Indymedia Milwaukee | ATTENTION ALL BASH BACK! FOLKS:

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ATTENTION ALL BASH BACK! FOLKS:

Basil Beardsley, 15.05.2008 18:10

The National Socialist Movement (NSM), A racist neo-nazi organization, has announced its intentions to protest Milwaukee's Pridefest the morning of Saturday June 7th. Coincidentally, Bash Back! Milwaukee had put out a call for radical transfolk and queers to come to Milwaukee the very same weekend.

ATTENTION ALL BASH BACK! FOLKS:

The National Socialist Movement (NSM), A racist neo-nazi organization, has announced its intentions to protest Milwaukee's Pridefest the morning of Saturday June 7th. Coincidentally, Bash Back! Milwaukee had put out a call for radical transfolk and queers to come to Milwaukee the very same weekend.

Thus, Bash Back! Milwaukee and Milwaukee Anti-Racist Action are calling for all radical trannies, queers and allies to go all out against the Nazis the weekend of June 6th - 8th. Following our previous call-out, Bash Back! will still be hosting an RNC strategy session the night of Friday the 6th. Plans are also still in the works for guerrilla workshops and anti-capitalist/anti-assimilati
onist actions all throughout pride weekend. Sunday the 8th a Radical Trans/Queer contingent will join the Pride Parade. The difference is that now our plans for the weekend will have the added fun of fucking with the American Nazi Party.

We can use all the help we can get for the weekend. We would love canned food, pink and black flags, banners, rotten vegetables, sex toys, drums, more canned food, and anything else you can bring. If you are planning to stay the weekend in Milwaukee, Bash Back! MKE will arrange places for ya'll to stay and some stuff for ya'll to eat.

Those planning to attend the RNC strategy session should arrive at the Cream City Collectives (732 e. Clarke) between the hours of 3 and 7 on Friday the 6th. And anyone planning to take part in the weekend's fun should email BashBackMKE@gmail.com to let us know you're coming.

in love and rage,

Bash Back! Milwaukee

e-mail:: BashBackMKE@gmail.com

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!
16.05.2008 - 15:27
bash back is maoist now?
!>

um no...
16.05.2008 - 18:24
We are not maoists... clearly... This poster was just too fabulous to pass up. Smashthe comodification of the queer community!!!
fag-goat>

yeah
18.05.2008 - 09:40
Could we please change that image?
BB>

OMFG
18.05.2008 - 10:09
.
TWINK RAGE!>

commodification of the queer community
19.05.2008 - 09:40
Why just the queer community? And what does being against "commodification" of community mean in terms of action and organization? All of life is commodified under capitalism, and so to single out one community needing to be saved from this fate seems a bit silly, if not entirely pointless. Capital will recuperate all of our cultures and movements within its framework and attempt to sell them back to us. There is little point in opposing this process; the point is to build enough to destroy the system that is doing it.
Chairman Meow>

capitalism and queers
19.05.2008 - 18:57
Speaking to the commodification of queerzzzz....
It is essential for QUEER people to call out capitalism in Queer communities. While it is true that people should confront the commodification of all cultures and communities it makes sense that queer and trans people would focus on "smashing" the market's influence amongst queer and trans people. In the last 10 to 20 years the queer community has been hijacked by a few wealthy, mostly white, "Gays and Lesbians." The radical culture that historically came hand in hand with being OUT and queer is now virtually non-existant. These rich, white, gays and lesbians have thereby made themselves the only sizable queer group with any visibility. With their condos, suvs, starbucks, Will and Grace 6 season dvd box set, american rainbow flags, HRC yellow equal sign stickers, and perfect hair the Lesbian and Gay community has no doubt sold the fuck out. In order to make the larger point of capitalism=bad, sometimes it is better to work on a smaller scale, with the community you are most familiar with, and for many in bash back! that is the trans and queer communities.
bbbbbbb>

Destroy LGBT Capitalism, and all the rest too
20.05.2008 - 14:39
Opposing gay capitalist assimilation, and opposing domination in its totality are not mutually exclusive. Capitalist oppression is, tragically, an extremely intricate and multi-faceted behemoth. And while both logic and romance demand that it must be slain entirely, that possibility (at current) only exists in rhetoric.

Obviously annihilating the assimilationist trend of the "LGBT" Community is not and cannot be the end goal of queer liberation. In the same way, abolishing patriarchy, heterosexism, racism, can not individually be ends; only means. All oppression is intrinsically linked. We know that.

But we also know that more deep-held identity struggles against such personal abominations can be catalysts for generalized revolt. Queer and Trans people have a very vibrant history of struggle against patriarchy and capitalism in general, we need only to re-awaken that current and rediscover revolt.

Insurrection has to start somewhere.
Pink and Black>

What do you have against will and grace?
22.05.2008 - 14:58
After reading and re-reading your comment, I'm left wondering what circles you run in bbbbbbb. Who are these "rich, white, gays and lesbians" you are talking about? How many of them watch old seasons of Will and Grace, drive SUVs, and live in condos? Are they a problem for you, these latte sipping homosexuals?
I've never met anyone like that, and I'm not saying this to question their existence, because you seem to be aquainted with several of them. Your comment is interesting. You've created quite the composit. All the things us "radical" people are supposed to despise; SUVs, condos, TV, starbucks, vanity(perfect hair), patriotism. I'm not sure what I'm getting at, I think it's just I don't know who you're talking about and wonder if you have a plan for adressing problems you have with them.

Do you have anything to add?
More anonymous than you are>

um
23.05.2008 - 13:23
remember how this is the internet? and the nazis look at this page?
damn!
...dont you think its a tad dangerous to give the time, date, and meeting point for your meet up, so nazis know? did you think people's safety is now on the line?

im just sayin. publicizing this on milwaukee indymedia is not a good idea. maybe fix it up so people contact YOU for time and place instead of letting the nazis know when and where to bash back at you.

non mouse>

edit!!!
23.05.2008 - 16:44
hi.
DEFINITELY un smooth move to publicize in detail. do you remember the Nazis read Milwaukee Indymedia?
I bet if people going to the convergence knew that you posted the time date and place on a site that nazis look at, they would not feel safe. especially as trans and queers who are subjugated to loads of harassment anyways.

Please fix this if you have any inkling of care for security.

another BB!er>

discussion
24.05.2008 - 00:22
While I am not familiar with the specific history of the queer movement, it would seem to me to say that it has been hijacked is inaccurate. In other movements of oppressed minorities under capital, the main goal of the majority of participants has been for equal rights and privileges within the dominant social order, not its complete destruction. Even more radical elements within these movements invariably ended up calling for local/self-controlled capitalism, not the destruction of capitalist society as a whole. It may be possible to link the oppression of social groups together via common experiences and merge that into a larger revolutionary perspective, but I don't see a terrible amount of use in focusing on the isolated recuperation of one movement.

And while society is still certainly reactionary on the whole towards many of these groups, social identities seem a weak position to begin the discussion on, especially if we are trying to gain large-scale participation. These sorts of campaigns organizations seem to focus more on the differences between groups and experiences, neglecting the common factors. To wit- we are all exploited for our economic power, whatever other personal or social discriminations we may face. On that note, the relationship between queer discrimination and capitalist exploitation is tenuous, at best. The bosses don't give a fuck what social identity you possess as long as you can still consume and work, and so I think it makes more sense to attack the system head on from our strongest position.

As for insurrection beginning somewhere, I suppose that is true but I don't think the follow-up is that it can began anywhere. Even if a revolt via social identities was possible, we are ultimately talking about the dropping out of a small percentage of the population... not really enough to get the capitalists sweating.

As for security concerns...
1. The meeting point for the march is not explicitly listed, only the meeting points for a few other events which Nazis are unlikely to show up at.
2. Even if they did show up, I doubt the 4 boneheads they could muster would be much of a threat. If you're concerned, go in a larger group to the meetings and bring a few collapsible batons.
meow mix>

Security Clarification
24.05.2008 - 13:30
There seems to be some concern as to the security culture surrounding particular aspects of the Bash Back! events planned for the weekend of the 6th -8th.

Firstly, Absolutely nowhere has it been announced where any meet-up will happen that involves the the anti-nazi actions of the weekend. The only place and time given were a rendezvous point for those planning to attend an anti-RNC strategizing session.

Secondly, as that location (732 e. Clarke) is only a rendezvous for said strategy session, it isn't a meeting place. It is a well known community space where those interested in attending the session can go to be vouched for in person.

The purpose of this rendezvous is two-fold:

1. Those who are not already involved with the Bash Back! network, have an opportunity to get involved with our plans to ruin the RNC and DNC.

2. It creates an opportunity for Bash Back! folks to stop police, nazis, or other nefarious characters from getting any further into our spaces or into our planning.

The rendezvous location for the RNC strategy session - the Cream City Collectives - is a space deeply entrenched in the surrounding neighborhood and radical community; it is a safe rendezvous point if ever there was one. But to clarify, the CCC has nothing to do with any antifa or anti-NSM planning. It has equally little to do with any anti-RNC Bash Back! strategizing. It is merely a point from which those unconnected to Bash Back! can be met in person and can go through a vouching process.

This doesn't compromise the security of any members of Bash Back! or any who genuinely wish to participate in the weekends events. Those who are already involved with Bash Back! and can be vouched for by other Bash Back!ers can bypass such a rendezvous entirely by contacting Bash Back! Milwaukee. (

bashbackmke@gmail.com). Anyone who feels uncomfortable going to the CCC can likewise email us.

This measure in fact amplifies our security by establishing another layer of protection from those with more grievous intentions. Trust us, Nazis will certainly not know where any meeting takes place.

Hope this clears some things up. Please let us know any other concerns ya'll may have.

See ya'll soon,
Bash Back! MKE>

To Meow Mix
25.05.2008 - 17:30
"While I am not familiar with the specific history of the queer movement, it would seem to me to say that it has been hijacked is inaccurate. In other movements of oppressed minorities under capital, the main goal of the majority of participants has been for equal rights and privileges within the dominant social order, not its complete destruction."

Thanks for acknowledging your lack of familiarity with trans and queer history. This gives us somewhere to start. It would be correct to say that the contemporary "LGBT" movement is in fact only demanding rights and privileges within the context of capitalism (DADT, Gay Marriage). But that is in no way representative of queer history. What I'll term here as the "queer movement" (for lack of a better term) in fact has an extremely vibrant and often explicitly anti-capitalist historical current.

Firstly, for centuries, queer and trans people have been criminalized and marginalized by industrial civilization. In many places and situations that is still the case. Thus, life in such a position comes with an inherent critique of authority and power.

Secondly, your thesis is historically proved wrong. The earliest discussion of queer life and the oppressions of queer people in America came out of the Anarchist movement. The early leaders of the queer movement also advanced an explicitly anti-capitalist perspective. The Gay Liberation front, the Pink Panthers, Street Trans Action Revolutionaries, ACT UP, the Lavendar Menace and countless others all called for the immediate destruction of capital and viewed trans and queer liberaton (key word: liberation) as inseparable from the abolition of capitalism.

Thirdly, rather than merely advancing an intellectual critique of capital, early queer and trans radicals put their critique to action. Stonewall rioters went on to form autonomous communities, gay liberationists attacked government buildings and burnt police cars in san Francisco, and countless autonomous collectives, spaces, and projects were born - all with capital and power in their crosshairs.

" Even more radical elements within these movements invariably ended up calling for local/self-controlled capitalism, not the destruction of capitalist society as a whole."

Nope. Read any early GLF writings. Their platform demanded the immediate annihilation of capitalism.

" It may be possible to link the oppression of social groups together via common experiences and merge that into a larger revolutionary perspective, but I don't see a terrible amount of use in focusing on the isolated recuperation of one movement."

Here you are projecting your own assumptions onto the work of others. You have absolutely nothing to back up your assertion that Bash Back! or any other radical queers focus solely on one aspect of liberation while ignoring any other. Personally I am involved with bash back! but also with numerous other anarchist projects. Spending time to furthur articulate one aspect of capitalist domination does not exclude critique of any other. This is really silly logic. You can sharpen your daggers against A, B, or C without losing focus of the need to destroy the entire fucking alphabet.

"And while society is still certainly reactionary on the whole towards many of these groups, social identities seem a weak position to begin the discussion on, especially if we are trying to gain large-scale participation. These sorts of campaigns organizations seem to focus more on the differences between groups and experiences, neglecting the common factors."

This is non-sense and reveals a complete lack of understanding of what we are aiming to do. It isn't solely trans people who are dominated by gender. It is not solely 'queer' folks who are limited and tortured by sexual repression. All people - straight or queer, cisgendered or transgendered - are subject to the atrocities of sexual and gendered oppressio. A heteronormative gender binary is inherent to capitalism and the destruction of either is impossible without the destruction of both. I'm out to destroy capitalism; that means i've got to destroy gender along with it. It is also absurd to say that queer organizing divides people byt their identities and experiences. The term "queer" is an inclusive term. When we term something queer, we are not referring something synonymous with Affluent White Male Homosexuality( See: something we're trying to obliterate). We are talking about the varied and complex world of every aspect of gender and sexuality excluded from White heterosexual capitalism. One would also be tragically mistaken if they asserted that heterosexuals and cisgendered people are excluded from Bash Back!

"To wit- we are all exploited for our economic power, whatever other personal or social discriminations we may face. On that note, the relationship between queer discrimination and capitalist exploitation is tenuous, at best. The bosses don't give a fuck what social identity you possess as long as you can still consume and work,"

This point is actually ignorant to the point of being somewhat offensive. The relationship of queer oppression and economic oppression is intrinsic to and irremovable from any thorough critique of capitalism. Tell those being murdered by pharmaceutical companies because their bodies contain the HIV virus or because their body doesn't match their soul that their identity has nothing to do with their economic oppression. Tell poor queer, trans and womyn who have to turn tricks to survive that their identity is not related to their economic oppression. Tell every queer kid who has been alienated from any 'community' because they cannot participate in a consumer-based identity that economics has nothing to do with their oppression. A queer or trans person is murdered every 8 days in this country. In the last year reported violence against us has increased by 25%. Do you think its affluent queers who are being murdered? The ways in which capitalism exploits our bodies cannot be taken out of the context of our actual bodies. If you think queer and trans bodies are not economically oppressed, you really need to do some reading (or meet and talk to queer and trans people about these issues).

"and so I think it makes more sense to attack the system head on from our strongest position."

And what is our strongest position? Where better to attack capital than from the perspective of someone who is being murdered because they cannot afford AIDS medication? Where better to attack the prison industrial system than from the position of someone who is disproportionately oppressed by it? Where better to kill your boss than from the position of a sex worker who's 'boss' may very well kill them? Everyone of these positions can be staging points of revolt against capital.

"As for insurrection beginning somewhere, I suppose that is true but I don't think the follow-up is that it can began anywhere."

You haven't proved that insurrection cannot begin based on identity. Historical evidence is overwhelmingly contradictory to that point. Study the history of revolts and insurrections. in almost any situation of revolt against the universals of capital and power, identities serve as catalysts in some form. The stonewall and white night rioters were driven based on queer or trans identity. Rioting in immigrant communities around the world is intrinsically related to race. So are slave revolts and insurgencies.

"Even if a revolt via social identities was possible, we are ultimately talking about the dropping out of a small percentage of the population... not really enough to get the capitalists sweating."

This is a silly game, but I'll play it. If you consider the revolt of queer and trans identified people to be miniscule, imagine how small the revolt of all self-identified insurrectionary anarchists would be. Nobody is asking that people revolt only against the superficial origins of any one aspect of their domination. But imagine if instead we all attacked capitalism from the places in which it degrades us the most.

I think we can go into a lot more detail on this topic and I'd definitely like to with you. We should email about this or maybe start a topic about it on mkeanarchy.freeforums.org

Oh, and trannies and queers are definitely good at getting folks sweating.

Owen Sykes>

not a lot to add
25.05.2008 - 21:39
Not a lot to add, that was a good post and I think I understand the position you are coming from now better, and I don't have a terrible amount of disagreement. Just a few notes...

"If you think queer and trans bodies are not economically oppressed"

I wasn't trying to suggest that- every member of the underclass is economically oppressed. My point was that the capitalists can and will allow for "equal" status within the system to be extended to marginalized groups if it benefits them. This is related to your "Affluent White Male Homosexuals."

"Rioting in immigrant communities around the world is intrinsically related to race. So are slave revolts and insurgencies."

Yes but I don't think the class element here can be neglected. In some communities that have seen the most vicious rioting there are many races, including whites, and they all actively participate. The common issue is being economic cast-offs of capital.

"imagine how small the revolt of all self-identified insurrectionary anarchists would be"

Nonexistent, which is why I never called for such a thing.
meow mix>

class is dismissed
03.06.2008 - 19:29
the purely class analysis is sorely lacking as it comes from a member of the white middle class that never had to experience anything relating to oppression based on anything but personal choice. slaves and the indigenous cannot be grouped in with the proletariat and therefore are completely ignored by pure Marxian theory. this is also true of racial, sexual and religious oppression.

the truth of the matter that fighting for ones rights in any aspect can inspire others to fight.
frank nowarcyck>
e-mail:: mkeanarchy@gmail.com

I didn't forget
04.06.2008 - 22:55
"Labor cannot emancipate itself in the white skin where in the black it is branded."

Karl Marx>

class
05.06.2008 - 19:32
I don't think it is correct to say that other oppressions have nothing to do with class oppression. While their origins may predate the modern class system, many of them are still tied into economic factors. Outside of certain groups, capital has basically integrated everyone within its confines. The ruling class exploit certain tensions to divide their enemies, but as a whole they really only care about maintaining the economic order and their power and will sacrifice most of those other oppressions if it suits their goals. I already admitted that my earlier argument was flawed; I was attempting to clarify the position of the group and their goals.

What does not facing any oppression mean in this context? The so-called middle class is an indicator of economic means, not one's actual position in the class system. Many members of the middle class are workers and exploited. It may occur in different or lesser degrees, but we are almost all ultimately forced to work to survive. Playing the "who is more oppressed and exploited" game as a means of determining their value in the struggle only benefits those in power if it means driving out allies. It is a silly position to take for most in the first world, especially on the internet. That alone puts you in, what, the top 10% of the global population?
meow mix>