter for all people outside of APOC knows) doesn't constitute the entire APOC movement. Don't be stupid.

truly sad

Authored by: Gerald on Tuesday, August 04 2009 @ 05:18 PM UTC

there may be a few decent people in APOC, but from my experience this is symptomatic of movement as a whole, from hearing from a friend who attended an APOC gathering that people thought the Nation of Islam was a group they could work with, to hearing an APOC member say that he wanted to drive all the white people out of america. Im sick of the culture of guilt that lets people put up with this shit.

APOC should be banned from future anarchist gatherings.

Authored by: Arthur J. Miller on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 12:04 PM UTC

I cannot comment on Crimethinc because I know next to nothing about them.
As to them used as a "gentrify force", I don't live on the east coast so I
can't speak to that situation. But gentrification is a real and important issue
in many places and it will become even more important as time goes on. It
is not always an issue of racism because I have seen it effect poor whites also.
Next, I wish to say that the term "identity politics" is both a racist and sexist term.
People deal with the oppressions that are put upon them. In a society where race
and sex are used to oppress people that is not someone decides to be,
rather it is a reality of everyday life.
One person tried to make it out that old style anarchists only view everything based
upon class or economics. Well I am an older anarchist and I guess you could say I
am an anarcho-syndicalist (I am more than just that though). I can only speak for
myself. I believe that there are many forms of oppression and they all should be
dealt by those that are oppressed by them and supported by others. But I also
believe that all things are connected, and thus there tends to be class and
economic connections to other forms of oppression. In my view the greatest
common connection to most oppressions is eurocenticism.
Most white radicals, including most white anarchists have yet to do much about
eurocenticism. Most don't even understand it.
Privilege, both race, sex and others, do have a class connection to them because
the higher up the class system one maybe the greater privilege one has. Privilege
is something that is handed down from the top and much of it can be rejected.
At the bottom race privilege only means the right to not be oppressed and exploited
by race. But it has been used, more often in the past than today, as an almost
meaningless idea to keep poor whites supporting their rulers. They were told that
people of color wanted to take something from them and when you ain't got next to
nothing you will fight for what little you have even if you don't really understand it.
And since most of the left, including anarchists, don't really talk to poor whites
all they were hearing came mostly from the rich white power structure. Fact is most
outside of the rich white power structure in about the last 50 years to really talk to
poor whites have been people of color civil rights activists. I was once told by a long
time southern Black civil rights activist that those who benifited economically the
most from the civil rights movement were poor whites.
The problem with many white radicals, including some white anarchists is that
they are not grounded in any community other than the exclusive intellectual
community that they created for themselves. Back in the mid-1960s many
Black radicals told white radicals that they should go back to their communities
and organize there. Rather than do that many just created a community of
white radicals. So in my view most white radicals, including most anarchists
cannot deal with racism and eurocenticism untill they leave their exclusive
social intellectual clubs and do the hard work of directly organizing in their
real communities.
Arthur J. Miller

a point that hasn't been mentioned

Authored by: davesolidarity on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 01:42 PM UTC

Here's the biggest missing piece of the puzzle for the APOCers that initiated the eviction: what other 'evictions' have they enacted against 'gentrifiers'? If these folks had been residents of pittsburgh, militantly fighting against gentrification, that would be one thing. Even if they were some weird vanguard group that traveled the country from city to city 'evicting' gentrifiers', i almost think i'd be behind that. But it seems clear to me that this was a move made by politically impotent people(like most of us anarchists are) to act 'militantly' with the one group of people who would actually take heed of what they were saying. What other group of 150 people, regardless of their political persuasion, would be moved by a group of 8? It's absurd. Why not evict a fucking check cashing place? Oh, because POC run it. Right...

Authored by: awed on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 08:03 PM UTC

this story is all i need to remind myself why i've more or less stopped visiting this site and paying attention to the 'anarchist movement' in general (with all due respect to Chuck, who has been running this site with good intentions for years).

doesn't anybody realize that nobody is paying attention to Crimethinc or APOC and that this is about as newsworthy as an argument on a street corner?

i'd wish you all good luck, but actually, i don't want to live in a world where people spell 'person', 'persyn'..

Authored by: El Anarquista on Monday, August 03 2009 @ 09:31 PM UTC

As one of the 2009 crimethinc convergence 'disrupter's', I feel the need to share my experience with the wider movement, in the hopes that this never needs to be repeated.

I came to this years convergence, exhausted before I got there. The previous years gathering had not set well with me. It was a week of being ignored, marginalized, fetishized, tokenized, embarrassed, alienated, and generally unwelcome. It ended (after an APOC caucus of maybe 20 people) in a very offensive, and personally hurtful performance at the cabaret (which I'm sure everyone has heard about by now). So I didn't have very high hopes for this years. Lo and behold, I got what I expected. I was again ignored, marginalized, fetishized, tokenized, embarrassed, and alienated. Each day I was feeling more angry, more unwelcome, and even, ashamed of who I am. I shouldn't come to an anarchist convergence to hear racial slurs, or 'Indian' stereotypes, or black jokes, or why Palestinians are getting oppressed because they're inferior. Why do people ask me if I am 'a really good shot with a bow and arrow', or if I can 'speak to nature', or if I've written to Leonard Peltier? Why did NO ONE speak up for me when I was called a savage? Why do white people feel the need to repeat my last sentence, directly after I say it? Why did no one care when a Latino said that they could not be ID'd by police? Why when I call someone on some racist shit, am I 'playing the race card'? Why do white people feel the need to 'save' me and my people? This goes on and on. And its not just POCistas that felt the brunt of this internalized supremacy, trans-gendered people, queers, non-citizens, and even white people felt it too.
For days this was happening, then someone decided (for what reason I still don't really know) to let me in on the planning for the “SAWBP2” action. There were a few of us, all with very different politics and ideas, but we all felt that something had to be done. The plan was very vague, but I eagerly joined. I was excited to call all of these people on their prejudice.
As the plan morphed into a form that was close to what actually ended up happening, I felt conflicted and considered backing out, but ultimately decided to go through with it. Some of the reasons that were given for the action I still do not agree with. But all the racist shit going on had really pissed me off, and honestly, saddened me greatly. After a week of trying to explain to white people, of sitting through no less than 6 workshops on race, trying to gently coax the ideas out of them, I was done. Talking obviously was not working, as the content of the racial discussions was promptly forgotten (or ignored) I was ready to try screaming. A very emotional APOC caucus (about half last years size), coupled with “a safe space for racist, sexist, homophobic, classist, and trans-phobic humor” being scheduled during the caucus, was enough for me to support the action. Looking back, I realize that my decision to participate, was largely based on emotion.
So on Friday night, us few people of color consulted with some allies, got the one child out of the space, waited for the cabaret to be over and entered the room. (*** I just want to add that while the only visible 'disrupter's' were people of color, there were plenty of white people, trans-gendered people, and queers who knew of the action, supported it, and some helped to do it***) The letter was read loudly and we told everyone to leave. Looking at that many white people who appeared to want to beat my ass was terrifying. When no one moved we began to remove people bags from the room (something I never really agreed with, but nonetheless did). After a few minutes of the action, I was tripped in the hallway and thrown out (literally thrown). I couldn't get back in to help the disrupter's. When it looked as though the people outside were considering jumping me, I left Pittsburgh. I wasn't around for the later discussions, and therefore have no opinion of them.
I have a lot of mixed feelings about what went on that night. I don't agree with everything that 'we' did. But at the same time, people are like pressure cookers, you keep the lid on them long enough and they're going to blow. I was tired of people not hearing me, so I screamed. I'm sorry if my yelling was traumatic for you, but it was the inaction of people that caused the situation to escalate as far as it did.
Hindsight is 20-20, perhaps we were too inflammatory, and I wish it could have happened another way. But, I do not regret my participation entirely, nor do I regret that this happened at all. The whole reason I did it was to get people to hear me, to get them to understand my frustration and anger. I did it to bring the issue of prejudice, privilege, and white supremacy to the forefront, which hopefully has been accomplished. What I want to come out of this, is not some new dichotomy, or a split within the movement, but to have these issues at least heard. How many people would have left crimethinc thinking about these issues if the 'disruption' had not happened? What comes out of this, is what you make out of it. You can complain and decry our actions for the next 20 years, or you can try to understand why we did it, and hopefully it will never have to happen again.

I'm sorry (really) that we had to yell, but would we have had to, if only you had listened?

- In both hope and in fear,
Terijian, a 'disrupter' from Toledo

Authored by: @ndy on Tuesday, August 04 2009 @ 11:41 PM UTC

G'day,

I've written down some of my thoughts here:

http://slackbastard.anarchobase.com/?p=5429

Cheers,

@ndy.

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Smack a White Boy Part Two: CrimethInc. Eviction

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