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ANARCHIST LIBRARY - FIVE YEARS OF ANARCHY AT CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO
That’s right, five years and we’re still in trouble. But as usual we say screw it, don’t compromise and fuck their bureaucracy! Last year we picked a fight with the cops the socialists the student bureaucracy and refused to pay the DPW any cash for our flier fines. As a result we were kicked out of our office/info shop, denied funding, and saw our fines with DPW go higher and higher. Also the Police Club was given our space along with the International Socialist Organization, which actually refused to take it because as they said " we fear that if we move into that office the anarchists will destroy all our stuff".
That’s right, five years and we’re still in trouble. But as usual we say screw it, don’t compromise and fuck their bureaucracy! Last year we picked a fight with the cops the socialists the student bureaucracy and refused to pay the DPW any cash for our flier fines. As a result we were kicked out of our office/info shop, denied funding, and saw our fines with DPW go higher and higher. Also the Police Club was given our space along with the International Socialist Organization, which actually refused to take it because as they said " we fear that if we move into that office the anarchists will destroy all our stuff".
In the end student groups got our back and we have since returned to our space under new conditions from the bureaucrats that we must keep our space locked up when we are not in attendance. So rather than removing the door we have chose to instead occupy the space in front of our office with book racks for easy check out. It actually is a better space to be in, much more visible and all so much against school guidelines. So, if you ever need a book or pamphlet just come by between 8 and 5 PM on a weekday. We are in the MLK bottom floor Student Union main campus. There is no check out system, take what you need and donate if you can. We just dumped $400 worth of new material into the racks so hopefully there is a little something for everyone.
In other news we are proud to announce the near completion of our biodiesel hot rod. This is a project that we have been working on for the last year and a half ever since we told the old Anarchist Library folks to fuck off as well as most of dorky middle class hipster anarchists parading around the Mission. Sometimes you have to burn all your bridges to get the job done. As a result we have done something quite unique in that we have taken a 1974 El Camino Super Sport ripped the gas engine out and replaced it with a 6.2 GMC diesel engine. It is currently running off the schools cafeteria waste grease and will soon be equipped with a twin turbos and nitrous injection. We hope to have it on the tracks this summer with at least a 14 second on the 1/4 mile.
This project has gained much fanfare amongst students and auto shop teachers in the garage as well as respect as we have a solid work ethic and hate the cops on that campus and the bureaucrats almost as much as the instructors. The project is being threatened to be put to a halt on that campus as we have managed to scare the Evans campus dean as she fears mutiny from the shop floor. More on that to come.
Any folks interested in helping out with biodiesel project are encouraged to come to our first of the semester meeting in which we will be accepting new members. We really don’t have too many meetings or even talk that much so if your one of those types that likes having lots of meetings or expressing your brilliant mind all the time then this probably wont be the setting for you. If you hate paying for gas but have to drive, as well as hate the bosses and love speed then this may be the perfect project for you.
First meeting at City College of San Francisco Evans Campus at Evans/Mandell in the Student Lounge at 12:30
To Hell With The Bureaucrats
On With Anarchy!
P.S. Our anarchistlibrary.org website is down but will be up again by 02/08/07’, hopefully. The contact will be sea [at] anarchistlibrary.org when its running again.
In the end student groups got our back and we have since returned to our space under new conditions from the bureaucrats that we must keep our space locked up when we are not in attendance. So rather than removing the door we have chose to instead occupy the space in front of our office with book racks for easy check out. It actually is a better space to be in, much more visible and all so much against school guidelines. So, if you ever need a book or pamphlet just come by between 8 and 5 PM on a weekday. We are in the MLK bottom floor Student Union main campus. There is no check out system, take what you need and donate if you can. We just dumped $400 worth of new material into the racks so hopefully there is a little something for everyone.
In other news we are proud to announce the near completion of our biodiesel hot rod. This is a project that we have been working on for the last year and a half ever since we told the old Anarchist Library folks to fuck off as well as most of dorky middle class hipster anarchists parading around the Mission. Sometimes you have to burn all your bridges to get the job done. As a result we have done something quite unique in that we have taken a 1974 El Camino Super Sport ripped the gas engine out and replaced it with a 6.2 GMC diesel engine. It is currently running off the schools cafeteria waste grease and will soon be equipped with a twin turbos and nitrous injection. We hope to have it on the tracks this summer with at least a 14 second on the 1/4 mile.
This project has gained much fanfare amongst students and auto shop teachers in the garage as well as respect as we have a solid work ethic and hate the cops on that campus and the bureaucrats almost as much as the instructors. The project is being threatened to be put to a halt on that campus as we have managed to scare the Evans campus dean as she fears mutiny from the shop floor. More on that to come.
Any folks interested in helping out with biodiesel project are encouraged to come to our first of the semester meeting in which we will be accepting new members. We really don’t have too many meetings or even talk that much so if your one of those types that likes having lots of meetings or expressing your brilliant mind all the time then this probably wont be the setting for you. If you hate paying for gas but have to drive, as well as hate the bosses and love speed then this may be the perfect project for you.
First meeting at City College of San Francisco Evans Campus at Evans/Mandell in the Student Lounge at 12:30
To Hell With The Bureaucrats
On With Anarchy!
P.S. Our anarchistlibrary.org website is down but will be up again by 02/08/07’, hopefully. The contact will be sea [at] anarchistlibrary.org when its running again.
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"old Anarchist Library folks to fuck off as well as most of dorky middle class hipster anarchists"
talk about being elitist and creating divisions.
i dont know anything about this drama of yours, but really, did you need to include this?
talk about being elitist and creating divisions.
i dont know anything about this drama of yours, but really, did you need to include this?
thx for the update, sincerely.
my feedback is that youre aggro-toughass tone is boring and you should check that.
my feedback is that youre aggro-toughass tone is boring and you should check that.
Wow, this is why i hate being an anarchist. Just a bunch of punks...Why dont you do something productive for the anarchist movement? Build a student union.
I fail to see how they are not doing anything productive.
They are building a self-managed space inside the university to get out anarchist ideas, run free school classes, and build connections with people.
It may not be a "union" in the typical sense, but it's a set of real relationships with people. I also don't see any reference to "punk" in this article.
I think the @ library people need to be patted on the back for working hard at this, as well as working to kick of recruiters, pigs, and the authoritarian socialists from the campus. They have a militant no compromise attitude that we can all learn from.
I once talked to the anarchist library folks at a rally, and they told me that they used to do their library outside and bring bagals for people to eat as they read. Once when they didn't show up because of some problems, people were saying, "Where's the anarchists, I want my bagals!"
Here's why I get angered at the anarchist movement. It's when people complain to people who are active doing what they are good, and get shit on from people outside of their project.
If you don't like it, either make it better, or go actually organize a student union (which would do what exactly, since anarchists are opposed to the authoritarian structure of the university) and show us all up.
crudo
Modesto Anarcho Crew
They are building a self-managed space inside the university to get out anarchist ideas, run free school classes, and build connections with people.
It may not be a "union" in the typical sense, but it's a set of real relationships with people. I also don't see any reference to "punk" in this article.
I think the @ library people need to be patted on the back for working hard at this, as well as working to kick of recruiters, pigs, and the authoritarian socialists from the campus. They have a militant no compromise attitude that we can all learn from.
I once talked to the anarchist library folks at a rally, and they told me that they used to do their library outside and bring bagals for people to eat as they read. Once when they didn't show up because of some problems, people were saying, "Where's the anarchists, I want my bagals!"
Here's why I get angered at the anarchist movement. It's when people complain to people who are active doing what they are good, and get shit on from people outside of their project.
If you don't like it, either make it better, or go actually organize a student union (which would do what exactly, since anarchists are opposed to the authoritarian structure of the university) and show us all up.
crudo
Modesto Anarcho Crew
Can people mail stuff to the @ library?
Email me at: modanarcho [at] yahoo.com if you want us to send you some stuff.
Email me at: modanarcho [at] yahoo.com if you want us to send you some stuff.
wow, they built a car....and pissed everyone off in process...what a shocking victroy!!!!!
Nobody here at the Anaqrchist Library listens to punk rock music, so please dont confuse us with that scene. As far as division is concerned, we feel it is important to state clearly the folks we can not tolerate and they tend to be the middle class anarcho scenesters. We work with people that the scene kicks to the curb usually for not being vegan enough, to concerned with working, not punk enough, too racist, too sexist but ultimately just in fucked positions and unable to talk politically correct because they have'nt had time to go to all the workshops that the univerity folks tend to go to. We didn't create a division it was already there and unlike most folks that could'nt stomach the bullshit, we stuck around and will continue to do so.
As far as union is concerned, that would be nice as long as it was'nt another bureaucracy and the ambitous future politicans were kept in check.
As far as union is concerned, that would be nice as long as it was'nt another bureaucracy and the ambitous future politicans were kept in check.
a student union was an example....I'm sure there are just as many other usefull things you could being doing to advance the working class on campus....
There's only so many hours in a day and then you pile work and even parenting and those hours just disapear on you. But I will say we are working class, we are acknowleded as working class anarchists by student and faculty and we do aid our fellow working class comrades just as they do for us. We show no pity and dont expect any in return. If people are down for fighting for themselves then we as always we'll get thier backs. If we hadn't been in such good standing with the working class we would never be where we are today. As far as our relationship with the anarchist community and activists in general we have'nt much connection. Occasionally we invite anarchists to put on classes which has helped us greatly in our actions. Also AK Press has always been good about hooking us up. And a union really is needed.
Also the car is meant to aid the working class. We know all to well how the price of gas aids in the shove of the working class out of the Bay Area. Therefore we set our sites on taking existing gas vehicles and converting them over to diesel at low cost. Also we plan to eventually open a garage that will do conversions on the cheap for poor people. In our fliers for the biodiesel club we put wording and image on it that will offend bosses so as to keep them away from our project. So much so that we are being silenced by the administration that cares very little about the unsafe, exploitative working conditions that we are being preped for. They dont want the bosses to think there students are class concious or a threat in anyway to business as usual.
Thursday February 1, 2007
Brandon Clark
The University Leader (Fort Hays State)
When one thinks of anarchy, the literal interpretation may come to mind;
a system without government. “Most people think anarchy is about savages
eating each other, but I don’t think there’s any cannibalism involved,”
said Andrew Duscher, sophomore. The concept of having no authority
undoubtedly stirs up the aforementioned images of chaos. But students
who would like more insight can find answers at the inaugural meeting of
the Anarchy Club, which will take place tonight at 8 p.m. in Picken Hall
room 110.
Diverse viewpoints are welcome and encouraged to participate in what
host Bill Shanahan says will be a free exchange of ideas.
To set an itinerary for the meeting would go against anarchist
philosophy. Instead, the group plans on picking up whatever topic comes
to the table and everyone agrees upon. And that is anarchy in a
nutshell; the group decides as each situation arises. Shanahan says
anarchy is similar to direct democracy, where everyone’s input is
respected, and consensus outweighs central power.
Shanahan says, “Anarchy is not an end state, but a process, an ethical
way of being in the world that does not operate from fixed hierarchies
and the tyranny of the majority, but rather attempts to fashion
solutions, which are just and open to negotiation by all, not just the
monied, propertied, and powerful.”
Few understand how anarchy works, but to get an idea, think about a
system run by barter and trade. An individual’s contribution to society
determines their worth. For example, jobs we may currently see as lowly
or disgusting would receive the highest praise and compensation. Imagine
being proud to say you are a sewer cleaner.
Historically, the image of anarchy has been shaped by isolated events.
In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and killed by an anarchist
named Leon Czolgosz. More recently, anarchists who broke store windows
were blamed for instigating a riot during protests against the World
Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in
Seattle, Washington in 1999.
Shanahan admits the violent revolutionary roots of anarchy are there,
but says his concept is much different. He says The Anarchy Club was
formed to open up a forum for individuals who would like to do something
about problems they see in the status quo.
Duscher, a founding member, says the meeting is also intended to
“introduce people to a new school of thought. One they might not
otherwise hear about.”
Some may ask what would a group of anarchists be doing on a state
campus? “I think that’s the beauty of it,” said Shanahan, reveling in
the use of state resources for anarchist discussion.
http://www.fhsu.edu/leader/2007/02/01/AnarchycomestoFHSU
Brandon Clark
The University Leader (Fort Hays State)
When one thinks of anarchy, the literal interpretation may come to mind;
a system without government. “Most people think anarchy is about savages
eating each other, but I don’t think there’s any cannibalism involved,”
said Andrew Duscher, sophomore. The concept of having no authority
undoubtedly stirs up the aforementioned images of chaos. But students
who would like more insight can find answers at the inaugural meeting of
the Anarchy Club, which will take place tonight at 8 p.m. in Picken Hall
room 110.
Diverse viewpoints are welcome and encouraged to participate in what
host Bill Shanahan says will be a free exchange of ideas.
To set an itinerary for the meeting would go against anarchist
philosophy. Instead, the group plans on picking up whatever topic comes
to the table and everyone agrees upon. And that is anarchy in a
nutshell; the group decides as each situation arises. Shanahan says
anarchy is similar to direct democracy, where everyone’s input is
respected, and consensus outweighs central power.
Shanahan says, “Anarchy is not an end state, but a process, an ethical
way of being in the world that does not operate from fixed hierarchies
and the tyranny of the majority, but rather attempts to fashion
solutions, which are just and open to negotiation by all, not just the
monied, propertied, and powerful.”
Few understand how anarchy works, but to get an idea, think about a
system run by barter and trade. An individual’s contribution to society
determines their worth. For example, jobs we may currently see as lowly
or disgusting would receive the highest praise and compensation. Imagine
being proud to say you are a sewer cleaner.
Historically, the image of anarchy has been shaped by isolated events.
In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and killed by an anarchist
named Leon Czolgosz. More recently, anarchists who broke store windows
were blamed for instigating a riot during protests against the World
Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in
Seattle, Washington in 1999.
Shanahan admits the violent revolutionary roots of anarchy are there,
but says his concept is much different. He says The Anarchy Club was
formed to open up a forum for individuals who would like to do something
about problems they see in the status quo.
Duscher, a founding member, says the meeting is also intended to
“introduce people to a new school of thought. One they might not
otherwise hear about.”
Some may ask what would a group of anarchists be doing on a state
campus? “I think that’s the beauty of it,” said Shanahan, reveling in
the use of state resources for anarchist discussion.
http://www.fhsu.edu/leader/2007/02/01/AnarchycomestoFHSU
"They have a militant no compromise attitude that we can all learn from.
wHAT U ARE SAYING IS RIGHT AN DAWESOME! gEORGE IS SHITTIN ALL OVER THE PEOPLE THE GOVERMENT IS COMMITING CRIMES
WHAT WE NEED IS ANARCHY
yES WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM .
(A)(A)(A)
wHAT U ARE SAYING IS RIGHT AN DAWESOME! gEORGE IS SHITTIN ALL OVER THE PEOPLE THE GOVERMENT IS COMMITING CRIMES
WHAT WE NEED IS ANARCHY
yES WE NEED TO SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM .
(A)(A)(A)
er....wow.
there are more than these tough-posturing-indymedia-gloating anarchists at city college.
there's also antiauthoritarians building with other students to make spaces to learn about racism and sexism and capitalism in a community college. these dudes are just too tough for the rest of us!
ps mickey mouse saying "hey boss" and sticking their middle finger up isn't offensive to anyone, it's cute. that's kinda like calvin-pissin stickers people put on their trucks.
there's also antiauthoritarians building with other students to make spaces to learn about racism and sexism and capitalism in a community college. these dudes are just too tough for the rest of us!
ps mickey mouse saying "hey boss" and sticking their middle finger up isn't offensive to anyone, it's cute. that's kinda like calvin-pissin stickers people put on their trucks.
It seems like most of this diaolog is with people who live or go to SF College, so most of us are out of the loop.
I think my original post and the points I made were glossed over to the replyer I was replying to. My basic point was that if they didn't like what ACTIVE people were doing, they should actually do the work that they are proposing.
They repsonded:
".I'm sure there are just as many other usefull things you could being doing to advance the working class on campus...."
This implies that creating a specifically anarchist space for getting out ideas, working on projects, and also kicking out cops, socialists, and recruiters is not useful.
Also, college creates specialists by and large, and perpetuates class society. I fail to see how you can "advance the working class" by forming a union on campus. That's not to say that you can't be involved in struggles on the university, or against fee hikes, all that stuff. Once again, you're just presenting a vauge statement "advance the working class on campus", without really stating what that actually means or would look like. If you really don't have an idea, then maybe you shouldn't be so quick to attack the @ library.
I think my original post and the points I made were glossed over to the replyer I was replying to. My basic point was that if they didn't like what ACTIVE people were doing, they should actually do the work that they are proposing.
They repsonded:
".I'm sure there are just as many other usefull things you could being doing to advance the working class on campus...."
This implies that creating a specifically anarchist space for getting out ideas, working on projects, and also kicking out cops, socialists, and recruiters is not useful.
Also, college creates specialists by and large, and perpetuates class society. I fail to see how you can "advance the working class" by forming a union on campus. That's not to say that you can't be involved in struggles on the university, or against fee hikes, all that stuff. Once again, you're just presenting a vauge statement "advance the working class on campus", without really stating what that actually means or would look like. If you really don't have an idea, then maybe you shouldn't be so quick to attack the @ library.
"They are building a self-managed space inside the university to get out anarchist ideas, run free school classes, and build connections with people."
Is one getting out Anarchist ideas when ones attitude is at least on the surface hostile to outsiders?
The Anarchist library may be a positive thing but the general tone of this post doesnt make that clear. One instead gets the impression of a bunch of machismo guys building a cool car as part of some school club and taking pride in their hiostility towards other groups in a way that could be seen as partisan or sectarian or just seen as the normal clique dynamics of a highschool (where one social group hates others out of some pride in group identity that doesnt directly relate to anything political).
Alternative energy cars are great but this post makes me think of a bad 80s movie with the stoners and jocks competing in a car building contest. The workingclass politics of the stoner in the breakfast club has some political value but the divisions of the world into cliques based around simplisitic ideas about class and holloywood notions of overcomming adversity through competiton seems in some ways counterproductive. The problem with taking some cultural clique as ones definition of workinclass is pretty obvious in that social cliques are usually based around much more than one factor so seeing other cliques as the enemy can end up being racist, homophic, mysogenous etc... The problem with seeing some exciting project as an end in itself is mainly thats its limiting and my equating it with anarchist it limits the ideology to being mainly seen as a form of teenaged and early twenty-something rebellions rather than as a real threat to the status quo (when its as small scale as it usually is, the dual power aspect of lifestylism essentially looks like a self-rightous attempt for some social clique to claim actions that are similar to many other cliques to be somehow different and political )
Is one getting out Anarchist ideas when ones attitude is at least on the surface hostile to outsiders?
The Anarchist library may be a positive thing but the general tone of this post doesnt make that clear. One instead gets the impression of a bunch of machismo guys building a cool car as part of some school club and taking pride in their hiostility towards other groups in a way that could be seen as partisan or sectarian or just seen as the normal clique dynamics of a highschool (where one social group hates others out of some pride in group identity that doesnt directly relate to anything political).
Alternative energy cars are great but this post makes me think of a bad 80s movie with the stoners and jocks competing in a car building contest. The workingclass politics of the stoner in the breakfast club has some political value but the divisions of the world into cliques based around simplisitic ideas about class and holloywood notions of overcomming adversity through competiton seems in some ways counterproductive. The problem with taking some cultural clique as ones definition of workinclass is pretty obvious in that social cliques are usually based around much more than one factor so seeing other cliques as the enemy can end up being racist, homophic, mysogenous etc... The problem with seeing some exciting project as an end in itself is mainly thats its limiting and my equating it with anarchist it limits the ideology to being mainly seen as a form of teenaged and early twenty-something rebellions rather than as a real threat to the status quo (when its as small scale as it usually is, the dual power aspect of lifestylism essentially looks like a self-rightous attempt for some social clique to claim actions that are similar to many other cliques to be somehow different and political )
People tend to get community college mixed up with universities and there is a huge difference. Universities tend to create bosses and community college students tend to prepare us to work for the bosses. That is rather simplistic I know but bear with me. If CCSf is a training ground for us workers to go out and work efficiently then why wouldn't also be good place for us to learn to be class concious, learn why solidarity is needed, and ways in which we can fight the bosses and ultimately destroy thier control over society.
When i suggest a need for a union, I'm not proposing any sort of union that peolple are used to but rather something unique that builds solidarity on that campus and a network of down folks going inot shit work that can call on alumni to get thier backs. CCSF is the heart of the real SF community, every working class person in SF has some sort of connection to it and many return again and again throughout thier lives. I was a pastry chef since graduating high school and now I want to do auto repair so naturally I got myself enrolled. Thats pretty common for peole to do.
Also we have student groups that and just plain students that have enough shit to deal with in thier day to day without having to deal with inept CCSF police, teachers and bureaucrats. There should be somebody that is on tier side which is'nt mixed up the bureuacrats.
CCSF has great potential for being a springboard for class solidarity and it is'nt so crazy t think of it as a good place for for "tough ass" anarchists to place themselves. If you follow the Greek anarchists at all you'll see that they have used the universities as safe havens for for them to go to after fighting police all night or whatever tough ass shit they might have done to put the cops on thier tails.
When i suggest a need for a union, I'm not proposing any sort of union that peolple are used to but rather something unique that builds solidarity on that campus and a network of down folks going inot shit work that can call on alumni to get thier backs. CCSF is the heart of the real SF community, every working class person in SF has some sort of connection to it and many return again and again throughout thier lives. I was a pastry chef since graduating high school and now I want to do auto repair so naturally I got myself enrolled. Thats pretty common for peole to do.
Also we have student groups that and just plain students that have enough shit to deal with in thier day to day without having to deal with inept CCSF police, teachers and bureaucrats. There should be somebody that is on tier side which is'nt mixed up the bureuacrats.
CCSF has great potential for being a springboard for class solidarity and it is'nt so crazy t think of it as a good place for for "tough ass" anarchists to place themselves. If you follow the Greek anarchists at all you'll see that they have used the universities as safe havens for for them to go to after fighting police all night or whatever tough ass shit they might have done to put the cops on thier tails.
Here's the number phone in pocket
415-240-0286
415-240-0286
Anybody intrested in getting togeather here at City College. At City in the City on the Planet and in the Street give me a call Today is the first day of the rest of our life
Love and Struggle
Diamond Dave
Love and Struggle
Diamond Dave
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