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For Reading and Printing 8.5×11 PLAIN WORDS ANARCHIST COUNTER-INFORMATION IN BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA ISSUE FOUR FREE WINTER 2017/2018 BLACK DECEMBER: MEMORY IS A WEAPON DESTITUTION & TROLLING MIRROR, KALEIDOSCOPE, DAGGER: WHAT IS ANARCHISM? FUCK YOUR SELFIE: ON THE SPECTACLE OF RESISTANCE “GOOD TV” AS A ROADBLOCK TO A TRODDEN PANSY: REMEMBERING LOUIS LINGG NIGHT OWLS DISRUPT TIMBER SALE DEER: 1 COMPUTERS: 0 PLAIN WORDS Plain Words is a website and publication that focuses on spreading news and developing analyses of struggles in and around Bloomington, Indiana. As anarchists, we approach these struggles from an anti-state, anti-capitalist perspective. However, we aren’t interested in developing a specific party line – even an anarchist one – and instead value the diverse forms resistance can take. Our anarchism is vibrant, undogmatic, and finds common cause with all others who fight for a world without the state, capital, and all structures of domination. All texts and images in Plain Words are taken from the internet or sub- mitted to us by others. We are not an organization or specific group, but simply a vehicle for spreading words and actions of resistance in Bloomington. As such, we actively seek collaboration. If you have news, images, reportbacks of actions and demonstrations, communiques, event infor- mation, publications, analyses of local trends and situations, updates on projects and campaigns, or anything else coming from an anti-authori- tarian, anti-capitalist perspective, please get in touch. If you have comments on or critiques of anything we’ve printed that you’d like us to publish, feel free to send them our way. PLAINWORDSBLOOMINGTON.ORG [email protected] Everything in Plain Words is either taken from the internet or anony- mously submitted to us online. All content is presented for educational purposes only. The editors of this project have no connection to the content beyond transmitting it for others to read. MIRROR KALEIDOSCOPE DAGGER WHAT IS ANARCHISM? “The subject is not whether we ac- cles of abuse that plague our relationships, “strategic thought,” and “objective con- complish anarchism today, tomorrow, the petty snitch mentality), and from our- ditions” – strangle our unrestrained day- or within ten centuries, but that we selves (our own acceptance of and partic- dreams of cooperation and free life. The walk towards anarchism today, to- ipation in the above). Anarchism offers us beauty of anarchism is that it has dispensed morrow, and always.” a mirror with which to evaluate ourselves, with ideological certainties, scientific mea- Errico Malatesta, to recognize faults and, ultimately, to make surements, and grand plans, favoring instead “Towards Anarchism” changes. the limitless possibilities that can spring Am I capable of living without forth from the unknown. Each turn of the authority? This question breaks through kaleidoscope – this way and that – brings hat is anarchism? The question all hand-wringing about utopia, bringing new arrangements of light, unique and vi- itself opens like a budding flow- our ideal world into dialogue with our own brant colors, evanescent and determined by Wer, exposing further questions. behavior. Are we slavish, sycophantic, sub- the movements we, ourselves, make. Do we speak of anarchism as a political the- missive? Are we exploitative, dishonest, ory, with its corresponding list of important manipulative? Are we dominating, uncar- Anarchism as dagger books and figures? Or of anarchism as an ing, sadistic? Are we living our lives, now, approach to life, a way of living one’s days in a way that opens doors for experiments uch has been made of the anar- in a way that is liberating? Anarchism can be in freedom – or has all of this world’s bit- chist as wild-eyed bomb thrower, both of these – and much more – because terness diminished our capacity for simple Mand much more has been vomit- it is elusive, defiant of orthodoxy and final human kindness? ed in response by those “anarchists” who words. Let us not speak of anarchism in the The mirror exposes us for what fall over each other to distance themselves dead tongues of Great Men, the dusty lan- we are, and only through this will we from any tinge of violence. Whatever one’s guage of library shelves, or the meaningless change. Anarchism does not wait for “ma- personal inclination toward or against vio- prattle of the artistic avant-garde. In defin- terial conditions” or the “contradictions of lence, the reality of our lives within capital- ing some basic principles, let us cut new capitalism” to transform us – it demands we ism and under the state is one of ruthless paths away from definitive pronunciations. sow the seeds of a new humanity now. brutality and exploitation. This will not be done away with by simply wishing it were Anarchism as mirror Anarchism as kaleidoscope so, or by loving the hand that beats us. To retaliate against the violence of work and t is impossible to envision a free world s our daily lives are impoverished law, property and alienation, is self-defense. when our everyday lives are poisoned by by systems of power, so too are our More importantly, it is a small assurance IPower: from above (police, prisons, boss- Adreams deadened and constrained. that those who wish to violate us will not es, courts, landlords), from others (the cy- Political ideologies – with their dogmas, do so without repercussions. In the face of the violence of the system, dignity is to be Anarchism is a path made by - The Bonnot Gang by Richard Parry found in the counter-violence of our direct walking. It is a tension: against Power, to- - Direct Action by Ann Hansen action. ward unknown freedoms. - Franco’s Prisoner by Miguel García - The Haymarket Tragedy by Paul Avrich aving traversed some fields and for- Without map, we traverse the wilder- - If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin ests with you, I will leave the “jus- ness. We do not fear the dark; it hides us from our - Into the Forest by Jean Hegland Htification” for anarchism to others, enemies. We do not fear the wild beasts; they are - Letters of Insurgents by Fredy Perlman as so much has already been said about the our companions. We do not fear hunger; the trees - “Maroon: Kuwasi Balagoon and the Evo- human history of free cooperation and mu- are plentiful. We do not fear disease; many among lution of Revolutionary New Afrikan Anar- tual aid. Neither will I dwell upon the in- us are healers. We do not fear each other; tender- chism” by Akinyele Umoja tricacies of an anarchist society (who will ness abounds. We know not our destination – only - “Resistance to Civil Government” by take out the trash, etc.), because I find such that behind us the city without silence consumes the Henry David Thoreau questions impossible to answer in the midst horizon with its cataractous glare. In the darkness - Sabaté by Antonio Téllez of this social prison. Besides, there will not we can see the stars. They are so beautiful. - Sasha and Emma by Paul Avrich be one answer to such questions; systemat- - “The Sun Still Rises” by Conspiracy of ic thinking is what has ensnared us in the Margot V. Cells of Fire barbed wire for so long. What to do with a - We are the Birds of the Coming Storm by Lola world of total freedom will be determined Some tappings on the cell wall Lafon by those who live in that world. The best - “What is Green Anarchy?” we can offer are visions, small experiments - Anarchism and Violence: Severino Di Giovanni - Without a Glimmer of Remorse by Pino Ca- that summon that world in our immediate in Argentina 1923-1931 by Osvaldo Bayer cucci lives, and audacious actions to rid ourselves - Armed Joy by Alfredo M. Bonanno - Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson of Power and its footsoldiers. - “Black Anarchism” by Ashanti Alston SOLIDARITY WITH MICHAEL KIMBLE ichael Kimble is a gay, black anar- was present in C-dorm, the epicenter of in- chist held captive by the state of cendiary attacks by prisoners against their MAlabama. In 1986, Michael and captors. a friend were attacked by a man spouting Michael remains active in the racist and homophobic slurs. Refusing to struggles at Holman prison, always seeking be another victim of white supremacist, to push away from compromise and reform heterosexist violence, Michael fought back, towards revolt and the destruction of the killing the man who attacked him. For this, state in its totality. he was given life in prison, a term which he Self-defense against bigots re- continues to serve to this day. quires no justification, and we should stand Throughout the ‘90s, Michael with those rebelling against the overseers came upon revolutionary literature – initial- of the modern-day slave plantations called ly identifying as a communist. Eventually, prisons. Uncompromising solidarity is the he came to anarchism, inspired by individ- flame we carry forth until Michael, the pris- uals like Black Liberation Army fighter and on rebels at Holman, and all captives of the revolutionary anarchist Kuwasi Balagoon. state are free. In Michael’s own words, “anarchism is not If you would like to contact Mi- about building a hierarchical structure for chael or read more of his writings, visit: liberation somewhere in the distant future, ANARCHYLIVE.NOBLOGS.ORG but about living your life, now, in a fash- ion that’s liberating.” This politicization was accompanied by active engagement in struggles going on in Alabama prisons. For decades, Michael has participated in collec- tive battles against prison slavery and bru- tality by guards, as well as individual action in defense of other prisoners and against the prison authorities. As prison revolts in Alabama spread throughout 2016, Michael WITH GRAND JURY SOLIDARITY RESISTERS rand Juries are an investigative I cannot begin to explain what de- idarity with the resilient herstory of tool often used by the state against fending the land and the people I state repression resistors, along with Gpeople engaged in liberatory strug- call home means to me, but I want those who will continue to resist after gles.
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