Anarchists or agents provocateurs?

Carrol Cox cbcox at ilstu.edu
Thu Dec 2 09:00:38 PST 1999


Steve Perry wrote:


> does it strike anyone else as ridiculous that the handful of
> spray-painters and window-breakers
> are being blamed for the state of
> martial law in downtown seattle? as

Yes, of course it is ridiculous and despicable -- but it is also of course to be expected. That is one of the reasons that it is no use wringing one's hands over those elements in the movement (Sparts, Weathermen, etc.) who "give the movement a bad name." In the first place they will always exist: they are simply one of the products of bourgeois culture. And in the second place, even when they don't exist the enemy will invent them for us: either through provocateurs or through big lies in the media.

One still has to resist such elements, but not invest too much energy, diverted from other tasks, in that resistance.

And of course distinctions need to be made among those who call themselves "anarchists," let alone among those who are simply labelled that in the bourgeois media.

Carrol



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