MAC vs RCP: It's On.

I was going to go to the book fair but I am glad I didn't go. Simply because of ridiculous neo-fascist stuff like this. It might feel good and it might even be appropriate in certain circumstances, but at a book fair? The RCP are not Nazi's and we have been in lots of demonstrations with them as comrades not as the enemy. You guys are fighting the wrong enemy. This is as bad as the worst sectarian nonsense I remember from my youth in the anti-Vietnam war days. It was one of the reasons why people did not take the radical movement seriously. Sectarian infighting is not pretty. Honest debate and discussion is one thing. Thuggery for its own sake is counter revolutionary.
Even back when I was a Thug myself I refused to condone irresponsible violence for its own sake, or for petty personal grudges. We all make our mistakes, and I hope this is just youthful exuberance on the part of a few young comrades. But what if these RCPers decide to complain to the city and all of a sudden no more space is available for next years book fair. Think!!! This is not the revolution we are not determining the future of revolutionary Spain or Russia!! This is capitalist USA and we are more than likely to be dealing with real Nazis and fascists in the near future and then you will want some communist comrades at your side, not on the sidelines snickering when some Nazi kicks your butt.

The RCP were most visible in the riots in Oakland, where did you come up with the BS of "coopt and control of the Oakland's rage"?. Who is the enemy, the RCP or the state? Who usually tries to spread rumors and attack activists, real revolutionaries or the state?
Go fuck yourselves, I have a lot of disagreements with the RCP, but I never forget who the real enemy is.

You think this shit is stupid? Prove it. Show up in Modesto, South Side, my block, see what happens.

what have the bullies who pulled this stunt done to fight police terror recently? or ever? has anyone who here who is feeling so proud about what they did today ever even bothered to speak to family or relatives of Oscar Grant or other victims of police violence? have any of these juveniles today (no matter how old they are) ever bothered to reach across racial divides to find common ground in the struggle for justice?

I'm down with everyone fighting for justice, from African American churches to commies to whomever, whether I agree with every last thing they say or not, the more militant and into direct action the better

this sort of high school clique behavior does a huge disservice to the cause of justice. it's just ugly in the worst way

domb, what are you so proud of?

Why don't you settle it with a nice game of softball?

The system wins in situations like these. Cooperation and communication are essential. We all want something better.

Do people know who this crew is?? Are they youngsters (literally or intellectually) or instigators?

To call this act "neo-fascist" is the most absurd and naive analysis of fascism I have ever heard. Was Nestor Mahkno fascist when he and the anarcho-communist army in Ukraine delt with counter-revolutionaries using violence? That also brings up the interesting historical events made by Leninists. Anyone remember Kronstadt? Or the gulags? How are people who put forward these ideas friends of the working class or of anarchists? There is historical evidence of people like those in the RCP brutally attacking anarchists and other members of the working class.

Cooperation with state communists is in direct contradiction with anarchist theory. What sets anarchists apart from other communists is our hardline stance on the state. Anyone who thinks that anarchists should be working with statist either doesn't understand anarchism, or hasn't studied enough history. Either way, they are not anarchists.

This is ridiculous. Please do not think these people are representative of anarchists. This statement sounds like something a cop would write. No need to get paranoid, just recognize it for what it is--oink oink.

I was there. And as a witness to history, I can authoritatively declare that conditions in the US in 2009 are nearly identical to those in Kronstadt in the 1920s, so every last lesson that can be drawn from that is 100% applicable today.

But then again, maybe our current situation is closer to my experiences in Spain in the 1930s.

As I am now approaching 100 years old, an immigrant from the Old Country before electrification and indoor bathrooms, I do get confused sometimes.

Modesto Anarcho Crew - say what you want and pas out any literature you want, but for you to claim ownership over all anarchists at the bookfair and violently attack a group like this is infantile and stupid.

Sounds like infiltrators trying to stir up shit to me (even if they aren't, they're having the exact same effect).

Fuck off Macho Assholes.

top two news stories on search for anarchist book fair tonight are related to this aggressive bullying

I'll bet everyone who runs into these on google is probably thinking, "damn, those anarchists ARE cool as fuck like they say. where can I sign up?"

well, at least 14 year old anti-social pugilists anyway

I'm sure this is the kind of press Bound Together digs

good for you!
all these fucks who talk smack about this not being spain, or kronstadt, yea, like we only get hindsight after we get past the situation. which is always after we've been royally screwed, consistently by commies.
it's excellent that the signers on indybay are not anarchists, and in at least one case (palafox's) are closely affiliated with the commies.

No its not the same. But its good that people have learned from history and can confront the stalinists BEFORE it comes to that again. Next time we will shoot first!

I can't believe this is even an issue at this point. Anyone with any knowledge of history knows the disaster which comes from making common cause with Bolsheviks. Against the wishes of Makhno, the officers of the Makhnovshchina chose to trust the Bolshies and it got them machinegunned en masse at the Crimean "peace talks." The CNT made common cause with the Bolsheviks and Durruti ended up face-down with a bullet in the back of his head.

People, this is not new. Bakunin knew at the First International that there could be no alliance with Marxists: "[The Marxists] maintain that only a dictatorship -- their dictatorship, of course -- can create the will of the people, while our answer to this is: No dictatorship can have any other aim but that of self-perpetuation, and it can beget only slavery in the people tolerating it; freedom can be created only by freedom, that is, by a universal rebellion on the part of the people and free organization of the toiling masses from the bottom up."

Whether they call themselves Maoists, Marxists, Bolsheviks, Trots, Sparts, or whatever their flavour of the week is, it's all the same poison, and only those who are utterly ignorant of history will be fooled.

Dear Bay Area Anarchist,

How can you condone throwing 5 gallons of water on someone else's ideas, things, concepts ! I don't want to be a part of your movement ! I'm NOT a revolutionary or a part of the RCP. I am a 60 year old woman with what I hope is an open mind that wants peace and justice. I want to be a part of something that changes the world to a better place. Anarchists throwing water on someone else's things and indirectly their ideas is horrid! Are you, the Anarchist, so afraid of the RCP's ideas that you need to have such abhorrent behavior !!!!! If I'd been there I would have wanted to punch you in the mouth! I wouldn't, not be cause of fear, but because violence doesn't solve violence. But you Anarchist should be ashamed of yourselves !!!!!!

Sweet Action. No Gods. No Masters AND NO PARASITES. It was sickening to see the media manipulation of the RCP communist authoritarians claiming to aid the Oscar Grant protests, initiated by the grassroots. The parasites need to be driven off at every opportunity. Their motives are corrupt.

Good job at the ABF in SF. Keep our space clean of garbage and subversion.

I see a lot of calls for cooperation and "knowing the real enemy," however, only people are completely historically ignorant would make such statements. If you aren't aware anarchists and folks like these RCP clowns have radically different goals. Why should an anarchist event allow a group like this to have a platform? Why no allow the minutemen? Where does one draw the line? I think the Modesto crew made it clear where the line is drawn, and they deserve a lot of respect for that. If these RCP people have their little revolution anarchists will be some of the first ones sent to the gulag; and furthermore, we will not stop fighting against their so-called revolution.

But basically... fuck RCP as a staff, record label, and as a motherfuckin crew!!!

You should be ashamed of yourself. We are all united in this revolution and should not physically attack others and destroy their merchandise. If I ever meet someone from MAC I will publicly denounce them. I've been an Anarchist since I was 15 and have never felt more ashamed. You people are as bad the the fascist Bay Area National Anarchists. Go fuck yourself!

what maoism is. a telegram from insurgents in '68:

POLITBURO OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY GATE OF CELESTIAL PEACE BEIJING
SHAKE IN YOUR SHOES BUREAUCRATS STOP THE INTERNATIONAL POWER OF THE WORKERS COUNCILS WILL SOON WIPE YOU OUT STOP HUMANITY WON’T BE HAPPY TILL THE LAST BUREAUCRAT IS HUNG WITH THE GUTS OF THE LAST CAPITALIST STOP LONG LIVE FACTORY OCCUPATIONS STOP LONG LIVE THE GREAT CHINESE PROLETARIAN REVOLUTION OF 1927 BETRAYED BY THE STALINIST BUREAUCRATS STOP LONG LIVE THE PROLETARIANS OF CANTON AND ELSEWHERE WHO HAVE TAKEN UP ARMS AGAINST THE SO-CALLED PEOPLE’S ARMY STOP LONG LIVE THE CHINESE WORKERS AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE ATTACKED THE SO-CALLED CULTURAL REVOLUTION AND THE MAOIST BUREAUCRATIC ORDER STOP LONG LIVE REVOLUTIONARY MARXISM STOP DOWN WITH THE STATE STOP OCCUPATION COMMITTEE OF THE PEOPLE’S FREE SORBONNE

What is the point of trashing other people's books? If you dont like what the RCP has to say, to engage with them. We have other shit to worry about than kicking RCP ass. Direct some of that energy at the OPD or down in Fresno at FPD, or the injustice in Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq, the Congo. There are plenty of McDonalds and starbucks in the area too, lets deal with them and then worry about idealogical debates with RCP later!

Fuck you and your liberal moralism. Don't lecture me and my comrades, friends and allies about who our "real" enemies are. We know them better than you do, thank you very much. It's up to us to decide who, when and where to attack our enemies, it's not up to you. Fuck your paternalism.

Hey MACkers: well done. Too bad the bucket wasn't filled with piss.

I'd like to sign on in support of the MAC statement!

What the hell is your problem? I am not a big fan of Mao either, but I understand that we all have a common enemy. And fighting amongst one another is exactly the very thing that the establishment wants us to do. By oppressing ourselves, much like the proles did in the novel 1984, we make the job of tyranny much easier for the oligarchs. I am pretty sure that you are not supportive of the ruling class? Since that is the case then I advise that the Modesto Anarcho Crew does a better job with promoting solidarity amongst radical minded-people. There are simply too few of us to become so fixated with bickering and insulting each other. We don't have much time to rally the masses against the Anglo-American Empire, which is hell bent with establishing their New World Order to satisfy their mad rush for power. This is a serious issue, one that will affect us all in a fundamental way. Put aside each others differences, or the revolution that is to come will be as successful as the Mexican Revolution of 1910. Humanity can not continue a perpetual cycle of bloodshed and enslavement. By attacking other people who are just as concerned as you are about the state of affairs, you are ironically facilitating this system of draconian capitalism.

"You think this shit is stupid? Prove it. Show up in Modesto, South Side, my block, see what happens."
whats going to happen? youre gonna kick his butt, dood? its morons like this who make american leftists irrelevant. i thought anarchism was about workers and community self management and the abolition of the market/state, but i guess i was wrong and its really about "crews" harassing some small communist group that 9 out of 10 americans have never even heard of and if made aware of wouldnt give a flying fucking about anyway. great you destroyed some books now have fun feeling "cool" in your social ghetto tough guys. :)

Fuck yeah!

Drown out any current and aspiring politicians.

WE WANT SELF-ORGANIZATION.

Obama and Bob Avakian and all other parasites can FUCK OFF.

May this easily replacable act be reproduced everytime parasites come around working class people self-organizing themselves.

FROM NOW ON, AT EVERY BOOKFAIR... A BUCKET!

would people stop saying that, please?

the fact that people want to recruit you does NOT make your enemy the same. the fact that people use some of the same jargon that you do also does NOT make your enemy the same.

learn from past mistakes! what more needs to happen for you to understand that maoists are not anarchists' friends?

Maybe this will make more sense to y'all:

A bunch of Anti-Authoritarians kicked some Authoritarians out of an Anti-Authoritarian bookfair. Since the Authoritarians refused to leave, some more Anti-Authoritarians dumped some water onto the Authoritarian Propaganda table, which wrinkled some Authoritarian newspapers and books.

The Authoritarians later tried to single out an Anti-Authoritarian, but others had his back, and prevented this. The Authoritarians were forced to leave the bookfair, which they were never welcome at in the first place.

The sole goals of the RCP consist of recruiting new members to take orders, and installing Bob Avakian as a dictator. Neither of these goals are in any way, shape, or form, confluent with those of Anarchists. This is not an argument on how to get to a shared goal, it is an Anti-Authoritarian response to blatant Authoritarian aggression.

The only thing the RCP seeks in Oakland is membership; the only reason they talk about Justice for Oscar Grant so much is that they've taken advantage of the outrage of so many youth of color through that struggle recently. They want to build on that because they don't know what else to do. They do not seek justice, they are not effected by police violence, and all they're interested in is your money & body.

The enemy of the enemy is still the fucking enemy.
The RCP will never be welcome in Anarchist cirlces. We don't want your newspaper, your front groups, your organization, or your dictator. We don't need them. Go home. Learn to think for yourself, maybe. Just get the fuck out of Oakland, and stay the fuck out of our way. Repost 01

The comments to this story are disturbing.

When has the RCP and Bob Avakian ever been an ally of anyone, particularly anarchists?

For my part, I have dealt with the RCP in Las Vegas and their attempted co-option of peace groups there. Additionally, many of us watched as the RCP disrespectfully headed one of the marches in Denver during the Democratic National Convention (the Denver American Indian Movement was to head it).

Authoritarian communists have never been an ally of anarchists. This talk of "allies" and "common enemies" reeks of naivete. Look at the actions of authoritarian communist groups throughout history! We have many potential allies in the antiauthoritarian tendencies: council communists, autonomists, left communists, etc. Why not court those tendencies?

Lastly, this was an ANARCHIST book fair. We are entitled to have our own venue, and they theirs. They can have a Maoist book fair, after all. We should be asking why they insist on crashing anarchist events, when they are obviously not welcome. The crowd spoke. Obviously, the RCP are interested in making a scene and playing the victim. You don't see anarchists trying to crash Avakian's cult meetings.

I want to throw my support behind MAC. We need to overcome the bourgeois liberalism that has pervaded the anarchist movement. Standing for freedom of expression does not give us an obligation to give voice at our events to everyone for every reason. This line is absurd.

I won't judge all anarchists by the behavior of whatever small circle implemented such tactics. I definitely would support smashing any group that would behave in such a reactionary way.

I Understand the critiques but it is something deeper in me that loves this. It is admittedly the same thing inside of me that loves punk rock, that loves unprotected sex and vandalism. We must hold on to our base urges against authority in all it's forms, an "important action"? No, but beautifully criminal and romantic and a joyfull good time, yes indeed.