Category Archives: General

Anarchist, Anarchist Media, Art, Author, Comics, General, Immigration, Kristian Williams, North Carolina, Racism, repression, Transcribed, United States, zine

CIMA on Community Defense Against ICE + Kristian Williams on the Comics of Alan Moore

This week on the show, we’re sharing two interviews.

<a href="https://traffic.libsyn.com/forcedn/thefinalstrawradio/tfsr-podcast-20250209-CIMAKristianWilliams.mp3">Download This Episode</a>First up, Dulce, a member of Companeros Inmigrantes en las Montanas en Accion, or CIMA, a local organizing and advocacy group by and for immigrants in western NC about her experience working for dignity and solidarity in light of the current and past administrations. More on CIMA can be found at CIMAWNC.Org

Then, Ian speaks with Kristian Williams, author of Gang Politics, Resist Everything Except Temptation, and Our Enemies in Blue, among others, about his recent book, The Illuminist: Philosophical Explanations in the work of Alan Moore. The chat touches upon Moore’s work and its anarchist underpinnings, his legacy in and out of comics, the necessity of imagination, and the possibilities that arise from death and disaster. The book is available from emergencyhearts.com, emergencyhearts.bandcamp.com, and kristianwilliams.com. You can find past interviews we’ve done with Kristian here.

Continue reading CIMA on Community Defense Against ICE + Kristian Williams on the Comics of Alan Moore →

Anarchist, Autonomy, Communism, General, Germany, Guerrilla, History, Kersplebedeb, PM Press, Transcribed, zine

“From Hash Rebels to Urban Guerrillas” with Gabriel Kuhn

book cover of "From Hash Rebels to Urban Guerrillas" with the words "TFSR 2-2-25 | The 2nd of June Movement (with Gabriel Kuhn)"
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Today we’re sharing an interview recorded this week with Gabriel Kuhn speaking about the West German urban guerrilla group the 2nd of June Movement, the book he co-edited on this subject entitled From Hash Rebels to Urban Guerrillas: A Documentary History of the 2nd of June Movement (from PM Press and Kersplebedb), the milieu from which it arose, how it compared to other groups at the time like the Red Army Faction, and some of the legacy of their critiques and interventions on radical politics in the autonomen movement and beyond.

For the hour we speak about the context from which the 2nd of June Movement grew (alongside the Red Army Faction, Revolutionary Cells and others) in the 1970’s, their goals and actions, the timing of the book and the legacy that these groups left to German society and the autonomous movements that continued.

• Our prior interview with Gabriel on Liberating Sapmi
• Gabriel’s blog: https://lefttwothree.org/
• A blog collecting documents of this period: http://germanguerilla.com/

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Featured Track:

Continue reading “From Hash Rebels to Urban Guerrillas” with Gabriel Kuhn →

Anarchist, community, Conflict, General, harm reduction, Health, Neurodiversity, Police, Prisons, repression, Security Culture, Transcribed, United States, zine

We (MUST) Keep Us Safe: An interview with a Long-Term, Anonymous Anarchist Comrade on Repression, Trauma, Security Culture, and Revolutionary Solidarity

two black bloc individuals hugging, tenderly and the text "We (MUST) Keep Us Safe: An interview with a Long-Term, Anonymous Anarchist Comrade on Repression, Trauma, Security Culture, and Revolutionary Solidarity | TFSR 1-12-25"
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This week, we’re featuring an anonymized chat with a longtime anarchist on lessons learned trying to stay sane  while facing state repression. We talk about experiencing trauma, the need for strong relationships and movements offering shelter and strong alternatives to the alienated society of state and capital, while also speaking on the challenges of mental health and inviting in new participants in anarchist movement.

Chapters:

  1. Introduction and Disclaimer [00:00:23]
  2. Post-911/Patriot Act State of Heightened Repression and build up to today [00:02:29]
  3. Navigating security amidst a post-social media and post-smart phone era [00:23:33]
  4. Creating safer and more secure revolutionary communities that can better withstand the heat [00:31:02]
  5. Recognizing and overcoming repression-based trauma on an individual and community level [00:40:02]
  6. Supporting comrades overcoming mental health episodes (spiralling) amidst repression and burnout [01:09:13]
  7. On infiltrators and the depths the state will go to inflict trauma, fish, and divide [01:15:57]
  8. Recognizing the ‘severity’ of our position, and taking ourselves seriously [01:26:22]
  9. Some tips on facing trauma or intimidation, or supporting others experiencing repression-related trauma [01:34:18]

Descending References and Resources List According to Interview:

Green Scare Background

Grand Juries

Border Detention

Police Visitation

On Phone and Digital Security Culture

Infiltration Cases:

Anti-Repression Resources:

J20 Case

Sobriety Discussion

Mental Health/Trauma/Burn Out

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Featured Track:

Continue reading We (MUST) Keep Us Safe: An interview with a Long-Term, Anonymous Anarchist Comrade on Repression, Trauma, Security Culture, and Revolutionary Solidarity →

ACABookfair, Anarchist, Andrew Zonneveld, Author, Colonialism, Colonization, Dr Modibo Kadalie, Florida, General, Georgia, History, OOOA, Racism, Transcribed, zine

All Will Be Equalized with Andrew Zonneveld and Modibo Kadalie (ACAB 2024)

book cover of "All Will Be Equalized"
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This week, we’re sharing a recording of Andrew Zonneveld from the 2024 Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair talking about his book All Will Be Equalized!: Georgia’s Freedom Seekers of the Swamps, Backwoods, and Sea Islands 1526-1890 alongside his friend Modibo Kadalie. To see a video with the slides from the presentation, check out our youtube page.

Continue reading All Will Be Equalized with Andrew Zonneveld and Modibo Kadalie (ACAB 2024) →

Anarchist, Autonomy, Environment, General, Indigenous, Mexico, Political Prisoner, repression

The Political Repression and Resistance of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón

a photo of seven people standing in a field with masks over their faces, fists raised and a banner with a picture of Ricardo Flores Magón reading "Freedom For The Prisoners of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón", standing before a bonfire with a forest behind them, plus "TFSR 1-4-26 | The Political Repression and Resistance of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón"This week, we’re sharing an interview we just conducted with Madeleine Wattenbarger and Axel Hernández of the Cooperativa de Periodismo in Mexico and Ambar Ruiz of Radio Zapote about the case of autonomous resistance and repression in the Mazateca community of Eloxochitlán de Flores Magón in Oaxaca, Mexico, so named for being the birthplace of the Cipriano Ricardo Flores Magón, revolutionary Mexican anarchist who was murdered by medical neglect by the US prison system in 1922 (check out our 2022 episode on the history).

We talk about the rise to economic and political power of the family of Manuel Zepeda and his daughter Elena, their weaponization of the judiciary against community defenders resisting a hijacking in 2014 of the traditional community assembly and the years of organizing by Mazateca women whose loved ones face long prison sentences. We also speak about the case of Miguel Peralta, a Mazateca anarchist challenging his 5 decade sentence related to this case, as well as the recent murder by medical neglect while in prison of militant anarcho-punk Yorch Esquivel at the hands of the Mexican state at the behest of UNAM.

Media mentioned:

Groups to follow:

  • Mazatecas Por Libertad (facebook)
  • Presos Politicos de Eloxochitlan de Flores Magon (facebook)

Further reading:

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Featured track:

  • De Cara A La Pared by Lhasa from La Llorona
Anarchist, General, History, Iran, Israel, Politics, Russia, Transcribed, United States, war, zine

We Will Need Time: Two Libertarian Communist Perspectives on Events and Possibility in Syria

"TFSR 12-29-24 | We Will Need Time: Two Libertarian Communist perspectives on events and possibility in Syria"<br /> featuring a photo of two people (one with a rifle slung over their shoulder) hugging and facing away from the camera and towards a bombed-out building with graffiti reading "We Will Return" in Arabic
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In this episode, you’ll hear Cedric and Khuzama, two libertarian communists with connections to Syria and editor contributors to the blog interstices-fajawat.org , speaking about their observations of what’s been going on leading up to and through the ouster of Bashar Al-Assad, as well as complications among various factions on the ground and the view from the Syrian diaspora. The situation on the ground is changing fast.

And if you care to hear a perspective from an anarchist combatant affiliated with Tekosina Anarsist, which works with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria affiliated with the SDF and Rojava Revolution, you can find our episode from December 22nd and the transcribed zine already online at our website.

Continue reading We Will Need Time: Two Libertarian Communist Perspectives on Events and Possibility in Syria →

Anarchist, Chinese, General, Iran, Israel, Polska, Rojava, Russia, Syria, Transcribed, Turkey, United States, zine, 中文

An Anarchist View From Rojava on Recent Events in Syria: A conversation with a combatant of Tekoşîna Anarşist

"An anarchist view from Rojava on recent events in Syria: a conversation witha combatant in Tekoşîna Anarşist | The Final Straw Radio, Dec 22, 2024" featuring a drawing of a combatant with their face covered, holding an AK47 and sitting on cinder blocks
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This week, we’re sharing a conversation with Errico, a combatant member of Tekoşîna Anarşist, an internationalist anarchist formation in critical solidarity with the Rojava Revolution. For this episode, Errico answers some questions we had about what’s been happening in Syria and concerns from within the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. You can find ideas and updates from the TA formation on their blog, https://tekosinaanarsist.noblogs.org. Past interviews with TA can be found here.

Errico’s voice has been re-recorded by a comrade for anonymity. The transcript is already up in the show notes and at our website for easier reading, translation and sharing and you can find past interviews we’ve done with TA linked in the show notes. And there is an announce-only signal group that anyone can join with updates and analysis by anarchists in the region or paying attention which we’ll link in our shownotes. Just a headsup, the usernames of members of this group will be visible to the all other users there and it might be a good opportunity to set up your signal username and make your phone number unfindable for better anonymity prior to joining the signal group ( https://signal.group/#CjQKIN0TDK_nsHV4uXRtLIdaUOL2R6yv7uvRs8c3RUiXLr-EEhBPEntGCDqJQOD4pzU36i6O )

We simultaneously recorded an interview with Cedric and Khuzama, two libertarian communists and editors of and contributors to the blog Interstices-Fajawat.org about their insights into Syria. This interview will be coming out soon, so keep an eye on our feed.

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Featured Track:

Continue reading An Anarchist View From Rojava on Recent Events in Syria: A conversation with a combatant of Tekoşîna Anarşist →

Anarchist, Antifa, Antifa Ost, General, Germany, Prisons, Rashid, Red Onion State Prison, Transcribed, United States, Virginia, zine

Red Onion Prison Updates + Antifa-OST Case in Germany

This week, we’re featuring two segments.

logo featuring an onion with a person behind bars in the pearl and the logo for "Soli Antifa-Ost"

First up, Phil Wilayto of the Virginia Defenders talks about conditions at Red Onion State Prison in western Virginia where a number of prisoners have been self-immolating in order to escape longterm isolation and racist guard violence. You can find Phil’s article on the SF Bay View which includes a clip of Noelle Hanrahan on Al-Jazeera talking about this subject, and past interviews with and about Kevin “Rashid” Johnson at this link here. [00:01:02 – 00:41:15]

Then, you’ll hear Jo, an anarchist from Germany, speaking about the recent building of conspiracy cases against antifascists known as Antifa-Ost, or Antifa East. You can find our prior interview about NSU Watch and Day X here. [ 00:44:45 – 01:11:42 ]

More info on Antifa-Ost and the Budapest Structure:

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Featured Track:

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Continue reading Red Onion Prison Updates + Antifa-OST Case in Germany →

Anarchist, Author, community, Detritus Books, General, History, Peter Gelderloos, Pluto Press, Politics, Transcribed, zine

Peter Gelderloos on Memory, Community, Organization and Struggle

book covers of "They Will Beat the Memory Out of Us: Forcing Nonviolence on Forgetful Movements" and "Organization, Community, Continuity"
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This week, we’re airing an interview with anarchist author, Peter Gelderloos about two of his recent books They Will Beat the Memory Out of Us: Forcing Nonviolence on Forgetful Movements (Pluto Books, 2024) as well as Organization, Community, Continuity (Detritus, 2024). For this episode, we speak on movement memory, community, care work, organization and struggle.

Past interviews with Peter can be found here and his collaboration with Sub.Media is here.

Continue reading Peter Gelderloos on Memory, Community, Organization and Struggle →

abolition, gender, General, Hurricane Helene, North Carolina, Prisons, Sexism, Transcribed, United States, zine

NC Womens Prisons + Overcrowding Post-Helene in NCDAP

This week, we’re featuring two interviews concerning prison conditions in North Carolina.

"TFSR 11-17-24 | NC Womens Prisons + Overcrowding Post-Helene" featuring a photo of women in a county jail in NC and a photo of Benevolence Farm
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First up, you’ll hear from Elizabeth Simpson of Emancipate NC, one of the signatories to a public letter to this state’s department of corrections calling for the release of hundreds of prisoners in North Carolina. This comes in response to over-crowding and understaffing of prisons following the emergency transfer of 2,000 prisoners from prisons in the western part of the state effected by Hurricane Helene. [00:01:15 – 00:18:50]

Then, Mona Evans of Benevolence Farm, a post-release residence and re-entry program in North Carolina for people coming out of the women’s prisons talks about their programs, re-entry and some of the realities faced inside womens prisons in this state.   [00:20:04 – 01:04:40]

In this conversation I mentioned Victoria Law’s latest book, Corridors of Contagion: How the Pandemic Exposed the Cruelties of Incarceration (Haymarket Books). You can find our 2013 interview with her about her 2nd edition of Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women at this link.

Other projects Mona mentioned include:

  • Arise Collective re-entry program
  • DownhomeNC engages in a number of progressive causes in this state, including the bail fund that Benevolence Farms is currently running. You can find our 2020 interview with them here.

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Featured Track:

  • Women on the Inside by Sistas In The Pit from The We That Sets Us Free: Building A World Without Prisons

Continue reading NC Womens Prisons + Overcrowding Post-Helene in NCDAP →