AUT: Re: FWD: A syndicalist counterpoint to Tom Keefer

["Harald Beyer-Arnesen" <haraldba@xxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Handelman" <mhandelman1@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <aut-op-sy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 10. juli 2002 03.14
Subject: AUT: FWD: A syndicalist counterpoint to Tom Keefer



> A Syndicalist Counterpoint
> to Tom Keefer
> John Hollingsworth (member,
> Ottawa-Outaouais IWW and OCAT)
>
[....]

> So, by way of my own
> conclusion, it seems to be clear that the organizing
> for Ottawa managed to move beyond some of the
> limitations of the past and move things forward in
> some important ways.  My personal list includes the
> following: -          picking our own targets for mass
> mobilization and our own battles, not necessarily
> where the political elites and their masters choose to
> site their major meetings but where their day-to-day
> operations and day-to-day struggles actually
> occur; -          making genuine links between local
> and global struggles, and building revolutionary
> capacity within our own communities; -
> beginning the transition from protest to resistance
> through creative and daring direct action and real
> civil disobedience; -          energizing old
> activists and
> bringing in new activists into the resistance
> movement; -          challenging and exposing the
> hypocrisy of the accommodationist liberal-left, the
> failure of the reformists to realize reforms, and
> their admonitions to quietly lobby and work within the
> system, discrediting this as a means of change; -
>     proving our capacity for mass mobilization; -
>     developing our affinity groups and networks of
> resistance; and -          formulating solid demands
> tied to solid action, and raising the costs of
> non-compliance to these demands to capital and the
> state

This sure was a promising note ... (and again demonstrating
the critical importance of consciousness fror any would-be
revolutionary movement)

I also liked the following line: "Again, not that I personally have
any particular qualms about smashed windows per se, but the
fact is that we were interested in something other than
symbolic action."

I just wanted to use the opportunity to saying something positive,
but which again fortifies my belief in the constructive force of strong
doses of negativity at times, as cosmetics don't last for long, and
illusionism is a sure road to defeat. While I may appreciate the
intentions behind trying to walk through brick walls, there are far
better ways of bringing them down, and which also leaves less of
a headache.

Harald









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