Its been a while since i updated this, which doesn’t matter of course because nobody reads this yet. With all of the changes in the political landscape going on and my getting involved in my first organization i feel compelled to get this shit started.
As you may of may not know, two weeks ago the first meeting was held of a new london-wide anarchist organization called ALARM. It is split into sub-groups by region/borough/area (depending on the amount of activists in each area) and will operate both in these groups and as a london-wide organisation. A dedicated website, forum and blogs from different boroughs will be up on the interwebz soon. For those interested you can find the minutes of the first meeting here. I think there are some minor corrections needed to be done to those minutes and i will post a corrected one when i get my hands one one. CAMDEN ALARM also posted proposals for last meeting, much of which was accepted but is up for further discussion and revision as we continue to establish the group. Things aren’t set in stone yet, so dont be put off if you have some disagreements, there’s still alot to be fleshed out.
Well, thats the news, heres my take on it: The first two meetings and my conversations with other anarchos afterwards have left me madly enthusiastic and simply put, reassured. Lurking around libcom and the comments on anarchist blogs for a long while put me off getting involved in organisations or joining conversations because of the bitchiness and sectarianism i saw (i’ll leave it there, and dedicate a post to this sheet another time). ALARM seems free of this bullshit, thank god. Why am i enthusiastic? Well, partially because of the amicableness (is that a word?) but mostly because the group is genuinely geared toward radicalising the wider population and spreading our ideas at a time where the population is actually very receptive to our ideas (at least in inner city working class areas, where i live and have been freelance propagandizing for a while).
I really think this group can mark an exodus from the ‘activist ghetto’ into the real ghettos and a break from more self-indulgent actions to really getting involved in agitation and education in the community. Something that has been briefly discussed at meetings and i am passionately enthusiastic about (theres that enthusiasm again) is the use of music and raves to engage with the wider community, particularly working and middle class kids. As a rapper myself im particularly intrested in this, and have proposed a youtube channel equivalent to SBTV (a uk hip hop/rap promotion channel) pumping out political music, seeing as musicians area always looking for a platform to get there shit out i think this should be pretty easy to set up. Other members of the group know and have worked with uk hip hop heads, and i know Lowkey and Akala (listen to these tracks) are already involved in the current wider political opposition so this venture seems very promising.
This sort of culture jamming, combined with spreading propaganda and literature through working class areas as well as offering actual support to those hard off should really mean we can make a difference, and spread our ideas in a time where all other ideologies seem pretty motherfucking bankrupt.
Sorry for the waffling and watnot, im still starting out and im dehydrated, allow me
A
i know a rapper from up north does politics too. u call me sir. he’s on fbook.
sweet thanks for the heads up man, checked his shit out its fuckin wicked
hey is this the guy who was talking about reclaiming the word ‘queer’.. or am I just confused.If it is you then you made me smile and if it ain’t well .. I’m still pretty happy 🙂
Nope, dont think that was me, hapiness is a happy thing!
Will Alarm be supporting Ian Bone’s proposed GLA election campaign?
I dont know im not sure what this campaign is and it wasnt mentioned at the first 2 meetings, missed the last one for me mates birthday, sorry
On his blog, Ian suggested putting up a ‘class war’ candidate in the elections for the Greater London Assembly. Sounds like a load of unprincipled self-promoting dogshit. Although I don’t think anyone takes anything Ian’s involved with particularly seriously.
Gonzo is full of shite. When Ian offers to buy me a pint I take it very seriously….
MC,
Verbal Terrorists, Tyneside Radical Rap:
http://verbalterrorists.bandcamp.com/
We got Broken Dialect playing in Newcastle on 1st July; u know these guys?
A.
cheers for turnin me on to broken dialect, theyre one of many names that ring a bell but i’ve yet to listen to any of their music. Seem to be absorbing several new albums at a time for a while rather than listening to loads of different artists like i feel i should. Maybe i’ve just been lucky enough to be listening to great enough albums they beg so many full-through listens!
N these verbal terrorists are fuckin brilliant, exactly what my ears are lusting for! Do you know them personally? Well thats a trip to tyneside booked somewhere down the line hopefully!
mc, one guy in verbal terrorists is a friend of a friend, the other lives in London I think. Will find out more in next week or so & let u know.
U welcome in Geordieland anytime of course. Gotta warn u though that the anarchists up here are all very serious; we hardly ever tell funny stories or laugh and we never drink beer.
OK, I’m lying.
Sounds promising, I would love to get involved. This is Nobull from Verbal Terrorists, get at me on twitter if you’ve got it and we’ll talk. I’m London based atm so would be relatively easy to hook up. If not you can email me: verbalterrorists@hotmail.co.uk
Peace & solidarity!
Wicked man, great that your intrested, il shoot you an email in the next few days dude. peace!