May 2012

Trotskyism vs. Social Democracy and Anarcho-Liberalism

The Left, Labor and Occupy


Occupy protesters in Portland picket Terminal 6 on December 12. (Photo: Rick Bowmer/AP)

Six months after Occupy Wall Street began – when a few hundred people sparked worldwide protest with a march and sit-in in lower Manhattan against political corruption and corporate greed – OWS was back. And four months after Occupy encampments were brutally evicted around the country, the police were there to greet them. Demonstrators chanted “this is what democracy looks like” as cops dragged scores out of Zuccotti Park in downtown Manhattan. More accurate would have been “this is what a police state looks like.” At the same time, the sharpening internal contradictions within the Occupy movement were also on display.

Like many, prehaps most, prisoners Caveman is not too bright. He has other virtues, among them a great sense of humour and that is important when you find yourself serving life in prison. Caveman didn't rape or kill anybody. He is instead one of a large number of non-violent offenders to be serving a life sentence as a habitual offender in Colorado's state prison system. He says it happened like this. Like many, probably most, prisoners Caveman has a drug problem. In his case with meth. Because meth is expensive, Caveman has sold a lot of it over the course of his life. He never became a big drug dealer but he managed somehow to pay for his dope habit. He also managed to get himself arrested, repeatedly, and go to prison, repeatedly. The last time Caveman was out of prison he decided he was going to make the stuff himself. Other prisoners had told him how easy it was to make meth on your stovetop and he resolved to do just that. Did I mention that Caveman isn't too bright? He must have forgot one of the steps in the receipe, or something, because Caveman, much as he wanted to, did not make meth on his stovetop. He made fire. Of course he tried to put it out. But he didn't have a fire extinguisher, and when he threw water on the blaze he created on the stovetop it just got bigger. Maybe if he'd made it to highschool he would have known not to throw water on a chemical fire, but he hadn't and so he did. So instead of making meth on his stovetop Caveman burned down his landlords house.

My livestream had been down for a total of 15 minutes as the radicals of Occupy Denver rounded off their direct action march targeting businesses who support the Urban Camping Ban and who are deeply invested into the ideals of the 1%, when the Denver Police decided to kidnap me. With press credentials around my neck, my comrade Tim and I had just crossed the street with a banner that read "We Didn't Start The Class War", which I was supporting him in carrying until I could get to my battery replacement back at the Civic Center Amphitheater where the march began from. With a red light holding the traffic in the perpendicular direction we crossed the street. When we got no more than 20 yards away from the rest of the march, a high ranking officer said "take them" and told us "you're going to jail". We were stuffed into an unmarked car quickly before the rest of the march could get more involved. All of a sudden I remember how at one of the stops the march had at Wells Fargo just an hour before an officer had told me, that "press doesn't matter" (See footage here: http://ustre.am/_1vt0y:16eT) to try and prevent me from covering any arrests. Well, I was one of the arrests. The official charge is "Obstructing Traffic" which, at the time of arrest, the only ones obstructing any traffic were DPD officers. Of course that would come second to the fact that there was no traffic to speak of. It was a red light some 100 yards away. The National Lawyers Guild is getting involved in the case and like most other charges to Occupy protesters, and in this case a journalist, I'm expecting the case to be dismissed. Follow me on twitter for more: @Starrstream

There are plenty of reasons why a homeless person might actually prefer not to go to a shelter--contagious diseases, tainted food, sex offenders, abusive practices by shelter staff, and better alternatives, like sleeping in one's own car.  Despite all these, shelters remain continuously full, and people are turned away every night of the year.  That's because there are so many homeless--more than 12,000 in Denver alone.

Homelessness is one of the few "growth trends" in our present economy.  And it is, indeed, a purely economic phenomenon.  Nobody chooses to be homeless.  Kerouac was talking about low-budget tourism--a very different thing.  This is not tourism, not a vacation, not camping.  Let's be clear about that.

The three leading causes of homelessness are job loss, the high cost of housing, and break-up of a family.  Mental illness and substance abuse do not cause homelessness.  There are plenty of people who have these problems and yet have a roof over their heads.  They have housing for the same reason you do.  Either they have the money to pay for it, or someone who has the money is willing to provide a home for them.  Those are the only reasons why anyone has a home.

Four persons were arrested and a two-year-old child was hit by a bicycle-riding cop yesterday during Denver's May Day March.   According to witnesses, the behavior of one or more of the parade marshalls contributed to the problems, rather than mitigating them, and marchers abandoned their arrested comrades, rather than assisting them or otherwise showing solidarity.

The problems commenced after one marcher began dancing in the street.  A marshall came up behind the marcher, seized him, and attempted to push him along, instead of approaching him face-to-face, and using verbal communication.  The dancer, taken by surprise and unable to see who was pushing him, began resisting what must have seemed like an attack.  Cops then closed in and arrested the dancing marcher, though they did not arrest the marshall.  The original charge was jaywalking, which is not an arrestable offense.  This charge was later changed to obstructing traffic.

During the incident, a cop, apparently unable to control his zeal at the prospect of participating in an arrest, ran his bicycle into a little two-year-old girl.  The child's father then began speaking out very strongly in defense of his daughter, only to be rebuked by the same marshall who had caused the original problem.

Later in the march, another person was arrested, also for jaywalking, changed during booking to obstructing traffic.  This person  had been slated to perform later that day in the General Strike activities at Civic Center Park.

May Day was started off right by a team of local anarchists with an attack on a police patrol car at aproxamately 1am at 13th and Speer.  Multiple windows were completely smashed.  No jusification was given for none was needed, the institution of police being inherently unjustified.  We've set the tone, now it's your turn to up the ANTI and make total destroy on May Day 2012. 

The Unite Against the War on Women Rally and March by Phillip Reynes

What a great day, I thought to myself as I walked to Civic Center Park, to hold a rally and march. The air was crisp and the sun was out and it seemed as the sun climbed into the sky that peoples spirits climbed with it. I passed the occupy site as I made my way to the park and there where only a few people. Most had already made there way to the amphitheater where the rally was to start.

The band started up as I arrived. The band was quite good, called the Foxfield Four, and made a sound that was richer and more deserving of more then just four musicians. I found myself wishing that they had been able to play longer then their time allowed. I meant to come back to the bands table and get a CD but sadly I was unable to do so.

So far the IWW has called for a “General Strike” in Denver, the website denver general strike has actions posted, but not even the Denver IWW, which launched the idea, has any of its own public plans for marches, rallies, parties, etc. on the site yet. I hope that they come up with some, preferably coordinated with the migrant community.  I have no illusion that the general strike will succeed in a significant portion of the population joining, or doing much to shut down the city. Currently the one and only event listed is the Occupy march at 12:30, and a possible address from political prisoner Siddique Abdullah Hasan at the same march and rally. However, many anarchists do not feel safe at Occupy events and see it as a place of heavy surveillance, political co-optation, and social repression. Furthermore, after Denver ABC’s official withdrawal of legal support, supporting Occupy feels to many of us autonomous anarchists as a form of betrayal to part of the anarchist community. Finally, the Occupy movement does not represent, although it may have certain affinities with, the vision and values of many anarchists. Supporting the Occupy movement can leave a dirty feeling for many of us.

The HomewardBound Shelter is filled beyond capacity every night of the year.
Now plans are underway to build a larger facillity for its residents...but
Is Bigger Better?

Spring Time for Occupy by Phillip Reynes

Yes it was a beautiful day this Saturday. The sky was blue with just a few clouds and the breeze was nice, just right, as I walked to Lincoln Park. It was 10:00 and the march was not scheduled until noon and yet there where already people waiting, waving signs, talking, enjoying the beautiful morning, their spirits where high. Everyone had a smile. I looked around and noted with a smile that chalk was back. Yes, over the winter writing slogans in chalk on the sidewalk had gone away – due to the snow and damp – but it was back and the sidewalks where again covered. A sure sign the spring has arrived.

“Unite Occupy”, “revolution is the only solution”, and “elected officials are traitors and prostitutes” where scratched on the sidewalk along with a host of other slogans. Signs where being made and stacked up in preparation for the days march as people chatted and enjoyed the day and shared in a common purpose.

Dear anarchists, radicals, malcontents, social warriors, class warriors, the decent souls, the brokenhearted,

By Carol Berry, Indian Country Today Media Network, March 7, 2012

Russell Means, a prominent Oglala Lakota activist, actor and cancer survivor, is one of several elders scheduled to attend a buffalo harvest March 16 to 18 at Fort Lewis College (FLC), in southwestern Colorado.

“I am very honored to be present at the upcoming buffalo ceremony,” Means told ICTMN. “I look forward to speaking to the students.”

Means is currently undergoing a periodic medical checkup at a Scottsdale, Arizona clinic where he received targeted radiation therapy for throat cancer. He says a combination of that therapy and traditional healing methods have left him “essentially cancer-free.”

On February 29th 2012 about 30 citizens gathered around the Band Shell in Boulder to feed free vegan & vegetarian food to the community as part of the Occupy Movement's #F29 Shut Down The Corporations Day of Action.

The group met with some of the Boulder homeless community at the band shell, exchanging food, stories and camaraderie.  Boulder police showed up and tried to intimidate the crowd by getting in people's personal space and demanding people's names. Eventually the police disbursed (apparently) to set up their attempted kettling. The citizens took the streets of Boulder at about 8:30pm,  marching through Pearl Street Mall, The Hill and down Broadway.  Chants of "Brick by brick, Wall by Wall, Capitalism is going to fall." were common.

Several people drove by honking in support and gave thumbs up at Pearl Street. At one point the citizens moved out of the street to let a public bus by.

Towards the end of the March the Boulder PD appeared to attempt to kettle and make mass arrests. One arrest was made, But the March ended peacefully

In spite of police provocation.

The Fuck the Police March, Arrests, and The Who by Phillip Reynes

The Fuck the Police March (FTP) was attacked. I was there and saw no provocation. At least three where arrested. It was a hard thing to have to watch. People being hurt by , as one marching chant said, the army of the rich – the chant was "Police, the army of the rich." When the police ruched in the batons hitting and pepper guns pointed at people from point blank distances you could feel the violence they where trained to inflict. It of course could have been so much worse but for those hit, manhandled and arrested I guess that's a moot point.

I had seen the girl, in the photo above, at the front of the march. She was probably 18 but her youthful face and big smile and bubbly demeanor made her look young and add to the the fact that she probably weighed less then 100 pounds gave her the appearance of a girl. Contrast this with the 220+ pound storm trooper who is slamming her with his baton for the sake of it. The site of it made me so mad!!

Saturday started like any other Occupy Saturday at the park. There where the usual people there when Colorado Indy Media arrived at 10am. The Occupy the Moment people, a Buddhist group was there meditating and it was a beautiful day. Not much was going on at the park and people seemed to be taking in the fine weather. The Occupiers had had a tough week weather wise and the mood was relaxed as I made my way around talking to the protesters. People where just waking up and everyone seemed to have a smile.

Increasingly the collective identity involved in our global society is turning from sociopolitical to sociocultural. People who are organizing are doing so to bring attention to the growing divide in the subculture and the state. This can be seen in the development of the Occupy movement in that occupy does not call for representation in our current political structure, nor does it (on the whole) support one part over the other. Instead an entire shift away from the authoritarian, concentrenic political make up is called for. This shift in sociocultural mindset plays out in the media - corporate or otherwise. 

Inside of this concern is the theoretical paradigm of media democratization. According to Carroll and Hackett, in their article in Media Culture and Society, media democratization "comprises efforts to change media messages, practices, institutions and contexts (including state communication policies) in a direction that enhances democratic values and subjectivity, as well as equal participation in public discourse and societal decision-making." The idea behind this, according to the article, is an alternative media that allows for more voices to be heard, with the belief that the media has become such a dominant factor in our society, that it has become the best way to spread ire with the State. 

Carroll and Hackett cite the creation of IndyMedia in 1999 as one method of doing this. This will even the scales, essentially, that have been unequal for quite some time. What is meant by this is that traditionally, social movements have needed the corporate media to expand their message, but the corporate media does not need social movements for copy. By creating a deomcratized media platform and using it to spread the messages of the movement, without the filter of corporate media. 

The Denver Anarchist Black Cross and Occupy Denver organized an Occupy for Prisoners Rally and March outside the ICE GEO Dentention Center on February 20th in solidarity with calls from Occupy Oakland and other Occupy groups.

The rally kicked off with a phone call from a death row inmate encouraging Occupiers on the outside to continue fighting because the 1% are scared.

They then took the streets with banners, signs and a make shift drum, marching from the GEO ICE Dentention Center to the Denver County Jail and the Women's Correctional Facility.

The march was a success in spite of the Aurora Police Department's continual attempts to disrupt and instigate protesters. One protester was hit in the leg three times by an Aurora police car. When asked why, the officer said it was for the protesters safety. They continued to insist protesters get on the sidewalk where there was no sidewalk. Causing at least one person to step in a prarie dog hole and injure themselves.

But spirits remained high in spite of the cold weather, blaring lights and police violence.

Some facts the protesters brought up at the rally included -

The United States has 25% of the world's prison population; more than Germany, France and Spain combined.

Victimless Crime Constitutes 86% of The Federal Prison Population

More Black men are incarerated in the U.S. today than were enslaved in 1850.

11.7% of Black men in their late 20s are incarcerated.

70% of the prison inmates in the United States are illiterate

200,000 inmates suffer from a serious mental illness

Throughout modern history the General Strike has played a pivotal role in workers rights. Americans as a whole know little if anything about the General Strike However.

This is largely because of social reforms created by the New Deal as well as a bi-product of the American mass media - the most sophisticated propaganda system in the history of the World.

Most Americans would probably be surprised to learn the 1919 La Canadiense and Barcelona General Strike is responsible for the world's first 8-hour working day law as well as large pay increases for everyday workers.

The emergence of the Occupy Movement has brought a resurgence of working class activism in America not seen since the 1960's.

Americans are slowly coming to the realization that Capitalism is not the answer to our deteriorating standard of living, but the cause.

Like it or not, our problems have gotten so bad we can no longer afford to forget about them by watching TV and paying attention to meaningless entertainment like sports and celebrity gossip.

Nor will the State/Corporate/Political elites in the United States allow us to accomplish our goals at the voting booth.

Only massive direct action on a Global Scale leading to a new Economic System based on human need rather than personal greed will save us.

This is where the General Strike comes into play. According to Wikipedia, a General Strike is:

70 Years ago today Huey P. Newton was born in Monroe Louisiana. He would go on to create the Afro-American Society and was a co-founder of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.

Newton's experiences in Oakland California convinced him  the community needed to be defended from the inherent violence of the power structure. For Newton, this included the military and the "armed might of the police." Looking back on the extremely violent assaults of the Occupy Denver Encampment by the Denver Police in late 2011, it is clear that he wasn't just a paranoid "cop hater" as some have implied.

But a man with a keen insight into the nature of State//Corporate Violence. With the United States special forces working with the LAPD for "urban orperation" training last month, we should not take lightly the need to be prepared to defend ourselves against State sponsored violence carried out against us on behalf of the 1%. Perhaps its time we revisited Newton's experiences to see how we can learn from them and not repeat past mistakes.

Occupy and the No Confidence Rally by Phillip Reynes

It's cold as I walk to the park that has come to be Occupy Denver's focal point for these past few months. It's also early, nearly 10:00am, and there is not much happening as I survey the occupiers. The numbers are low as they have been at this time of day, in the middle of winter after a night of freezing temperatures and snow. Yet, they are there - the usual ones - I see week after week some homeless, some just middle class and a step away from homeless, and those actively protesting or supporting those who have stayed the night. Not really much to look at at the early hour on a cold day but considering the weather and the season it still looks like a good indicator that come spring the movement that is Occupy will be back and strong.

As an anarchist I have such mixed feelings. I look at these people and see a lot that anarchist like me and hey have in common. I also see such great differences. Occupy Denver will be holding a rally tonight that they call a “No Confidence Rally.” They sent out an email that said;

“Participants will be invited to cast a simple vote of “no confidence” as an act of protest against the current state of our government."