MEANDER QUARTERLY Newsletter of Evolutionary Anarchists @ Liberty, Equality, Cooperation, Respect for Nature @ Vol. 5, No. 4 February 1994 Electronic Version Transmitted to anarchy-list at cwi.nl >>>>>> IMPORTANT T - PLEASE NOTE <<<<<< Desperately Seeking New Editor/Publisher: No one made a firm offer to take over responsibility for our newsletter for the next year. I I will keep on doing it until someone volunteers, but I would really like to pass it on ASAP. For more info: Ed d Stamm, PO Box 1402, Lawrence KS 66044 USA. ANNOUNCEMENTS SKINHEADS PROTEST STEREOTYPING According to the media, all kids into the Skinhead style and subculture are Queer-bashers and racists. The e media is not concerned about the truth, but rather with selling papers and air-time. Certainly, quite a few kids who call themselves Skinheads are ignorant and subscribe to racist and homophobic ideology, BUT NOT ALL OF US! (from "Black and Red") MOLDAVIAN ANARCHISTS Tamara Burdenko and Igor Hergenreorder, who were victims of what was apparently a government organized harassment campaign, have had "their case resolved" according to an article in "Anarchy" magazine. I I am assuming this means the harassment has ended. IMPRISONED POLISH DRAFT RESISTER RELEASED Roman Galuszko has been unconditionally freed, according to "Anarchy" magazine. E-MAIL ANARCHISM DISCUSSION LIST To subscribe send a message to: ANARCHY-LIST-REQUEST at CWI.NL About 250 people are currently on this international list. TOURISM BOYCOTT CALLED AGAINST CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE The Concerned Citizens for Justice of Chattanooga are asking you not to visit their city in order to put economic pressure on the local government to clean up its act. Charges s against the city include police brutality; tolerance of Klan and other racist violence; racial discrimination and political blacklisting with regard to jobs, housing, business loans and community development grants; voter fraud; and police harassment of activists. For more info: CCJ, , PO Box 1066, Fed. Courthouse & PO, Chattanooga TN 37401. (from "Black and Red") E-MAIL DISCUSSION OF INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY & SYNDICALISM To subscribe send the following one line message to LISTSERV at LEVER.COM: SUB 1-UNION your_first_name your_last_name This one line message should be sent in the text of the message - leave the subject line blank. Send only the one line message - no signature. Send d your message from the system you will receiving messages at - your address is taken from the mail header. DUPLICATION WORKERS NETWORK All workers in the quick-copy industry are invited to join the new duplication workers network in order to facilitate union organizing in our industry. Duplication n Workers Network, c/o Philadelphia GMB-IWW, 4722 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia PA 19143 phone (215) 747-0855. (from "Industrial Worker") ANARCHIST SENIORS VIDEO DELAYED There has been a delay in obtaining funds to complete this project. At t the time the announcement was made, it appeared funding would be quick, however the IWW General Executive Board declined to invest in the video and sent it instead to the members for a referendum. (from "Industrial Worker") [I'll keep you posted. Ed] ] GRAND JURY INDICTS AIDS ACTIVISTS On January 14, 1992 a group of AIDS activists outraged by the Catholic church's homophobic and AIDSphobic policies draped plastic bags bearing the word "AIDS" over tombstones in a Catholic cemetary. Their r message painted a picture of what a cemetary will look like in the not-so-distant future if the Catholic church continues to oppose the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV.... Great care was taken to ensure that no harm was done to any tombstone. Eight months later, on the eve of the Pope's arrival in Denver, a grand jury handed down indictments against ACT UP members Madrid St. Angelo, Lorna Wheeler, and Taylor St. John, charging each of them with two felonies and two misdemeanors related to the cemetary action. If f convicted of these charges the "Denver 3" could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.... A legal defense fund has been set up to aid these three individuals with legal costs: Freedom Defense Fund, c/o ACT UP/Denver, PO Box 9752, Denver CO 80209 - ph (303) 643-4386. (from m ) NEW ANARCHA-FEMINIST ZINE PLANNED An anarcha-feminist zine is being planned, in association with the Bloomington Women's Health Collective. It t would include stories, photos, and info on alternative medicine. If interested contact Sarah Bortt, PO Box 3207, Bloomington IN 47402-3207, or by Email . CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS A book of essays is being compiled, which will appear in the summer of 1994. Topics s may include, but are not limited to, food production/consumption, housing, neighborhood/campus organizing, health and self-defense, women's issues, DIY art/music/media, time/service banks, pirate radio, hostels, reading rooms, study groups, bikes, free university, and contacts/resources. "We are concerned with finding new ways to invigorate the Anarchist presence in North America through a detailed investigation of practical strategies for organizing alternative social & cultural relations." Contact t Chuck Munson of "Practical Anarchy" or joseph average c/o BAU, po box 3207, bloomington in 47402. (from "Practical Anarchy") ANARCHIST COMMUNITY CENTER The Autonomous Zone is an indoor community space sponsored by radical community activists and anarchists in Chicago. Located d at 1726 W. Division, they have many projects in the works, including health, food, media, education, support groups, and social activities for all ages. They encourage you to visit and check it out. Phone e (312) 384-2991 or (312) 384-9129. (from ) NEWS ANOTHER WITNESS JAILED IN ANIMAL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION Kim Trimiew was jailed on contempt charges for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury in Spokane, Washington. Kim m appeared when summoned, but refused to talk about alleged actions of the Animal Liberation Front. Jonathan Paul and Rik Scarce have also been jailed by the Spokane grand jury. Other r grand juries are operating in Oregon, Michigan, Utah, and Louisiana. (from "Industrial Worker") SAN FRANCISCO TEMPORARY WORKERS HIRING HALL FACES SETBACK The temporary workers hiring hall has closed, and hopes to reopen soon. Apparently y the volunteer-run service was too hard on the volunteers, and they hope to try again soon with a paid staff. (from "Industrial Worker") ACTIVISTS ARRESTED FOR FEEDING HOMELESS AND UNEMPLOYED There have been 185 arrests of "Food Not Bombs" members in the San Francisco area this Fall and Winter for feeding the growing numbers of hungry people on the streets. San n Francisco mayor Frank Jordan is trying to keep the homeless and unemployed out of sight. Over 700 homeless people have been arrested for napping in public, loitering, begging, etc. and over 2000 citations have been issued. FNB B continues to serve vegetarian food between the Civic Center Plaza and the eastern edge of Golden Gate park however. (from "Industrial Worker" and ) [There is talk about a nation-wide crackdown on the homeless and other "vagrants" (i.e. the unemployed). Unfortunately, it is not the kind of full-employment, medical treatment and affordable housing crackdown that is needed. Ed] ] HIGHWAY PATROL KILLS MOTORIST ON KANSAS TURNPIKE On Tuesday, November 23rd, a 19 year old from Elgin, Illinois was killed by a Highway Patrolman after a scuffle outside their cars. According g to press reports Jon Paul Chiopelas stopped at the entrance to the Kansas Turnpike and tried to pay his toll in advance. When he was told he could not, he drove on without taking a toll card. Highway y Patrolman Gary Haak was dispatched to stop him. Chiopelas was stopped one mile west of Lawrence. He e asked the officer if he was going to be ticketed. The officer told him no, but asked Chiopelas to step out of the car since he had his left hand in his pocket. Chiopelas s complied. The officer asked Chiopelas to take his hand out of his pocket, and Chiopelas complied, but then put his hand back in his pocket. The e officer asked him again and Chiopelas complied again, but put his hand back in his pocket. The officer grabbed Chiopelas' arm and pushed him against the patrol car. The e two got into a scuffle. Chiopelas tried to stab the officer unsuccessfully with a pocket knife, although he was able to shove the officer somehow. When n Chiopelas "charged at" the officer, the officer shot and killed Chiopelas with one bullet. The incident was video taped by a camera mounted on the officer's vehicle, but the tape has not been released to the public. The e Douglas County district attorney, Jerry Wells, ruled on January 7th that the killing was in self-defense and cleared the patrolman of any possible criminal charges. A few years ago a truck driver was shot and killed at a road block after he ran the toll gates when he exited the turnpike. The e officers involved claimed they were aiming for the truck's radiator. The authorities here take their toll collections seriously, and I suggest you bypass the Kansas turnpike to avoid any fatal misunderstandings. THE MYTH OF PLASTIC RECYCLING In just one month this year, the U.S. sent over 23 million pounds of plastic scrap to Asia. Once e in Asia, the wastes are sorted and, to a limited extent, reprocessed. For example, in Indonesia, the owner of a recycling company estimates that up to 40 percent of the imported waste is directly landfilled at the local dump. The e remaining wastes are processed in dangerous facilities which pose severe threats to the workers and the local environment. In unsafe conditions, and without any protective gear, women and children operate the machines which transform our plastic garbage into more disposable consumer items. There e are no fume collection systems, respirators, or even gloves which will protect the workers' health in these overseas processing facilities. The local environment is impacted by the untreated waste waters which are disposed of into the sewer, if there is one, or allowed to percolate into the ground. (from m "Practical Anarchy") DARRELL RINGER (1953 - 1993) Darrell Ringer, an activist in the American Agriculture Movement, was killed on Tuesday, December 7 when the tractor he was operating rolled over and crushed him. He e was pronounced dead at the scene, six miles north of Quinter, Kansas. Ringer organized protests at farm forclosures in an attempt to help farmers keep their farms, and lobbied legislators. In n 1983 he lost his own farm to the bank, and was working for another farmer at the time of the accident. (from "Lawrence Journal-World") POLICE SHOOT MOTORIST IN MILWAUKEE On September 27, Leonard Young was pulled over by Milwaukee, Wisconsin police near the corner of 24th and Brown. When n Young emerged from his car he was shot 4 times by Officer Mark Beutow. Police claim Young had a cassette tape in his hand that was mistaken for a dangerous weapon. The e District Attorney ruled the killing was a justifiable homicide. An angry crowd overturned a police car at a demo following the killing. (from m ) ANARCHISTS UNDER ATTACK On March 27, 1993 five men wearing balaclavas and carrying baseball bats (one spiked with a nail) burst into the Freedom Press Bookshop in London. Over r L5000 of damage was done. Then on June 3, Freedom Press was firebombed, destroying their print-shops. On August 5, the Black Rose Anarchist Bookshop in Sydney was firebombed, causing $10,000 of damage. Fascists s are suspected in both attacks. (from "Kick It Over") CHILD LABOR VIOLATIONS A 1988 study by the New York State Dept. of Labor found that half the teenage workers they questioned had been injured on the job, had experienced a violation of minimum wage laws, or had experienced a violation of hours restrictions. 130 0 U.S. children died on the job in 1990 according to NIOSH. The American Journal of Public Health reports that 300 children aged 19 and under are killed annually in farm accidents. (from m "Industrial Worker") PRISONER DIES AFTER JAILHOUSE BEATING A Johnson County, Kansas inmate died January 3rd while being moved to another cell. Kenneth h Tolon, 36, refused to come out of his cell and was placed in handcuffs and leg irons. Johnson County Sheriff Fred Allenbrand said Tolon was being moved to isolate him from the other prisoners because of habitual misconduct. Tolon n "lost consciousness for some reason" and an ambulance was called about 11:20 am. He was pronounced dead shortly before noon at the Olathe Medical Center. Tolon's s mother received a call from another prisoner at the jail who said her son was beaten by guards. Dr. Jill Gould performed the autopsy and ruled that Tolon had died from asphyxiation. He e had been hogtied, his legs and arms bound behind his back, and laid face down on the cell floor by seven Sheriff's deputies. They "applied pressure" to his back and a "pressure point". Johnson County district attorney Paul Morrison said the method of subduing Tolon was not unusual and cleared the deputies of any wrongdoing. "I do not believe in any way, shape or form that Mr. Tolon was beaten, or improper force was used in this case," Morrison said. UPRISING IN MEXICO A group of hundreds of peasants calling themselves the Ejercito Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional (EZLN) or Zapatista Army of National Liberation, rose up on January 1 and took over several towns near Mexico's southwestern border with Guatemala. The e group's stated goals were the overthrow of the Mexican government, the abolition of capitalism, and the formation of a new, freely and democratically elected government. Some of the grievances of the rebels are the problems of poverty, peasants/indians being pushed off the land, and the "free-trade" agreement with the U.S. and Canada which will make things even worse. Fighting g in Chiapas state took place for several days, with about 100 people killed. When large numbers of Mexican troops moved into the area, and aerial bombardment began, the rebels withdrew into the forests. There e have been large anti-government demonstrations. Emiliano Zapata was a peasant leader during the revolution of 1910-1920. Zapata a once wrote, "The people have seen that with elections and without them, with suffrage and without it, with the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz and with the democracy of Madero, with the press gagged and with the press given the fullest liberty, always and in all circumstances it has still to chew the cud of its bitter lot, to endure its miseries, to swallow humiliations that know no end." DISCUSSION Dear Mr. Stamm, Sometimes s I basically have to stand on my head to see the topsy-turvy world of other bipeds that walk this earth. Please explain why you state, "We need to show people there is more to life than possessing things"? What, , prisoners aren't people in your books? Why do you holler yourself hoarse about theft, if you say that there are more important things in life than "possessing things"? I I mean, if I would say that I didn't care about the mere possession of "goodies" as you said, then I wouldn't care much about theft. I guess the folliessophers have a different and deeper insight than such poor mortals as I, because they would much rather steal basic necessities - 50kg bags of beans or rice, cumbersome boxes of shit-paper, etc. - when I, ignorant as I am, would see an advantage in taking smaller and less burdensome valuable items, which I could more easily sell or trade over an extended period of time to keep me sound in my basic needs. Isn't it ironic that you want people to view you as being different than what the word anarchist is commonly understood as meaning by the uninformed, and that you do not want to be associated and agglutinated with other people that you feel have stained the word anarchist and anarchism; yet, you want to turn around and associate and agglutinate me with child killers, rapists, and others that I feel are low life forms? I I don't call myself a criminal; I don't even call myself an anarchist, a communist, or any other political theory. If you cannot fathom addressing someone with no fixed political theory, then you can call me a heartist... which is a person who does and believes as his heart dictates to him/her. And d know one thing; the more that I learn, and the more that I experience in this life, the more that my heart will evolve and dictate a better and more advanced understanding in my views and in my actions... My argument with you came about because you were trying to form a consensus against prisoners, you were trying to turn the views of the more knowledgeable people who help and bring new ideas and new ways of living to prisoners, you were trying to make others view prisoner issues in your narrow-minded vein.... Each prisoner is an individual and the crime that... society has accused or convicted him of is singular in nature. There e is always a cause and a reason for it. As for me, I have always done what I thought was right even if others may think that I was wrong. Perhaps s now, I would react differently to certain perplexing situations, and to certain living conditions that confronted me in the past, but this is only because I have further expanded my universe by many of the things that I have learned in recent years.... Mr. Ed D'Angelo: To o begin with, I didn't say that you personally should applaud, or at least sympathize with the L.A. riots, and even with common criminals.... people that were involved in the riot most probably don't give a flying flop if you sympathize with them, or if you don't, and since I wasn't there because I was here, I care even less. The difference between you and I is that I accept what happened in L.A. as being the natural course that flagrant living conditions and inopportunities bring about. You u don't have to sympathize with anyone that you don't want to, and if you are suspicious of me, well, know that I am ten-fold suspicious of you, but this is only because my living experience has taught me to be very wary of all bipedal creatures, who(se treachery, cruelty, hatred, bitterness, etc.) I have seen close at hand. But it is impossible for a person to live all of his life in fear of being screwed over by everyone.... And before I forget, you sound kind of fixated by the idea of prison rape, and rape in the streets, so I suggest you seek out one of those Baptist churches that is giving out those notes of promise of virginity until marriage, and then, if you ever find yourself harried by a bunch of sex fiends, you can show them the note and put the curse of GOD on them if they touch you.... In all the years I've been in prison, I've never seen a prison rape, and I'ver heard of very few happening, especially nowadays, because of the fear of AIDS. "To be an anarchist it is not enough to recognize that anarchism is a beautiful ideal - in theory everyone would agree, including sovereigns, leaders, capitalists, police and I imagine even Mussolini himself - but one must want to struggle to achieve anarchism, or at least to approximate to it, by seeking to reduce the power of the State and of privilege, and by demanding always greater freedom, greater justice." Errico o Malatesta Seeking a card carrying virgin, Jaime E. Baxter, #88410-012 F.C.I., 8901 S. Wilmot Rd, Tucson AZ 85706. [Theft is violation of a person's right to be left alone. I I think when someone is robbed, what pisses them off the most is the violation of their personal space, not the loss of their possessions. I'm sure you've heard of stories where victims put up a fight for $20.00 and get seriously beaten or killed. Once e you've been robbed, you can get some faint idea of what it is like to be raped. It's the violation of your dignity and personal security that is so enraging to the victim, not fear of consensual sex. Greg g Hall pointed out that "the oppressed must be their own example". The reason I don't want to see this publication get heavily involved in prisoner issues, and why I don't want to bust the budget with free subscriptions to prisoners, is because in most cases prisoners are imprisoned for anti-social acts. I I realize there are people in prison who do not deserve the label "criminal", but honestly Jaime, they are a small minority, don't you agree? If an anarchist society is ever going to exist, it depends on the ability of individuals to refrain from commiting anti-social acts, acts which may seem justified to the individual, but which objectively cause harm to other members of the community. It t will be hard enough to convince non-anarchists that a stateless society is feasable without us becoming spokespersons for people who have repeatedly violated the rights of their fellow humans beings. Most prisoners evade any responsibility whatsoever for their acts. I I agree, however, that most people in prison never really had much of a chance to live a straight life since most of them were raised in physical, moral, emotional and intellectual poverty. I sincerely believe that in a healthier, more just society there would be much less crime. People e are not born bad. Restless, maybe, but bad, I don't think so. I I do not have any desire to heap additional punishment on prisoners, but I don't want to embrace them collectively either. Almost every other anarchist publication uncritically supports prisoners, with no apparent compassion for their victims. Ed] ] ****** Dear Ed, Greetings s in the struggle to liberate all people from oppressive social conventions. First, I'd like to say thanks for providing your evolutionary anarchist publication free to those of us who are locked away behind the walls of this world's closed and secretive prison heirarchies. [Actually, , I usually don't, but you sounded like you had a real interest. Ed] Since I am currently incarcerated and cut off from the battle to eliminate the oppression of the state and bring about a society without government, church, or other structures of authority, I enthusiastically read every anarchist publication that I'm fortunate enough to receive. Anarchist t literature helps me turn my attention to general questions concerning revolutionary theory and strategy. This is very important to me, because the battle I face at this time is primarily one of ideas, and I'm always seeking to gain any new perspectives on how to bring about a revolution for universal personal freedom, so that all people might be liberated from oppressive social conventions. During the course of my studying the principles of anarchism, I've embraced and then abandoned many variants of anarchist philosophy. But t one thing has remained throughout, my anti-authoritarianism and my dedication to liberty have been constant. But through the years, I have allowed myself to be self-critical and have tried to allow my understanding of these anarchist philosophies to evolve. My y belief is that if you are not willing to allow your thoughts to evolve, then your ideas and strategies become rigid and mechanistic. Our basic assumptions should always be challenged. I have to admit that after reading the "Meander Quarterly", I was unable to gain any new insight into the theories and techniques explaining how to bring about any society without the harmful constraints of laws and customs. But t I personally found the article reprinted from Autonomy, on the "Thesis for Discussion of Anarchist Organization" very interesting. But in my individual opinion, there are a couple of aspects that I do not entirely agree upon. Number r 3 of this thesis, "There can be no transitional stage between the present coercive order and the free anarchist order. Anarchy must be realized here and now, however incompletely, for it to arise at all..." I I myself believe that the formation of revolutionary collectives is one of the best ways to create the necessary bridges between the totalitarian society we live in today and the free society we are working to build tomorrow. Collectives are small, efficient means of organizing that provide practical examples of counter-institutions that are egalitarian. This s type of bridge is needed because it will allow people to experience a true alternative that encourages them to organize their lives themselves, instead of by some authoritarian structure. Anarchist struggle must be built from the ground up in a non-hierarchical, democratic manner, and the only way this can be realized is through a transitional stage of this current society.... I also do not agree with your protest against the tactic of using force to topple the existing social order. Why y do we as anarchists argue about peaceful methods of resistance versus confrontational tactics, just as the anarchists argued at the turn of the century. Why haven't anarchists evolved in this capacity? What's s wrong with encouraging tolerance of a variety of methods of achieving liberty, instead of protesting and condemning those who are driven to some violent expression, even at the sacrifice of their own lives, because they cannot passively witness the misery and suffering of their fellows. If you wish to protest anyone's tactics, the blame for such acts must be laid at the door of those who are responsible for the injustice and inhumanity which dominate the world. I I think all methods should be left to individual capacity and decision. At this point I will say that I advocate violence in the name of anarchy. As s an anarchist political prisoner, I have persisted in demanding and fighting for the rights of individual prisoners within these walls. I've spent the last 7 years of my life incarcerated because I chose to resist and tried to bring attention to the repression that this government carries out in countries such as El Salvador. I I received 40 years... for kidnapping a general in this government's army. I did not harm him; I only used him as the means to get needed attention of the fascist tactics of this capitalist system. I I do not feel that I committed any crime, because I will not hold myself bound to any law in which I have no voice or representation. I did what I felt was right.... What is wrong with anarchists believing that it is essential to resist wherever and whenever possible?.... And even if violent methods are not acceptable to everyone, we must realize that the motives behind these acts will always be correct. We e can claim to be anarchists, but our actions will ultimately validate what we really are.... Power concedes nothing without demand. Peace e and anarchy, Mike Kelly #493005, Clements Unit, 9601 NE 24th Ave, Amarillo TX 79107. P.S. ....Maybe e one of your readers can help answer the problem of bringing about our mythical anarchist society.... I really like your idea about getting anarchists together in one community. One e of my dreams has been to buy an abandoned oil rig in international waters and start an anarchist community on it.... We could be about as free as it's possible to be in this world. I I might sound crazy, but people set up pirate radio stations, etc. on these rigs, and they do not have to follow the laws of any country. Could this work? We e would be isolated though, 15 miles or so in the ocean. But if it worked, it would be a model of true anarchism, to show the world. Who o knows? Take care Ed and keep up the struggle. [We have to coordinate our stategies or else we will find ourselves working at cross-purposes and sabotaging one another. If f one group says, "Let's start an insurrection" and another says, "Let's organize a union" and another says, "Let's form a community" and another says, "Let's build up a mass movement", you can see how muddled it can and has gotten. Since we seem to be unable to reach an agreement, we each pursue our own strategies. This s is not a good state of affairs though. And though it's unfair, we are all judged as a group by the actions of anyone acting in the name of anarchism. For r example, when Leon Czolgosz assasinated President McKinley in the name of anarchy, he provoked a crushing reaction against the entire anarchist movement in the U.S. The movement was starting to reach the people, but many dropped out after that and few new people were attracted. As s a result of that one individual's act back in 1901, until today no foreign anarchist can legally immigrate to the U.S. But fascists can immigrate as long as they aren't wanted for war crimes and weren't in leadership positions during the period around WWII! As Benjamin Franklin once said, if we don't hang together they'll hang us one at a time. If f you're trying to avoid trouble, and one member of the group decides she can no live like a coward and lashes out, she endangers the entire group. I'm sure the government would like nothing better than an excuse to crack down on us, since we're starting to reach people. My My philosophy is "Don't fight if you can't win", unless of course you have reason to believe they're going to shoot you anyway. I don't think it's to that point yet in the U.S. On the oil rig, yes I've thought about stuff like that too. After r we get a community going in a relatively easy environment (outside jobs, no harassment), perhaps we could try something more difficult. Ed] ****** Dear Ed, Hi! ! Sorry I haven't contributed recently to the interesting ramblings taking place in the Meander.... I I don't have any comments about the discussion currently in the Meander, except that I was interested to read the obituary of the Yiddish anarchist [Leah Feldman]. Actually one of my main interests now is the interplay between Jews, Anarchism and Anti-semitism. I I eventually hope to put together a chapbook on this and I welcome all comments/suggestions. As far as other thoughts about anarchism in general, I am really curious as to how much of human nature is innate and learned and how we can best foster development of people to live without government coercion. One e person I'm debating with points to the work of Konrad Lorenz to prove that humans naturally want to follow or take control. I haven't followed this up yet though. Otherwise not much is new here, except that I was able to meet and hear Murray Bookchin, who did a lecture at a school near here. That t was interesting. Imagine, Andrew Wertheimer [There is a lot of material on anarchism, jews, and anti-semitism since there are, and have been, many ethnically jewish anarchists, and since the anti-semitism charge is sometimes leveled at us as a political ploy by Marxists. In a hierarchical society, you only have three choices: lead, follow, or drop-out. Maybe e that is why it seems like this is human nature, when it is just an adaptation to circumstances. Ed] ****** "And now, I think, the meaning of the evolution of civilization is no longer obscure to us. It t must present the struggle between Eros and Death, between the instinct of life and the instinct of destruction, as it works itself out in the human species." Sigmund Freud, "Civilization and its Discontents" (thanks to Clif Bennett for this quote) ****** - "America - love it or leave it!" - "And become a victim of our foreign policy?" ****** "NON-PROFIT CORPORATION PROMOTES SOCIAL INNOVATION Finding better ways of operating our planet is the keystone of a community developing under New Civilization, which started as a letter exchange among a group of open-minded thinkers. For r a decade they have been moving toward putting their ideas of a new civilization to the test. In 1993 they became a "human way" non-profit business corporation with 9.5 wilderness acres in Oak View, California. Their concept of community goes well beyond just the place where people live. It t includes a network of associated businesses, some of which may not be in close proximity to the rest. Among the members are, or will be, FoodCo, HealthCo, LearnCo, InsureCo, BankCo, and ThinkCo. These e provide services for one another and for people who can benefit from the linkage. Their exchange system will not be with Federal currency but on Time Money, a local currency based on the number of hours put in serving members. Their r goal is not just to form a community but to be a model from which other communities can franchise elements to solve their specific local problems. Unlike our current economic system, New Civ will place people before profits and design all elements of the community so members can do well by doing good. For r a free six-page brochure describing its programs, write New Civilization, 16255 Ventura Blvd Ste 605, Encino CA 91436-2354 USA; telephone (818) 788-1136." (from press release) [Sounds interesting, but the corporate model and business language put me off, especially the parts about "operating" the planet, "franchising" and "doing well by doing good". I I wonder if all the members get the same credit for the time they put in, regardless of the work they perform? Do child-care aides get the same credit per hour as the BankCo director? Do o the community members control these enterprises, or are they merely employees and consumers? Ed] ****** "The way the debate on schools and education is controlled by the political/education establishment, subserviently supported by most of the media, public discussion rarely comes close to facing three fundamental flaws in our government school system: forced d attendance, forced funding and forced content. Whether in outward action or inward repression, people instinctively rebel against force. Our r authoritarian, monopolistic school system mocks any sense of democracy. Moreover, the way most schools operate runs contrary to most everything we know about the way children learn. Although h those in control of education can call on the full force of government to back them up, their means of control is in programming the general public and getting children at the earliest possible age to gratefully embrace, or at least become addictively dependent on our government school system." Gene Lehman (from "LUNO") ****** "The terrifying breakdown of social cohesion in the American city, in spite of intense institutionalized police surveillance equipped with every sophisticated aid to public control, illustrates that social behavior depends on mutual responsibility rather than upon the police." Colin Ward (from "Practical Anarchy") ****** I really do appreciate very very much being on your mailing list. Please e do keep me on. Violence is getting worse here at the moment and with the build up to the general elections on April 27 next year, I forcast that things will really get hot. Think k of us. Next time I'll send you some newspaper clippings. B., South Africa ****** "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong." Voltaire ****** "U.S. military and National Guard personnel have been undergoing training and exercises for several years for house-to-house searches (presumably for drugs or guns), for crowd control, and for domestic "counter-terrorism measures". Roadblocks s are being randomly set up on highways around america by local, state, or federal officials to conduct drivers' license checks or warrantless spot checks of cars or their occupants for drugs, liquor, or firearms; local or state police or military helicopters are, with greatly increased frequency, overflying cities, towns, neighborhoods, and individual houses at low levels, looking for drugs, for surveillance, or for intimidation purposes. In late 1991, an "urban warfare training exercise" by the U.S. Marines brought a dozen military helicopters swooping down low over San Francisco rooftops, prompting hundreds of frightened calls to radio stations and the local police, who denied any knowledge of the exercise. Hundreds s of military vehicles (black and with no markings) are being seen in various parts of the U.S., in many instances manned by personnel in black uniforms (with no insignia). Denial of any knowledge of these helicopters, vehicles or personnel from local, state, and federal officials almost always follows frightened inquiries from citizens. (from "Alter or Abolish") ****** "The Crime Control Act of 1993 redefines Illegal Search and Seizure while eliminating an innocent citizen's right to sue government officials and agents for damages. The e excuse this time is an attempt to thwart "terrorism".... When first examined, (the Act's) "terrorist" provisions are misleading for they give the impression they are after agents of a foreign power wishing to do americans harm. However, , the Trojan Horse in this Act is that anyone in the United States committing an undefined violent act or attending an assembly can be charged with terrorism." This Act will allow the government to use against its citizens illegally seized evidence... The e "Exclusionary Rule", which ordinarily precludes the use of illegally obtained evidence, will be modified to allow admissibility of evidence obtained by "objectively reasonable" search and seizure even in the face of a faulty warrant." (from "Alter or Abolish") ****** "Is your church ATF approved? Contact t the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms at 1-800-CONFORM for our Guidlines" (from "Alter or Abolish") ****** ANARCHIST NEIGHBORHOOD POLL: I I would like everyone who is interested in forming a loosely organized anarchist neighborhood, on the model of an ethnic neighborhood, to send me your choice for a location, and your runner-up choice. I'll send in the results for the next issue of "MQ". If f you don't plan to participate, or have no strong preference, please abstain. NOAM CHOMSKY: spoke e at the student union of the University of Kansas on November 12 on the topic of "Manufacturing Consent: Media Manipulation in Modern America". The e ballroom was filled, and many people were turned away. He traced the use of propaganda and public relations from the Wilson administration's successful campaign to get the U.S. involved in WW I, to anti-labor and anti-social welfare propaganda, to the NAFTA agreement. He's s an excellent speaker, much warmer in person than his writings would suggest. He captivated the audience for about two hours, so I'll try to boil his comments down to a bare minimum. He e believes the capitalist class is engaged in conscious warfare with the working class, and that the capitalist class controls the government. In some societies military terror is used to maintain control, but in the wealthier industrialized nations, controlling public opinion is the means of staying in power. He e said the ruling elite can vary from a liberal wing, which lets people see what the government is doing while resisting any attempt by the people to exert democratic control, to a reactionary wing which doesn't even let the people know what it is doing. He said this elite strives to maximize its control over any societies it can, with the conscious intention of looting them and impoverishing and enslaving their people through the use of unethical economic and military intervention. He e said the policies of this elite have created widespread destruction and misery in much of the world, and that a blind eye is turned to glaring double standards that should be apparent to even a ten year old (like criticizing human rights violations of regimes the U.S. opposes while ignoring them in its own sphere of influence). While in general agreement with Dr. Chomsky, I think he confuses authoritarianism with totalitarianism. An n authoritarian elite does not interfer excessively with people's personal lives as long as they keep quiet and don't threaten the system. Only those who challenge the system are intimidated, imprisoned or killed. In n a totalitarian society, the elite tries to mobilize all citizens for whatever purposes it pleases. Mere consent is not enough. All l citizens are expected to do, and even believe, whatever the elite wants them to. Anyone who disagrees, even in private, risks intimidation, imprisonment, or execution. I I agree with Dr. Chomsky that there is a social class that is trying to impose a capitialist system on the world, and that it tries to control public opinion. I agree that in some countries the local sub-elites can be authoritarian, and in rare cases even totalitarian. When n he compares the capitalist forces to Nazis though, he is confusing authoritarianism with totalitarianism. The Nazis actually kept subject populations at gun point, exterminated sectors of society that did not openly oppose them, and sought out and destroyed those who even dared to question their authority. This s is not the case with capitalist authoritarianism, even in the developing nations. Latin American death squads, although linked to their governments, do not go after their citizens on the same scale as a full-blown fascist regime. Their r victims are labelled as subversives or sympathizers linked to armed revolutionary movements, even if this labelling is the result of paranoid delusions. And the U.S. cannot even be truly called authoritarian, although it is definitely undemocratic and oppressive. Most t types of opposition short of armed opposition are tolerated (with the exception of property rights violations like Animal Liberation). Those who openly defy various laws are arrested and imprisoned, but no one is arrested for free speech (including publication), political activity, peaceful assembly or even legal possesion of firearms and explosives. One e place in our society which does deserve Dr. Chomsky's label of "fascist" is the corporate environment. Although the element of physical violence is usually lacking, any opinions or activities that are deemed out of step with management's can result in "termination", and an environment of fear pervades the organization. You u literally survive from day to day at the whim of those in control, who demand that you not only perform your job, but that you also parrot theirtheirt eirt . I also question his "foreign investment equals exploitation" argument. I've e got enough class consciousness to understand that workers are paid less than they're worth, and that this is where profit comes from. No argument there. But t I've been unemployed, and I much prefer being exploited to being unemployed. As long as you can quit, a bad job is better than no job. I I don't see how workers are worse off for voluntarily taking jobs they would otherwise not have. Sure, this disrupts the traditional society, but living as a serf in the power of a landowner is a bad life too, and the individual can decide which is worse. Not t much of a choice, but not totalitarian either. As Kent Winslow pointed out in "Dream World", Mexico is an authoritarian country, but outside of politics the atmosphere among the people seems much more relaxed than the atmosphere in the U.S. due to the absence of an uptight public morality and control fetish. It t doesn't take very much at all in the U.S. for the authorities to feel a situation is out of control, like an intoxicated pedestrian, an unmowed lawn, or a driver without a license. Dr. Chomsky didn't say he was an anarchist, but he certainly sounded like one at times (even though his radical leftism would lead to the seizure of power by Leninist hardliners in my opinion). He e said he grew up in an immigrant, anti-statist Zionist environment, and I wondered if he or his family were involved with "Freie Arbeiter Stimme". "FREEDOM IS A LIGHT FOR WHICH MANY MEN HAVE DIED IN DARKNESS": This his inscription, from a monument to unknown soldiers of the American revolution in Philadelphia, made me think about how anarchism is like an elusive light in the distance. We can get closer and closer, but each step is a struggle and our progress is painfully slow. Many y anarchists have come and gone. Some have been lucky enough to catch a fleeting glimpse of what could be, but most struggled on with little hope of seeing the fruit of their labor. What t kept them going was the knowledge that their efforts moved us all a little closer to the goal (which each one perceived somewhat differently) - freedom from fear and poverty, freedom to be ourselves, freedom from loneliness and isolation, freedom from competition against one another. They strove for teamwork, fairness, tolerance, kindness, honesty, and community. Some e anti-authoritarians sneer at the idea of morality or ethics, but these are humanity's attempts to describe the light we are striving to reach. Although these ideas are often appropriated and twisted by politicians and religious leaders for their own purposes, the ideas themselves are still valid and worth pursuing. Ed Stamm, PO Box 1402, Lawrence KS 66044 USA NEWSLETTER BUSINESS NOT PUBLISHED (Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and copies of the items you request will be mailed to you.) -Poem by Dan Wilcox. -Poem, satire, and humorous flyer from Clif Bennett. -Poem by Tashunka Raven. -Poems by Martha Thomas FINANCIAL STATEMENT Many thanks to the following people for their donations: Andrew w Wertheimer, Miranda Edison, Clif Bennett, Jaime Enrique Baxter, sample copies, Ed D'Angelo, Erik Riese, Camille V., Jeff S., (If making a donation by check, please make it payable to the current publisher). -88.00 Balance e before V5N3 ======= -70.00 Printing g V5N3 (100 copies) -4.48 8 Sales Tax -14.75 International l Postage (air mail) -36.40 Domestic c Postage (first class) -213.63 Balance after V5N3 ======= 35.37 7 Donations received after V5N3 2.00 00 Paid advertisements for V5N4 -176.26 Balance before V5N4 ======= I will liquidate the deficit before I pass MQ on to the next publisher. A A special thanks to all of you who sent in material and/or donations. I really enjoy this zine, and I hope we can keep it going. It's s the only regularly rotating anarchist publication that I know of, and one of the few that is financed by donations. Ed Stamm PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED ABAPA Freer, PO Box 759-MQ, Veneta OR 97487. Unedited forum about boosting freedom, esp. in favorable locales. Alter or Abolish (formerly "Urine Nation News"), Digit Press, PO Box 2149, Roswell GA 30077. Advocate for legal rights of individuals. Alternative Press Review, c/o C.A.L. Press, PO Box 1446, Columbia MO 65205-1446. "Your r Guide Beyond the Mainstream". Anarchist Studies, c/o White Horse Press, 1 Strond, Isle of Harris, Scotland PA83 3UD. Received d flyer advertising this new scholarly journal. Anarchy, c/o C.A.L. Press, PO Box 1446, Columbia MO 65205-1446. "Journal l of Desire Armed". Black and Red, c/o Hill, 160 Lefferts Ave, Brooklyn NY 11225. Newsletter r of the Anarchist Caucus of the Committees of Correspondence. Corre@ [don't use name of publication on envelope], N. Mendez, Casilla 25, Fac. Ingenieria, UCV, Caracas 1040, VENEZUELA. Spanish h anarchist publication. Discussion Bulletin, PO Box 1564, Grand Rapids MI 49501. Non-market, anti-statist, libertarian socialists. Drug Test Survival Guide, c/o Digit Press, Dept 4 Box 2149, Roswell GA 30077. How w to beat a drug test. The Fire Fly, 700 Pearl St, Wallace ID 83873. Alternative zine with emphasis on family and environment. Free Society, PO Box 7293, Minneapolis MN 55407. Anarchist zine linking radical scholarship and activism. Freethought History, Box 5224, Kansas City KS 66119. Scholarly atheist newsletter. Global Mail, PO Box 597996, Chicago IL 60659. Networking zine with mailart, pen-pals, zines, tapes, etc. The Guillotine, c/o EMO, Binghamton Univ., PO Box 6000, Binghamton NY 13902. Libertarian n student tabloid. Industrial Worker, 1095 Market St Ste 204, San Francisco CA 94103. Monthly tabloid of the IWW. Kick It Over, PO Box 5811 Station A, Toronto ON M5W 1P2 CANADA. Politically y correct anarchist quarterly. Little Free Press, 714 Third St SE, Little Falls MN 56345-3510. For r a moneyless, volunteer economy. LUNO, Gene Lehman, 31960 SE Chin St, Boring OR 97009. Newsletter concerning education reform. National Coalition News, PO Box 15036, Santa Fe NM 87506. Alternative e schools support group. People's Culture, Box 5224, Kansas City KS 66119. Scholarly leftist cultural newsletter. Permafrost, PO Box 339, Seattle WA 98111-0339. Thoughts and life of Karl Myers. Practical Anarchy, PO Box 173, Madison WI 53701-0173. Eclectic anarchist quarterly with many contacts. S.E.T. Free, Box 10491, Oakland CA 94610. "The Newsletter Against Television". The Shadow, PO Box 20298, New York NY 10009. Tompkins Square anarchists' bimonthly tabloid. Shenandoah Newsletter, 736 W Oklahoma St, Appleton WI 54914. "Newsletter for Native-Nation people". The Solar Age Hemp Paper Report, Box 610, Peterstown WV 24963. Pro-hemp p for the environment and economy. TRANET, Box 567, Rangeley ME 04970. "A bi-monthly digest for the Alternative and Transformational movements." Understanding the Libertarian Philosophy, Libertarian Party, 1528 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Washington DC 20003. Informational flyer. Overlooks s entirely the coercive power of property owners and employers. Western Review Institute, Box 806, Chino CA 91708. Philosophical musings of Robert Sagehorn. ADVERTISEMENTS Display ads of about a 1/4 of a page (2" x 4") will be accepted at the rate of $4.00 per issue. Written ads are 5 cents a word. Some e ads appear free, as a public service or on an exchange basis. Circulation is about 85. If f paying by check, please make it payable to the current publisher. ****** Flunk the DADS of Ph.D. Socialism. A free leaflet. Write e DDEC, P.O. Box 3744-MQ, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-3744. ****** "A Garland of Forest Flowers" by Swami Nirmalananda discusses the thoughts of this "enlightened anarchist" on the teachings of the most spiritual personalities of many different cultures. Available for Rs. 75.00 from Viswa Shanti Nikethana, B.R. Hills - 571 441, Karnataka, India. ****** "El Anarquismo en America Latina" is a spanish language history of the anarchist movement in latin america. The 218 page prologue and the chronology are by Angel Cappelletti. Carlos s Rama edited this collection of texts and did the footnotes. The total length of the book is 708 pages, including the index. Colectivo o Circulo A, who publish "Corre@", are willing to ship copies of the book at cost to those interested. The book costs $21 paperback and $26 hard cover, plus $8 packing and shipping. Send d well concealed cash or a check or money order made out to Nelson Mendez P. from a bank with a branch or agent in Venezula. Send to: N. Mendez, Casilla 25, Fac. Ingenieria, UCV, Caracas 1040, VENEZULA. Due e to the size of the book, they can only send one copy at a time. (Anyone headed that way interested in taking an extra suitcase?) ****** Mothers and Grandmothers of Disappeared Children is a support group for women who have had their children removed from their homes by the state. We organize to make the public aware of the way the system abuses poor mothers and children and destroys families. Linda a Ray (414) 383-9459. ****** The Libertarian Book Club, one of the oldest surviving anarchist groups in the U.S., has just published a new, comprehensive anarchist book list. The 20 page booklet was compiled and annotated by Bob Erler, and is available for $4.00 from: Libertarian n Book Club, 339 Lafayette St Rm 202, New York NY 10012. ****** The War Resisters League has produced a new video, "It's Not Just a Job", as a counter recruit- ment video to inform people about the military. 339 Lafayette St, New York NY 10012. ****** The AFFINITY GROUP OF EVOLUTIONARY ANARCHISTS (formerly AGMA) is an address exchange network linking individuals who favor education and self-organiza- tion as the pre- ferred methods of achieving a volun- tary, egalitarian and cooperative society. To be listed write: Ed Stamm, PO Box 1402, Lawrence KS 66044-8402 USA. email: or