From: "Nicolas G." <elgraben-AT-hotmail.com>
Subject: Armed Struggle/ETA
Date: Tue, 01 Aug 2000 20:10:31 GMT



The first point I won't argue with you.  The issue of what forms of violence 
are justifiable and which aren't in my book is tactical not ideological, so 
it all depends on the situation. I agree that in the US, and in most places 
right now for that matter, armed struggle by anarchist organizations going 
beyond property damage and the likes is not suggestable as their isn't  the 
popular support for it necessary or the support networks either.

As to my support for the Basque movement of national liberation, it has many 
motives.  First, a part of my family is Catalan and still lives there.  They 
told me what it was like for them under Franco, and all the ways that it 
still hasnt changed, so I naturally have sympathies in that direction.

Also, as an anarchist and a communist I feel drawn to support the struggle 
of any oppressed group against an imperialist aggressor (which is all that 
Spain is to me)  and particularly when that struggle comes hand in hand with 
a project for a new society, a socialist Basque state, not just more police 
and more borders.  To more hardline anarchists the prospect of a socialist 
state may not be appealing, but like I said, I have strong Marxist 
tendencies.

In any case, I support ETA because I see them as fighting a war against 
Spanish imperialism on behalf of the Basque people (those who work for 
independence and socialism, the ones I care about), and in wars people die.  
It's sad but true. (This is where people snap that you haven't lived through 
bombings, they don't explode near you etc. Sorry, lived in Athens and Buenos 
Aires, I'm more than familiar with bombs exploding where I live)  And ETA, 
unlike the IRA, is still true to it's socialist roots and never attempts to 
hide them.

Lastly, I don't consider ETA a terrorist group.  The definition of terrorism 
I use defines terrorism as "the attempt to achieve political aims through 
the use of terror among the population so that they may bend and pressure 
their leaders to give in to the demands of the terrorist group" (or 
something like that).
ETA does not do that, it attacks representatives of spanish imperialism and 
their allies (police, military, PP, PSOE), all legitimate targets (although 
there was a period when the ETA leadership went into that).

Redskin greetings,
    Nicolas G.

>But the problem is, there's no organizational base for anarchists in the
>US right now, besides perhaps the web pages and mailing lists on the
>internet.  People who commit violent acts would most likely do them for a
>spur-of-the-moment thrill or based on some crazy, mixed-up ideology, like
>primitivism.  I suppose there's nothing we can do about the crazies in our
>movement, but the least one can do is criticize the type of actions that
>are terroristic.
>
>I cant see how you can side with ETA.. they are a nationaliost
>group... why is it so important that the Basque region becomes a country
>of its own, when it just means a different ruling class will exploit it's
>own working class?  ETA are statists.
>
>  - Jamal
>

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