Category Archives: History

Kazi Toure of Boston Jericho on Prisoner Support

Kazi Toure of Boston Jericho on Prisoner Support

"Kazi Toure of Boston Jericho | TFSR 1-14-24" featuring a photo of Kazi in a black beret and leather jacket
Download This Episode

This week on the show, you’ll hear Kazi Toure. Kazi is a former political prisoner from the Ohio 7 case and founding member of the Boston chapter of The National Jericho Movement. For the hour, Kazi and I talk about the history of Jericho Movement, supporting political prisoners and support for post-release and aging prisoners. You can find recent updates from the group at @OfficialJerichoBoston on Instagram.

Kazi’s appearances here before:

Other Interviews Referenced:

Then, Sean Swain’s segment begins the annual tradition of reading the names of people killed by the police in the USA during the prior year. Stay tuned mid-week for a release of a 10 year anniversary chat with Sean about his life since he began participating in TFSR [00:55:58]

Announcements

Post-Release Fundraiser for Mwalimu Shakur

Formerly incarcerated New Afrikan revolutionary activist Mwalimu Shakur has been released from prison after 20 years, Mwalimu was featured on this show twice talking about his organizing work. If you’d like to contribute to his post-release fund, consider donating to our paypal or  venmo linked at our website or via this cashapp with  Mwalimu support in the memo. You can find his former appearances on the show here.

Hunger Strikes Grow More Dire at Red Onion Prison

Several Virginia prisoners began a hunger strike on Tuesday, December 26 at Red Onion State Prison, protesting the continued use of long-term solitary confinement at the institution.

Despite critical concern, outcry from the public and prisoner populations in the state, incarcerated people are still subjected to this brutal practice which has been renamed “restorative housing” since July 1, 2023 when measures were passed to limit its use in the state.

Leading these prisoners in this effort is longtime prison activist, revolutionary writer and artist, Kevin “Rashid” Johnson. Rashid has stated that no one will take any food at all until demands are met. Some of the strike participants have underlying health concerns that make the undertaking of such a demonstration particularly risky.

Rashid, himself, is recovering from multiple rounds of radiation to treat prostate cancer as well as suffering from untreated heart disease/congestive heart failure. This is why the public’s support is especially needed.

We are asking that calls, emails, and letters be sent to the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) officials as well as Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin’s office voicing support for the strikers and condemnation for the inhumane use of long-term solitary confinement/restorative housing.

PLEASE EVERY DAY THIS WEEK: call and email the following people demanding that the hunger strikers demands be met (end long term solitary confinement) and Rashid receive the medical care he has been denied for months, and that he be transferred immediately. If the latter is not an option, then demand an interstate compact transfer take place immediately.

** Demand that the Governor intervene on Rashid’s behalf and that an internal investigation be conducted immediately that would reveal why there were documents removed from his medical jacket and why his referrals to outside medical care were canceled.

Joka Jeupe Mkali, AKA Komrade Shine White, who put out this call to action, said “Death is inevitable, but it mustn’t be at the hands of some racist dogs. Rashid walks in shoes that cannot be filled, thus we must keep him walking in them as long as possible.”

Thank you for all you do to help prison rebels keep walking!

Red Onion Hunger Strike Participants:

  • Kevin “Rashid” Johnson – #1007485
  • Jason Barrett – #1092874
  • Rodney Lester – #1429887
  • Charles Cousino – #2213403
  • Eric Thompson – #1208012
  • Joe Thomas – 1193196
  • Nguyen Tuan – #1098070
  • Demetrius Walllace – #1705834
  • Gregory Binns – #1157265
  • P. Williams – #2103207
  • DeQuan Saunders – #1458253
  • J. Hilliard – #1988319
  • Ray Galloway – #1407902
  • Gregory Azeez – #1421616

Phone Zap for Aaron Isby-Israel at Plainfield CF in Indiana

Aaron Isby has been facing increased harassment Plainfield the last few weeks. Details and the support script are available at IDOCWatch. Here’s who to contact:

Please call Plainfield CF and IDOC HQ, and email the Ombusdan and the Governor and demand that the harassment against Mr. Isby cease immediately and that he be provided full access to the law library in accordance with law and policy!

Call IDOC HQ: (317) 232-5711 ext. 0 ext. 1

Call Plainfield CF: (317) 839-2513 ext. 7 ext. 9

Email the Ombudsman Bureau: idoa@ombud.in.gov

Call & Email the Governor: https://www.in.gov/gov/ask-eric/

. … . ..

Featured Track:

  • Water No Get Enemy by Fela Kuti from Expensive Shit

Continue reading Kazi Toure of Boston Jericho on Prisoner Support

“Direct Democracy Throughout Human History” + 2024 Certain Days Calendar

2024 Certain Days Calendar + “Direct Democracy Throughout Human History”

Sara and Josh On Certain Days Calendar

'"TFSR 11-26-23 | "Direct Democracy Throughout Human History" + 2024 Certain Days Calendar' featuring the book cover of "Intimate Direct Democracy" with a hand holding houses and plants in the background next to the 2024 cover of the Certain Days calendar cover featuring a child sitting among flowers with an anarchist book in their hands
Download This Episode

This week on the show, Ian talks to Sara and Josh, organizers from the Certain Days Collective on the publication of this year’s certain days calendar. The two discuss the creative and administrative processes involved in producing one of the most consistent projects in the abolition space. They also discuss the past, present, and future of the project and the constant need to balance short term emergent issues against the long term abolition project. [ 00:02:37 – 00:33:14]

You can learn more at CertainDays.org, find them on a bunch of social media platforms, and order calendars for deliver in Canada via LeftWingBooks.Net or in the USA via BurningBooks.Com and you can find our past conversations with Josh by searching Josh Davidson on our website, including a recent interview about Rattling The Cages.

Direct Democracy Throughout Human History

Then, we’ll be sharing a presentation by Dr. Modibo Kadalie recorded at the 2023 Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair in so-called Asheville. Modibo is joined by his friend Andrew Zonneveld of On Our Own Authority Books and they share a new bookstore and community space in Stone Mountain, Georgia, known as Community Books. [ 00:34:32- 01:32:30 ]

From the presentation description:

“A scholar-activist with over 60 years of experience in the Civil Rights, Black Power, Pan-African, and Social Ecology movements will discuss the role of critical historiography in the study and documentation of directly democratic communities across human history. Modibo Kadalie’s presentation will touch on ideas discussed in his two most recent books, Pan-African Social Ecology and Intimate Direct Democracy. Dr. Kadalie will also discuss his upcoming book, tentatively titled State Creep: A Critical Historiography.”

Sean Swain

Sean‘s segment on destabilizing the economy with flash mobs can be heard from [ 01:32:32 – 01:40:28 ]

. … . ..

Featured Track:

  • For Marmish by Floating Points from Elaenia

Continue reading “Direct Democracy Throughout Human History” + 2024 Certain Days Calendar

Mr. Block’s Past and Legacy (with Sean Carleton and Iain McIntyre)

Mr. Block’s Past and Legacy (with Sean Carleton and Iain McIntyre)

book cover of "Mr Block: The Subversive Comics and Writings of Ernest Riebe" featuring a drawing of Mr Block saying "Bosses know best!"
Download This Episode

This week, Ian talks to Sean Carleton of Graphic History Collective and Labor historian and activist Iain McIntyre about the recent release of Mr. Block: The Subversive Comics and Writings of Ernest Riebe by PM Press. After some background on their respective projects, they talk about the legacy of the IWW cartoonist, the origins and process of putting the book together, and what aspects of his work are still relevant today. Here’s a hint: just about all of them are.

. … . ..

Featured Track:

  • Mr. Block performed by Utah Philips from Rebel Voices: Songs of the Industrial Workers of the World
  • Beware The Friendly Stranger by Boards Of Canada from Alpha and Omega

Continue reading Mr. Block’s Past and Legacy (with Sean Carleton and Iain McIntyre)

Armenian Anarcha-feminist on Genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenian Anarcha-feminist on Genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh

"TFSR 10-22-23 | Armenian Anarchafeminist on Genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh" featuring a picture of protestors in Yerevan sitting with signs in front of a line of riot cops
Download This Episode

This week on the show, we’re featuring an interview I did recently with Sona, an anarcha-feminist from Yerevan, Armenia, about her experience of anarchism and some of the solidarity efforts related to supporting Armenians expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh, an Armenian enclave within the borders of the neighboring country of Azerbaijan.

Recent crimethInc articles:

From crimethInc “Anarchist Voices…” Article:

a list of NGOs to support refugees in Armenia:

  • The space Letters and Numbers and the Armenian Food Bank have opened a humanitarian aid collection point. Please bring non-perishable food items and clothing to St. Tumanyan, 35G, Yerevan.
  • Volunteer fund for helping victims of the war “Ethos” St. Khorenatsi 30, Yerevan.
  • Sasha Manakina’s collection can be found at this link. Sasha is one of the heroines of the new zine Alarm!
  • The Viva Charitable Foundation has been providing medicine, rehabilitating the wounded, and helping Artsakh since 2016.

Announcement

Support for Jorge Yorch Esquivel

From his support site:

We call for solidarity with our comrade Jorge Esquivel, Yorch, to demand his immediate release and the dismissal of charges against him.

  • Attending the rally during their next hearing on Monday, October 23. The appointment is at 9 a.m. in front of the Orient Prison
  • Organized to make noise and agitation
  • Spread your case
  • Go, call or write to nearby Mexican embassies and consulates to demand their freedom
  • Or any way they like to stand in solidarity so that we can rip our comrade from the clutches of the state and its prisons.

Yorch is imprisoned for crimes fabricated against him as part of a montage that seeks to criminalize the Che Squat / Okupache and its members. He has been held hostage by the Mexican state in Mexico City’s East Reclusion for more than 10 months.

. … . ..

Featured Track:

  • Wishing (instrumental) by Pete Rock from My Own Worst Enemy (Instrumentals)

Continue reading Armenian Anarcha-feminist on Genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh

Diane Stevens of Jane Collective (ACABookfair 2023)

Diane Stevens of Jane Collective (ACABookfair 2023)

"Jane, The Underground Abortion Service - Friday 11, 7pm - 8pm @ Different Wrld" featuring a photo of someone holding a mug shot of a very young Diane Stevens from the 1960s
Download This Episode

This week on TFSR, we’ll be airing a presentation by Diane Stevens, a member of the Jane Collective in Chicago in the 1960’s. This presentation was recorded at the 2023 Another Carolina Anarchist Bookfair in so-called Asheville, NC.

From the presentation description:

The Abortion Counseling Service, now better known as Jane, started out as a referral service in Chicago in the late 1960s, providing counseling and support to women before and after their procedures. Members of the group learned to do the abortions and then were able to do the procedures for whatever the women could afford to pay. Seven women were arrested and charged with the felonies of abortion and conspiracy to commit abortion. These charges were ultimately dismissed. It is estimated that about 11 thousand abortions were preformed before the group disbanded in 1973.
Diane Stevens was born in Chicago. She went to school in the suburbs before moving back into the city where she joined the Abortion Counseling Service.
Following the Roe v Wade decision and dismissal of all the criminal charges, Diane went on to have a career in health care and worked as a nurse practitioner in a variety of settings. Her work for reproductive justice has resumed with joining the Reproductive Rights Coalition in Charlotte and being a clinic escort.

You can hear another presentation we recorded from the ACABookfair 2023 in this week’s IGD Podcast, which is sharing Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin and JoNina Abron-Ervin in conversation with William C. Anderson.

Continue reading Diane Stevens of Jane Collective (ACABookfair 2023)

Reflections on 2023 Turkish Elections, Post-Earthquake Bakur and the Kurdish Movement

Reflections on 2023 Turkish Elections, Post-Earthquake Bakur and the Kurdish Movement

"TFSR 8/20/2023 - Reflections on 2023 Turkish Elections, Post-Earthquake Bakur & the Kurdish Movement" pasted under a photo of people working through earthquake rubble in Kurdistan with a rainbow appearing across the sky above"
Download This Episode

The following is an interview we conducted with Katka and Hazel, who both live in the UK and were recently back from Bakur, the portion of Kurdistan within the borders of Turkey. For 2 hours the guests speak about the political violence from Erdogan’s ruling AKP, suppression of the Kurdish movement, electoral strategies, democratic confederalism, political prisoners and the F-Type prisons in Turkey, the earthquakes from earlier in the year, widespread corruption and other topics. We hope you enjoy this conversation,. A transcript of this interview will be available in the near future. You can reach the guests at BakurDelegationUK at riseup dot net

A few links related to the chat:

Continue reading Reflections on 2023 Turkish Elections, Post-Earthquake Bakur and the Kurdish Movement

The Political Legacy of Lyndon LaRouche (w/ Matthew N Lyons)

The Political Legacy of Lyndon LaRouche (w/ Matthew N Lyons)

"TFSR: The Political Legacy of Lyndon LaRouche (8/13/23)" alongside a picture of a poster of a nuclear bomb with Jimmy Carter's face and the suggesting that a vote for Carter is a vote for nuclear war and "Lyndon LaRouche for President" from 1979
Download This Episode

This week, we’re sharing an interview with Matthew N Lyons of Three Way Fight blog about the political legacy of Lyndon LaRouche, cultic leftist turned fascist US political figure from the 1970’s through his death in 2019. For the hour, Matthew and I talk about the network of organizations and publications of the LaRouche movement, some of their approaches toward peeling adherents from the left, antisemitic conspiracy theories he innovated, methods his movement used to control followers and some of the ripples of LaRouche you can find today. We also speak briefly about the Three Way Fight book due out in the spring via Kersplebedeb and PM Press.

Continue reading The Political Legacy of Lyndon LaRouche (w/ Matthew N Lyons)

A History of Anti-Racist Action with Shannon Clay

A History of Anti-Racist Action with Shannon Clay

book cover of "We Go Where They Go: The Story of Anti-Racist Action" featuring an anti-racist protest in red tone with "TFSR 6-14-23" along the side
Download This Episode

Here’s our interview with Shannon Clay, co-author of We Go Where They Go: The Story of Anti-Racist Action. For this episode, Shannon and I walk through the book, covering some of the history of the network, how it evolved, challenges it faced, and invitations to discuss current day anti-fascist and anti-racist organizing on Turtle Island.

Shannon also suggests co-authors Kristin Schwartz and Michael Staudenmaier podcast interview on The Brief about Canadian ARA history: http://thebriefpodcast.com/anti-racist-action/

This audio was released earlier to Patreon supporters of $3 or more a month. It’s one of the thank you gifts, alongside tshirts, zines, stickers and updates on the project. If you’d like to support our ongoing transcriptions help to make these conversations more accessible to a wider audience, give yourself that warm and fuzzy feeling by visiting tfsr.wtf/support for a link to ways to support our project with your pocket book.

Continue reading A History of Anti-Racist Action with Shannon Clay

Comics, Collage and Anti-Copaganda with Johnny Damm

Comics, Collage and Anti-Copaganda with Johnny Damm

Cartoon cop pointing collaged onto a distressed brick wall, a word bubble reading "Straight From The Mouths of Riot Participants" + sidebar with "TFSR 05-14-2023, Comics, Collage & Anti-Copaganda with Johnny Damm"
Download This Episode

This week, a new contributor, Ian, talks to cartoonist and educator Johnny Damm about his recent releases I’m a cop, featuring dialogue from Police Union speeches and Riot Comics: Tompkins Square Park, which explores the 1988 Tompkins Square Riot in which Police evicted an unhoused encampment in the park on New York’s Lower East Side. They discuss the collage technique by which Damm assembles his comics, how his work dovetails with the larger work of abolition, and the role of propaganda in movement-making. Listeners can follow Johnny Damm on twitter @dammjohnny (with two m’s) and on IG @johnny.damm. His website is JohnnyDamm.com

Also notable, are Damm’s influence by Jack Halberstam‘s ideas that became the book The Queer Art of Failure ala the Failure Biographies book, and Damm’s representations of the Compton’s Cafeteria Riot, a similar but smaller trans and queer uprising in San Francisco  in 1966, preceding the more famous Stone Wall Riots of 1969 in New York City.

Continue reading Comics, Collage and Anti-Copaganda with Johnny Damm

May Day 2016 with Peter Linebaugh (repodcast)

May Day 2016 (repodcast)

book cover of "The Incomplete, True, Authentic and Wonderful History of May Day by Peter Linebaugh" featuring a painting of European peasants farming
Download This Repod

We’re happy to share another past episode, this time from May Day 2016, about 4 months before the start of our rss feed for our podcast. I feel it’s notable that this show approaches it’s 13th birthday on the May 9th of this year.

In this show, you’ll hear an interview with autonomous Marxist historian, Peter Linebaugh on essay collection The Incomplete, True, Authentic and Wonderful History of May Day plus some music we curated at the time.

To friends we’ve met, and to those we have yet to meet, I’d like to wish everyone a happy May Day. As we’ll hear in the following hour, this day has a long celebrated history. From its many European pagan roots as a celebration of fertility as the fruits of the spring planting season began to… uh, spring forth. Then on to the repressive winter that fell early on May 3rd and 4th of 1886 in Illinois with, first, the killing of workers striking for an 8 hour work day at the McCormick Works and then the repression of anarchist and socialist workers and organizers following the bombing at Haymarket Square in Chicago of that same year. From there to the taking up of May 1st as International Workers Day by struggling groups around the world and the U.S. adoption of a sanctioned Labor Day in September of the year.

To divide an international working class, The U.S. government, oppressors of that May Day 1886 sanctioned a Labor Day to be celebrated in September, declared the first of May both Law Day (an obvious testament to Irony in respect to the Haymarket 8, all jailed and 4 executed) and, for some, it’s celebration as Americanism Day. Whatever that means. In 2006 & 2007, immigrants rights marches were seen on and around May Days that, for many, re-sparked the importance of this day. The protests and festivals swelled to numbers nearly unmatched in the history of protest on Turtle Island, and were accompanied by school and work walkouts and boycott days.

Whether you’re out there today taking direct action, in repose from the horrors of wage slavery, resisting the carceral state, gardening, dancing around a May Pole or otherwise celebrating the possibilities of this year to come when, hell, we might as well end this system of exclusion and extraction: We wish you a fire on your tongue, love in your heart and free land beneath you.

Continue reading May Day 2016 with Peter Linebaugh (repodcast)