Effective Leftism: Practical Organisation and Involvement Thread

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Effective Leftism: Practical Organisation and Involvement Thread

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

First off I want to agree with some earlier posts:

Anway, I'm involved with the International anti-fascist defence fund. We raise money to support antifascists around the world with things like legal fees, hospital bills, fines, et cetera that they incur because of their involvement in antifascist activity.
We've just released our quarterly report today:

quote:

Although things were (happily!) a bit slower this quarter compared to this past summer, The International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund was still kept quite busy. Since the beginning of September, the Fund has provided support to nine anti-fascists and anti-racists in five different countries at a cost of nearly $2000U.S. Of course, we blogged about each case so you can read up on all of them.

With the election of Donald Trump in the U.S., a lot of anti-fascists feel that things are extremely bleak. But the flip side to that is that people recognize how real the struggle is and are stepping up like never before to support and defend anti-fascists and anti-racists. Since the U.S. election, donations to the Defence Fund have been the highest since we started up over two years ago! This is important because as the forces of hate become more emboldened, standing up and shutting them down becomes more important and more high-stakes than ever, which means our Defence Fund and its mission becomes even more essential.

We are the only defence fund set up exclusively to defend and support anti-fascists and anti-racists the world over. We make all our decisions via consensus whenever possible and by majority voting when consensus is not possible. We report on all our activities on our blog, to keep the Defence Fund as transparent as possible.

To do this work, we rely completely on donations from people like you. If you haven�t made a donation to the Defence Fund already, now would be a great time to do that. Here�s how.

So, if you can't or don't want to join up with your local antifa, you can also support international antifascist action by donating some money every month or just once. Every little bit helps. :sun:

# ¿ Dec 1, 2016 19:29

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 05:03

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

MizPiz posted:

There any links or contact info for if you want to form an antifa branch? I'm pretty sure there's a group where I live, but from I can tell there doesn't seem to be many in the US.

Any specific area? There are lots of antifa groups throughout the US, I can take a look for you if you want.
We've gotten a lot of questions like yours recently, here's a post we made about how to get in contact or start your own branch: http://antifainternational.tumblr.com/post/138607486119/looking-to-join-your-local-antifa

# ¿ Dec 1, 2016 20:05

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

MizPiz posted:

I'm in NYC, which I'm pretty sure has a branch but I don't know if it's still active. Question was really more for people who know they didn't have one in there area.

Oh yeah, after rereading I see that now :v:

But yeah, that post has a bunch of answers on how to find, join, or start your local antifa.

# ¿ Dec 1, 2016 22:20

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Ruzihm posted:

Good idea? Bad idea? If a good idea, what kind of material would people recommend?

If you don't mind anarchism, to change everything is great and you can order hundreds of copies for free from here if you want: http://www.crimethinc.com/tce/

# ¿ Dec 1, 2016 23:17

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Asehujiko posted:

100 days out from the election, Dutch labour party has announced that they're not purging any of the leadership that sold the entire party out to the neoliberals and are trying their hardest to worm their way out of having to say "we won't sell out the entire party to the neoliberals again".

So my options on the left currently are:
Socialist Party(anti science, pacifist(and thus pro russia by extension))
GreenLeft(one issue party based on being anti science)
Animal Party(anti science, anti europe, pacifist)
DENK(still wants to invade Myanmar, no position on anything else)
50PLUS(socialist when it comes to the elderly only, favours austerity otherwise)
Pirate Party(their presence would be funny if the situation wasn't so dire)
Christian union(slightly socialist leaning theocrats and also anti science)

Are there any guides on what to do in a situation like this(aside from petitioning Volkert van der Graaf to pick up his weapon once more)? Do I try to cure one of the left parties(if so, which?) of their idiocy about all other topics or go with the Statler & Waldorf party(D66) and try to get them off their rear end and doing something?

Your characterisations of these parties are really strange, and it looks for you anti-science means "Isn't actively promoting nuclear energy", or something?

I agree though that we have no real leftist parties to vote for here. I'm a member of the socialist party only because theyre the farthest left party we have at the moment, and the real problem we have is a non-socialist leadership that's trying to court xenophobes.

edit:

Stinky_Pete posted:

So ~~Denmark~~ the Netherlands just doesn't have a left-wing party that supports a universal health service?

Yeah, the SP actually does and has a widely publicised and pretty successful drive to renationalise healthcare in the Netherlands, which makes me think Asehujiko needs to read party programs instead of going by his gutfeeling of what the Dutch parties want.

ekuNNN fucked around with this message at 20:54 on Dec 6, 2016

# ¿ Dec 6, 2016 20:46

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Veyrall posted:

Neo-Nazis are planning an open, armed march in Montana.

What are the local groups there we can call on to stage a counter-march/demonstration. It occurs to me we may also need to get in touch with sympathetic tough guys and anti-fascists. This has a very real chance to turn ugly.

Local IWW are organizing the defense
https://itsgoingdown.org/missoula-iww-calls-solidarity-organizing-resistance-whitefish-neo-nazi-march/

# ¿ Jan 12, 2017 22:59

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

edit: wrong thread :3:

ekuNNN fucked around with this message at 23:01 on Jan 18, 2017

# ¿ Jan 18, 2017 22:59

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Some others:
Confronting Fascism: Discussion Documents for a Militant Movement
From AK Press, free download until the end of January.

Militant Anti-Fascism: A Hundred Years of Resistance

No Retreat: The Secret War Between Britain's Anti-Fascists and the Far Right

# ¿ Jan 27, 2017 19:21

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Asehujiko posted:

I went to the D66 congress yesterday, hinted about coalitioning towards the left if/when they get in the parliament, which other attendees that me and my friend spoke to seemed to universally react positively to but attendance went from 300 people last time to 1500 this year so the chances of this sentiment reaching the upper management is not that great but the idea is there and the next (local) event is in two weeks where there'll be talk about creating a local level party to join next year's municipal elections with in my home town that I'll be doing the same at.

Nice

Btw, there's a counter-demonstration against PEGIDA in Utrecht next week, if you're in the neighbourhood:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1792249741026308/

# ¿ Jan 29, 2017 16:06

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Tuxedo Catfish posted:

So, practical question: who are the most active antifa / general leftist groups in Pittsburgh, and is there any central place on social media or elsewhere I can go to hear about events and such before they happen?

I'm a law student so I'm not sure how much time I have for volunteering, but I want to be aware and available for important stuff plus in another year or so I might be of actual use in the domain of the law.

Might be worthwhile to go to your local radical bookshop: https://thebigideapgh.wordpress.com/ and see if they have any flyers/contacts.
Also some other groups in that area (on the far-left side of things mostly):
https://www.facebook.com/gdclocal5/
https://www.facebook.com/PGHRedneckRevolt/
https://www.facebook.com/centralpaantifa/
http://studentsolidaritypgh.tumblr.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Pittsburgh-Anarchists-1088852954469904/

# ¿ Jan 30, 2017 23:41

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

The game is up guys, he figured you out

# ¿ Feb 22, 2017 03:13

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Falstaff posted:

Yeah, I dunno why anyone would treat that election as a victory for anybody even vaguely left-of-centre, much less any actual leftists.

I think its mainly because of Americans being used to their two-party system so "the fascists didn't become the largest party" automatically translates to "they lost", even though it was a win for the fascists as they gained seats. They only didn't become the biggest because the right-wing liberal party basically moved to the political position the fascists were, last election.

# ¿ Mar 31, 2017 21:36

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Ryguy005 posted:

So I got an internship at my local democratic party for the summer and I was wondering if there were any books people would recommend? Like on canvassing or working with people. I already picked up rules for radicals and Coup d'�tat. I was wondering if there were any more recommendations?

# ¿ Apr 14, 2017 18:52

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

I've just become admin for a a pretty large antifa facebookgroup and, boy do alt-right people have a lot of time on their hands. Also, they reaaaaaally love threatening bodily harm.

# ¿ May 8, 2017 01:27

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

quote:

Alert: An alt-right clown infiltrated a meeting and has stolen Boston DSA�s sign-in sheets and is threatening to doxx members.

If you are part of Boston DSA or involved with another chapter you might want to take steps now to prevent doxxing.

If you know someone who might be compromised, share this (privately, if you need to) and let them know.

And chapters, be more careful with your member information.

# ¿ May 12, 2017 16:31

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

The most recent Annual Report of the International Antifascist Defence Fund is out.

Short version:

quote:

DEFENCE FUND YEAR TWO:

We donated over $15,000USD to 76 anti-fascists and anti-racists in ten countries:
- Fifty-three in the U.S.
- Ten in the Netherlands
- Three in the U.K.
- Three in Belarus
- Two in Ukraine
- One each in Australia, Canada, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.

84% of the contributions covered legal defence, court costs, fines, and prisoner support; 16% covered medical bills and injury recovery.

The Defence Fund�s Decisions Crew grew to 413 people from 17 different countries.

# ¿ Jun 14, 2017 18:23

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

MikeCrotch posted:

America is more hosed than most because unlike most countries there is no party that is traditionally socialist or came from labour. The Democrats made a temporary alliance with organised labour and dumped it at the first opportunity, because it's always been at its heart a corporatist party.

Actually, almost every single (European) Labour party has embraced neoliberalism and betrayed their working class roots.

I was at the G20 protests and German anarchists have really impressive organisation. There's a good short article on that here: http://blackrosefed.org/g20_hamburg_protests/

ekuNNN fucked around with this message at 17:36 on Jul 14, 2017

# ¿ Jul 14, 2017 17:32

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

Bel Shazar posted:

So all of this has finally been enough to get me off of my rear end, so I am pursuing information and training on how to act as a street medic for protests in and around the Austin / San Antonio corridor. I haven't been able to locate any organized groups yet but I'm sure they are around (or at least I hope some are). Does anyone on the thread have any suggestions in central Texas?

Black Lives Matter Austin: https://www.facebook.com/BlackLivesMatterAustin/

Antifa Austin: https://www.facebook.com/SmashFascismAustin/

Redneck Revolt has two branches in Texas: https://www.redneckrevolt.org/contact

Food Not Bombs Austin would be a good way to get in contact with anarchist groups: https://www.facebook.com/AustinFoodNotBombs/

Red Guards Austin if you don't mind Maoists: https://www.facebook.com/redguardsaustin/

Redneck Revolt specifically will probably have street medic training events.

# ¿ Aug 28, 2017 05:56

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

unbutthurtable posted:

Wait I think you're missing an Austin group

Well it's just some groups that came to mind, or was this snark that I don't understand?

edit: vvv ah, yeah I don't.

ekuNNN fucked around with this message at 06:21 on Aug 28, 2017

# ¿ Aug 28, 2017 06:08

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# ¿ May 16, 2024 05:03

ekuNNN: Nov 27, 2004; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS

coyo7e posted:

You don't have to disown anyone, just quit hanging out with them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow-nuHCTA5E

ugh that's a terrible song, this is a much better song with the basically same name:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqH_0LPVoho

# ¿ Sep 3, 2017 06:07

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Effective Leftism: Practical Organisation and Involvement Thread