> Yeah, the streetfighters were funding themselves, so since they paid to get
> themselves to Seattle, that gives them the right to disparage the work of
> the millions of union workers who voted for their leaders and funded their
> efforts in Seattle.
>
> Anarchists funding themselves to create disproportionate numbers at meetings
> and events is just as anti-democratic a funding system for decision-making
> as foundations setting the agenda.
>
> The free time and lack of family obligations assumed by anarchists in their
> version of the right to dominate decision-making in the movement assumes an
> incredibly privileged position.
>
> Not that leadership is always right, but the disparagement by some leftists
> of leadership is often an excuse for trashing the voices and sacrifice of
> those who supported and funded the work of those leaders and the work they
> do.
>
> If we are going to count numbers in Seattle, we should not just count the
> 30,000 union members who made it to Seattle, but also the far larger number
> of union members who funded the turnout and transportation of those 30,000
> to Seattle. While there were no doubt many people backing up the other
> activists, I would say it is a fair guess that each union worker marching in
> Seattle was put there by the efforts of a larger number of people than the
> supposed democratically funded anarchists.
>
> I am all for nuking the distortions of democracy due to foundation funding
> in the progressive movement, but replacing it with privileged self-funding
> by anarchists is a piss-poor replacement.
What's the point of this diatribe against anarchists? There were thousands of anarchists in Seattle that day--some of my comrades estimate anywhere from 4-6000. Not all of the anarchists dressed in black to fit your convenient stereotype. I know anarchists who had to take off from work. I know others who quit their jobs. Here in D.C. we held a fundraising vegan potluck--attended by the punks profiled recently in the nation--which raised a small amount of money to send ONE anarchist to Seattle. He took the GREYHOUND bus across country and back.
He just joined our radical union, the IWW. After Seattle he's all gung ho to do workplace organizing. he even showed up yesterday at that pathetic news conference where the heavyweights of labor were getting their pictures taken.
We should give a big round of online applause to all of the activists who resisted the WTO in Seattle. They did a great job.
-- Chuck0 http://flag.blackened.net/chuck0/home/
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