From: "K Kinkel" <kakinkel-AT-hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: This Whole Anarchist Violence Thing
Date: Sat, 04 Dec 1999 08:06:28 PST



Scott wrote,

>Now, repeat after me, there was *NO* anarchist violence in Seattle. >There 
>were anarchist actions that resulted in property damage, these >are not the 
>same thing.

One -could- even consider the property damage in Seattle to be anti-violent. 
  You know, property is violence, hence destruction of property is...  Or, 
maybe not.  Anyway, I do think Jamal has a point about the bad press though. 
  On the other hand, I have absolutely no idea how anarchists will ever get 
good press in the general media, regardless of what we do or refrain from 
doing.

>They're my fellow anarchists, my brothers and sisters, you are also >an 
>anarchist, there may be much we don't agree on, but our common >ground is 
>more vital and important.  In terms of the media and being >demonized, 
>there is little we can do, but I'll do what little I can >without 
>seperating myself from them.

This has been my absolute favorite part about these demonstrations.  While I 
have listened for days to people around Boulder bitch and moan about how 
"their" demonstration was ruined by those damned self-proclaimed 
"anarchists," I've noticed that almost without exception anarchists 
themselves have stuck together on this one.  It really is nice to see so 
many anarchists understand that they are part of the same whole, rather than 
constantly bicker and distance themselves for every little action they don't 
like.

It has also been nice to be reminded that anarchists understand the 
difference between personal violence and property damage, unlike the hordes 
of wanne-be activists in Boulder that just accept eat media definitions 
whole.

                                             Kevin K.

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