"'-

INTRODUCTION

After the May 9th sit-in that resulted we have learned is of value to other in 294 arrests at Stanford University, campuses ; not just the technical aspects the Stanford Committee for Responsible of political work but, more importantly, Investment Policy (SCRIP), which had what we have learned politically about organized the sit-in, was beseiged with building a mass movement on a college calls from California campuses asking campus. for technical and political information Don ' t take this booklet too seriously. on South Africa and on campus organizing You probably won ' t agree with a lot of it in general . Looking around, we found since we consciously take a strong stance that there was no current organizing on certain organizational issues, on handbook for campus political work, nor political style, and on such perennial was there a complete radical analysis leftist questions as sectarians and of the role of U .S ./multinational corp- non-violence . Use what you can and think orations in the apartheid system . about the rest--that ' s all we ask. A number of us who had been active in Something that has struck us as we ' ve SCRIP from the beginning formed the been putting this together is how often South Africa Catalyst Project and ap- we don ' t follow our own advice . We run plied to various progressive foundations out of time, or energy, or people, or for funding . money and cut corners . What we have We have worked for six months on put down here is the ideal that we al- this organizing handbook and the analysis ways strive for . It may not be possible of U .S ./multinationals in South Africa . to deal with the media, for example, We have not only drawn on our own ex- in as systematic a way as advised here, perience, and the experience of activists but the more you do, the better the press at Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Santa Bar- you ' ll get. bara, but we ' ve also tried to read as Some of our advice might seem simplis- much about organizing as possible. tic . For example, we include a line on What we felt was applicable we ripped having all leaflets double-checked by off without compunction . A listing different people . Now how obvious of works consulted appears on the can you get? But, believe it or not, inside back cover. we think everything in here could be Still our experience has, for the important . You should see the stuff most part, been organizing at Stanford we left out. University . While Stanford is an elite The leaflet advice comes out of private university, and therefore some- two experiences we had last year with what atypical, we feel that much of what not doulble-checking . For a big solidar-

ity dance the leaflet came down to one tendencies are still with us today; person who put a great deal of care into and we feel they stand in the way of an the copy (which was approved by a number effective and powerful student movement. of people), the graphics and the lay-out . Everyone who organizes must ask Only after five thousand leaflets had come themselves what they are trying to back from the printer was it realized accomplish . For themselves and for the that there was no date, time, or place movement . Are you trying to drown on the whole leaflet . your alienation in confrontation? Are A more serious mistake took p lace you interested in power? Are you seeking early in Stanford ' s South Africa campaign . community? Are you trying to fuck over A collective wrote the first major leaf- your parents? Are you trying to build a let and another one laid it out . The world you can feel good in? Are you fight- second collective was under the impression ing against what you see as your own that SCRIP had no stand on divestment oppression? Are you full of love? Or and was open to submitting its own prox- hate? Or both? ies . So they changed the text . The Many of us have laid out our goals first collective didn ' t agree . Anger for the movement in terms of 1) radical- was intense and it left scars . This izing more people, 2) building a stable incident brings us another bit of advice : student left and 3) exercising real know what you have decided at your power in terms of at least limiting meetings . U .S . options in areas such as South We have tried to draw from the ex- Africa. perience of the sixties . So much of We believe that all this--and more-- what we do comes directly from that can be done in America today--1978. movement : especially the insights from It is not impossible that a revised feminism . But we also feel that many edition of this booklet will come out soon. mistakes were made . No one can deny that In any event we would appreciate your the American student left had some pretty comments and advice . Feel free to write basic flaws : it was obsessed with us at: ideological purity, impatient for c/o Chris Gray " instant " revolution and so arrogant 570 Oxford St . #E and guilt ridden that it often saw its Palo Alto, California main role as organizing the rest of 94306 America while it had seldom even organ- ized the rest of the campus . These Good Luck

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What It Means To Be An Organizer ., . . 4

I. Laying the Foundation 5 So You Want to Start a Movement . . . . 5 Style 7 Goals/Ideology/Analysis 7 Problems? 8 Co-optation/Repression/Apathy/Transience 9 Rhetoric 10 Demands/Negotiations 11

II. The Organization 12 The Contribution of Feminism to Socialism 12 Non-Violence 13 Meeting People ' s Needs 15 Group Dynamics 15 Decision Making 16 Leadership/Organizational Structure 18 Large Organizations 21 Affinity Groups 21 Chairing a Meeting 22

Roads to Radicalization 24

III. Building the Campaign 29 Tactics 30 Research 31 Leaflets and Leafleting 32 Petitions 34 Dorm Discussions 35 Teach-ins 35 Outreach and Canvassing 36 Guerrilla Theatre 37

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Rallies 39 Pickets 41 Vigils 42 Fasts 42 Marches 43 Boycotts 45 Sit-ins 46 Strikes 48

IV. Skills 50 The Day of the Action 50 Fundraising 51 Publicity 52

Reproduction s e e • a . • e o s e o . . • s s • a • a e • • . • • ♦ • • • 52 Media 53 Monitors 55 Role Playing 55 Equipment 57 Security 58 Getting Busted 60 Getting Beaten 62

V. Relations With Other Groups 64

VI . Appendices 67 Sectarians 67 Progressive Labor Party 70 Revolutionary Communist Party 71 Communist Party of the United States of America 72 Socialist Workers Party 73 Other Assorted Sectarians 74 Suggested Reading 77 Anarchism 79

3

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ORGANIZER By CAIR of UC Santa Cruz

An organizer is a person who loves people and is willing to put up with pettiness, ego tripping and rudeness, and especially is able to identify these moments in her/himself . To be an organi- zer means to be able to integrate school, personal relations, family, etc ., with one ' s commitment to organi- zing . It is difficult . It is time consuming . And at times it is dis- appointing . But it can also give mean- ing and existence to life. Many organizers burn themselves out in two weeks, or two months, or a bit more in a kamikaze effort to change the world . Organizing has a high fatality rate and many ex-organizers become cynics and drunkards . But others can pick up and continue to organize someplace else. The best organizers can organize any- where . They are people who make organi- zing their lives and sometimes their li- ving . .. Organizing means you must truly love and respect people . .. As an organizer you must understand human nature--what compels and motivates people . The only way to tell if this is your calling is to get into it and do it.

SAUL ALINSKY ' S NINE TRAITS OF AN ORGANIZER Curiosity Irreverence Imagination Sense of humor A bit of a blurred vision of a better world An organized personality A well-integrated political schizoid Ego A free and open mind

4

I. LAYING THE FOUNDATION

--v- &3OU warty ~o sfal'r a

First you need a relatively homoge- Coalitions are good once things reach nous core--either an already established a certain level, but often effective mass groups or one or two people who could re- canvassing is best done issue by issue by cruit others . Don ' t rely entirely on your a group that knows what it ' s trying to do friends or other active leftists . They ' re and has a high level of unity . You might always busy . There are hundreds of an- consider having separate groups build xious radicals and liberals out there their bases and then unite for major ac- begging to do political work . But you tions. must jolly them into it . Just what does "build your base " Show a movie that blows people ' s mean? It ' s winning over people--lots of minds or get a speaker who does the same . them--one by one, door to door, class to While their minds are still blown, get class, dorm by dorm . There is no other them to sign a phone list . One or two of way . If your issue is real, your litera- them might actually get involved . Three ture non-rhetorical and substantial, and is a triumph . you canvass well--then you will have mass If there are people that are hard to support . Generally any failure to build work with, talk about it as a group . mass support is a failure of the organi- If things get really bad, then the group zers politically and/or organizationally. has a right not to work with them . Don ' t blame the people. After all, it ' s a semi-free country, If you don ' t believe the people can isn ' t it? It is very important that the be organized, if you don ' t believe they people in the group trust and respect can make political decisions, if you don ' t each other . Thinking that you always trust them or like them, then get the fuck have to include everyone, even people out of radical politics . You ' re in the that don ' t respect you, is self-destruc- way. tive .

5 sees that they are connected to, and e- THE GENESIS OF THE MOVEMENT qually exploited by the omnivorous na- ture of American capitalism, action is Style Style is how you do things. the logical consequence. Organized vs . hysterical, happy vs. martyred, self-depreciating vs . self- Ideology and analysis Any political cam- righteous . Think of it as tone . . . or, paign must have some level of analysis, living a positive alternative to what or ideology . For example, a campaign a- we are against . Ask yourself some ques- round university investments in US cor- tions . Do you feel good about what porations operating in South Africa you ' re doing? Then why aren ' t you hap- might just concentrate on the evils of a- pier? Do you respect the people you ' re partheid . Or, such a campaign could al- trying to organize? If not, then why so talk about the refusal of the univer- do you bother? Do you think you ' re sity to let students or campus workers perfect, or at least significantly have a real role in decision making . An morally superior? Do you use the even more radical campaign would expose holier than thou approach? Do you find US policy in South Africa as basically rhetoric a short cut to really thinking? pro-apartheid and explain the nature of Good style flows from good poli- neo-colonialism . Now we ' ve come a long tics, and vice versa . If you want a so- way from a simple campaign to pressure ciety of love, you should love . If you the university on this issue. want a world of justice, you should be Many people will want to immediately just . If you want an end to oppression move to an anti-imperialist, anti-capita- you cannot give yourself unlimited po- list position . There might be several wer and a moral blank check to use it. reasons not to . It is important to ask And if you want a bright, colorful, ex- yourself "How does one come to a radical citing, challenging society, well? analysis? " It is not just a matter of running into a radical who says, " Oh yea, Goals Your long-term goals are really South Africa is a sub-imperialist power your values . Values, or long-term goals, serving the interests of world capitalism generate issues and projects . Ending as typified by the British, German, Ja- apartheid generates the drive to end US panese and especially US investors there . " corporate involvement in South Africa, to Radicals have to start where their own stop bank loans, to force proxy votes constituency is and take it from there. and other campaigns--raising support for Basically this process means exhaus- liberation groups, other racism issues. ting the illusions that people have . You cannot tell them the administration isn In building a campaign, the short ' t term goal is your radicalizing tool . A really interested in ending apartheid. You must let that be revealed through the short range issue, as Gandhi said, should struggle . You can ' be definite and capable of being clearly t tell them the admi- nistration isn ' understood, and within the power of the t really interested in opponent to yield. what they think . However, you can cre- ate the situation where the adminis- Radicalizing Any campaign should exhaust tration will tell that to everyone the normal channels before it escalates. themselves . Thus, masses of people can You must show people that the institution learn for themselves, and then they will or the power structure had an opportunity start seeking models to explain their to yield and that it failed to respond. new conclusions. Radicalizing a person has to do with This is an important juncture. changing self awareness and identity . A The radical political process involves a person is radicalized when they are expo- dialectic between the organizers and sed to the raw truth of a situation and their constituency . If the organizer say " no" to what they see--the real na- isn ' t learning through this political ture of how a university is run, manage- process, then s/he is doing something ment ' s attitudes towards employees, what very wrong . This learning process will the US is doing in third world countries. not only help the organizer frame ideas People are radicalized by those issues in the language that is most effective that directly affect them . If a person for his/her constituency, but it could also lead to changes and improvements in 6

mass radicalization . All mass movements start with moderate demands and grow both in strength and radical analysis over time . Radical mass movements do not spring full grown out of some organizer ' s head like Athena sprang from Zeus . Or- ganizers should flow with this process-- it ' s history.

Alternatives Propose an alternative to the existing structure . Your long term goals or values will suggest a new poli- cy or social order to take the place of the old one you are challenging. the organizer ' s analysis. What you are demanding must be consistent This scenario then, is based on two with the goals and needs of the new assumptions . One, that the right analy- society that you are hoping to build. sis has yet to be fully developed . And Without a vision of your alternative, two, that over the course of time, the your campaign cannot progress. level of ideology will continually grow This doesn ' t mean that a campaign and the radical content of the analysis will project its own utopia, but as peo- will increase. ple are radicalized and develop an analy- It is very dangerous to think of po- sis, they will want to say " yes" to some- litical struggle in sterile, undynamic thing. terms . It is not a handful of organizers giving the fruits of their wisdom to the masses . It ' s masses of people going ~•i~ ~•ii~ ~•~ •~ ~•••••~•i ►•• 0 through an intense and extended learning !~, ►•••,•, V. 4, process. The campaign must start on an ide- ological level that is accessible to A large numbers of people . It does not ••, ••••.~ ► P•. • have to be a liberal analysis . But it ••~ "••,. 4 v. ~'i• .••~ *9, ;, o might be . The insurance that the move- ••1•••••••1 ••••••••t n :%•t :•t:f' ment won ' t remain liberal is the energy • 0 0000004100 i in it . As long as the campaign is gro- 1''nreliMI'l ; wing and goal oriented, there is little N danger that is will stay with a liberal analysis if involved radicals direct their energies at revealing its falla- cies . "If you want knowledge, you must take part in the practice of changing reality. If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself . All genuine knowledge orig- inates in direct experience ." ---Mao

"It is not a matter of being compelled to break eggs before an omelet can be made, but the eggs doing their own Bring people into a confrontation breaking in order to be able to aspire with their unexamined beliefs . Expose, to omelethood ." expose, expose . Let your opponent put ---Sufi both feet in its mouth . It is something of a tedious process, but it leads to Repression can sometimes be used to :ftoDIuz? your advantage . Some students will get ( This section originated from some excel- mad at the admistration for being so bru- lent parts of Youth and Student Organi- tal and unfair . Others will be attrac- zing, Youth Liberation Press, Ann Arbor, ted by the excitement of seeing someone Michigan . We ' ve done some rewriting and defy the authorities--something they ' ve made additions .) been secretly longing to do. But there are dangers . The people who were sympathetic may get scared if it looks like repression is about to fall on them . Recognize that people are going to get scared, and try not to put them down for it . Talk to them, find out what their fears are, and encourage them to do what they think is right even if it does Cooptation takes place whenever the have unpleasant repercussions . Fear af- administration grants favors or meaning- fects people strongest when they have no less concessions in order to give itself one to discuss it with. a liberal, "We are on your side " image. Cooptation takes some of the power out of student organizations because although students haven ' t actually won any more control over how their lives are run, they get the impression that the admi- nistration is really trying to be fair, so it wouldn ' t be nice to fight them. Cooptation is often directed at in- dividuals who are given status, positions, jobs or strokes in order to change their perception of who the enemy is . At a num- ber of schools during the Vietnam war, the administration went with students to Washington to lobby against the war. Some students were impressed . Meanwhile, back at the university, war research and ROTC went on as before. What can you do about cooptation? Keep the pressure on the students who work with the administration . They must be made to understand- they are either with you or against you and it doesn ' t matter that VP of Business and Finance is such a nice guy. Judge your opposition before hand . If they generally use cooptation instead of repression, then fight for issues they can ' t weasel out of and demand exactly what you want. Be super paranoid of advisory boards and committees set up to study the issue. We are living proof that life can be They are always a trap, a cooptation de- different . Our very existence, there- vice that will give you no more power than fore, is a threat to the social order. before . Don ' t get into the position of ---Tom Hayden bargaining without power. Whatever issues you do choose, con- stantly tie them in with larger, more ba- sic issues . BE REALISTIC--DARE THE IMPOSSIBLE

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars . --Oscar Wilde 8

a` "I detest and fear dogma . Dogma is the ~ ' ` enemy of human freedom . Dogma must be ' ► c , w,., ~~''~ watched for and apprehended at every .. d AIL -- nI-J' 'L-S* *PI turn and twist of the revolutionary move- Agay. .p:MdU4 /ppow,mm 'ment . The human spirt glows from that Zi)1.1 1"-P Il~yt small inner light of doubt whether we t ~ ~ are right, while those who believe with complete certainty that they possess Apathy comes from a sense of hope- the right are dark inside and darken lessness . If you ' re convinced that no- the world outside with cruelty, pain thing you can do will change anything, and injustice . Those who enshrine the then why should you do anything? You poor or Have-nots are as guilty must convince people that they have power as other dogmatists and just as if they act and act together . Aiming for dangerous ." some minor successes is one way, getting Saul Alinsky hundreds of protesters together at one time is another . It will bring in still more . Apathy may also mean that you ' re not "The opposite of a correct statement is tapping the issues most people could get a false statement . But the opposite of interested in . Everyone ' s hassled by a profound truth may well be another something, even if they don ' t shout about profound truth. it . --Niels Bohr Also, try more education . Attrac- tive education . Over a period of time this can get people talking about the subject . Even better is to do something to break through the walls that people have around their consciousness . Be dif- ferent . Some aggressive theatre or even a very militant action by a few people will get people interested in the issue. Maybe most people will be against you at first, but the key is getting them to think about the issue at all . Once they are thinking, you can convince them.

Transience is a pain for student organizers . To avoid having your group decimated each year, you must do more than just get new people involved . You must make room for them to move into key positions and to take leadership . As new projects come up, encourage new members to take responsibility for them, instead of adding them to your own workload . Tea- ching skills is a constant part of a good political process. Furthermore, everyone who expects to leave town should ask themselves what skills they have that must be passed on: knowing how to write and design a leaflet, doing mimeograph work or laying out a pa- per . Before leaving, you should be making an effort to teach these skills to someone else .

9

analysis of a problem, the problem or contradiction must be posed and then inves- RHETORIC tigated . " If an article or speech is im- portant and meant to give guidance, it \`~\\ SMASH RHETORIC!!!! ought to pose a particular problem, then ---Ellen analyse it, and then make a synthesis a' ' pointing to the nature of the problem and providing the method for solving it . " \ 6 . Rhetoric is irresponsible and harms .' people wherever it appears . This is due to an insufficient sense of responsibility on Mao criticized rhetoric for eight the part of the writer, not fully consider- reasons in his essay "Oppose Stereotyped ing that his/her thought may influence the Party Writing . " While his criticisms deal thought and action of others . "Many people more with essays and literature than per- write articles or make speeches without son-to-person contact and educational ef- prior study or preparation, and after forts, they are worth reading and consider- writing, they do not bother to go over it ing . Mao ' s belief is that rhetoric is re- several times in the same way as they would gressive--it is a sign that the writer is examine their faces in the mirror after becoming subjective and sectarian, rather washing, but instead, offhandedly send it than being close to the people s/he is to be published . " trying to communicate with . 7 . Rhetoric poisons its readers and encour- Mao ' s criticisms : ages laziness and irresponsibility in 1. Rhetoric fills endless pages with empty writers . Its form is not only unsuitable verbiage . Its authors are determined that for expressing the revolutionary spirit, their work will not be read . but " is apt to stifle it . " 2. Rhetoric strikes a pose in order to in- 8 . " Its spread would wreck the country and timidate people . This is not merely immat- ruin the people . " ure, but downright "knavish . " Pretentious- ness cannot reflect the truth, and in fact, is an obstacle to truth. 3. Rhetoric shoots at random without con- sidering the audience. 4. The language of rhetoric is drab. 5. Rhetoric is wrong in its logic . It ar- Good writing and speaking: ranges items under " a complicated set of Mao includes some rules that are useful headings, " and produces "for all its verb- in judging how leaflets, speeches and iage, an article that bristles with symbols, articles are written. that does not pose, analyse, or solve 1 . "Pay close attention to all manner of problems and that does not take a stand things ; observe more, and if you have ob- for or against anything . . . " For a useful served only a little, then do not write . " 2, "After writing something, read it over ~~ 'r~ ~ /p!Iw twice at least, and do your utmost to str- f q, ' ike out non-essential words, sentences and i i i paragraphs, without the slightest compunc- 1r1 r tion (You ' ll be saving printing costs .) III Oi% ~I! k.. / 3. "Do not force yourself to write when you have nothing to say . " A N I 4. "Do not coin adjectives or other terms J i ! !i that are intelligible to nobody but your- self . " Note : (The following is not written by a Maoist, but an anti-rhetoritician ;) Con- 11! , ~ sider your language carefully : stereo- / ~~ rr~l ~I 'At/ , c(.1i_' types, empty threats and dogmatism not only -/1-'V - ./ ' 4'-5,/ block clear thinking but turn people off. '/rf The style and spirit of your campaign are important in reaching as many people as possible. 10 DEMANDS

The use of demands is very important for any activist student movement . It WE ARE AT WAR AND is easy to alienate the general public WE ' RE DISCOVERING with demand after demand . It is even OURSELVES easier to look like a paper tiger if you make a series of demands and yet do nothing concrete to gain them. Demands are not slogans . Seeing NEGOTIATIONS them as such is a confession of your own impotence . Demands should only At their best, negotiations are only as be made after there has been mass effective as the power base you ' re oper- education around the issue . They ating from . At their worst, they allow should be made only if there is a an opponent to make shallow promises that fair level of support among your con- dissipate the energy of the moment and are stituency for the demands . They should vague enough to be open to interpretation only be made if you plan to back them later or stall an issue until most contro- up with some exercise of real power-- versy has died down. be it a boycott, picketing, a sit-in, Negotiations don ' t happen often, and its or something else. best they don ' t--overly fraternizing with You will not be taken seriously an opponent only blurs the lines that have until you take yourself seriously . already been drawn. Negotiate only with people who can meet your demands . Try to hold your meeting in your own territory . The group should carefully choose a team of negotiators, three and four seem to be good numbers, that everyone is confident will represent the group ' s true feelings . A team should be made up of different personalities that are capable of working closely together. This will allow each negotiator to emphasize the most forceful part of his /her character, acter. Be simple and straightforward . Lay down your position, its justification, and the extent of your support . There ' s no point in debating your position, it should have been done beforehand . Don ' t be afraid to caucus or call recesses . Stick to your demands and take all the time to need to discuss any compromises with the group. Beware the sweet-talker who tries to convince you what a nice, charitable person

he/she is or how much he/she respects your opinion and social awareness--this can only cloud who you ' re representing and why. Once you ' ve won a demand . set a deadline by which the proposed action must be imple- mented. .Insist that a joint press statement be released or make sure that your press relea: goes out simultaneously with theirs--avoid convenient misinterpretations from the stars

11

II. THE ORGANIZATION

The organization that is set up as a means of acheiving certain goals is just as much an end as the goals . First, the effectiveness of a campaign will be to a large extent determined by the structure of the organization . Second, the organization, its structure, process, and dynamic, is central to building a leftist community where people can evaluate and change their own attitudes and habits. In this section, we have outlined several areas that all organiza- tions must constantly be aware of . We have made suggestions from our experience, but these suggestions are intended mainly as stepping stones to further development.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF FEMINIST ANALYSIS TO Colonization is not just the economic raping of someone, not merely taking SOCIALISM by Kathy Gross a lot of money away . Colonization There are five aspects I ' ll consid- deals with destroying the person ' s language, his history, his identif- er here . For one, socialist-feminists have ication, his total humanity. a "totalistic " understanding of social change . Social transformation means more than a redistribution of wealth or change This statement, phrased in sexist lang- in the ownership of the means of produc- uage though it is, applies to women under partiarchy as well as to third world tion . It extends to a " transformation of the entire fabric of social relations . " people and workers in general. Third, socialist-feminism rejects a (Barbara Ehrenreich) Secondly, feminist thinking emphas- mechanical, stage-ist view of history. izes the importance of subjective factors While we know that objective conditions in revolutionary change . It recognizes the shape our lives, we won ' t wait until psychological and cultural character of " after the revolution " for an end to rape oppression . This view has much in common and battery, recognition of women ' s needs with the analysis made by anti-imperial - and right to work, etc . Since we believe ists . As Stokely Carmichael said : in a dynamic and dialectical relation bet- ween objective conditions and ideology, we 12

will fight for change on all levels . As women we must work for a society Socialist-feminism shares the above which would incorporate the values which, concerns with other left movements . Atten- as wives, lovers and mothers we are train- tion to subjective oppression, a complex ed to have ; a society in which caring and and dynamic view of the relationship be- nurturance are not secondary low-status tween ideology and objective conditions are qualities, but rather integrated into the features of Italian Communism, French Soc- social system . This will mean a society ialism, Anarchism, and in many ways the based on values other than quantitative communism practiced in Cuba and China (at aggrandizement and aggression . This means least until recently) . attention to questions of culture and qual- The fourth contribution to feminism ity of life . This means a struggle for is summed up by the slogan " the personal power over our lives on every level : the is political . " This refers to the insights material power to feed, clothe and educ- gleaned by women in small group conscious- ate ourselves ; the emotional power to ness-raising sessions . Women discovered freely give of ourselves to whomever we they were not alone in the unhappiness over wish ; and the psychological power to in- thwarted aspirations or an unsatisfying novate, imagine and create. sexual life . Women began discovering that the realm we think of as " free " , autonomous and private actually has a social and sy- stemic character . This realization has helped to spark a richer, more subtle under- ~~i ra y standing of subjective oppression . They insisted that the middle-class housewife's de Pp or a woman student ' s self-doubt * is a result of her subordinate position, and should be taken as seriously as any'HA-I other form of oppression . They also insis- ted on the importance of working for ( , change on those subjective attitudinal fronts, as well as in the work place or in the streets. The fifth characteristic of socialist- NON-VIOLENCE feminism deals with the specific import- ance of women within a movement for total The philosophy of non-violence has revolutionary change . Society is becoming a great deal to offer whether you accept increasingly fragmented and rationalized . all of its premises or not . Because of On the one hand we see the retreat of the its importance, we have included a discus- nuclear family into its suburban fortress, sion of some of the principles of non-vio- while on the other, the bureaucratic lence and a sympathetic but critical ana- structures which have power over our lives lysis . This section ends with a listing of -- the government, corporations -- are of non-violent guidelines for direct ac- becoming bigger and more impersonal . We tion. flee to the private sphere, our family and Non-violence encompasses a wide body friends, in order to escape . The work place of theory and practice . It is not just is where we go to get enough money to the zealous application of the purest create the private space in which we can Gandhian or Tolstoyan principles, it is be ourselves . a way of seeing the world. For this reason we must reject the re- There are a number of basic compo- formist goal which demands the right for nents that remain valid even if one does women to be as oppressive in the work place not accept the whole vision. as men . We must reject a sex-role reversal The Living Revolution of non-vio- which would allow for the option of males lence: staying at home without questioning the 1 . Every opponent is a potential con- basic value structures and divisions which vert . Their evil acts are not intrinsic presently exist . We must work for a reorgan- to their soul . They are evil acts which ization of the work place and the home so should be stopped. that work can be humanized and housework 2 . Violence harms the user as well socialized . as the victim . 13 3. Violence is not restricted to If one could not maintain a non-violent physical violence . Verbal and emotional revolutionary stance, than one should take violence are real and painful. take a violent revolutionary one . Not 4. Violence is often structured in- to act is the greatest sin. to institutions and social mores such as Perhaps the strongest critique of sex roles . Aim for the roots of violence non-violence has been developed by the ad- in others and in yourself. vocates of "Liberation Theology " which is 5. Non-violence is based on love a strong current in the Catholic and o- and is rooted in communication . Real com- ther churches of Latin America . The main munication takes tremendous energy but it argument is that the massive institution- is a tremendous barrier to violence as al violence inherent in the present eco- well . nomic system justifies the use of vio- 6. The means cannot be separated lence . An infant mortality rate of 30% from the ends. is mass murder. As Regis Debray puts it in a similar Most critics agree that non-violence argument, "Either you are on the side of is extremely effective on a practical ba- the violence that liberates or the vio- sis . There are many tactical arguments lence that oppresses . " for non-violence. The assumption here is that non-vio- First, given the current American po- lence cannot make a successful revolu- litical climate, non-violence will enhance tion . This question has not been resol- the movement ' s image in the media . It ved to everyone ' s satisfaction, of course, will also win support and sympathy from liberals and the opposition. Secondly, non-violence makes direct action physically and legally safer .

4,0

Finally, there can be little doubt but an interesting place to start is with that futile and undirected violence is the pacifists who have chosen to support counterproductive . Even politically violence . Whatever the conclusions one principled violence is hard for most Ame- comes to on the ultimate effectiveness of ricans to understand . It is not an acci- non-violence, there is much that everyone dent that the primary goal of agent pro- can learn from it and apply to their poli- vocateurs is to try to initiate leftist tical process. violence that will discredit the movement.

NONVIOLENCE or the violence that If God were to appear to starving people, liberates? Few people know that non-vio- he would not dare to appear in any other lent apostles like Gandhi and Thoreau form than food . did not condemn revolutionary violence . ---Mahatma Gandhi 14

M•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • Aside from caring for each other and • NON-VIOLENT GUIDELINES FOR DIRECT ACTION • assuring that we don ' t burn out, emotional • These guidelines for behavior can : needs can be met by a conscious effort and create an atmosphere in which the parties : an open process within the community. involved can deal with each other with A free flow of information, a demo- • : respect despite their different opinions . : cratic decision-making process encouraging Acting non-violently means using the sup- : involvement and shifting leadership will • port and power we gain from coming toget- allow your organization to be flexible her to act on our beliefs with dignity and : to changing attitudes. courage to create needed change . A process of regular criticism/ • 1, Don ' t panic . : self criticism can bind people closely to- 2, Everyone should be aware of what is gether and assure more continuity in the happening and take responsibility to main- : organization . This kind of criticism taro discipline within the group . • is also necessary to deal with internal • 3, Restrain any personal feelings toward : questions about politics and practice. individual officials or police . • .• • 4, No personal attacks, verbal or other- • wise, on officials or police . ,~. .. • 5, Keep the tone of your voice non-antag -,, onistic and don't use sarcasm . ,. r, : . . ► , .1 • • 6, Minimize smart-ass remarks . \\; 7, When confronted by officials, everyone , .0 . -\ should sit down so as to be less physically . / ' -*' threatening . If things get tight at any time, sit down . ; • 8, Be ready to react to and use the key • words Quiet " and " Sit down . " ?;;~ i 9, Don ' t bring along alchol, dope or other • controlled substances, because of the legal risks . •• • 10, Observe a minute of silence to regain your thoughts and reflect before an • GROUP DYNAMIC • action . • 11, Tone the songs and marching chants to Most of us see group dynamics in a strength and determination, not bitterness : competitive way . This is especially true ; of political groups . People either get • and irrational anger . 12, Touch each other--physical contact can their way and "win" or don ' t get their • be reassuring in stressful situations . • way and " lose . " This is a pretty un- N healthy way of looking at it . The object of the process should be to come up MEETING PEOPLE ' S NEEDS with the best possible solution . . .not to satisfy the ego needs of the people In the long range, as our campaigns there . There are a number of ways to feed into a historical movement, we must encourage a better group dynamic through free ourselves from negative relationships the group ' s structure and the method and systems that our society forces us in- of decision making . But the key element to . Politics are a process of change, is how the participants relate to one not a game of tactics . The process and another. means of a political movement working for Everyone has a personal stake in their change must be consistent with our desire ideology and many are proud that it con- to end sexism, racism, individualism and tains all possible subsets of what is true other destructive attitudes. and real . But it is more than a courtesy People working together will find to have patience when others argue on poi- many needs to fulfill in each other, phy- nts that, for you, were settled long ago. sical and emotional . At any gathering or Enter into other ' s belief systems, not with mass action, consider physical needs--wa- a demolition team, but instead with a smile ter and resting places at the picket line, and a small finger to point with . Trust in food, warmth and sleep for a sit-in or one another ' spower of reason and their vigil . commitment to the good . This can only come 15 by listening and having respect for one DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES another in the group dynamic . Those who listen, learn. No matter what the process, it is im- Look for the areas of agreement betwe- portant that everyone in the group knows . Once en different proposals, not for the dif- exactly how the decisions are made ferences . Separate ideas from the people they are made it is invaluable to have who bring them up (especially yourself) so someone repeat the decision to the group that they can be evaluated on their merit so everyone really knows what has been and not become ego games. decided . It ' s not a bad idea to have the Ego also explains why so many people decisions written down, nor is it a bad insist on repeating what someone just said. idea to have a minute of silence so There is no need for full repetitions. everyone can think over the decision And often too many people are so concerned after it ' s made and see if they still with planning what they ' re going to say feel good about it. Every group must choose its own dec- that they don ' t listen as the person before them says it word for word. ision-making process to fit its needs . Do If the group is healthy the member- not be afraid to change it if it doesn ' t ship should trust in its dynamic . There work or if the group changes its nature. should be faith in the collective judgement. If there isn ' t, than something is seriously CONSENSUS : does not mean that everyone thinks the decision is the best possible wrong . one or even that it will work . What it means is that in coming to the decision, no one felt that her/his position was mis- understood or that it wasn ' t given a proper hearing . It also means that the final dec- ision doesn ' t violate a member ' s fundamen- I. tal moral standards because if it did they would be obligated to block consensus. W. ?MO Consensus only works if there is a high t fbW, tx, P1 p level of shared assumptions and if the STAPLE people involved understand the process and are willing to accept decisions they OR MlJf iLAte don ' t necessarily find to be the best be- ME IN A~1Y cause they trust in the collective judge- WAYP ment of the group and they believe that everyone has heard and understood their reservations. Voting is a means of choosing one alte . native from several . Consensus building on the other hand is the process of synthes- izing elements together . It is ideally the synthesizing of the ideas of every member of the group into one decision . We see it as a higher level decision-making process than voting . By higher level we mean not only that it will achieve better solutions, it will also promote the psycho-social growth of group members and of the group as a whole. Voting implies a certain model of hu- man nature . People are seen as antagonistic It is a win/lose model . Some people inevit- ably lose and sulk away until their next chance to get back at the winners and be- come winners themselves . Voting is based on the will of the majority, or whatever fraction is chosen . It is in essence a quantitative mode.

16 Decision making should not be confrontational!

It is important not to let positions There seems to be an upper limit on and stances be epitomized by people . We the size of group that can successfully are trying to decide on issues, not on utilize consensus . What is the largest personalities . Keep everyone loose . Have group in which people can really listen to people try and argue the other side if each other, share ideas and develop trust? possible . The most difficult problem at It clearly depends on the nature of the this point is people not listening to each group . We have operated in groups of thirt; other . So it is important for people to where consensus was effective, and with constantly restate what they heard the good group discipline it should be pos- other person saying. sible with larger groups. Consensus is based on a different One of the variables in the size of theory of human nature . People can work the group is the time it takes to reach together . People can bridge distances and consensus . Consensus clearly takes more synthesize contradictory ideas . People time than a simple vote . But the added tim are able to peacefully talk out their dif- can be viewed in relation to the increased ferences and reach mutually satisfactory understanding each member of the group wil positions . It is the opposite of voting have about the issue and the increased because it is qualitative . One person ' s probability of the decision being carried strongly held beliefs can sway the en- out ; longer decision time but shorter im- tire group . No ideas are lost . Each mem- plementation time . In order for consensus t ber ' s input is valued as possible sol- work group members need to be invested in utions. the group, really want it to work . They Consensus has one other valuable asp- must see the continued work of the group ect . The goal of every decision making pro- as valuable, and in a deadlock situation cess is not just to decide on a solution, they must weigh this value against further but to carry out that plan of action . With- attempts to change people ' s minds. out subsequent action decisions are totally Most deadlock situations are however, hollow . This is often overlooked . You see mixed up with a set of emotions . If the this phenomena in parliamentary democracies where one party gains control, wins the root of someone ' s objection is their per- vote, but is paralyzed from taking any sonal dislike for the proponent of a part- effective action because their majority icular position, then hopes for resolution is so small . It has been shown that a per- are virtually nil until those personal son ' s commitment to any decision is in pro- issues can be addressed . For consensus to portion to their sense of ownership or in- work, the group must be able to identify vestment in that decision . Consensus attem- and work out emotions and feelings . The pts to develop investment from all members group must learn to deal with all levels of a group, not just a majority . If you are of conflict, personal as well as ideologi- involved in a decision where it is neces- cal . If this does not happen, then those sary for all members to conscientiously unaddressed feelings will continually carry out whatever is decided, consensus block progress. is the best way to promote it. So as a last resort, safety mechanism There are a number of real and potent- the collective should establish a back-up ial problems with a consensus model of decision making method if consensus can decision making . Achieving consensus should not be reached in some pre-determined leng never be covert or assumed . Consensus must of time . This could be agreement to switch always be checked in a direct manner. to a 75/25% vote, for example . " Otherwise it can become a much more re- ( "Democratic Organization and Management, " pressive situation than voting . by Bernstein and Bowers) 17

CHART 2 : RELATIVE MERITS OF VARIOUS DECISION-MAKING FORMS GROUP INDIVIDUAL F A B C D E,

Autocratic (one person Consultative (Autocratic Minority (those with Majority (voting) Consensus Unanimity (everyone to- makes final decision) with advice from others special interest) tally agrees) Positive Positive Positive Positive Positive most people are familiar better decision, promotes with the process can be synthesis of ideas, elicits Fastest, good in crisis fast, more input decision by experts used with any size group more commitment, all opinions aired, consistent with alternative ideology

Negative Negative Negative Negative Negative Negative Less likely to be best takes more time, low all points of view not issues become personal- takes a long time, group almost impossible to ach- decision, less likely to be chance of acceptance and necessarily heard, not ized win/lose mentality, must have basic agree- ieve with more than 2 people accepted commitment by others necessarily representative lack of commitment by merit, progress can be losers blocked by one person, works best in smaller group, can end up oper- ating on lowest common denominator

MODIFIED CONSENSUS : uses consensus for all q.)2 Qt/o"al .Strcc ture. major political or moral decisions but uses voting for technical and procedural There will always be leadership, and issues . If it seems that certain members there will always be group structure . On do not share the basic assumptions of the the left, there has been the tendency to overwhelming majority of the group than trash structure and leadership as a natural decisions can be reached with 85 or 90% reaction against the overstructured society consensus. in which we find ourselves . But as Johr- een points out in the Tyranny of Structure- PARLIAMENTARY : decision making should be lessness: familiar to most everyone .It ' s Robert ' s Rules : votes, tricky maneuvers and is Contrary to what we would like to generally pretty unpleasant . believe, there is no such thing as a structureless group . Any group of people of whatever nature that comes together for any length of time or purpose will inevitably structure itself in some fashion . The structure may be flexible ; it may vary over time; it may evenly or unevenly distribute tasks, power and resources over the _ members of the group . But it will be formed regardless of the abilities, personalities , or intentions of the V ! people involved . The very fact that 11!)p ;/ we are individuals, with different talents , predispositions and back- ~~ grounds makes this inevitable. Only if we refused to relate or interact on any basis whatsoever could we ap- p roximate structurelessness--.-and that is not the nature of a human group. Leadership and organizational struc- ture can be bureaucratic and inflexible. Likewise, it is not possible to postulate DELEGATED AUTHORITY : can take many forms an organization without leadership . There from a central committee to individuals is no organization in which everybody ' s who are given certain tasks to accomplish . opinion carries equal weight . Some people It ' s very efficient but should be used with have more time to give, are more charismat - caution . The group should always be clear ic, communicate more effectively, have on the limits of whatever authority it studied the issue more thoroughly, or have does delegate to individuals or committees . been involved with politics longer. 15 Leadership also can spread along groups of friends . If there is no recognized lead- ership, members of the organization will look to these people for direction, or these people will just end up assuming it. Leadership and organizational str- ucture can be bureaucratic and inflexible, they can be unrecognized and unaccountable, a or they can be shifting and open . It is important that groups talk about leader- Too often people think of leadership ship and organizational structure and try as power mad, ego tripping, self-centered to control and understand them . There is primadonnas . But that ' s leadership gone nothing inherently bad about structure or bad . At its best, leadership means fore- leadership -- only their excesses . With- sight (forethought), experience, the out them, nothing gets done. ability to understand the group and art- iculate its feelings, and a sense of oblig- ation . This obligation/commitment is what motivates good leaders . Good leaders are not into prestige and glory and view them I think that respecting leadership skills with apprehension . They dread power and the is essential . We have to create a sup- reponsibility that comes with their leader- portive atmosphere so that we all can ship role but their obligation/commitment develop our skills and our strengths to keeps them involved. their highest degree because we need them, Leadership characteristics vary from we need it all real bad . The key to me individual to individual . An ability to is accountability--that you respect communicate effectively is the most impor- leadership skills but you, at the same tant quality . Charisma is another trait time, create a situation in which the that, by definition, leadership must have in leader is accountable. some degree, but it is difficult to say just --Meg Christianson what charisma is . It inspires, lends direc- tion, makes people think that what they are aiming for can really happen,but what does that mean? Charisma is probably best under- stood as a type of communication . The char- ismatic leader communicates her/his hope, confidence, idealism, and happiness to the masses. Without a doubt being in a leader- ship position means having power . There ' s the extra knowledge, the access to the media, the support of those who entrust you with the chance to sometimes speak for large numbers of people . And in a sense, the more power one has, the more one can get . It takes power to make power. Therefore it ' s important that leadership have real constraints. Leadership skills can all be taught to one extent or another . To broaden leader- ship, these skills should be given to as large a group as possible . Good leadership will make this one of its top priorities. Continually strive for more leaders and for wider consultation while poten- tial policy is being formulated . Mass membership organizations usually cannot formulate questions as a group . The ques-

tions come from the leadership while the The last major constraint on leadership is membership chooses the answers . Yet, in the group ' s organizational structure. many respects, it ' s the questions that are Here are a few thoughts on the question. most important . Try and bring as many people as possible into the formulation stage . The best check of all on leader- `X ship is an aware, principled, intelligent and active membership . The membership ,r should be suspicious of those who hunger too much for glamor jobs . Leadership should be held to high standards . It must do shit-work, it must know its constituency, it must think ahead, it must communicate well, and it must be right most of the time . If it fails in any of these it will lose its support and its leadership role .

Rather than having no leaders, our vision is to have everyone be a leader . To do that we need to take advantage of our nat- ural leaders as teachers . Leadership is power, and that means the ability, whether physical, menal, or moral, to act . We ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE need to move from the idea of a leader to leadership as a resource of the group, The best structure is one that al- just like money, bookkeeping or a truck. lows new leadership to develop easily and --Bernstein and Bowers that also allows the leadership roles to shift from person to person depending on the circumstances . Still, many people Effective leadership requires effec- will never assume leadership responsibi- tive followership, and vice versa . The lities and certain others will assume role of effective followship entails such them a majority of the time, but this behaviors as respecting the rights of isn ' t in itself bad. others, realizing when not to talk, and Don ' t give anyone formal bureaucra- sensing when continued arguement is tic power unless it is absolutely neces- counterproductive (not bad disciplines sary . Keep "officiers " to a minimum. for leaders, either) . In many cases, the Leadership can be recognized but left un- leader/follower relationship degenerates institutionalized . This not only makes into one of dependency -- power is taken it more accountable because it is lea- from the followers by the leader (and dership by trust, persuasion and example, given by the followers to the leader) it also makes it easier for others to rather than having the group's energy assume leadership roles . (Parentheti- focused and multiplied by the leader cally, it also eliminates the bullshit of and returned to the group ." elections, which are often decided on --Berstein and Bowers personality or sex appeal instead of real leadership abilities .) Make sure that everyone has equal access to information and resources . In- formation is power . In order for decision making to be effectively decentralized, people must be up on the issues. Regularly rotate the chairpeople of meetings and collectives. Whenever possible, delegate specific tasks to individuals . This,aill make them feel more of an obligation to do task and more responsibility to the group. 20 f

M/XE Qa~zatirnO S 07pg4 1rci(7s In a large organization, it is imper- In a number of campaigns, small col- ative that the group be subdivided so lectives (three to twelve people) have that things can be effectively discussed formed affinity groups . They can be long and accomplished . Large organizational term or only last for one demonstration. meetings are certainly not the place for They can be random, but it is more common specific tasks to get done, and are not to find them centered around a living the perfect place for real discussion. group or work place. Basic policy decisions must be made with the group as a whole, but in a large meeting, less vocal people will feel unea- sy in expressing their opinions, and there may not be enough time without sit- ting through 13 hour meetings to hear eve- rything the most vocal people have to say. An effective way to break down large meetings is small discussion groups . If an important decision has to be made, break the meeting up into groups of a- round 10-15 people . Assign an appropriate amount of time for discussion and adhere Affinity groups are a grass-roots or- to that limit . When the group reassembles, ganizational form and an active expres- give each group a few minutes to report sion of collective, non-heirarchical what they came up with . Whenever breaking decision-making . They can help build into small groups, make sure that it is consensus from the bottom up instead of top clear what people are to consider. down . Affinity groups can strengthen In your campaign, get work done by and extend the process of a mass-based breaking down the organization into col- organization by preventing alienation. lectives . They will be born and die as Everyone can contribute to decision mak- the situation dictates, but it ' s a good ing through their group . If newcomers idea to set up relatively permanent col- join groups, they have personal contact lectives to deal with things of on-going with people, which is better than their importance such as publicity, new mem- trying to integrate themselves into an bers and finance. anonymous group . Short term collectives can be set up to plan specific actions or to do speci- fic research . It shouldn ' t be a neces- sity for everyone to go to every large organizational meeting . Alot of people don ' t have the time or patience. Collectives can appoint people to go to the large meetings and then report back . It ' s best if every meeting, collec- tive or otherwise, is open . If people have the time and energy to participate on several collectives, great . 21

Affinity groups can be turned into action collectives during a crisis or 1 . Know where you are going. used to control disrupters in a non-vio- --Make an agenda, perhaps on a black lent way by surrounding them and breaking board so it ' s flexible. them off from the larger crowd . They can --Know the committee chairs and assess provide emotional support for those drain- the length of their reports before hand. ed by political activity and also for --Get all the information you possibly those just beginning. can about what will be said and what de- The more a group meets and the cisions need to be made. longer it stays together, the better it will be . The emphasis should be on 2 . Be firm. bringing more people into collectives, not --All speakers should be first recogni- on their exclusive nature . Affinity zed by the chair, groups and other forms of collectives --Don ' t be afraid to cut off discussion should be little political communities if it gets repetitive. - and not cliques or caucusses for a --Don ' t allow distracting side conversa particular ideology. tions . 3 . Keep the meeting moving. --Be aware of who has their hand up and set a speaking order of three or four peo- ple if many people want to speak. --Recognize the next person as soon as the last one has finished. --Ask for suggestions as to how to allo- cate time . Setting limits--five minutes here, ten minutes for another decision-- is an excellent way to keep the meeting efficient . Discussion time can always be extended if the groups wants.

4 . Watch carefully for decisions. --As soon as a suggestion or proposal is made, deal with it. --If the suggestion doesn ' t need discus- sion . settle it quickly with a consensus or vote.

CHAIRING A MEETING

Whatever form of decision-making you "I ' m the choose, the odds are that you will want a .,, chair! " chair for your meetings . A chair does more than call on people . The chair can ;/ "No, I ' m the help structure the meeting by keeping chair! " people to the agenda, can clarify the meeting by repeating proposals in clear language and keeping track of amendments. The chair can also keep the meeting or- derly by cutting short irrelevant speech- es and politely ending extraneous con- versation. --If the suggestion needs discussion, The chair should not abuse its au- then keep it focused on the proposal and thority by editorializing or talking more reach a decision as soon as possible. than its fair share . The following list If people repeat each others ' arguments, is just part of what a good chair might point it out and ask for pros and cons of do or keep aware of. different points. 22 same . Speakers might be asked to stand up 5 . Get people at the meeting to T when they have the floor. make commitments. --Pass lists. 8. If there are alot of newcomers, --When a project is agreed upon, get vo- have people give their name each time lunteers right then . Committee meeting they speak. times can be set after the general mee- ting, but since people may have to leave t forget to have the group early, it ' s good to get their commitment 9. Don ' decide on the next chair and meeting when they volunteer. time, 6 . Constantly synthesize. 10. Try to avoid having chairs of --If you want to talk, call on yourself in the same sex and/or race meeting after the proper order . Don ' t abuse the chair. meeting . Some groups are now using two --Repeat the decisions. chairs (male/female) in the hope of im- --Look for agreement between different proving efficiency, spreading authority, positions and point them out . and minimizing individual workloads. 7 . Speak loudly enough for everyone to hear and encourage others to do the

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On the next few pages are some thoughts that several people had on why or how they became "radicalized . " We include them hoping that some personal experiences will show how diverse the backgrounds of radicals can be, and how many different ways people become radicalized.

24

I left prep school in 1974, a clean-cut, con- servative tennis player with academic distinctions. Competition and individualism had been pervasive; everyone had applied to the top colleges . That summer, I wanted to relax, forget about becoming the top tennis player or getting the best grades. So, as I often do, I went from one extreme to the other . I drank, travelled, smoked dope, and turned on to music . At Stanford that fall, I continued experiencing . I didn ' t question why or what, but took everything in . Concerts, all- night partying, gambling at Tahoe--do many novel things to do. A lot of things seemed different after the first time I tripped . I ' d never laughed harder or conversed more deeply . I had taken a drug that society condemned, that the establishment was afraid of, and found it exhilarating . I began to wonder about a lot of things . Why grades? Why money? Why competition? I hung out in the coffeehouse and heard a lot of stories about the campus when the rads were demonstrating, when the crazies were taking drugs en mass, and when few students were in the library . I wished I ' d been around during those times . Now, not much was happening on campus, though, so I figured that the days of student N activism had passed . At a loss for a substitute, I decided to go overseas and see what the rest of the world was like. Europe was a gas . I fell in love and stopped wondering . My motto became " live now, think about it later . " Returning to the U .S . was a shock. Gigantic cars, twelve lane freeways, MacDonald ' s, monster supermarkets, and gas stations over every shoulder made my head spin . My European lover seemed to have other people on her mind . As far as I was concerned, her inconsiderateness was unjustifiable . I was depressed . I did a lot of thinking about ethics . I realized how inter- connected people were and how mutually dependent we are for our happiness. Sometime around this period, while cycling across campus, I saw about 350 people gathered at one end of the school ' s central plaza . It was a rally to protest the Bakke Decision . I stopped and things just weren ' t the same afterwards. I shared the speakers ' outrage, but what struck me most was the energy which exuded from the people there--a feeling of unity, confidence and intensity that I had never felt before . It was what I ' d been looking for . We marched to the president ' s office . He came out and took questions arrogant and double-talking all the way . It confirmed suspicions I ' d had for a while. That afternoon I told my friends what I ' d experienced . I told them that politics was alive. From that day on, I read leaflets and radical papers more closely . I started participating .

2 `_

My politics were amorphous, but I sensed that teach-ins,rallies, vigils, long meetings I was moving in the right direction . I and finally a sit-in, I was able to discern wasn ' t motivated by a political line, but more fully what we were up against and what by my discontent, my alienation from American we were fighting for . I met the people who institutions, and a real identification run this university and the corporate world,' with fellow activists . I did all the work Their mocking, authoritarian, condescending I could . attitude totally disolved any slight hopes That ' s how I became involved in politics, that remained of change through the system. Becoming radical was the next step . I I realized, in a state that alternated began helping to write leaflets, worked on between depression and rage, that we were position papers, and spread the word about going to have to tear the basis of American the issues . All this requires clear think- society down before we could anything of ing--something I didn ' t particularly excel value . The idealism I ' d maintained was at . But the people in the group I worked cast aside . I ceased mourning for the way with always helped each other to see things the world could be and set out to organize in an objective light . Gradually, after a new one . - I

1 R ,`~s'S P ~'¢ B $R I recall buildings burning, massive lootings and angry shouts of "Burn, baby I burn" in a hot August when I was nine I years old . To this child the memory of I

•'. fear as the entire family huddled on the I floor in a little house in Watts, while I gunshots sounded outside, is still the I Sat, iba . most vivid . Even a child understands ; ., wed^ axa.; anger, even if she does not know its roots, because she saw a city destroyed I in revolution in 1965 . 1

1 At 16, I saw frustration turn this anger 1 inward . I saw my peers become murderers and victims . Tearful good-byes to young friends in caskets were too well known to me then. I Who ' s gun was it? Was it the pigs ' , or was it your brother ' s? The ivory tower of learning offered I escape from the painful memories and despair. I But too often I was reminded of the disease 1 that affects this society . My mother I is ashamed for my friends to see our home. I Now, when I go home my peers reject me. 1 I could easily assimilate into upper middle I class bliss and forget, but I ask myself ' class ' I "Do I want to help perpetuate the I 1 system? Do I, a black woman, want to 1 profit from a sexist, racist, explotative I system? Do I want to be the bone that is 1 I thrown to oppressed peoples? " No . I want I to be the rule and not the exception. One day, I found myself stopping to I listen at a rally protesting apartheid. I I found myself staying to sit-in 'after closing time . And, I found myself 'using my energies in a constructive way, 'starting the struggle in my immediate (surroundings . ..

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• When i was little the girls and the boys weren't allowed • to play together on the playground . We were told that the • • boys were too rough and someone would get hurt • • . .. • • When my brothers and i played army on the hill in our •• backyard, they always wanted me to be the nurse . Not • wanting to wait around for one of them to come down moaning • fora glass of kool-aid, my best friend and i would pretend that we were the first ten star generals in history . .. • a a When the boys on the block played football, they only • let me play if the teams needed evening up . ..

Forms of feminism have been an integral part of my life • for as long as I can remember . My mother disliked cooking and cleaning and worked during most of my childhood . When • she wasn ' t working, she was always very involved in organ- izations like the League of Women Voters . She joined NOW • shortly after it was organized . Because of her, I was raised to be very independent . She wanted us to take care • of ourselves so that she wouldn ' t have to . Because we • did our own cooking and cleaning and could wear what we liked and do what we wanted to, we were looked upon as different • by our friends . I always felt alienated from the lives my friends lived, with two happy parents and a mother who stayed home and kept the house . Since I couldn ' t be like them, I had to find another way to be . Still, part of me always wanted to be like everyone else and still does, but I ' m not happy that way . • In high school I found friends and some degree of accep- tance but because of little things like hair on my legs, I was still looked upon as strange . I felt basically alone besides a few friends questioning the same things I was and so did little to realize my ideals except to try and • live them out in my personal life . • When I came to Stanford and the dorm, all of my alienation and isolation came to a head . I couldn ' t identify with the life I saw around me . It seemed like everyone else felt • • • •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 0

27 free--being away from home and on their own, but I felt trapped . Trapped into a life where parties seemed the most important thing and everyone had large expectations of how everyone else would be . . .where all the women seemed to want to be little sisters to the fraternities . Not that they weren ' t good people, I just couldn ' t identify with it all . I had had my expectations too . . .illusions that life at college would be like I ' d imagined it had been in the sixties . . .the reality was a little hard to bear . It also went against my grain to have the maids clean up after me and to have meals cooked and served . I tried to get involved with the women ' s center and a few feminist activities but I felt alone and unsupported and that, compounded with trying to adjust to college, led me to become fairly in- active and studious. After one quarter there, I moved to a co-op with the theme Social Change through Non-Violence . There I found other people who were interested in the same things I was . . .in politicizing their personal lives by trying to relate in a non-sexist way and by taking their lives into their own hands . I found that there was something going on at Stanford besides parties and football games . I found some of what I ' d been looking for. The acceptance of myself that I found in that house, the awareness of the varieties of political activity going on and a general settling in of myself, gave me the strength to start working toward the fundamental changes in our society that I believe are necessary. To me, it seems like anyone who is a feminist would have to be a radical . If one truly believes in the equality of people and strives to put those beliefs into pratice s/he will be constantly frustrated . Just trying to live the kind of life you believe in is impossible . And if you really do believe in it, you just have to work to make it that way .

X. BUILDING THE CAMPAIGN

Once you ' ve established your goals, folks . A successful action, in turn, set out a plan of action that will can serve to draw more people into your realize them . Gathering support is struggle and lets you work from a more essential to the process . People are powerful base the next time around . In strength--you can ' t do it by yourself . fact, many sorts of direct action Direct action gives your opposition the (rallies, vigils, fasts, marching) have feel of your strength while it builds outreach as their primary purpose . Other you more support and interest . (If it kinds of organized mass activities are goes as planned .) designed with an exercise of power in The first step toward effective mind . Disruptive pickets, mill--ins, outreach is identifying potential allies . boycotts, sit-ins and strikes are all Do some research . Who stands to gain ways of applying direct pressure to the from your victory? Who else sees your powers confronting you . They all work opposition as the enemy? Who has helped best, especially in the long-run, when you out in the past? What groups share the participants are acting on a clear your values? Once you ' ve made this sort understanding of the issues, and not of an inventory, make contact with your out of guilt, fear, or a desire to be target constituencies . Tailor your "with it " . outreach to both your resources and their The long run should always be a pri- level of consciousness . Your presence mary consideration . Each move you make is felt most strongly when people receive can be thought of as a step towards your your message in all sorts of different goal . How does each leaflet, rally, or ways : When they read your position papers, other action open up or close off the sign your petitions, attend your rallies, possibilities for the next one? Will a enjoy your guerrilla theatre, ask questions sit-in today sap your resources for an at your teach-ins etc . Give people more even larger one a month later? Or will than facts . Give them the reasons they you lose momentum if you don ' t escalate need to get involved . Make them feel now? Are you compromising with a bigger good when they do get involved . Let them victory just around the corner, or should know how they can help. you take only a small win now and re- Tied closely to outreach is direct group to avoid defeat? And finally, how action . The support your actions receive does the end of this campaign shape the is a measure of . your success in educating beginning of the next one? 29

9 . The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself.

10 . The major premise for tactics is ¶t\LTlc$ the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure : ., upon the opposition.

~~• ,,, .,'',t ~~..`11 . If you push a negative hard and will break through to /,, /",/, , yy deep enough it yi,, , ; ~~ " • me/ ., ; .;~ its counter side. , /"//Ka far AO, n ,,;;,) 1\ 12. The price of a successful attack is ,A i, ~ 1 )) lli I , a constructive alternative . You cannot risk being trapped by the enemy on his sudden agreement with Tactics are what get you from here your demand and saying, "You ' re right-- to there . While one should always be we don ' t know what to do about this creative in choosing tactics, some issue, now you tell us . " principles have been proven effective. In Rules for Radicals, Saul Alinsky 13. Pick the target, freeze it, person - has a pretty good list: alize it, and polarize it. 1. Power is not only what you have but 14. Always give the power structure an what the enemy thinks you have, out . Creative power tactics will provide a situation in which the 2. Never go outside the experience of power structure can give in to the your people . When an action or demands . Don ' t ask for something tactic is outside the experience they can ' t give unless you see it of the people, the result is con- as necessary for the campaign. fusion, fear, and retreat. 15. The first action must be a sure 3. Whenever possible go outside the winner . In order to build confidence experience of the enemy . Here in people they must see that they you want to cause confusion, fear, can win something fast and clearly. and retreat. 16. Play the enemy off each other, Use 4. Make the enemy live up to their own their self-interest to put theca on book of rules, you can kill them a collision course. with this, for they can no more obey their rules than the Christian church (the last three points were taken from can live up to Christianity. Majorit Or :anizin : : The UsF .W . Consumer Boycott by Mark Richard, 1976-Goddard) 5. Ridicule is man ' s most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counter ridicule . Also, it infuriates mom._ =--_ -- l s ors the opposition, who then react to ~ r err your advantage. ,. ~ r 71 -> U ` rr -7. cc ' c rr ~~ e r (rrr C r 6. A good tactic is one your people r tc c,? enjoy . If your people are not Via having a ball doing it, there is something very wrong with the tactic.

7. A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag.

8. Keep the pressure on with different tactics and actions, and utilize events of the period for your purpose . 30

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The role of research in starting a campaign is essential . Nothing is more frustrating than listening to broad gen- eralities which may be construed as rhet- oric . Effective research takes an oppon- ent ' s arguments, and refutes them . It " Imperialist Capitalists " would not be gives specific facts and examples and particularly effective. clarifies the lines of conflict . It also It is more effective to quote sources puts forth an analysis, an implication of directly than to paraphase. who is to blame and what will cure it. Many campuses have programs which will No " science " or research is value free, give academic credit for the kind of Research is not only current facts, issue oriented research you want to do. but also an historical analysis . You Also check out sympathetic professors must know what you are talking about. who may be willing to give you indepen- Even when you are developing a "new" dent study credit . It is much easier to issue you will be amazed at how much has carry through with your research if you ' re already been written on the subject. killing two birds with one stone . Some Contact progressive groups, alternative liberal/radical institutions may even give media and institutions as well as estab- you cash compensation for pertinent lishment publications and institutions. research. Once you get them, U .S . government or U .N. publications may practically prove your Consciously choose the analysis for your research . Nothing is worse than points for you . See if influential people sympathetic to your cause will let you mechanistically applying a dogmatic analy- have access to their files. sis that was meant for another time and When writing a position paper, analysis, another place . Read, read, read . fact sheet, or whatever, it is important to remember who the audience will be . This doesn ' t mean you have to compromise your position, but there is always a decision to make as to the kind of language you ' ll use and what to emphasize . Some words simply don ' t communicate what you might want them to . For example, distributing material to a concerned church group that, instead of referring to U .S . corporations in South Africa by name, lumps them together as

"The most heroic word in all languages is Revolution ." ---Eugene Debs

31

good sense of what your target audience does know, doesn ' t know, and is confused about . What questions do you get asked the most when you talk to people about the issue? What fundamental misconceptions has the opposition been pushing? After leaflets are designed, they need to be laid-out . Try to find someone with experience in the technical aspects. The original of the leaflet should be neat and clean . Use a carbon typewriter ribbon if at all possible . Rub-on letters can be bought from an art supply store. After lay-out,check the leaflet one last time for accuracy.

Leafleting The way you hand out leaflets depends on their purpose . " Invitational " leaf- lets ought to be distributed or posted

A PROFESSOR OF ENGINEERING BEGINS TO WONDER The distribution of well laid-out leaf- lets is probably the best method of inform- ing people about events and issues. Leaflets are a crucial part of any camp- aign. The purpose of a leaflet determines the way it looks and is distributed. Leaflets which announce meetings or actions need to be to the point . They aren ' t educational, they ' re invitational . A few words on WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, should be prominent on the piece . Even if readers don ' t come to your event, your name and issue will be raised . Once the basics are there, add other things such as demands, inflammatory facts, fun graphics, etc. But remember, what people are going to respond to is what stands out on the leaflet--if nothing stands out, they might not do anything. Informational leaflets are written to give people a basis for action . They require a great deal of careful work. Facts must be thoroughly checked out, arguments must be thought through and the whole thing has to be written well enough to encourage a good reading . How does what you ' ve said restrict or enlarge the scope of future activity? Before putting the leaflet together you should have a 32 almost everyplace you can find people-- to the struggle (distribute at a rally, campus plazas, dining halls, classrooms, movie showing, benefit, etc), or an intense toilet stall walls, dorms, car windows, desire just to know what ' s happening. lines, and crowds . "Educational " leaf- A few other things are worth consider- lets ought to be handled more carefully. ing as well . Are there places to throw It takes a great deal more time and con- the leaflets away? Are you going to clean centration to digest a set of facts and them up when people don ' t use those places? arguments than it does to scan a sheet Your image isn ' t enhanced when every piece of litter on campus has your name on it . Can you make use of a blank space on part of a much used leaflet where times and sites of film showings, organ- izing sessions and other matters subject to change (depending on who gets the leaf- let when) can be written in? Try rotating the colors of your leaflets so people are less likely to think you ' re handing them announcing an event . The organizer has the same thing you gave them the week be- to give the reader a reason for making fore . Finally, are people so sick of this effort . Good reasons are a personal leaflets that distributing them not only presence (hand the leaflet out while is a waste of time but engenders negative door-to-door canvassing), some commitment feelings as well?

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PETITIONS

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Petitions are a simple, inexpensive way they ' re more likely to read it . Don ' t to demonstrate support, generate publicity, argue with unsympathetic dolts, it only and raise consciousness around a specific wastes time and burns you out . When issue . They also act as a barometer of people are especially enthusiastic be sure community awareness and feelings . Finally, to tell them how they can get more in- they are " legitimate " in the public ' s eye volved. and thus can serve as a reason for es- A few signatures already on the top of calating to extra-legal protest when the page make it easier for other people they are ignored by the authorities (as to sign . Sign your own name or get your they almost always are), friends to sign . A space for a printed, The form of a petition depends on its legible version of the name is a good purpose . If the petition is purely in- idea if the signatures are going to be formational, it can be longer than one verified at some point . Add space for an put together with the idea of getting address and phone number if you want to a large number of signitures on a partic- be able to get in touch with your support- ular position. . A petition written in ers. more general terms tends to draw more gen- One person can do more if equipped with eral support and is less likely to limit several petitions `and pens) . While you the range of post-petition activities are answering one person ' s questions, that use the petition as a justification other people can be reading the extra and/or show of support . copies. Don ' t make your petition too long . A petition drive with a publicized, It will take too long to read it . Don't fast-approaching deadline may be an effic- use language like "whereas " and "therefore" Tent and dramatic way of drumming up Don ' t " prove " your point on the petition- interest in the issue and the petition. use informational leaflets along with the This is not to say that you should wait the petition-people might sign a simple to circulate the petition until a week demand but not feel comfortable with your before the deadline, but circulating a arguments supporting that demand, petition four months ahead of time may Circulate petitions where you expect not be the most effective tactic either. the best response and where people are In the event that there is no set dead- gathered in large numbers--the more bored line, continually evaluate how the the better . Lines are especially good . drive is going. People in lines can ' t walk away and usually And what to do with the signatures? they aren ' t too busy with anything else . An elaborate presentation to the The best way to get signatures is to go authorities is one idea . A highly visible up and ask for them . It works best to public display is another . Get the word approach in a friendly, non-antagonistic out--you have demonstrated substantial manner . Make sure you get the petition support for your position--you want a into their hands--once they ' re holding it, response.

AND YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE -John, VIII ; 32 (inscribed on the marble wall of the main lobby of CIA headquarters)

34 KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

DORM DISCUSSIONS Organizing among students is done with the hope of getting people actively in- volved in your organization and campaign. Go to campus residences and meetings of other student groups . If possible, have a supporter who is a resident or a member set up the meeting and encourage people to come . If someone argues on your side let them . . .people often listen more closely to people they know . It always helps to have a few supporters at the meeting . Everytime, at every turn, sign up people who want to get involved and call them back . Try not to give speeches- aim to start a dialogue,

TEACH-INS On March 24, 1965 for an entire night, 3,000 people at the University of Michi- gan listened to experts on, and opponents of, the war in Viet Nam give informal addresses, participate in question and answer sessions, and lead discussions with the university community . The teach-in was born.

Educational events can follow a wide more) by inviting guests with varying variety of formats . They can present one opinions . They can be non-antagonistic-- side of the issue or contrast two (or you present your side and I ' ll present mine---or they can be confrontational. Of course, real education is the pre- cursor to confrontation . Forums, movies, workshops, etc . are most effective when played off a specific action . Partici- pating in intellectual discussion alone is not the way to change people, and even if it alters their orientation, they won ' t have the habit of doing something about it . Direct experience, knowledge, and change comes when people butt their heads up against the system and physical- ly feel the powers opposing them. Teach-ins, or a series of movies, workshops, discussions, etc ., are a good way to combine education with activism. Teach-ins can go all night and be inter- spersed with folk singing, skits, dancing, sign painting, etc. Very often, a teach-in can be the harbinger of a more militant action the next day . "Learn about it tonight, protest it tomorrow" . 35

Particularly effective are presentations and discussions . Send your most skilled speakers in well coordinated teams of two or three . Keep prepared remarks short and try to start a dialogue. Bring literature and provide each organ- ization with concrete things they can do to help, for example : giving endorse- ments, circulating petitions, giving money, writing letters, etc.

CANVASSING Basically, canvassing is going door- to-door for one-to-one contact . While it is worth while just to say "Hi, hope you can get a chance to read this " as you hand out a piece of literature, it is OUTREACH most valuable to have an extended conver- Outreach to other groups--church groups, sation aimed at winning the person ' s campus employees, faculty, community support . It always helps to have pre- organizations, etc .--is crucial . Don't pared a spiel that serves as a starting point . Never force your attentions on wait for them to contact you, but call them up and ask what kind of informational someone obviously not interested, and exchange or cooperation can be worked out . generally it isn't a good idea to try to convert those strongly opposed to you already . Even if you do convince them, the time would probably have been FORM A better spent talking to undecided people. COLLECTIVE KIDS ~ 0

Canvassers ought to be very well in- formed and skilled in dealing with people . When questions come up which they can ' t answer they shouldn ' t be a- fraid to say " I don ' t know " , but be sure they try and find out and get back to the person. Role-playing is an excellent way to prepare for door-to-door work.

Don't expect miracles overnight . One problem we inherit from our American culture is instant everything, including revolution. ---George Lakey

36

or how. to BLOB THEIR MINDS Guerrilla theatre is a form of political Skits can be used to publicize events. education . Its purpose is to shock people, Opening a rally with guerrilla theatre to challenge their unexamined beliefs, attracts attention and builds a crowd. and to expose societal myths. If you break up speeches with skits The San Francisco Mime Troupe distin- illustrating the subject or issue in a quishes between two forms of guerrilla direct manner, you are communicating on a theatre--radical theatre or the theatre whole new level--with a sense of humor. of exposure, and revolutionary theatre Fancy props, costumes, or professional training are not necessary, but simple or the theatre of example . Most guerrilla cheap props (like plastic machine guns theatre can be both. or little signs that say " regent" or Use guerrilla theatre often . It serves " industrialist " ) can be effective and used the community by presenting struggle in over and over again . What you need is a an enjoyable and educational way . If the people of your community recognize you, group of irreverent people who will work together . they ' ll protect you from the police or people competing for space. The strength of guerrilla theatre is its mobility . It belongs out in the ALYS15 AN AIL streets, in classrooms, in dorms . Take it N'T S YoU cvoLV .~ION. everywhere with you! TKE RE =

Use real life . Use your own experiences and ideas ; your audience wants to recognize itself in what you do . Some of your best material will come straight out of official documents and quotes . Familiar figures can be exaggerated and caricatured. In preparation for a performance, improvisation, role playing, and brain- storming are more useful than one person writing a script . And more fun . Once you ' ve decided, make scripts for your troupe and rehearse. Be prepared for hecklers . Decide

how you want to handle them . Use the •If l~ lr ~~h, -~/ ~~ "ni l crowd whenever possible ; you can give them BE RKELEY positive feelings or make them witnesses KA5 BEEN A KIND OF IMENTAL and embarass them about their passivity. EXPERTKEA'TEg After a skit, offer people a chance for action . Stay and discuss the issue you ' ve just presented : there shouldn ' t be an artificial distance between you and the audience--your theatre is about their life. Don ' t carry dope, and do carry an I .D . 37 At their best, these skits might accomp- Guerrilla Theatre lish the following: --demonstrate apartheid to community and SAMPLE SCRIPT : APARTHEID AT STANFORD make whites consider what minority rule would be by presenting them with The unexpected was used to educate. reverse racism. Reverse role-playing brought home the mean- ing of segregation to white students. --expose repression of the student move- The campus was divided into black and ment in South Africa and in your own non-black areas, in parody of the South community. African system . Planted white people --challange ideas the audience might have were arrested and dragged out of dining about their own personal rights and halls by an armed, uniformed black mil- duty to protest. itary squad . The plan was to shock people into confronting their own tolerance of --appeals to a passive audience, and racism. displays the consequences of passivity White students in eating halls (arrest/death of others). and in the plaza were stopped by the --start discussion in the dorms black military and asked for passbooks. They were arrested for attending rallies and distributing petitions . Everyone else there was warned not to read any lit- erature handed out about the university, apartheid, or South Africa--and above all not to attend the next rally at such and such a date, time, and place.

GUERRILLA #1 enters, stands on chair. First announces rally, then discourses at length on oppression, repression, suppression and recession in South Africa. GUERILLA #2 screams, runs in from outside: "They know us! They saw us! Quick, they ' re coming! " GUERRILLA #1 ignores #2 and repeats rally announcement. GUERRILLA #2 "They saw us at the last rally! "

Military enters from all corners, leader with a bullhorn (bullhorn switch is on with a hand over the microphone which creates a loud, high-pitched feedback). Military is carrying plastic machine guns and wearing uniforms.

GUERRILLA #3 (military officer) "You are under arrest for challenging official policy . " (quotes from university codes and South African law). Soldiers grab #1 and #2, frisk them, throw them down, beat them . #1 and #2 resist, call for help . They are silenced. GUERRILLA #3 " and all of you here are expressly forbidden to attend any rallies . " He predicts that if they do they ' ll be arrested. EXIT--screaming bullhorn, screams from #1 and #2 . Other guerrillas pass out leaflets, field questions . 38

RALLIES

On many campuses, rallies are the feelings and analysis of your supporters bread and butter of the movement . and maybe give them energy to take act- They ' re great for bringing in new people, ion---march, burn the petitions, boycott, building energy, and drawing publicity, sit-in, or go out and organize. But for these same reasons, they are often overused and become ineffective . Building : Use all the traditional forms Keep in mind what you want to accom- of publicity and any others you can plish from a rally in terms of your think of . You must communicate that opponent, the community in general, the rally won't be a waste of time and and your consitituency . Example : You that it won ' t be boring . Hold it in stage a rally to protest an administration an accessible and/or symbolic spot. decision to ignore 3,000 petition sig- Leaflet the rally site if you can. natures . You want to show the admin- Talk to people walking by . You might istration that you have substantial consider selling food so people don ' t community support . You want to show the rush off to meals ( especially if it is general community the same thing as a lunchtime rally) . One trick is to well as bring more of them into your get people to lay their bikes down struggle . You want to reinforce the somewhat in the way of traffic . People

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39 have to slow down or stop--they lis- ten, some sit down and stay. See equipment section for advice on PA ' s etc.

The Rally : A rally is a dramatic pro- duction . It must be good theatre to be successful . The best analysis in a crummy speech or over a worthless sound system is useless . Use theatre, music, visual aids--keep people interested. Have a tight agenda and leave at least 30% of your time for a margin of error, As a general rule the fewer speeches the better . There are only a finite number of good speakers in the world ; your desire to have lots of people saying important things should be tempered by this realization . Make your speeches substantial--don't use

too much rhetoric . You can always use less . You might want to collectively review speeches beforehand. If your group calls a rally, it doesn ' t mean that you have to let everyone who wants to speak, speak . Freedom of speech means that anyone can organize a rally---not that you have to let nuts speak at yours. Solidarity statements from other groups are excellent, but try and make them conform to time limits . Moderat- ors should do everything to keep the rally on schedule--be brutal. Large rallies can sometimes draw significant press . Have a press release and press liason . Don ' t count on explaining it to the reporters verbally. Audience participation is fantastic when it works and a drag when it is tried in a clumsy manner and fails. Know your audience . Feel it . Think of ways to make audience participation easier, such as song sheets or banners. There are many different types of rallies--short, long, unifying, etc. Have the rally focused on its function. If it is a lone issue rally, don ' t de- vote a lot of time to other issues. If it is a short gathering rally before an action then don ' t dissipate energy. One strong speech may be all you want. If your rally is not a prelude to ano- ther action, provide some release at the end--holding hands, singing or clap- ping . End it clean, not with a string of announcements--have most announce- ments earlier in the rally.

40

ft,'- him/her that you will be there until IiMlr•, :!I:;7 the store gives in . Every day when the picket ends go in and give the P/CKET manager your estimate of how much the boycott is costing the store. Whenever you picket, it is important Every day when you start picketing not to alienate, or overly inconvience, go in and say hello . Always be people who are not the object of the pro- polite . Actions speak louder than test . For example, if you ' re in front words. of P .C . and E . to protest their pro- Most common is the educational/pub- nuclear propaganda, take pains to ex- licity picket, People carry signs, plain to employees inside exactly what shout chants and hand out leaflets. you are doing and why . This type of picket is an effective way Keep people ' s morale up . It can get to publicize an issue in an interesting pretty boring walking around in a circle way• holding up a sign . Wort : on a set of Boycott pickets are more direct--a chants and compose or re-write a few boycott picket in front of a store or songs beforehand, Hunger, thirst and factory makes an immediate appeal to fatigue can really lower morale . It is the consumer, and threatens the supplier nice to have water nearby, and if the economically. picket goes on for awhile, maybe some A third type of picket is the ob- food too . structional picket . This goes beyond Don ' t let a picket just wither away . the other two in that it physically Officially end the picket . Tell people interrupts or Inconviences a usual what they have accomplished and congrat- activity . For example, administrators ulate them . Decide on a date for the could be slowed down or stopped from next meeting and tell people to come entering their offices . Obviously, prepared to discuss the picket ' s effec- this type of picket is often illegal tiveness and possible next steps . and dangerous, but it can be effective. Before you start, check with the When starting a boycott picket go police about whether you need a permit into the store or whatever and tell if there is any question . Tell . Also find out the manager what you are doing where it is legal to assemble--how far off the sidewalk, how close to the build- /00* ings, etc . A common requirement is that people stay off the streets and keep BY OR%ER OF moving . If you keep moving you usually can stay pretty close together and still THE SUPERIOR COURT be legal . It is always good to know exactly when you are overstepping the law. TJtERE Central to educational/publicity pickets and boycott pickets is commun- DEMONSTRATIONS PICKETS,f ication . Carry coherent placards that mean something . Slogans should be chosen PARADES OR THE LIKE beforehand by the organization . Signs should be legible and big enough to be THE COURTHOUSE, seen at a distance . To further draw attention and explain the picket, hand 121 ELM STREET out leaflets and say a few words to passers-by on adjacent corners . Contact NEW HAVEN,OR WITHIN the media and have spokespeople ready L Mr, HUNDRED FEET to talk to them. IN ANY DIRECTION OF THE COJIRTHOUSE ;Zhol o .1W ,170?gg:

41

Fasting Fasting is a many splendored thing. A liquid fast means no solid food . A water fast means H 2O for breakfast, lunch WOMEN 'S and dinner . For those a little more extreme than the rest of us, there ' s the r annihilistic fast--no water, no nothing . This tactic should not be used unless Oft you are fairly certain the administration y-4 ---~ ~' will give in quickly . Fasts have three functions . They act as a strong moral reproach to your opposition, they gener- ate important mass media attention and they deepen the commitment and solidarity of those taking part. It is important to publicize the fast to gain maximum benefit . A vigil often makes a good companion action to a fast. If you fast for more than a few d rc Vigils (or one day of annihilistic fasting) Vigils can be small symbolic watches, make sure to consult with a doctor . or huge tent cities . They ' ve lasted from Fasters should realize that fasting is one night to months . Vigils, and the a coercive act aimed at the moral feel- publicity they generate, are a very effec- ings (or guilt feelings) of the opponent . tive way of showing both your opponent and the community your strength and commit- ment . By physically occupying contested land you can force your opponent ' s hand, ITS ILLEGAL) If you ask the authorities if you can vigil someplace they ' re likely to say no. You ' ll just have to make an informed guess as to their reaction . They ' ll be anxious to avoid a confrontation--espec- ially against such a symbolic protest. You should check out the area as if it were a regular camp site . Are there automatic sprinklers? Is there shelter from the storm? Try to schedule commit- ments from people beforehand to be there for specific blocks of time and work out some kind of rough agenda. With all the energy and people-hours at a vigil, there ' s all kinds of things that can be done : Educational workshops, guerrilla theatre, leaflets, signs, silk- screening, holding alternative classes, building a cultural center, sketching with . chalk on asphalt, dancing, collating mail- ings and many many more. A vigil brings people together for sus- tained periods,of time . Think and talk about the group ' s dynamics . Hopefully, feelings of identification and commitment to the group will be reinforced. iY!,11 Once begun, vigils can always be length- 'ened or shortened, but however long, don ' t let them peter out . If possible, end them with a bang, or if not, do something for- mal to let everybody know what ' s next. 1, 2

MARCHES Marches, while they can serve the prac- You can simply make a show of solidarity tical function of getting people from one and commitment . Silent marches are often place to another, are also statements of effective . There's somethingng ominous a- strength which comes from unity . As bout masses of clear-headed, a physical declaration to the rest of the intent people community they let both the marchers and the organization feel the strength in their own numbers . Marches are concrete and right th ere--something sympathetic but uninvolved people can latch on to. As such, they are a form of outreach. Make it clear just what the march is for and where it is going . People will feel stupid and self-conscious otherwise. Think of taking a march through dorm or community areas to bring more people to a rally . You might march from a rally to a building where your opponents hide out . -ho realize what their non-cooperation or obstruction can do . Try a torch-lit I'm weak, but together we're strong . march ; a little drama goes a long way. --Huey P . Newton Marches are most successful when they are organized and orderly . You don ' t want

43 ' no violence, easy on the profanities, o' listen to the monitors or whatever. The feelings of solidarity will be increased by appropriate songs and chants. Chants should be short and distinct so that marchers can learn them quickly and by- standers can understand what is being said . Think about printing and distrib- uting words to songs and chants in advance. Banners increase visibility as well as quickly identifying the march to onlookers. It is invaluable to have a large banner that can lead off the march and that people can form up behind during the awkward beginning moments. Marches are tremendous at the right time, but like everything else they can be overused . Remember that marches are mainly a show of strength and effective unity, but only one part of good education and outreach .

SHOW

YOUR

CONCERN '

MARCH.

to alienate non-participating supporters right off or trample (perhaps literally) over the individuals involved. It is a good idea to have monitors who will direct the march and take care of any problems that arise . The monitors should be easy to identify--have them wear armbands, a special T-shirt, or something equally distinguishing . Make sure both the marchers and the police know how to find the monitors . Giving your monitors megaphones makes sense if the crowd is large . There also should be some way that the monitors can communicate with each other-- perhaps someone can be chosen to relay messages. Just before tha march begins, let peo- ple know what the legal situation is - what your permit allows (if you have one) and what can be expected from the police. At this time you should also lay down your ground rules loud and clear, i .e. 44

as a result of your campaign and how much more they can expect to lose . Always let ovcotts the targets know exactly what they can do Any number of things can be boycotted ; to end their little nightmare. classes, stores, products, committees, When you have what you want, or it is speeches by university officials, or clear you have lost since it is too drain- the Bank of America . Boycotts work when ing to carry on any more, it is time to they deny some kind of essential support tell everyone the boycott is over. to the boycott target . Classes don ' t run well unless you attend, a company ' s profits slump when you don ' t buy, and speeches Legal Disruptions lose a lot of their charm when the audience There are plenty of legal ways to is outside protesting . overload bureaucratic systems . Bend, fold, Gauge ahead of time how much power you spindle, and otherwise mutilate computer can bring to bear on your opponent, and know forms . Fill a bank with hundreds of people exactly what you are after . Most boycotts making small deposits and withdrawals . Jam take a great deal of work since they are a supermarket with browsers and customers. really campaigns in themselves . It can be Flood a university office with students a great waste of effort if the basis for requesting transcripts, forms and brochures. success is not present . It is important to remember who your Effective outreach increases the force target is when you consider disruptive of your boycott . Spread the word in every activities . It is not tellers, clerks, way you can . Picket you target . Get as office-workers, and regular customers who much publicity as you can . Tell people must wait hours in line . Yet these are the what you are boycotting and why . Suggest people who might bear the immediate weight alternative products, stores and banks of your actions . Be as non-confrontational even if the alternative is just as piggy as possible and explain exactly why you as the boycott target--one enemy at a are causing them so much trouble . Always time . try and direct the media ' s focus toward You can set up counter classes or your target . Weigh the costs of your speeches . Warn the object of your boycott action (negative feelings of workers, bad before you start . In the case of an eco- publicity) against the gain you expect in nomic boycott, periodically inform the increased pressure on your opposition. management how much money they have lost These kinds of actions can backfire .

45

"There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even tacitly take part . And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop . And you've got to indicate to the people who run it that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all ." ----Mario Savio, Berkeley '64

some questions are answered . It may be a non-disruptive, publicity-oriented occup- ation of a building . Remember, sit-ins coerce your opponent - whether directly or indirectly - through the media and

Sit-ins are a forceful, coercive .,, tactic . They are an escalation of your MASS CIVIL campaign and a demonstration and util- DISOBED IENCE ization of your power. "TO CRIPPLE , There are as many different types of THE sit--ins as there are purposes . A sit-in OPERATIONS may be an obstructive confrontation . It OF AN lI~ may be the refusal of people to leave until OPPRESSIVE SOCIETY"

publicity . A sit-in becomes possible when enough people realize that other channels are closed or ineffective and they have the commitment to risk the consequences. A sit-in results from the immediate con- sciousness that for now, things cannot continue as they are. The effect of a sit-in usually varies geometrically with its size . While a sit- ' in can futher build an organization and catalyze future activity, they don ' t work without substantial initial strength . A sit-in which fails can be a major setback. Sit-in for something . Specific demands don ' t have to be presen :d, but the direc- tion and goals of the organization should be clear . Be sure to explain to the com- munity why a sit-in was necessary. Preparation : Know what building you want to occupy and think of setting up a " free access " committee to assure that the build - ing is open when the crowd is ready . Before 46

the sit-in, the possibility of arrest and consequent penalties must be discussed. Legal information should be prepared and distributed at the sit-in . This is an important responsibility of the organizers and cannot be taken lightly . As a point of information, the usual rap is trespassing, a misdemeanor, but there are any number of other charges--from refusal to disperse at the order of a police officer to intent to disrupt business . The organizers should also inform the protesters of the special consequences for people on schol- arships and for foreign students. You really can ' t advertise sit-ins, so there ' s often some kind of rally or mass gathering that precedes them . With a coherent campaign and quiet rumors, even people who did not participate in the what the police are going to do. planning should not be surprised by the Often at a sit-in, supporters outside sit-in are very important . An outside rally and Once the sit-in has started, it is a support statements extend the sit-in beyond good idea to break into small groups to the people in the building. educate newcomers to the campaign, argue If your sit-in does end in arrest strategy, discuss demands, give backrubs, consider having some people staying out of and settle frazzled nerves . Affinity jail and getting back early to plan for the groups can meet and help hold the crowd next day--a rally, community outreach, or together . Choose a liason for the adminis- whatever . The inability to think beyond the tration or authorities and another for the sit-in itself is often the major mistake police . Try to find out as soon as possible organizers make .

47

STRIKE

A student strike calls upon students just in the eyes of the media and admin- not to attend class and/or not to go istration where you lose credibility, to jobs they might have on campus . but to the 60 or 70% of the students who Since they involve a large sacrifice, don ' t stay out and then think of them- they should only be considered if student selves as outside the movement . How- support is overwhelming, if the move- ever, a successful mass strike is an ment is strong and broadbased, and if overwhelming victory. the situation calls for an almost ul- If you can ' t get the student workers timate escalation . It must be kept in or campus workers to go out (remember, mind that a student strike that is only they have a lot to lose) you might be 30 or 40% effective is a defeat--not better off just calling for counter ' activities during classes . If you have enough support you have a defacto strike without the risks and problems. STIIVEFoR TWE EIGHT DEMANP S STRIKE BE CAVSE You MA1E COPS STRIKE SEC,\(JSE YovR APV'\A1•E WA(LUtIED

SIX I kE per THE SO-CALLED T. E%ZE CONTROL EDUCAT ORS 5T(fr4c KNOW THEY To ARE IN OF TOUR LIFE STRIKE TROUBLE UcoiU $~E HUMAN'S 1S A ~ I tK E TO RETURN PAINEH SCNLARWIP5 TRE t E CAus E THEIE'ifs ►OETRY a i YCL/ R LECTVIIES E VRI v E uc:AL)s cLAsir:. /ARE AUE STRIKE FAR TFI E TONE R S T RIKE TO sMASN (rPOR tTtIN STRIKE Te M EKE yoVFSE LF FREE STRIKE To AROTC STRIkE I t(AV" E ?NE ARE ¶gy1d1ro $~hL r s,kIKE 11.1 LIFE OUTOr 7(I

Harvard Strike Poster Spring 1969

48 Notes on strikes. 5. A thought is to refuse to pay tuition. 1, "Close it down--open it up . " Have Tuition strikes. a positive program to fill the gaps-- 6. Historically most successful campus counter--classes, your own admissions strikes have been in response to local policy, your own research program. police brutality or a gross outrage like Kent State and the Cambodian invasion . You must have tremendous

EDUCATION IS JUST A TOOL FOR FITTING US INTO THE SYSTEM

2. The strike should be called by a mass meeting after university-wide discussion or by referendum. 3. Have specific demands and try to win them . Try not to let the strike dribble away . End it before it fades. 4. Aim at the university and not non- striking students or campus workers mass support to pull off a successful except when necessary . Picket labs and strike . That means that the liberals administration buildings--not classes . must support you too.

49

EL SKILLS

Think Ahead--The day of the Action ahead for the group to enter a building, Relax . You ' ll need all your wits . but once there the group should decide The basic scenario of your action whether or not it wants to stay and sit- should be discussed and agreed upon in in . Breaking down into affinity groups organizational meetings beforehand . The is a good way to assure that everyone has fewer decisions that have to be made at input into the decision making process. the last minute the better . Depending on the action, it may be This, in a sense, may seem undemocratic necessary to entrust a small group of because many people who come to the action people with the responsibility of co- will not have attended the planning ses- ordinating plans and on-the-spot decisions. sions . But anticipating the moves that Something unexpected is bound to come up cops, the administration or any others and sometimes a decision will have to be might make allows you to consider re- made before the group as a whole can con- sponses that are consistent with your sider it . Everybody should know who has goals . this emergency responsibility . This Balancing the need to plan an action creates a degree of accountability. with maintaining a sense of group part- Before a direct action, the group can icipation is difficult . If time allows, choose spokespeople to deal with the explain the reasons behind the tactics police, the authorities and the media. you ' ve chosen . Make any new decisions as Spokespeople speak for the organization democratically as possible . You can plan and are accountable to it. 50 isilt of high visibility have occured . This FOE " tf. can include rallies, leaflets, etc. As your organization will undoubtedly Most faculty are more discover, one of the first problems which responsive to other faculty members than must be overcome is how to defray expenses. they are to students . Don ' t be shy Put a bit more bluntly, how can your about guilt tripping liberal and radical group raise the money to pay for things faculty. such as printing leaflets, duplicating Other approaches in fundraising : Aside educational materials, renting sound from the more traditional methods of systems, and the thousand and one other fundraising there are innumerable other expenses that inevitably arise when approaches that can be tried in order to organizing on a large scale? augment your budget . Your imagination is The first step in fundraising has your only limit . Have a performing con- nothing to do with the actual raising cert artist make a pitch and then have of money . Rather, it involves avoiding your people in the audience collect the feeling of guilt which often accomp- contributions . Selling even useless anies fundraising . "Money grubbing, " items can raise lots of money--look as some may call it, may seem a bit too at America . Hit up the student govt. capitalistic, but if you believe in your A word to the wise : Don ' t be so concern- cause, then money becomes a necessary ed with money that you overlook resources part of educating others and achieving and services that may be offered in lieu your goals . So, before all else, AVOID of money . Many churches and other char- GUILT! itable organizations may have mimeograph Now comes the active work . Initially, machines or typewriters that they will be the only source of funding that exists more than happy to have you use . Poor, will be your own group . This is due to struggling artists may share valuable an unavoidable organizing paradox : a skills with you . Sympathetic print broad-based movement cannot be built shops and union presses may also do work without money, but few people will be for you at reduced prices if not for free. likely to contribute until they see that Once any money is collected, make an established movement already exists. sure your records are always in good The solution to this paradox is to "Tap order . Just because you ' re working with Thyself . " But be careful not to over- someone else ' s money is no reason to get burden your own people . Only collect for sloppy with the figures . In fact, just specific expenditures, such as a leaflet. the opposite is true . Your fundraising will be more successful if you can tell people exactly where the money is going. Rallies are a good way to broaden your base of financial support . An appeal for money is most opportune when announced about midway through the event. That way, people will have heard enough so that they will want to give . Also, at this point, attention should be at its peak . If the appeal is made too late, people will have begun to drift away and the fundraising will be less successful. It helps to have a person from the organizing collective accompany each "hat" that is passed around . This cuts down on rip-offs and also helps collect- ions since people prefer to give to people more than they do to a bucket. The faculty : Appealing to specific groups within your community is another good way of raising funds . The faculty is especially worthy of attention . As a group, the faculty should usually not be approached until after a few actions 51

PUBLICITY 1 Publicity isn ' t hard if you think clearly about its purpose . Whatever the event or publication, use a tone that your targets will respond to . Don ' t underestimate their intelligence . Try to I make your literature artistic . Life I should be full of beauty, or at least wit . 1 I Don ' t do everything possible publicity- 1 I wise . Do what is most effective . Try and target accurately . Your energy isn ' t 1 1 infinite . When leafleting, ask yourself, I "Do we just want to hit dinner tables? I Movie lines? Dorms? Public areas? " Obviously, the media is important. Letters to the editor explaining why Singing and dancing slices of bread play a vital role in the life of any you ' re doing whatever you ' re doing are successful local program. good and free . Don ' t ignore radio and public service announcements . They ' re free too . Advertisements are usually a mistake . Consider making news instead-- guerrilla theatre, small pickets, unusual It")r-odu4ch-orL feats . ' ~ ► There are a number of different ways to get your leaflets and posters re- produced . The basic trade-off is be- tween quality and cost . Off-set print- ing is expensive but is often worth it in terms of how effective the piece is. The quick print shops are the most ex- pensive but can usually give you one or two day service. There are alot of things to know about lay-out but we don ' t have space here. Ask your printer or someone who knows about it to give you an introduction to the world of blue pencils and exacto knives. Your own pobablyrinting options pr come down to xerox, mimeo, and ditto. 4I What ever is free is best . You might Mr. ! find you have access to one of these ' ; methods at your school . Anybody can introduce you to the machines and how to prepare the copy . Remember that people Personal contacts are best in getting must be seduced into reading hand-outs. through to people . Consciously use word So use the best possible reproduction of mouth . Set up a phone chain by dividing method you can . up your phone list at a large meeting; make each person responsible for a certain number of names and numbers . Co-ordinate canvassing with building for some action. Make dinner and class announcements. Put up notices on every blackboard on campus . Hang banners from tall buildings, from tall trees . Put leaflets on bath- room walls, train monkeys to carry signs, silk-screen T-shirts and decorate bi- cycles . Be creative. 52

www+ .w. ..o .. .. ww~+.r... ,r..Mw.. ~ w.~gM"MeMM/~n+^~w.w+wn+-M• W `.-'` Format is important, too . Try and get advice from someone who has written press Ia. releases before . Don ' t forget to include a contact name and phone number at the top so that reporters can get back to you for clarification or additional infor- mation as easily as possible . Make sure that someone is usually at that number and

knows what ' s going on, or has speedy ac- cess to the information. A first press release can be supple- mented with a press packet containing Like it or not, radio, newspaper, background information about the issue television and magazine stories are your most important messagers to the mil- lions of people who are not on your campus. You can have some measure of say in the way that they cover you . Their coverage, in turn, can draw greater support to your struggle, bring a sense of strength and unity to others engaged in your fight, and produce a bolstering shot of self- importance to seldom rewarded activists. Some radical activists reject working with the " straight " media . This position is unnecessarily purist and isolationist. At present, established, old-guard media outlets are the only mass media we have. It is through them that we can reach the greatest number of people, The antagon- istic view of the media also overlooks the change-oriented politics of many

journalists who work for " the enemy . " While rarely in a position of real power, S+Ya, '5 - ( - e€k they do have influence and can be support- and its history . It probably won ive . Ignoring these people wastes a val- ' t be read the first time around, but it isn uable resource . Publicity about campus ' t likely to be thrown away, either . The protest, whether it ' s positive or neg- release can be delivered several days ative, not only raises issue identifi- before an event cation, but it hurts the school . Develop a list of ' s image media outlets among the individuals who give it money, ., their addresses, and their phone numbers corporations and governments which buy . Be systematic . Find the local bureaus for the wire services and its research, or potential applicants and national magazines their parents, The news you generate . Most important are the places which are the best bets to puts pressure on the college ' s officials put you through to the greatest number to find a solution to the problems you of people . Don ' t forget the various have brought to mass attention. alternative media Much of the media work that is useful . Though smaller in circulation, they are more likely to give to do is centered around specific events. you good coverage. Beyond that, you want to maintain your re- lations with the press and monitor your coverage . A press release is the simplest, most often used method of attracting re- *MI41,'/j

porters to an action . The release ought lil t i1%ll1ll ,--~_ ,:•;•; :•:•`:•,~ 4 to be to the point, written in good, standard, journalistic style (no rhetoric).

Double space the press release . Don ' t try to say too many things in the same re- lease . The more you try to say, the less any particular thing gets noticed . 53

Be sure to meet them when they get there (they just look like reporters), identify yourself to them, find out where they ' re from, and offer assistance . Is there any information they need? Can you set up an interview for them? Act as a facilitator first, only be a spokesperson as a last resort. The official spokespeople for the group, the ones you lead reporters too, help create your public image . Try and find someone who the viewing, reading or listening audience can respect and identi- fy with . Long hair and a beard means a bunch of hippies . Revolutionary rhetoric means a bunch of crazy rads . A white male spokesperson speaking in 12 syllable words may be hard for many people to relate too. Someone who is very capable in other ways, who knows what is going on, but isn ' t Call the places on your list a day or terribly articulate is going to make you so before the event . The best times to sound foolish. call TV stations tend to be between The quality of the continuing press 6 :30 and 7 :30 in the morning, when the coverage you receive can be improved for assignment editor is still figuring out the better by the kind of maintenance where to send reporters that day . Find work you do . Keep a good clipping file. out when the other media make their Monitor TV and radio reports of your assignments and what bureau would be activities . Blatant and important in- covering you . Ask them if they got your accuracies deserve an immediate call to release (they probably won ' t remember) the reporter or news director responsible. Tell them what is going on . Make it Campus and small, local papers can be sound newsworthy, and for TV, visually pressured the most easily, because your interesting . Make them wonder if they ' ll group and supporters may be a large part be missing out if they don ' t come, of their small readership . Try and get Be honest, don ' t exaggerate (it only corrections printed. hurts you in the long run), but be pos- Most campaigns don ' t get too much itive, whatever the case . If they can ' t coverage to begin with . First clippings send you a reporter, would they like it (besides the campus rag) tend to be from if someone called them after the event politically sympathetic alternative papers, to fill them in on what happened? Most or in smaller towns, where the local radio stations have small news staffs and college plays a routine part in the gen- have to get much of their local news eral news, the local daily . Coverage this way . tends to snowball after a while . As Call up radio stations after an event larger and more important outlets begin and tell them what happened . If they are to pick up on you, you can at all interested, they ' ll very likely intensify your efforts to get coverage want to record you over the phone . It is from the more important sources . Being a good idea to have a ten second summary the lead story on all of the local TV of what went on prepared for this, stations might merit a shot on national They ' ll ask you several minutes worth news . Copies of recent clippings can be of questions but eventually edit it down sent on to outlets that haven't covered for a very short spot on the news . The you yet. more concise you are, the more you get out of each second of airplay . Don ' t be nervous . They warn you before they start the tape and will splice out any false starts or mental sneezes. Once you ' ve got reporters to an event, you want to be as helpful as possible. 54 1 19rLitors spread their instructions through the crowd Monitors will get requests for legal in a friendly manner--not by ordering information . They should know something people around . Starting chants like of the legal situation and have the bust "no rocks! " or something can allow the crowd number . Monitors should direct the media to control itself. and authorities to the spokespeople . If Another way to handle confusion or ten- monitors are not trained in first aid (and sion is to try and establish quiet. they probably won ' t be) they should be "Walk, don ' t run" is useful where it is able to direct people somewhere. applicable. The hardest task of the monitors is During their training, monitors can dealing with provocateurs, hecklers and choose ways out of imagined crises that just plain ornery folk . They need to are consistent with the tactics and goals balance respect for freedom of speech of the action . At the action, monitors with the needs of the action . It is best hope to fulfill that set policy in a cre- for monitors not to work alone . For ex- ative way. ample, a group of two or three might Monitors have little physical authority speak to a heckler, moving him/her away beyond the agreement they generate from from the crowd while trying to explain the people . An armband is not power, why shouting " smash racist imperialism! " nor is it a license to direct a crowd during speeches is rude. any certain way . It is an obligation. Monitors can consider having mini- People react negatively to being ordered caucuses to decide what to do about a around, particularly in any sort of a crisis--if there ' s time . The more people confrontation . It is very important to be in the decision making process the better. polite and friendly as well as confident If there is confusion, monitors should and firm .

55

Before you go into a new situation-- people playing different roles . One time negotiations, speaking before a group, the store owner could be openly antag- picketing--it helps to practice . You can onistic, another time more liberal, and anticipate what will happen by role play- so on. ing . With role playing you can learn to In role playing, members of your group handle new situations ahead of time. temporarily pretend to be somebody else . You may also learn alot about your op- Say you are going to speak before the ponents by playing their roles, and Board of Regents on South Africa . One learning what goes on in their heads. member of your group could play the part After you " play the role " discuss of a student giving a speech in favor of what happened and refine your strategy divestment . Several other members could based on what you learned. play the parts of Regents--some sympathetic, ---adapted from "Training for Non-violent some antagonistic, some wishy-washy-- Action for High School Students " who question the student, or try to put by Bidge McCay her/him on the spot. Another group member might play the part of a sectarian in the audience Look into the depths of your own beings, throwing out sarcastic comments that the seek out the truth and realize it uour- speaker would have to deal with . You . You will find it nowhere else. could see what the speaker would have to selves ---Peter Arshinov do to stay cool and remain effective. At first it may feel awkward to act out roles, but it usually results in much more effective action later. IMAGINATION IS POWER If you ' re going to picket a store you might have several people play the role of picketers, one person play the store owner, and several others could be shop- Many persons pass for normal, and indeed pers, a reporter, cops, and spokesperson for highly valuable members of society, for your group. who are incurably mad. Run through the entire picketing se- ---Hermann Hesse quence several times, with different 56

E2tu:Prient

PA systems for speeches and music can be rented at stores, but many times you can get them from school or a local church. I Before renting a system try asking other I organizations and even rock bands . I If you move inside from a rally for a sit-in or teach-in bring your sound system I with you . Nothing is more frustrating I I than to be at the back of a crowd, feeling I I like decisions are being made, and not I even being able to hear . I ri Buy heavy butcher paper, or newsprint ends at a newspaper, in large rolls. Monitors should have easily identifi- Keep it in one place with brushes, paint, able armbands . Ugly plaids are a favorite sticks, cardboard and tape . Buy lots of at UC Santa Cruz. small rolls of masking tape since everyone Armbands also fit into the general will lose them . Powdered tempera paints category of publicity, but have some are inexpensive and can be mixed up as you inherent symbolism, so they serve best for need them, Water-resistant paint is for mourning, and shows of silent protest and special occasions and rainy climates . solidarity . Armbands can identify partici- pants of a vigil, building a sense of com- munity, or identify fasters for the larger community. Bullhorns can be brought for almost as little as it costs to rent them . They ' re worth it. If you make one or two nice cloth banners you can re-use them at demon- stration after demonstration . Don ' t forget to put flaps in the banners so they don ' t catch the wind and carry you away like a sail.

"The bud disappears as the blossom bursts forth, and one could say that the former :ftomm,.-0 0 0 ...rt is refuted by the latter . In the same o tn,%n ~.• ~ way, the fruit declares the blossom to be o =al 6 a false existence of the plant, and the .~r . W . fruit supplants the blossom as the truth of the plant . These forms do not only differ, but they also displace each .11~ o ~ 1 other because they are incompatible. Their fluid nature, however, makes them, ~~~~ ~llttti•~ at the same time, elements of an organic Alf unity in which they only do not conflict, but in which one is as necessary as the other ; and it is only this equal nec- essity that constitutes the life of the whole ." --- Hegel

57

S ue i

It isn ' t good to be paranoid but it divisions between factions and that ad- doesn ' t pay to be naive either . Security vocate dangerous and irrational violence can be divided into two sections : illegal should be looked on with suspicion . Here things you might do and illegal things again, local conditions are crucial . Re- that others might do to you . member, innocent before proven guilty. When planning or doing anything illegal, But someone who is disruptive doesn ' t the fewer people who know about it the have to be a police agent to be a threat better . Just to be on the safe side, to the movement. never talk about anything illegal on the You should never count on the police phone . Homes of radical leaders aren't behaving legally . Whenever the potential great places either . Don ' t talk with for violence is high, try to have press strangers around . One thing to bear in around . The press has a strong calming mind is that people who conspire (two or effect on police . In your planning re- more people and one or more overt act member that if the police break the law toward commission of the crime) to commit and bust or assault you without cause, a misdemeanor are guilty of commiting a they will not be punished ; you will be. felony . Weird, huh? It would seem that direct police in- The most likely form of harrassment telligence gathering has declined some- you will face is by private individuals what from the glory days when every lit- who are either politically opposed to you tle school and town had a red squad . or just pretty drunk and feeling like being a pain Being overly secretive and setting up . Every group should have a some sort of elite is probably much more policy on what to do if assaulted by dangerous to the movement than open de- civilians . Picket lines, marches and cision making despite the security pro- vigils have been assaulted at various blems it has . But this is a question that times by individuals on foot or in cars. is very dependent on the local circum- Cars are a very dangerous weapon and are stances and will have to be settled case often used on impulse. by case . People should be aware of the danger and ready to jot down descriptions and Illegalities by the opposition= are more license numbers . But the most important of a problem . These fall into two cate- thing is to have a plan before it happens. gories : illegalities by officials, and by Some sort of policy is invaluable ; Do individuals . A common police practice is you fight back? Does the picket leader the utilization of provocateurs to en- decide on the response? Do you run like courage the use of bad tactics, usually hell? Do you ask the police for help? violent, and divisions in the movement . What if they ' re the problem? These are Individuals who encourage and foster all political questions and it is a 58

shame to wait until the middle of a crisis of disciplined people . Monitors should to think about them . have some form of minimal training. The use of monitors and security Unless you have real reasons for ex- people is very good in a number of cir- pecting trouble, it might not be a wise cumstances but their limitations should expenditure of energy to have guards be recognized . People do naturally listen posted at every event . Trouble will prob- to authority figures and so any " official " ably come when you least expect it anyway. monitors already have some advantage in on the other hand, visible security is the situation . The potential for control- an excellent deterrent . In this area, ling violence, if it becomes necessary, as in so many others, there are no pure is much better if, whenever possible, you and simple answers--just problems and rely on affinity groups or large numbers ideas.

Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing. Joseph Heller

Justice without power is impotent ; power without justice is tyranny . --Pascal

The policeman isn't there to create disorder ; He's there to preserve disorder. --Mayor Daley

qeItiz_7i 1) listed

: .. off .~ ~.. 1.. .::

While it may take only a few minutes cord . However, the justice system is not for the cops to decide to bust you, it known for its humane treatment of anyone. takes considerably longer to extricate It is best to prepare yourself. yourself from the system . This means Much assistance and knowledge can whenever you get busted, (if you have be gathered from law students and local anything to say in the matter--and some- attornies sympathetic to students and times you do) get busted for your reasons, experienced in defending them . Before you not theirs . head out to occupy a building for 56 Getting arrested won ' t necessarily hours, find out the likely charges and mean serious charges and a life-long re- their penalties . If you ' re going to be 60 on campus, investigate the internal judicial system and its record . This is the sort of information that people always want to have . It is a responsi- bility of organizers to provide it when arrest is a possibility. If you can control the actual process of being arrested, do . That may mean that the cops have to arrest the front of your line, bit by bit, and not come into your ranks. Have legal observers . If an unexpected arrest comes up, people should act as legal observers and note everything they can about the bust especially where where arrestees are taken and the charges, ---Before the cops take you away, call out your name loud and clear to the legal observers . Observers should keep a running list and note any unusual aspects of the arrest--like a pushy cop or if the person went limp. ---Have a 24 hour legal number, and make sure everyone knows it . This is your catch-all. Before any action, know your rights. Don ' t be bluffed by the cops . Don ' t believe them if they say things like "Oh you won ' t get bail " or "It will take three days to process all of you . " These are common police lies.

It is far easier to die for one's faith than to suffer for it day in and day out for long endless years. ---Alexander Berkman

DISTRUST SAD PEOPLE--THE REVOLUTION IS JOY

I am a happy man to exist at this moment. Happy because when one puts one's heart, reason and will to work at the service of the people one feels the happiness of that which begins to be reborn. ---Victor Jara

the more i make revolution, the more i want to make love

61

.BeirMn I)earert_ (a‘,tI70/ frg- luny)

Generally it is not a good idea to fight There are several types of tear-gas. back . The police are trained, armed and CS is the strongest . It is dispensed by armored . They will be given all the canisters, grenades or fog machines. breaks legally . You ' ll be hit with at It causes coughing, running nose and eyes, least three felony charges. burning of the eyes, nausea and in some The best defense is running like hell. cases dizziness . To relieve the burning Wear sneakers to all demonstrations. wash your eyes with one part boric acid Take off earrings and scarfs and watches. and three parts water . Use plain water if If you are beaten cover the base of boric acid is unavailible . Eye drops the back of your head at the spine with also are effective. your hands . Your elbows should go over Wash your skin with mineral oil . If the sides of your head . Lie in a fetal you don ' t have mineral oil use water but position with your legs drawn up to wipe the entire exposed area with al- protect your groin . This is as appli- cohol not your eyes though) . If al- cable for women as it is for men . cohol is not applied the burning may last for hours .

I'M LIKE- A D/NOSAUR--IN_ THE CRO-MAGNON IT ISN ' T N/~'•-TD ammoamom MIS TIME, ESTA715MINT

THIS IS THE / ~ ~ • ~ DAY OR THE I O m" N7 • ~ , . 1 THE AGE OF--— '00 ONLY- - THE ~PEBEL•- 7 TEAR AND TH IT DOWN, 11 D/SSEN7EAl ' 1.11 ORE '471. t .Ill

A gas mask, or wet cloth or paper towel is a good defense for this type of gas. CN gas is a weaker tear gas . Water should be enough as far as treatment goes. Mace is a liquid rather than a gas, and is used on a person-to-person basis It is made up of 10% CS gas, 70% propellant agent (sodium bicarbonate), and 20% kerosene . The kerosene is the agent that causes the severe burning sensations. The pain that mace causes is intense, and this in turn causes the breakdown of normal physical and mental functions, such as running . If you get sprayed in the mouth, it may lead to uncontrolled convulsions. Treatment for a mace victim is as follows : Wash out her/his eyes with the same boric acid solution described above, wash all exposed portions of the body Vaseline works well against mace but it with water, then apply rubbing alcohol causes gases to adhere to the skin and to dilute the kerosene . The combination thus results in more serious burns. of goggles and a thin layer of vaseline is a good defense . The vaseline must be ----adapted from The Anarchist Cookbook wiped off immediately after exposure . by William Powell _= 63 V. RELATIONS WITH OTHER GROUPS I

I

I I I I I

— written from a white male perspective

"The fact that has to be faced by the male that has defined half of humanity's freedom left at some point is that everyone in as a "side effect" of the "real" revolution the society--including the white male-- which will be made by other "vanguard", "more is both oppressor and oppressed . Psych- oppressed" groups ." ologically this could be a revolutionary ---Barbara Burris concept for the left . If we can only Fourth World Manifesto identify with our oppression and not see how we also oppress others we are fool- ing ourselves . If we feel only guilty about being oppressors we are also When working with other groups--com- fooling ourselves. munity, labor, or whatever--do some re- The male left is in a vicious circle search on them to see where they ' re com- of guilt and righteousness because people ing from . And, cynical as it sounds, in the male left refuse to go deep enough don ' t just take them at their word. into their own personal processes of Find out who their enemies and friends guilt and anger at their own oppression, are ;--this prevents embarrassment some- which becomes a confused mixture of times and it's pretty revealing too. violence and revenge . The male left has It is easiest to build unity with other become so hung-up on guilt and "who's groups concretely through ioint action most oppressed" that they have lost an instead of in grandiose paper alliances. elemental sense of justice for all human beings. Third World Groups : The main west We, as women, do not want males to coast latino group is Moviemiento Es- feel guilty . We don't care about guilt: tudiantil Chicanos de Azatlan (MEChA). What we want is change . All we demand The most common black groups are the is justice for our sisters . and that Black Students Unions and for other cannot come from a guilt ridden movement Third World Peoples there are similar 64

JOANX, 11/HAT ARE A/T, , PENS groups, like the Asian-American Student YOU 772Y/N5 TO OH.. NO, SANETX/Nt~ )V(/ HAVE JD KNt~UASK N(E'DJ17HER ANDY, I 'M .. .I )tZ' Association and the American Indian Move- I I LAVE YOU /F NOT TRY/N6 66E55 I SIC/1W MARBLED, YOU ARE, THE 70 P/N YOU HAVE 10GO )WA AR6N'T ment. o ANSWER'S M.. DOWN . . I . . WH/ A60 „ U? The first thing to remember is e mjjo' that whites shouldn ' t lead the strug- gles of Third World people . It's im- I # 7,

it plicitly racist . Don ' t confuse the leadership of Third World groups with their mass base . Often the leadership is more radical and sometimes it costs

them support to work closely with whites. Gnu, WHArS You should be aware of this NO, MANE, G/ROAV N//N THAT? . Sometimes I'M GAY. rM ORALLY Third World leadership has as much trouble CHEERFUL., M! communicating with their constituency as whites do to the campus in general. Third World people, like Chicanos, have their own culture that varies mark- edly from the mainstream American culture. There are different social patterns and so on . If you ' re not sensitive to this, you ' ll make an ass of yourself. You should act from mutual respect. Women ' s Groups, Gays, Others : There is a Don ' t feel guilty about yourself no great deal to be gained from working matter what your color or race . If you closely with groups that have different act guilty or patronizing, than your perspectives . Especially feminist groups, sincerity is obviously in question. which have a large developed body of Why are you in this gig anyway? Reach theory on internal process, and can ask out to Third World issues and try to important questions of the left . Much of explain them to the white community. what was said above about Third World This is more impressive than telling groups applies here . People come from Third World people how much you support very different places and you have to them . open up to them if you ' re going to learn.

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The strike and the family, a cartoon of the day , 1872.

Workers : Most campuses have unions Faculty : What can we say? Some are

or organizing committees among service radical, many more think they ' re radical

workers and often teaching assistants and most are long gone . Don ' t be afraid

(better known as TA ' s), sometimes even to guilt trip of rads . If they feel

professors . Try to build strong ties guilty they deserve too . In many schools

with them by helping out when they need the faculty has a great deal of underut-

it . Many unions take strong political ilized power . In a crisis they often

stands--sometimes the Longshoremen don ' t resurrect this power and give in to

load/unload cargo going to/coming from the student demands . So cultivate them.

South Africa . Consider contacting near- When lobbying the faculty gear your

by locals . But don ' t get overly enthus- arguements to their style . A few allies,

iastic about collaboration with the work- and a general hazy aura of friendliness

ing class . For one thing, if you ' re a may turn into substantial support in a

student it isn ' t your constituency . You crisis.

can do more for the working class by Faculty work too--after a fashion.

building a real student movement that They resent the administration as well

can give concrete support . Something to as fear it . The same goes for their

bear in mind is that in many unions the attitude toward students.

gulf between union leadership and the

rank and file is quite wide--even if

the leadership is radical (or because

DON ' T BE ASHAMED to organize middle class

it is). ,

. If that s who you are, than those

Community Groups : There are many shapes, kids

people are your constituency . After all,

sizes and varieties of community groups .

the working middle class is a majority

Exchanging information is a good start .

in this country, and there won ' t be much

There are opportunities for joint action,

of a revolution without them . Don ' t but remember community organizing is very

allow yourself to be guilt tripped--ever.

different from campus organizing ; the

You must work for your own liberation. pace, the goals, the style .

66

1k?oI3t et5p;ii7bL;$5 3t 7;-'codf .4e'As-e ~;ec7aricl.7[5

The traditions of all the dead generations weigh like a nightmare on the brain of the living . ---Karl Marx

What we have presented so far is our concept of good organizing and effective -, politics . This section presents a critical analysis of vanguard parties that have chapters on many college campuses--specifically the Progressive Labor Party, Revolutionary Communist Party, Communist Party of the United States of America, Socialist Workers ' Party, Spartacus League, and a few with these groups . It is probably sate others . While this section was written to say that most newly politicized people primarily by Chris Hables Gray, an an- do not know very much about them . This archist, all of us feel this is a very is an attempt to rectify this. valuable discussion . You are not ex- What is a vanguard party? The concept pected to blankly accept the analysis is Lenin ' s . His development of the put foward here, but rather to consider Bolshevik Party, and his elaboration of it in light of your own experience and its theory, form the basis for the po- whatever evidence you find to be valid . litical practice of vanguard parties. Very simply, Lenin felt that it was nec- VANGUARD PARTIES, CARDRE ORGANIZATIONS, essary for a small group of dedicated MARXIST-LENINIST-MAOIST-TROTSKYIST revolutionaries to put forward the correct SECTARIANS analysis, and using that analysis to organize the working class . The working Chris Hables Gray, an anarchist `lass, on adopting the vanguard ' s By analysis, would follow this small group Some general comments about these in making the revolution . This same group groups will be followed by brief outlines would then run the new worker ' s state of the larger organizations . The empha- in the interest of the working class. sis has been put on positions and polit- The key to making this vanguard party ical practices that most activists might work is discipline . This is not to deny . Internally Lenin ' s find surprising party theoretically practiced democratic that many of these groups do political centralism work that some find valuable . . This is open discussion of political questions until a " line " for the At the end of the section there will party is agreed upon--than a party member be a short bibliography which might is obligated to carry out that line. prove helpful for those interested in Democratic centralism also means more study on the subject . Anyone active the party is organized hierarchically, on the left in America comes into contact usually with the higher cadres promoting

67

the people below them, rather than the The vanguard party is the one true lower cadres electing representatives . repository of the correct revolutionary All party members are under discipline, analysis that is necessary for making and most important decisions, such as the revolution . You only join a party marriage, work, or place of residence when you ' re convinced that the party in must be approved by the party . question has the correct analysis . The There can be little doubt that such insularity and elitism this breeds should Leninist parties can be very effective be obvious. revolutionary instruments, but a large There are a number of other recurrent number of critics (Rosa Luxumbourg, aspects of such parties that should be Bertrand Russell, Trotsky before he mentioned: joined with Lenin, and most anarchists) feel that such a party leads inevitably Fronts : Almost all these groups have to a dictatorship--with the party substi- one or more front groups . A front is an tuting itself for the working class, the organization whose policy is controlled central committee substituting itself by the party, but that claims to be for the party, and then one person sub- independent . Such fronts may be set up stituting him/herself for the central by the party or they might be legitimate cemmit.Lee . The crux of this criticism organizations that are taken over by is that you cannot make a truly popular the party . There are a number of reasons mass-based revolution by having a small groups use fronts, First, recruitment is elite lead it in an authoritarian way . very important . As a Socialist Workers Party (SWP) internal memorandum said concerning one of their front groups, the U .S . Committee for Justice to Latin American Political Prisoners 'U .S .L .A .) ; " It should be noted that only through continuous activity will U .S .L .A. result in recruiting to the Party and the Young Socialist Alliance . (The Y .S .A . is the S .W .P . ' s youth group .)

iti ins ,a s I Yr~ Putt: ,?:rr 24 HOUR POLITICS Iro/1/r► rtit 111ht t ti: i d We should remember that, whatever the practice of Narxist-Leninists, they are Wile _ ~etu motivated by the same desires for revo- cpf lutionary change as we are . The differ- ence is one of process . Whatever one ' s conclusions on this debate, it is import- A second important function of fronts ant to look at the parties themselves and is to give the illusion of more wide- know how they operate politically and spread backing to a party policy . The with what assumptions. Revolutionary Communist Party (R .C .P) did this in 1976 . They had four of their Out of the basic structure of the front groups combine to form the " July Leninist approach come a number of in- 4th--Get the Rich off our Backs Coalition " teresting corollaries . For example: with them. for a vanguard party, the most dangerous The third major function of front competition is anyone who puts out an groups is to pull in liberals and others analysis that is close enough to their to struggle around an issue along the own such that it might confuse the working lines the party advocates . When indepen- class . This explains, in part, why dents join front groups they often don ' t Trotskyists hate other Trotskyists so realize that they have no chance of in- vehemently, why Maoists hate Maoists, fluencing the group ' s policy, since it is-- why all sectarians . hate each other . by definition--set by the party. 68 The Class Struggle : As a general rule, Red Baiting : Vanguard pary members have these groups argue that the class struggle a common response to their critics : they is the key issue--and the major problem accuse them of red baiting . They say for American revolutionaries . Thus, they that to criticize the vanguard party is are often very critical of Third World to resort to simplistic anti-communism. struggles, women ' s struggles, or gays Yet, the vast majority of such criticism organizing to combat their own specific is aimed at specific practices and at oppression, particular points of theory, not at Many vanguard parties argue that these their self-declared communism . The groups should work through the party as charge of red baiting also ignores the the only way of making a socialist rev- fact that leftist critics of these parties olution . This revolution will then solve are often communists themselves . The all specific oppressions . This line charge of red baiting is a tactic to a has led many of these groups to condemn avoid a concrete discussion of the crit- the Black Panther Party, for example, icisms that have been brought up. and also numerous feminist groups, espec- ially Lesbian feminists . However, there are large differences between the groups in this area . Each party should be judg- ed on it ' s own line, Rhetoric : All of these groups are marked by what many consider to be an excessive use of rhetoric . Not just terms such as capitalism, imperialism and revolution; but also more esoteric ones like Blanquism, Trotskyism, left adventurism, Kautskyism, dialectical materialism, etc . . .and more Violence : The majority of vanguard party vicious ones such as filth, scum, crush, members are white middle or upper class pigs, trash, destroy, defeat, demolish, students or ex-students . The role of and smash. their own guilt in their politics is It is difficult to tell exactly obvious . Along with a glorification of why this is, but some critics argue that workers and Third World people that rhetoric often substitutes itself for comes from these white sutdents, there is concrete analysis and that it is easier often a near adulation of violence that to use it than it is to try and effective- is noteworthy in that it comes from a ly explain simplistic or contradictory group that actually knows very little policies . about violence from personal experience .

69 Democracy : Marxist-Leninism argues that PROGRESSIVE LABOR --PL the revolution is everything, and achiev- Front Groups: ing it justifies any action taken . This Committee Against Racism --CAR means that for the very best of reasons, Publications: many party members will lie, deceive, The Challange attack or manipulate anyone--including History: their temporary allies . Their interest Broke from the CPUSA in 1962 over the is to get other groups and individuals Albanian question--which was a code word to accept their party ' s analysis because for the Chinese-Soviet split . PL support- they believe that until the left, and ed Mao . They were early supporters of the working class, follow that analysis, Cuba . In the mid-sixties they made a the revolution will be impossible. systematic attempt to take over Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) . PL r rev e LAY wanted a worker-student alliance with AN E667 students concentrating on workers ' strug- gles . In 1969 SDS split and ceased to have a mass membership . The PL rump quickly died . PL has always been strong- est among elite college students, es- pecially at Yale and Harvard. Line: PL is famous for changing its mind. In 1967 they were for community control of schools . In 1969 they were against it. There's nothing more They turned against Cuba in the sixties and against China in the seventies after humiliating than haying years of supporting both . At first, they to ask permission to lay supported the Black Panther Party but an egg . Ask any duck. soon they became vehement enemies. PL called the Panthers "revisionist, All too often, there is no real interest pacifist, and reactionary . " They called or respect, for decisions they don ' t agree the battle of People ' s Park in Berkeley with--no matter how democratically these "a reactionary struggle . " decisions are arrived at . Such decisions During the late sixties, their attacks are only "democratic " in an intellectual on Ho Chi Minh and the NLF became notor- sense to a vanguard party member . True ious . They objected to the NLF (National democracy is the dictatorship of the Liberation Front) accepting arms from proletariat, or any process that decides Russia, saying that anyone who accepted on the correct (i .e . party) line . Other- arms from a revisionist was a revisionist. wise, democracy is just bureaucratic They attacked the struggle for national intellectualism, liberal fetishism, liberation and claimed that "all nation- pacifist delusionism, social democratic alism is reactionary . " They labeled the obstructionalism, or anarchistic wrecking. Paris Peace Talks a sell out by the NLF and said that the NLF offensive of

• S••••S• .SS• .• May ' 69 was just to fool the Vietnamese . In conclusion they branded Ho N 1 WOK masses M 1T,1:ORv kT Chi Minh a " traitor and a puppet " of 105E 'N MEEDOM r- ' 6A1N IN %WW 1 both the US and the USSR. Practice: Other Marxists say PL is " left " in form but "right " in essence, whatever that means . PL takes a very aggresive line 1 when it comes to violence . For example, CAR took a march in support of busing in Boston to Revere Beach, which is a center of anti--busing whites . A riot with a number of injuries resulted . PL OOOO .O is also very fond of rhetoric and holds 70 a special affection for the verb " smash . " As in " Smash Apartheid, " " Smash Racism, " " Smash Sociobiology, " and " Smash Racist Youth Unemployment . "

REVOLUTIONARY COMMUNIST PARTY --RCP Front Groups: Revolutionary Communist Youth --RCY (used to be Revolutionary Student Bri- gade --RSB) May 1st Worker ' s Organization Vietnam Veterans Against the War---Winter Soldier Organization --VVAW-WSO NY/NJ United Worker ' s Organization Unemployed Worker ' s Organizing Committee --UWOC Get the Rich Off Our Backs--July 4th Coalition of all of the above groups) National United Workers Organiztion Worker ' s Support Committee for the I-Hotel

Publications: Revolution (RCP) Fight Back (RSB/RCY) The Veteran (VVAW-WSO) Practice: Chairman : Bob Avakian The RCP has been accused of numerous physical assaults on other leftists, History: especially Trotskyists . These assaults Bob Avakian sided with the Weathermen in have included one in Minnesota against the initial SDS split, then left them to workers at the main co-op warehouse and form the Revolutionary Union (RU). one on workers of the People ' s Translation The RU declared itself the RCP in the Service in Berkeley . The RCP took over spring of 1975 . The RCP is a Maoist group the VVAW-WSO, and then purged the majority which has intermittently enjoyed the sup- of the membership . Assaults by the RCP port of the Chinese government . Those also include a raid on the Guardian days are over since the RCP supported the newspaper in October, 1974, a fight "Gang of Four " in the post-Mao split. with members of PL in April of 1976, and Right now the RCP is closer to Albania numerous attacks on SWP members. than anyone else. In 1977, the RCP ' Line: s role in several campaigns came under widespread criticism The RCP supported UNITA in Angola. by other activists. They consider the USSR to be as great a The RCP had its own front group for danger as the US . They consider Cuba the I-Hotel campaign in San Francisco. to be a puppet of the USSR . Their label This was the so-called Workers ' Support for the USSR and the other Eastern Euro- . Conflicts with other support pean states is Committee "Socialist-Imperialist . " groups--led by Third World activists-- Domestically, the RCP is against bus- have resulted in violence on at least ing in Boston and Chicago . As their one occasion. paper Revolution proclaimed in a head- The Berkeley chapter of Campuses line : "People Must Unite to Smash Boston United Against Apartheid split in the Busing Plan! " The RCP considers homo- fall of 1977 over the RSB ' s role. sexuality a result of the decadence Both major California anti-Bakke groups of capitalist morals--they label it sick have publically denounced the RSB and and disgusting . Gays cannot belong to RCP on several occasions for their inter- the RCP . ference and attempts to push their line .

71

COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES OF people belonged to the party . Most party AMERICA --CPUSA members do trade union or electoral work .. Gus Hall has been the General Secretary Front Groups: Women for Racial and Economic Equality for 17 years and doesn ' t seem to have --WREE changed much . Elections, lobbying, National Coaliton to Fight Inflation peaceful rallies, and front groups are and Unemployment the main CPUSA projects. Young Workers Liberation League --YWLL National Center to Slash Military Spending Trade Unionists for Action Publications Daily World (East Coast) People ' s World (West Coast) General Secretary : Gus Hall History: CPUSA was founded in 1921 by Marxists, IWW unionists, socialists, and many other others . Part of its very long history is the major role it played in forming the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) . It has suffered many expulsions and departures . Although it has lost much of its trade union strength, CPUSA is still strong in a number of unions. The CP ran Gus Hall for president in Paul Richer the 1976 elections . He was out-polled by both the libertarians and the Social- ist Workers Party (SWP). Line: While the CPUSA claims to be a classic "You know, our ideas aren't originally Marxist-Leninist vanguard party, most American ideas . Our ideas are basically American radicals think it has become russian . That's what Comrade Cannon a social-democratic party with reformist always emphasized . And if you look up goals and little revolutionary content. at the banners of Lenin and Trotsky The CPUSA is one of the most pro-Soviet there, you will see the two main Russians parties left outside the range of Russian whose ideas they are ." tanks . It supported the Czechoslovakian ---Jack Barnes, SWP National Secretary . It invasion . It opposes Eurocommunism 1973 does not criticize the Soviet Union for human rights violations or for their policy on Jews . The CPUSA is still very anti-China. The CP is against the ERA because they feel all workers should enjoy the special protection given to women workers now that passage of the ERA would eliminate. The CP strongly supports the Humphrey- Hawkins full employment bill and often actively works on similar "New Deal " legislation.

Practice: The CP is variously estimated as having five to twenty thousand members . The high higher number is probably more accurate, but many members date their membershi p back to the 1930 ' s, when almost a million 72

SOCIALI ST WORKERS PARTY --SWP Front Groups: Young Socialist Alliance --YSA U .S . Committee for Justice to Latin American Political Prisoners --USLA 0 Committee for Democratic Election Laws --CODEL Political Rights Defense Fund ---PRDE National Student Coalition Against Racism --NASCAR or SCAR Publications: The Militant (SWP) Young Socialist (YSA) Pathfinder Press Books USLA Reporter (USLA) Intercontinental Press (4th International) Imprecor (majority tendency of the 4th Int .) History : Practice: The SWP war founded in 1938 by two The SWP is often criticized by the left ex-CPUSA members who supported Trotsky: for how they use front groups . In the James Cannon and Maz Schathtman . The early 70 ' s, they took over the Mobili- SWP is a Trotskyist organization . It zation to End the War (MOBE), and kept is a member of the 4th International, a the slogan "US out Now" instead of collection of various Trotskyist groups. the more radical "Victory to the NLF . " In its earlier history the SWP played At the 10th annual convention of the major roles in a number of militant National Organization of Women (NOW), campaigns such as the Minneapolis general the SWP was censored in the following strike. resolution: Line: Most criticisms of the SWP by leftists "This conference protests attempts is that they are reformist, like the by the Socialist Workers Party to CPUSA . The SAP candidate for president, use NOW as a vehicle to place be- Peter Camejo, got over 100,000 votes fore the public the agenda of their running on a left-liberal platform. organization and to exploit the Generally, the SWP and the YSA oppose feminist movement . We bitterly illegal forms of protest. resent and will not tolerate any The SWP calls the USSR a deformed group ' s attempts to deflect us f workers ' state, which they think is from the pursuit of our goals . " better than a capitalist state like the ---April, 1977 US . So, US imperialism is the major threat to the world . For a while, the The FBI estimates that 20% of all SWP considered Cuba almost a true rev- SWP members are supported by the party olutionary state . But now the analysis fin 1971 that would be 200 out of 1,000; is that it is a deformed workers ' state. now the SWP is probably a little larger). The SWP supported the Czech spring and There seems to be a fair amount of intern- seems sympathetic to Eurocommunism, al discussion in the SWP--more than in The SWP also strongly supports busing, most such groups . Still, SWP members and tries to work with liberal black cannot publicly criticize the line of groups, such as the NAACP, on the issue, the party and they are under discipline. mainly through their front group : NASCAR . YSA: SWP ' s interest in women ' s issues is 50% of YSA members are SWP members, too. strong, and they organize alot around YSA has roughly 60 campus chapters and abortion and the ERA . After 1971, gays is startingg a push aimed at high schools. were allowed to join the SWP . Now a Their main recruiting devices are fair number belong . NASCAR and USLA chapters

73 INTERN/,TIONAL SOCIALISTS: SPARTICIST LEAGUE Mellow Marxist-Leninists interested in Split from the SWP in 1964 . Led by Trotskyism . Their left wing split to James Robertson . They take a much more become the Revolutionary Socialist militant (some say hysterical) line League . Their publication is called than the SWP . Publish Worker ' s Vanguard. Worker ' s Power. Their front is the Partisan Defense Committee (PDC') . They denounce all COMMUNIST LABOR PARTY: student struggles . They denounce all Small Maoist group that split from the separate women ' s struggles . The class CPUSA in the late 1950's . Now they want struggle is the revolution and it will to re-unite. be led by the Sparticist League and NATIONAL CAUCUS OF LABOR COMMITTEES/ that ' s just all there is . Sparts are U .S . LABOR PARTY extremly stubborn and even more rhetorical. Completely, or almost completely, dom- Their main occupations are selling their inated by police and/or FBI-CIA . Tons newspaper, disrupting other leftist of evidence on this . They bank at events, and pushing their line . They Chase Manhattan . They ' re pro-nuclear were against Proposition 14, the Farm- power. worker initiative . The Sparticist League is in favor of foreign investment in South Africa.

7 14 THE GUARDIAN COMMUNIST PARTY (MARXIST-LENINIST): Actually this is just a newspaper but (formally the October League) not for long . This weekly Marxist- Another faction from the old SDS . They Leninist paper is led by Irwin Silber- are a Maoist group that now enjoys the who has all the makings of a party China franchise because they denounced chairman . For awhile they were close the Gang of Four . Their chairman, to the October League (now the CP-M-L). Michael Klonsky, has been declared Now they steer an independent line that the leader of the American Working is very pro-Third World . Like most Class . Bully . They are down on gays other papers, The Guardian is not above and believe that blacks should have a distorting the news. nation of their own in the south. They agree with China ' s positions of LITTLE TROTSKYIST GROUPS: support for the Chilean Junta and the Revolutionary Marxist Organizing Committee Shah of Iran. Revolutionary Marxist Committee League of Revolutionaries Party

755 READINGS ON SECTARIANISM

The True Believer by Eric Hoffer What is to be Undone? by Michael Alpert MarxismorLeninism? by Rosa Luxumburg What is to be Done? by Lenin The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism by Bertrand Russell "On Revolutionary Terror " by Trotsky The God That Failed Crossland (ed .) The Essential Works of Stalin Franklin (ed .) The Russian Tragedy by Alexander Berkman "Criticism of Marxism'' by Bakunin "Listen Marxist " by Murry Kempton

INSANE ! yEs 1KEM! MAtAM,.

, A.7- sItr -

C1 / n~ 76

;17e4Ecj fleddi r

COUNTERSPY . Covers the American Intelligence Community . Elaborately documented exposes on the CIA and friends . Every issue is amazing . Staff includes a number of ex-CIA and other intelligence agents . Great for paranoics . . .proves our fears are real . P .O . Box 647, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, D .C . 20044. IN THESE TIMES . A weekly newspaper with especially fine national coverage . Socialist but not shrill about it . Fantastic analysis of Bella ' s defeat in the last issue I saw . New Majority Publishing Co . Inc ., 1509 North Milwaukee Ave ., Chicago, Ill . 60622. NOT MAN APART . The best coverage around of Nuclear Power and wilderness preservation . Monthly publication of the radical ecology organization Friends of the Earth . Students get it all for $10 a year . 529 Commercial, San Fransisco, Ca . 94111. OPEN ROAD . Love of my life . The best Anarchist publication since Mother Earth folded 70 years ago . Beautifully produced package of dynamite truth from British Columbia . Comes out every three months or so . FREEEEEEEEE . The Open Road Box 6531, Station G . Vancouver, B .C . Canada. SCIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE . Monthly that looks at Science and science related issues from a radical perspective . Latest issue concentrates on DNA . Stronly recommended for every pre-med, biograd, chem co-term, or any other esoteric scientific life at Stanford . . . and for real people too. 16 Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143 SEVEN DAYS . A radical version of TIMEWEEK . Just started publishing . No ads . Beautiful magazine . Excellent radical coverage of national and international news and even culture. 206 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. WIN MAGAZINE Pacifist run weekly that gives in-depth philosophical analysis of many issues . All articles written by readers . First to publicize many key struggles like feminism and gay libera- tion . 503 Atlantic Ave ./5th Fl . Brooklyn, N .Y . 11217. And right here at_Stanford there are three publications that are in many ways better than Against the Grain . They ' re Winds published by the Asian students, La Onda published by Mecha, and the Real News published by the Black Students ' Union . Pick them up when you see them . . .all are full of excellent articles of interest to everyone.

Below is a last minute (after 20 straight hours of lay-out) list of our favorite radical books . Also please take a look at the reading lists after the Anarchism article and the Sectarian article . No doubt there are duplications but, frankly, we ' re too tired to do anything about it . For what it is worth---

Ecotopia by Callenbach What is to Be Undone by Michael Albert SDS by Kilpatrick Sale Reveille fo g- Radicals by Saul Alinsky The Movement by Michael Goodman Fanshen by William Henton Sisterhood is_Powerful (ed .) by Robin Morgan Autobiography of Malcolm X Monopoly Capital by Baran and Sweezy The Capitalist System (ed .) by Thomas Weiskopf

77

TO t.NAw4E THE wo*Lo S%?vA'towS TN b V COMPLETEL"1 %S ML PLAY wit* Tots W~ W$NT . AND 1T WORLD as THEY 1SN•T 14 1- L TNAT CREATE A N E W oNe . PEoP,E N t 1tD . T02 ► To.E.It tr Tb%IR OWW E!'4ER4i N CE of ?oW$ A t NTo THEIR L t v l pnr OWN Ne►HOS : T>~~S 1S PoSis et.I ALL to T% M F - EVE . ., .

7 g

us are anarchists we feel it is prob- _s ~-- ably the most mis-understood radical ter - : ~ - - -- ______--- political philosophy . Perhaps this will serve as a starting point for a serious examination of what anar- chism has to offer.

• own power . The apparent ef- fectiveness of such organizations—"we're just as efficient, disciplined and centralized as the narchy capitalists!"—masks the way that ` revolutionaries' who pattern themselves after capitalist institutions (domination, hierarchy) become absorbed by I i berty bourgeois values, and com- pletely isolated from the real revolutionaries who seek a tripping leadership and unde- needs and desires of ordinary By Mark Brothers stateless, voluntary, co- fined, ambiguous leadership people. operative federation of which suppresses the A large number of prison- decentralized communities— creativity of the bulk of those Anarchist Consensus ers, feminists and one-time based upon social ownership, involved . Obviously, some authoritarian Leftists have individual liberty and people are more experienced, While anarchist groups recently become conscious autonomous self - articulate or skilled than reach decisions through anar- anarchists . Often this move management . others, and these people will chist concensus, the M-L's has been prompted by Organizationally, they dif- play leadership roles organize through democratic negative experiences—theMarxism- fer from the authoritarian (although there is a conscious centralism by which each rejection of revolutionary socialists, the attempt to continuously pass member of a group—ulti- Leninism or capitalism— Marxist -Leninists , in, on skills to each other), and mately of a society—is subor- rather than a firm under- primarily, three ways. Anar- they may form groups which dinate to a "higher" member standing of anarchism as a chists reject the M-L notions drive forward, and help until one reaches the central positive revolutionary alter- of the committee vanguard party, crystalize the potential for . Members must native. Many of those who and revolutionary change . The participate when told to, even turn to anarchism quickly thedemocratic centralism dictatorship of the members of these groups if they're unsupportive of the abandon it because they see proletariat, and have alter- reject h i e r a r c h i c a l proposed project, or face ex- little being built and feel that natives to each of them . The positions—having more `of- pulsion by the central com- it offers no organizational problem is that almost the en- ficial' authority than mittee. forms . But, in fact, anar- tire left, including some anar- others—and, unlike the M-L In anarchist groups, chism contains solid struc- vanguard parties, they won't proposals are talked out by tural alternatives to other chists, is completely unaware members (none of whom has of anarchism ' s tangible struc- perpetuate their leadership forms of socialism . after the revolution. Instead, authority over another), tural alternatives of the dissenting minorities are There have been three catalyst group, anarchist the catalyst group will be major forms of socialism— consensus and the mass dissolved and its members, as respected and each indivi- dual's participation is volun- libertarian socialism (anar- commune. individuals, will be absorbed chism), `authoritarian ' as equal participants into the socialism (Marxist corn- Catalyst Group new societies collective munism) and democratic decision-making process. . socialism (electoral social The anarchist alternative to FeRG IT . 1 !

democracy) . The non- the vanguard party is the We don't want a group of 1W %' ;;. ~, .. anarchist left has echoed the catalyst group . In order to authoritarians "leading" us, bourgeoisie's portrayal of make a revolution, large- then establishing themselves anarchism as an ideology of scale, co-ordinated as a centralized decision chaos and lunacy . But anar- movements are necessary, making command . Instead of chism, and especially anar- and their formation is, in no "withering away, " Marxist- c h i s t -communism , has way, counter to anarchism; Leninist parties have per- nothing in common with this what anarchists are opposed petuated authoritarian in- image; anarchists are social to is hierarchical, power- stitutions to maintain their

continued

79

Anarchy continued 0 tary . As anarchist writer organizations, still united in Murray Bookchin points out : one large federation . This enables the group to expand THE TIME IS. . .. "Co-ordination and self- limitlessly while maintaining discipline must be achieved its anarchic form of decen- voluntarily, by virtue of the high moral and intellectual tralized, self-management. Anarchist groups aren't . operative, free society. calibre of the revolutionary even necessarily organized has appeared to be anarchic To seek less than this is to ac- loosely Of course the party, they ; anarchism is flexible chaos or M-L organization, cept, as a `revolutionary,' a and structures can be pr insist, represents—is--tlte however authoritarian . But mindless robot, a creature of tically non-existent or proletariat, and just what it per anarchism as an ideology authoritarian training, a y dictates is never really made tight, depending upon the pr o v i d e s fe a s i b l e manipulable agent who's an- organization demanded by clear. Instead of the dictator- organizational structures tithetical to any society that the conditions being faced . ship of the proletariat the which, if utilized, could be could be remotely regarded as anarchists propose the mass For instance, organization the basis for organizations free." would tighten during military commune. Anarchists look to just as solid as those of the Anarchist organizations operations a society in which real . M-L's ; only these organiza- are structured around decision making involves tions would be egalitarian. ongoing work-group commit- Mass Commune every one who lives in it—a Anarchism isn't confined tees. Unlike M-L groups in Unlike member; of mass commune, not a few to the ideas of a specific which new, inexperienced Leninist parties, whose daily discipline freaks pulling the theoretician and it allows in- "cadre" are shoveled off into lives are generally similar to strings on a so-called "prole- dividual creativity to develop the shit jobs of `lower' com- present bourgeois lifestyles, tarian" dictatorship . While in collective groupings . Not mittees (like leafletting or anarchist organizational Marxists claim that this dic- being cultist, it encourages a stamp licking committees), structures and lifestyles tatorship is necessary in order great deal of innovation, anarchist work-groups are (through communes, tribes, to crush bourgeois counter- prompting its adherents to equal, structured around the affinity groups . . .), attempt revolutions, anarchists feel respond realistically to con- interests of those involved to reflect the liberated society that such a centralized State temporary conditions. and new members of the of the future . Since the M-L's apparatus is a much easier The anarchist goal of total organization join the com- don't build co-operative target for opponents of the freedom isn't being stymied mittee of their choice or start structures, the nucleus of the revolution than is an array of by the theory . It is, however, their own . new society (anarchists built decentralized communes . being obstructed by those of When the size of the work- them throughout the Spanish And these communes would its adherents who feel that groups (which could be revolution), while tearing remain armed and prepared organization, political corn- groups organized around capitalism apart, they want to to defend the revolution mitment and activity are media, actions, theatre, seize state power and institute against anyone who militarily somehow evil . They aren't; finances . . .) becomes cum- their own dictatorship of the moves against it . they're necessary and in no bersome, the organization proletariat instead of We don t need the M-L's way counterposed to anar- can be decentralized into crushing state power and authoritarian solutions, but chism. two, or several, autonomous replacing it with a co- to much of the left the choice

~~ i~noncs coonouoo~oo„r~pc~roacu ANARCHIST READING LIST

Anarchism by George Woodcock -- best history of anarchism Anarchism and Other Essays by Emma Goldman The Anarchist Prince by George Woodcock --Kropotkin ' s biography Living My Life by Emma Goldman - her autobiography Obsolete Communism by Daniel Cohen-Bendet Post-Scarcity Anarchism by Murray Bookchin What is Communist Anarchism? by Alexander Berkman The Essential Works of Anarchism ed . by Shatz

and read OPEN ROAD -- Box 6135, Station . G Vancouver, B .C . Canada

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1:RIED1TI5i

EDITORS : Ellen Byrne Lloyd Dixon Chris Hables Gray Nick Nyhart

CONTRIBUTERS : Linda Gardner Danny Gonzales Kathy Gross Mike Jennings Bruce Parker Peter Salovey Candice Wallace Kathleen Mctigue

LAY-OUT : Mary Alexander Scott Campbell Stuart Ozer(titles) Linda Gardner Carol Bremner George Freeborn Chris Fables Gray Lloyd Dixon

TYPING : Ellen Byrne Trebor Fullwood Chris Hables Gray

We have enthusiastically borrowed material from the following publications, among others:

The O .M . Manuel by the O .M . Collective Columbae Non-Violence Collective The Movement by Michael Goodman (ed .) Communities Journal #29 Reveille For Radicals by Saul Alinsky Open Road_ "Democratic Organization and Management " by Bernstein and Bauer Youth and Student Organizing by John Schaller et, al .

We want to thank our funding sources without whose generosity this pamphlet would have had to be financed 1F :y bank robberies . They bear no responsibility for this manual ' s contents.

Vanguard Foundation Agape Foundation People ' s Life Fund Limantour Fund Printed by UP Press