Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1999 10:07:48 -0500
From: Chuck0 <chuck-AT-tao.ca>
Subject: Fwd: There were no violent Anarchists in Seattle




-------- Original Message --------
Subject: There were no violent Anarchists in Seattle
Date: Sat, 11 Dec 1999 03:13:02 -0500 (EST)
From: Steven C Diamond <scd-AT-cisunix.unh.edu>


   As the police were attacking nonviolent protestors in
Seattle, many of us here on the East coast who didn't join in
body were almost as active resisting the WTO... organizing
teach-ins, media stunts, and protests.  I was simply too busy
with my local actions to even read the flood of first hand
accounts, much less the corporate media reports as they
flooded in.  Now I finally have, and after hearing so much
about "violent anarchists" from everyone, including supposed
progressives, I was surprised when I found absolutely no
reports describing ANY act of violence perpetrated by
protestors, anarchists or otherwise.  For some reason,
"progressives" chose to give credibility to the corporate
media's rediculous terminology in refering to "violent
anarchists."     
   This complete nonviolence (except for those "nonviolent" folks
who tried to stop the Anarchists from destroying the property of
evil trans-national corporations) on the part of the protestors
is frankly shocking when juxtaposed with the extreme violence, in
fact potentially deadly force, comitted by the police.  Somehow
noone was killed, although I'm sure plenty of people were put
through such agony that for a time they wished they were
dead.  I was relieved to hear, however, that some of the
protesters had the common sense to not lay themselves in the
hands of the fascists to be brutalized.  The fact is that there
was basically no property destruction going on when or before  
the passive Civil Disobedience protestors were being attacked
as they managed to delay the WTO delegates... and you know how
serious rich people can be about arriving late for appointments.  
   The Anarchists made a very restrained, limited response to
this, slashing police car tires and destroying the storefronts
of the most egregious of the corporate criminals who finance and
run the political and military establishments that repress the
people.  As it became more and more impossible for the media to
ignore the massive civil unrest in the streets of Seattle, they
chose to try to discredit and splinter the protestors over
tactics.  
   Self-defense is not violence, it is common sense, it is a
natural and inalienable right among many that exist regardless of
states' chosing to acknowledge them or not.  Sabotaging the
financial arms of the empire's machine as it tries to enslave us
all, corrupt all that is pure, and persuade us to thank them for
it, is self-defense.  Throwing back tear gas at violent police is
self-defense.  Cowering in the middle of the street as you are
blinded, deafened, and brutalized in mass is frankly stupid and
self-destructive.  Such passivity is elitist, since money-poor
and dark skinned people rarely get through CD with their bodies
and liberty intact, while their kkkomrades can go home and
intellectualize the merits of their ineffective, reformist 
strategy.  Such passive strategy, when it does actually cause
change, simply changes the form that slavery and oppression
takes to one that the people are less likely to rise up and
resist, even as the oppression expands.  
   Advanced governments now know that some white people should be
made slaves as well for openness, that no group of consumers
should live too close to where their slaves toil in misery, that
blacks should ride in any part of the bus they want as they
travel from one end of the ghetto to the other, and that the
press should NEVER be permitted to document the reality of a war
zone.  But of course, governments are quite willing to make
improvements to their fascist systems as long as we play by
their rules and believe in their assumptions.       
   I say this not to exacerbate anger or division, but to FORCE
anyone with a love for liberty to THINK, and to recognize that
freedom will not be handed over on a silver platter.  Let us also
be reminded that the "silver platter" (luxury) is not freedom, it
is bribery.  Private property, as opposed to personal property,
is not a right, it is theft.  Freedom is urgent, inherent, and
here now if you're willing to see it.  

On Fri, 3 Dec 1999, David Diamond wrote:
> I believe our best hope to turning this country around
> is through dialogue, reinforced at intervals by nonviolent civil
> disobedience, changing people's minds and bringing about true democracy and
> equality.  It's a step-by-step process, but it can and will happen.   Dave
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: mutual aid collective <work4justice-AT-yahoo.com>
> Date: Friday, December 03, 1999 2:07 PM
> Subject: Re: the WTO and my thoughts....please, EVERYONE read!
>  
> >this kkkountry was founded on theft and genocide and
> >it will never stop until we destroy it.  it has never
> >been a "democracy" and never will.  civilization must
> >be destroyed!!!  no borders! no classes! burn out the
> >rich!
> >
> >
> >====> >FIGHT FASCISM!!!
> >FREE ALL U.S. POLITICAL PRISONERS & PRISONERS OF WAR!!!
> >ABOLISH THE RACIST/CLASSIST DEATH PENALTY!!!
> >FREE THE PEOPLE!!!
> >FREE MOTHER EARTH!!!
> >__________________________________________________
> >Do You Yahoo!?
> >Thousands of Stores.  Millions of Products.  All in one place.
> >Yahoo! Shopping: http://shopping.yahoo.com
> >
> 

http://pubpages.unh.edu/~scd
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