Category Archives: Author

Anarchist, Andrew Zonneveld, Author, France, General, History

The Paris Commune: historical anarchist perspectives presented by Andrew Zonneveld

paris-commune-draft46
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On this week’s show, Disembodied Voice speaks with Andrew Zonneveld, managing editor at On Our Own Authority! Publishing, and editor of a recent collection of essays entitled “The Commune: Paris, 1872”. On Our Own Authority! is an Atlanta-based autonomous research press that has put out over a dozen titles since its founding only two short years ago. “The Commune: Paris, 1872” is a short collection of articles and essays in which various anarchist writers react to and reflect on this momentous event: a 71-day rebellion which, before it was crushed, saw the Parisian working class carry out some fairly inspirational experiments in radical democracy and worker self-management, all without anyone telling them how! The articles within the collection span a period beginning just after the Commune has fallen, through to the 1960s, providing a fascinating range of historical moments from which to view this important episode in radical action.

The presumed topic of the interview was the rich revolutionary history and legacy of the Paris Commune, but the ensuing conversation takes many an interesting and unexpected turn, with Zonneveld sharing his research and thoughts on an array of topics, from Voltairine de Cleyre’s involvement in the Mexican Revolution, to slave rebellions in Guyana, to the intersections between the anarchist and feminist movements in early 20th century Japan.

On Our Own Authority! Publishing

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Author, Dawn Paley, Drug War, General, Immigration, Mexico, Neoliberalism, Police, repression, Student

Ayotzinapa: Paramilitaries, Narcos, PRDistas + the Teaching Students of Geurrero

The Geurrero State Congress in flames
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This week we spoke with Dawn Marie Paley. Dawn came onto the show last year to discuss her essay, Drug War Capitalism. Dawn is now about the publish a book by that same title with AK Press.

On September 26, teaching students from the leftist Normalista College in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, Mexico, protested in the city of Iguala against public policies and in remembrance of the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre in the run-up to the Olympics. In response to the protest, their buses were fired upon by about a dozen police vehicles later that day. Following that, 57 of the normalista students were detained, with 14 later returned. That leaves 43 unnaccounted for, rabble-rousing students in southern Mexico who’ve been disappeared. Soon the story that Narco’s had taken the students from the police emerged but was withdrawn. The police chief and the Mayor are on the run. The search for the students brought news of 11 recent mass graves discovered in Iguala which an Argentine group is investigating, despite interference by the government. Protests have spread across Mexico, from the burning of the State Congress building in Guerrero to the blocking of freeways in Michoacan to demonstrations in Mexico City and abroad.

Dawn tells us about the overlaps between Narcos and the Mexican State in such state crimes as this and the involvement of U.S. policy/training/weapons & money in the formation of the Mérida Initiative (Plan Mexico) and creation of Drug War Capitalism seen in so many countries in Latin America. Also, this new moment that appears to be flowering in Mexico where people, despite the fear of the impunity of their attackers and the spinning of their webs, are talking and acting against government as a solution and seeking answers in their own hands.

More of Dawn Marie Paley’s writings can be found here: http://dawnpaley.ca/
The action plan of the Ayotzinapa Rural School in the National Assembly: http://www.mediacoop.ca/newsrelease/31942
Pretty impressive videos found on this page: http://revolution-news.com/mexico-government-palace-guerrero-burned-normalistas/

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activism, Author, Capitalism, Da Bay, General, Gentrification, Neoliberalism

Dispatches Against Displacement in San Francisco: a convo with James Tracy

http://dispatchesagainstdisplacement.org/
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Do you feel insecure with your living situation? Rents always on the rise while wages stagnate? Getting priced out of your neighborhood? Want some ideas on how you might strike back and who against?

This week, Bursts spoke with James Tracy about gentrification and displacement in San Francisco and elsewhere. In his recent book, Dispatches Against Displacement maps some of James’ nearly 25 year struggles around housing rights in SF, mostly in The Mission District, as well as larger histories of the struggle to grow and sustain communities on commodified lands. James is a co-founder of the San Francisco Land Trust, former member of the Mission Anti-displacement Coalition and other groups. We discuss Dot-Com, Tech 2.0, Urban Renewal, Spatial Displacement and more.

More writings by James can be found here: http://dispatchesagainstdisplacement.org/

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Anarchist, Anonymous, Anti-Civ, Author, gender, General, Hacking, Layla AbdelRahim, Prisons, Quebec, Racism, repression

Layla AbdelRahim on education + civilization, plus prisoner announcements

http://layla.miltsov.org/
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This week’s episode features the rest of a conversation with Layla AbdelRahim about her recent book, Wild Children – Domesticated Dreams: Civilization and the Birth of Education. We played the start of this conversation near the end of last week‘s show and continue it throughout this hour. Layla talks about education, domestication, patriarchy, capitalism, instrumentalism, empathy and much more. More of her writings can be found at http://layla.miltsov.org/

Sean Swain’s segment this week talks about ISIL/ISIS, the crisis in Iraq and revisits the stupidity and cruel ignorance of U.S. intervention into Iraq since the 1980’s.

We also announce two things regarding prisoners:
1st, The MOVE9’s supporters are trying to get them paroled by pressuring the Philly D.A. via a weekly call-in on Mondays. More on that can be found at: http://move9parole.blogspot.com/2014/06/move-9-mondays-hold-seth-williams.html;
For some background, check out our interview with Orie Lumumba, a supporter of the MOVE9 about the case and history of the MOVE Organization: http://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2014/02/27/update-on-the-g20-extraditees-the-move-9-parole-push-02162014/;

2nd, “On March 21st, 2012 Higinio Ochoa III aka w0rmer, was arrested and charged with hacking law enforcement agency websites and posting the personal information of police officers online, as well as being accused of defacing a government website in Alabama. Hig was part of an Anonymous crew called the Cabincr3w.” (Anon-Sweden support page). w0rmer will be released into a halfway house after 2 years of incarceration this August, however he’ll be forced to live in Austin, TX, 4 hours from where his wife and now-1-year-old son live. Support folks are trying to raise $6,000 to help cover the move and some living expenses until both find gainful employment in Austin. More info at: http://www.youcaring.com/other/help-the-ochoa-family-to-reunite/190052

A-Radio Berlin, Anti-Civ, Author, Brazil, Canada, gender, General, Health, Layla AbdelRahim, Quebec, Sports

A view from Sao Paolo on resistance to FIFA; Layla AbdelRahim on “Wild Children – Domesticated Dreams”

http://comitepopularsp.wordpress.com/
Protests in Rio against FIFA & hikes in Transit fees
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This week’s show features mainly a dubbed interview by comrades at A-Radio Berlin with a member of a Comite Popular da Copa in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The interviewee speaks about the context of resistance in Brazil and how it’s developed, public discourse around elections, the cost of living, developments around the FIFA World Cup and upcoming Olympics in Brazil. He discusses the links between politicians supporting these huge events, the political power of the construction companies, the displacement of poor, urban peoples and the further gentrification of cities under the guise of facilitating these huge events that draw short term profits but cause longterm damages. Information about the Comite Popular da Copa in Sao Paolo can be found at: http://comitepopularsp.wordpress.com/

More works by A-Radio Berlin can be found at http://aradio.blogsport.de

At about 40 minutes into the show, we begin presenting a conversation with Layla AbdelRahim about her recent book, “Wild Children – Domesticated Dreams: Narratives of Civilization and Wilderness”. She is an anarchaprimitivist who explores ideas of education, domestication and civilization in terms of childhood development and overall human health. In this portion, we define some terms and talk about instrumentalization of living things and symbolic thought and how they are used to shape the child’s mind into the civilized and non-empathic perspective. Info on the book can be found at http://www.fernwoodpublishing.ca

Sean Swain, this week, talks about the corruption and enslavement involved in the construction of the Ohio State Capital building in Colombus.

A-Radio Berlin, Anarchist, Author, Chile, Feminism, gender, General, harm reduction, Health, History, Prisons, Racism, repression, Sean Swain

Dan Berger on “The Struggle Within: Prisons, Political Prisoners, and Mass Movements in the United States”

98217821-young-woman-wearing-groucho-marx-mask-gettyimages
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This week, William speaks with Dan Berger – who is an author, prison activist and movement historian – about his new book “The Struggle Within: Prisons, Political Prisoners, and Mass Movements in the United States” just out from PM Press. They speak about histories pertaining to radical mileus as well as the much debated term “political prisoner” and how it relates to prison abolition and support work, among other topics. More about him and his work can be found at http://danberger.org.

Also included is a piece by comrades at ARadio Berlin entitled “Practical Self Help; An Abortion Hotline in Chile”. More of their works can be found at http://aradio.blogsport.de.

Sean Swain’s segment this week is read by The Stimulator of http://Submedia.tv, check out their radical films at that site. Sean is still refusing meals, so far as we are aware. Updates can be found at http://seanswain.org

A-Radio Berlin, Author, Belarus, Bomani Shakur, General, Hunger Strike, Keith Lamar, Lucasville Uprising, Prisons, Racism, repression

Keith Lamar, Lucasville Defendant, speaks on his new book “Condemned”

http://keithlamar.org/
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This week we present quite the variety of consumables. Firstly couple of announcements about KOWA-LP and AshevilleFM and an update on the 5E prisoners from Mexico which includes a description of life and bribery culture in the prison where Carlos is currently held.

Next, the TFS crew’s newest member, Neka, interviews Keith Lamar (AKA Bomani Shakur), a defendant in the Lucasville Uprising case, facing the death penalty for allegedly leading a death squad of prisoners who killed snitches in April of 1993, of which he claims innocence. Keith is the author of a new book, Condemned, which he talks about alongside talking about his case and his upcoming final appeal. Find out more about his case and check out his book at his website, http://keithlamar.org and if you’re in or around Ohio and can make his hearings, please do show support.

If you’re in the line of travel for Black Bird Raum, pick up a copy of Keith’s book from their tour. http://www.blackbirdraum.net/

After that we are happy to present a recently translated interview by comrades from Anarchistisches Radio Berlin with a member of the Anarchist Black Cross of Belarus about a number of topics including prisoner support and anti-repression work the ABC is doing, the confusing nationalist and anarchist alignments occurring in parts of Ukraine, repression in Russia and much more. More from ARB can be found at http://aradio.blogsport.de

Finally, we play two tracks from a recent split by Drom and Moro Moro Land, two metal bands from eastern Europe. http://negationrecords.bandcamp.com/album/drom-moro-moro-land-split

activism, Anarchist, Art, Author, General, Paul Z Simons

Paul Z. Simons + Modern Slavery: A Libertarian Critique of Civilization

http://modernslavery.calpress.
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This week William talks with Paul Z. Simons, a contributor to and editor of the journal Modern Slavery; A Libertarian Critique of Civilization available at http://modernslavery.calpress.org. Mr. Simons is also an essayist and former contributor/editor of Anarchy: A Journal of Desire Armed and Out of Anarchy among other projects. Modern Slavery delves into the conception of a modern slavery through an explicitly radical discussion of the history and present condition of wage economies and wage slavery. In addition, the journal showcases poetry, short stories, book reviews, and art. If you wish to become a contributor, you can do so through the
journals website.

Among other topics, William and Paul discuss the inspiration for and inception of the journal, some forms a post collapse society could take, other forms of modern day slavery, and the socially chaotic potential of horror movies.

activism, Anarchist, Author, CounterInsurgency, Earth & Animal Liberation, Earth First!, Environment, General, Grand Jury, History, Police, Prisons, repression

Lelsie James Pickering on surveillance and radical history

L.J. Pickering & Co
L.J. Pickering + Fam
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This week Bursts spoke to Leslie James Pickering about a range of different subjects. Mr. Pickering worked for the North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office (NAELFPO), acting to spread the message and communiques of the ELF, from 1997 to 2002. Obviously, he experienced heavy state oppression during that period of time. And recently, it’s become apparent that the state hasn’t forgotten him.

Leslie James Pickering is no longer allowed to enter Canada (despite no relevant arrests in the last decade and a half) and has found that he’s got a “Mail Cover” via the Post Office where his mail is photocopied and tracked by an as yet unidentified Law Enforcement Agency. He’s also had friends on the West Coast contacted by the Buffalo (NY) FBI Office and asked if Leslie has enemies or do direct action and business contacts of Leslie’s have been subpoenaed to Grand Juries around Burning Books Radical Bookstore. Leslie is an owner of that radical bookstore in Buffalo, which carries books, zines and hosts political events and via which, according to the FBI, Leslie is “stirring up the youth.”

We spend most of the hour talking about government surveillance in his case in particular and in general in the U.S. and also about the prosecution of Jeremy Hammond. Leslie shares some thoughts on parts the forgotten history of radical resistance in the U.S. In particular, he talks about his recent book on the Evan Mecham Eco Terrorist International Conspiracy (EMETIC), a predecessor to the ELF, as well as his earlier book on a radical, white, working class radical named Sam Melville who bombed government and capital centers in New York and inspired the Weather Underground. Melville, who’s the focus of Pickering’s book “Mad Bomber Melville”, went on to organize at Attica before and die during the Attica Prison uprising in 1971. In Pickering’s view, the importance of recognizing and learning from radical history allows us to better strategize for current and future struggles.

Lastly, we briefly touch on the story of Martin Sostres, who’s ideological journey brought him from Nation of Islam through Black Nationalism to Anarchism. Sostre was framed up on drug charges in order to silence his organizing and shut down his bookstore in Buffalo, NY, in 1967 and served 10 years before having his case overturned. Martin Sostre now lives in New York City. There was a 1974 documentary about his case called “Frame-Up!: The Imprisonment of Martin Sostre” (Pacific Street Films). The film HAS been available for streaming at christiebooks.com, alongside MANY other films in many languages.

http://lesliejamespickering.com where you can find news of, updates on and writings/speeches by L.J. Pickering

http://burningbooksbuffalo.com/

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activism, Anarchist, Author, General, Nonviolence, Occupy, Peter Gelderloos, repression

Peter Gelderloos on the Failure of Nonviolence

The Failure of Nonviolence
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This week’s episode features an interview with Peter Gelderloos. Peter is the author of “How Nonviolence Protects the State”, “Anarchy Works” and most recently of “The Failure of Nonviolence: From the Arab Spring to Occupy.”

In this hour Peter discusses the arguments in “The Failure…”, surmises the efficacy of nonviolent civil disobedience mass movements since the end of the Cold War, looks at some of the main and most visible supporters of the NVCD and what a more verdant struggle might look like.

Check out the book on the left banks website

For more of Peter’s writings, check out The Anarchist Library