Color of Anarchism Re: Protest ISO...

[Chuck0]

Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:

> Those were the days when anarchists were mainly anarcho-syndicalists. 
> Outside the USA, anarcho-syndicalism may be still the main form of 
> anarchism.  Within the USA, though, syndicalism does not appear to be 
> the dominant tendency -- nay, it appears to be a marginal tendency in 
> anarchism.  That may be in itself a problem.

Anarcho-syndicalism is a small tendency within contemporary American 
anarchism, but that is for reasons of history and the nature of the United 
States. Anarcho-syndicalism is much stronger in Europe and a few other places 
around the world. But Europe has more continuity when it comes to the amount 
of unionism within the working class, as well as a stronger working class 
tradition of unionism. The United States is very anti-union and it seems to 
me that tendencies like anarchos-syndicalism mostly exist in the old 
industrial cities with a long tradition of radical unionism.

I'll keep an eye on my survey for any trends on where anarcho-syndicalists 
are located.

> I didn't mean to imply that the black bloc _caused_ Giuliani's death. 
> The police riot all the time -- even in response to non-political 
> crowds, like out-of-control party-goers after OSU football games here -- 
> with or without provocation from the crowds.  I'm just saying that 
> black-bloc-style maneuvers didn't help, when the police meant business.  
> Black blockers and other anarchists might have to reconsider their 
> tactics.  Are their tactics related to any long-term goal and strategy 
> for social change at all?

But you are blaming the black bloc for police violence. The cops are the ones 
who come armed to protests and who conduct violence against protesters. The 
black bloc is mostly a tactic designed to protect anarchists from police 
violence.

Perhaps people are having a difficult time understanding that in cities like 
Wshington, DC, that if you don't get permission from the cops to protest, you 
get the crap beat out of you. The black bloc has mostly been a response to 
this situation, where our right to march down the fucking street is being 
violently repressed by the police.

Chuck0

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