From: Richard Singer <ricinger-AT-inch.com>
Subject: [postanarchism] Re: anarchist theories of justice, list parameters & our Collective Book...
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2003 21:43:43 -0500


I know that I've promoted the Collective Book on Collective Process on this 
list more than any other, but I feel that certain chapters specifically 
address a number of issues that have come up in this very interesting 
series of threads.  Therefore, I'd like to offer a few of our chapters as 
"my" comment on some of these issues.  Doing so will help me to avoid 
spending lots of time laboriously repeating points that I've made already 
(in collaboration with someone else).  Also, since the authorship of this 
project has equal gender parity, maybe people will be less likely to read 
"gender bias" into it.  (At first I thought it would be appropriate to end 
that statement with a smiley face.  But now I'm thinking...maybe not.)  So, 
those who are interested might refer to the following links (and if for any 
reason you have problems linking, let me know, and I'll send you an e-mail 
copy):

Creating Pariahs:
http://www.geocities.com/collectivebook/pariahs.html

The Dearth of Due Process:
http://www.geocities.com/collectivebook/dueprocess.html

Micromanaging Other People's Behavior:
http://www.geocities.com/collectivebook/micromanaging.html

A Model For Justice?
http://www.geocities.com/collectivebook/modeljustice.html

Respect for Differences:
http://www.geocities.com/collectivebook/differences.html

The Collective Is Not Always More Correct Than the Individual:
http://www.geocities.com/collectivebook/individual.html


Regarding specific illustrations of process that Tadzio Mueller posted last 
night, I have some quibbles but would like to think before going into them 
too much, considering the "emotionally charged" nature of the issues.  I 
would also prefer not to be the only person commenting on these documents. 
 I can, however, mention a couple of points briefly:  First of all, I very 
much appreciate that there are measures in these processes designed to 
safeguard against rumor mongering and to keep the accused person apprised 
of specific allegations, always giving him/her a chance to answer those 
allegations specifically.  I have rarely seen anarchist groups conscious of 
the need for such measures.

I am a little concerned that there is not enough attention paid to the 
principle of innocent until proven guilty, especially in the language.  For 
instance, until a fair hearing occurs, terms such as "perpetrator" and 
"aggressor" should not be used in an unqualified manner.  The present legal 
system is on the right track when it insists on the modifier "alleged."  (I 
understand, however, that this might have been a translation(?)...  So 
maybe something was lost in the translation.)

But that's all for now.  I'll get back to Jason's post and maybe Tadzio's 
later...


Richard

P.S.  I am sending copies of some of these messages to Asfodel, my 
co-author on the Collective Book (who actually did a lot more of the 
first-draft writing than I did).  I'm assuming that's OK, since the 
messages on this list are publicly accessible on a Web site and since 
others have done this sort of thing before.  If she wants to send along any 
comments, I'll forward them.