----- Original Message ----- From: "Aaron Lozier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "July 30 in Philly" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, June 10, 2000 6:55 PM Subject: [July30] artistic terrorism as alternative > July 30 in Philly - www.unity2000.com > > I have thought long and hard about the ethics of political social > resistance (ie. our current protests) and particularly about the nature of > corporate "property destruction" as that practiced by certain members of > the Black Bloc anarchists at the Seattle and D.C. protests. I have been > slow to make judgements for or against their actions because, as a student > of history, I realize how various, contending elements within a movement > can actually be mutually beneficial in the advancement of a cause. (for > example a certian historian has argued that the tactics of King and Malcolm > X, though specifically at odds with one another, provided a yin-yang > relationship that, without both elements, change might never have been > possible.) Therefore, up to now, my attitude towards their tactics has > been: although I will not personally participate in that sort of action, I > will not judge their decision to do so. > > Yet something still bothered me about the practice of corporate property > destruction and I feel I have finally identified the source of my > discomfort. It is not that I have any moral problems with property > destruction in principle--in some cases it might certainly be justified. > But I feel that this sort of action implicitly expresses an idea that is > negative and in my opinion, simply erroneous. It is this, that corporate > private property REPRESENTS the product of an evil and destructive culture, > therefore the property IN ITSELF is evil and must be destroyed. > > Gramsci, an Italian writer on communist theory, argued that "hegemony" is a > situation in which the elites of a certain society establish dominance over > other groups, not just socially or economically, but _culturally_ as well. > The corporate world not only controls our wealth and means of production, > in other words, but also establishes an imperialising culture that > suppresses or erases all other culture that might inherently create > resistance. And he vehicles of this global "corporate culture" are > establishments like McDonalds, Walmart or Starbucks. > > But we hate to see these establishments because they represent in our > minds, as I have said, the workings of a destructive culture. But if we > engage in destruction as a response, we are still being controlled, > unaware, by the patterns of thought established for us within the corporate > culture. Gramsci argued that the working class would create an effective > resistance only when it was able to establish its own true culture--an > alternative to the one proposed by the hegemonic elite. A new vision, if > you will, not simply new programs for the old vision. > > And what is our alternative to destruction? Creation. When I thought of > this the idea occured to me of artistic or creative terrorism. As an > alternative, it is every bit as illegal as property destruction--and > according to the legal codes, -is- property destruction. But rather than > taking things in themselves and destroying them because of their meaning, > we merely modify them in such a way as to make them our own, and thereby > change their meaning. Instead of breaking the window of Starbucks, for > example, we leave the window intact and turn it into a symbol of > counter-cultural resistance. > > We should all brainstorm in order to come up with specific ideas for > action--but I have in mind something like this. I envision large groups of > activits walking into a Starbucks and begin painting on the walls. And I > don't mean mere pain splattering, but genuine artistic expression. Each > person could have in mind what he/she wishes to paint and completes the > image as far as possible before (inevitably) being arrested. Unless some > people preferred to finish quickly and then run, which in my opinion, is > fine too--depending on how you want your message to be conveyed to the > media and/or the public. That would be a judgement call for each > individual to make. > > I'm sure many people will not see this alternative as any improvement on > property destruction and condemn them both. But for those of you who see > this as pontentially very positive and as an action that may convey the > most powerful message of all--that evil can be transformed to good with > creativity--please respond to me by email personally and we may begin > organizing such actions. > > I'm not sure how much of a risk I am taking by sending this through the > listserv--but I'm willing to take it and accept the consequences. > > In solidarity, > > Aaron > > > ______________________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ______________________________________________________________________ > Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html <A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
