******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ********************
#1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
#2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
#3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
*****************************************************************
Good for you Dan. Keep up the good work. One on one encounters only bring risk
to you. You did not do that. You organized what you could. Thank you.... no
matter what others on this list may lecture you about. I do not want to wait
for some "Mass Action" to fall out of the sky. Mass action is organized by
smaller collective actions that over time emboldens our side, sets an example
and shows success.
Punching a Nazi is a red herring. Who cares if you punch one. The point is,
individual versus more collective action, and whether it builds our side....
or just nmakes us feel good. Lecturing others about what not to do can be just
as irrelevent to building anything, and can be a feel good moment as punching
anyone.
S.
From: Dan Michniewicz via Marxism <marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu>
To: Saman Sepehri <p70vo...@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2018 11:37 AM
Subject: [Marxism] Punching Nazis Revisited
******************** POSTING RULES & NOTES ********************
#1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message.
#2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived.
#3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern.
*****************************************************************
The issue of using physical force to intimidate fascists and deter them
from organizing has come up on this list in the past. One week ago Richard
Spencer spoke at Michigan State University. A few hundred antifascist
counter protesters including myself gathered outside the venue in an
attempt to block Spencer and attendees from entering the building. About
150 tickets were sold, and only a couple dozen Spencer fans made it into
the venue. Many turned away after seeing our numbers. Some, including a
contingent of about 30 featuring Matt Heimbach and his Neo-Nazi Traditional
Workers Party, were turned away only after physical confrontation. Many of
those who did make it into the venue had to be escorted one at a time by
six or so cops through our crowds. This was undoubtedly an unpleasant
experience for them. Some were bloodied and some had horse shit thrown on
them.
Since then, Spencer announced via a youtube video that he would no longer
be making planned public speaking appearances
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/03/12/alt-right-leader-richard-spencer-says-his-rallies-arent-fun-anymore/416579002/>
.
It's important to note that a diversity of tactics besides physical
intimidation were employed both on the day of his appearance and the days
leading up to it. Notably, the locations and businesses where the fascists
hoped to meet and socialize were made public, and businesses cancelled
their reservations.
<https://www.metrotimes.com/news-hits/archives/2018/03/04/we-found-out-where-the-alt-right-is-holding-its-secret-conference-in-metro-detroit>
My point here though is that physical confrontation--and yes, punching
nazis in the face--played a central role in deplatforming and driving the
figurehead of the Alt-right out of public spaces. Spencer and the TWP have
represented the core of this explicitly fascist movement, and I expect that
the young white men who it has been attracting will be looking elsewhere
going forward to seek refuge from their economic and cultural atomization.
There's more violent options including Atomwaffen and alternatively the
"alt-light" featuring voices like Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson.
Many of us had been spending considerable amounts of time over the past
months organizing teach-ins and doing other work centered around Spencer's
visit to MSU and also a planned visit to the University of Michigan. Now
that he's no longer making public appearances, these lefties are now freed
up and can hopefully focus on less "defensive" measures. Myself and other
locals are emboldened. Are we wrong to feel this way?
_________________________________________________________
Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm
Set your options at:
http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/p70volkl%40yahoo.com
_________________________________________________________
Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm
Set your options at:
http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
