Much love and respect to all the people putting little 'a' anarchism into effect with decentralized relief work across the East Coast. As June Jordan said "We are the ones we have been waiting for". Its been beautiful to see the response and outpouring as well as the grassroots organizing in so many communities. And so many are doing it just as many of us did at Common Ground Collective following Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Sandy, Mutual Aid and Our Bonds: A letter to anarchist comrades

Much love and respect to all the people putting little 'a' anarchism into effect with decentralized relief work across the East Coast. As June Jordan said "We are the ones we have been waiting for". Its been beautiful to see the response and outpouring as well as the grassroots organizing in so many communities. And so many are doing it just as many of us did at Common Ground Collective following Hurricane Katrina.

It's easy to see the failures and inefficiencies of large bureaucracies of governments and the Red Cross in times like this.These crises peel back the the thin veneers of the states grasp and the house of cards that we call civilization revealing our vulnerabilities as communities and as humans. But they also open spaces for us to pull together when it matters for what is right. We are all ordinary people compelled in extraordinary situations with our emergency hearts pumping with compassion, resolve and love to help those we don't know.

These radicalizing disasters allow us to see who we really are when we peel back the labels, assumptions and presumptions of who we are , what we think we are or who others might be. We can avert disaster capitalism when we rise up to take these actions. And for anarchists in particular we make our 'theories' and our work work relevant to lives outside of our subculture. There is great movement power in that. Those actions have resonance and meaning to worlds outside of most of our experiences. The common bonds of humanity.

If its only service work then so be it. If its liberartory for the communities it effects so be it. All we can do is be the support to help them get back on their feet and create their futures again. The failures of capital and Power are long and deep, but so is the healing and the goals of self determination. You and the communities you are in are truly building the roads by walking. Be conscious as the Zapatistas say of Leading by Obeying as you undertake all of this.

The Occupy movements were 20 years of anarchist practice coming to the surface in the US this is a chance to continue further than you even dreamed a year ago.

Dream the Future,
Know your History ,
Organize Your People
Fight for Justice

Humbly from the West Coast (temporarily) with great love and admiration.
scott crow