dirty fist!
suprise guest -- tin tree factory
a paper cup band (..they danced around a lot...)Monday, December 22, 2008
what you missed...
dirty fist! suprise guest -- tin tree factorya paper cup band (..they danced around a lot...)
Sunday, December 21, 2008
dirty fist! and a paper cup band tonight
banjo-pluckin' accordian-squeezin' chelseas of dirty fist!
and
6PM-???
vegetarian potluck (we're making a pot of potato soup...)
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Dec. 21st -- A Paper Cup Band and Dirty Fist!
Franklin House will be hosting two bands, Sunday Dec. 21st, 6pm-???.
A Paper Cup Band, with Hayduke Lives! member Kyle (a.k.a. Ellsworth Toohey) and Dirty Fist! , the return of the chelseas with some banjo pluckin' accordian squeezin' bliss.
Vegetarian potluck @ 6pm and music soon after.
**collective meeting and cooking will be at 4pm, bring ingredients for chili**
IF ANYONE NEEDS A RIDE FROM ST. LOUIS
PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL US
TO SET UP A RIDESHARE
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Greek-inspired protests spread across Europe, Coming to a town near you!
Greek-inspired protests spread across Europe
By PAUL HAVEN – 5 hours ago
MADRID, Spain (AP) — The unrest that has gripped Greece is spilling over into the rest of Europe, raising concerns the clashes could be a trigger for opponents of globalization, disaffected youth and others outraged by the continent's economic turmoil and soaring unemployment.
Protesters in Spain, Denmark and Italy smashed shop windows, pelted police with bottles and attacked banks this week, while in France, cars were set ablaze Thursday outside the Greek consulate in Bordeaux, where protesters scrawled graffiti warning about a looming "insurrection."
At least some of the protests were organized over the Internet, showing how quickly the message of discontent can be spread, particularly among tech-savvy youth. One Web site Greek protesters used to update each other on the locations of clashes asserted there have been sympathy protests in nearly 20 countries.
More demonstrations were set for Friday in Italy, France and Germany.
Still, the clashes have been isolated so far, and nothing like the scope of the chaos in Greece, which was triggered by the police killing of a teenager on Saturday and has ballooned into nightly scenes of burning street barricades, looted stores and overturned cars.
Nevertheless, authorities in Europe worry conditions are ripe for the contagion to spread.
As Europe plunges into recession, unemployment is rising, particularly among the young. Even before the crisis, European youths complained about difficulty finding well-paid jobs — even with a college degree — and many said they felt left out as the continent grew in prosperity.
In Greece, demonstrators handed out fliers Thursday listing their demands, which include the reversal of public spending cuts that have brought more layoffs, and said they were hopeful their movement would spread.
"We're encouraging nonviolent action here and abroad," said Konstantinos Sakkas, a 23-year-old protester at the Athens Polytechnic, where many of the demonstrators are based. "What these are abroad are spontaneous expressions of solidarity with what's going on here."
Across the continent, Internet sites and blogs have popped up to spread the call to protest.
Several Greek Web sites offered protesters real-time information on clash sites, where demonstrations were heading and how riot police were deployed around the city. Protest marches were arranged and announced on the sites and via text message on cell phones.
In Spain, an anti-globalization Web site, Nodo50.org, greeted visitors with the headline "State Assassin, Police Executioners" and told them of hastily called rallies Wednesday in Barcelona and Madrid.
"We stand in solidarity" with the Greek protesters, the site said.
Elsewhere in Europe, reports about the clashes in Greece were quickly picked up online by citizen journalists, some of whom posted details of confrontations on Twitter. At the Independent Media Center, photos and video of the demonstrations were uploaded and plans were listed for "upcoming solidarity actions" in London, Edinburgh and Berlin.
One writer on the site london.indymedia.org exhorted people to follow the Greek example and "reclaim the streets. Burn the banks that robbed you ... It is a great opportunity to expand the revolution in all europe."
"What's happening in Greece tends to prove that the extreme left exists, contrary to doubts of some over these past few weeks," French Interior Ministry spokesman Gerard Gachet told The Associated Press.
But, he added, the coming days and weeks would determine whether "there's a danger of contagion of the Greek situation into France."
In cities across Europe, protests flared in solidarity with the demonstrations in Greece.
One rally outside the Greek Embassy in Rome turned violent on Wednesday, damaging police vehicles, overturning a car and setting a trash can on fire. In Denmark, protesters pelted riot police with bottles and paint in downtown Copenhagen; 63 people were detained and later released.
And in Spain, angry youths attacked banks, shops and a police station in Madrid and Barcelona late Wednesday. Some of the protesters chanted "police killers" and other slogans. Eleven people — including a Greek girl — were arrested at the two rallies, which drew a total of about 200 protesters.
Daniel Lostao, president of the state-financed Youth Council, an umbrella organization of Spanish youth groups, said young people in Spain face daunting challenges — soaring unemployment, low salaries and difficulty in leaving the family nest because of expensive housing.
Still, he said he doubted the protests in Spain would grow.
"We do not have the feeling that this is going to spread," Lostao said. "Let's hope I am not wrong."
In France, protesters set fire to two cars and a garbage can filled with flammable material outside the Greek consulate in Bordeaux Thursday and scrawled graffiti threatening more unrest, Greek Consul Michel Corfias said.
Graffiti reading "solidarity with the fires in Greece," was scrawled on the consulate and the word "insurrection" was painted on the doors of neighboring houses.
"The events in Greece are a trigger" for French youth angry by their own lack of economic opportunity, Corfias said.
Associated Press reporters Matt Moore in Berlin, Daniel Woolls in Madrid, Ariel David in Rome, John Leicester and Jamey Keaten in Paris, and Elena Becatoros in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.
On Chicagoland Resistance and Our Next Move
This weekend, nearly 300 workers took over their factory at Republic Window and Door in Chicago. This type of Direct Action is not new, but has not been seen in the U.S., the hq of capitalism, since 1937. Oddly enough, it was the workers of GM who staged that event in '37, and who are now on the brink of collapse in Detroit, but it was the United Electrical Workers Union who took action in Chicago. Six members of the collective here took the charge and went to Chicago to be in support and solidarity with these workers. What we found when we arrived was simultaneously inspiring and enraging.
Upon arriving at the factory, we were greeted by a hundred or so workers of Republic, carrying signs and passing out hot Chocolate to the supporters, which consisted mostly at that time of local union #105 Construction Union, a few marxist/socialists and us. The anarchist response in Chicago was not to be found.
We left out after a couple of hours in the freezing rain, to head over to find the Weiser House, an anarchist collective living space in Chicago. After finding the collective, and being welcomed in with food and smiles, we were told of a radical library in town hosting a weekly radical thought meeting. We left the space and went to the factory again, where we stayed for another couple of hours, talking with workers and watching the media have a fit over the conditions. The rain began to pour down and the major media outlets were told that if they were going to get a statement from local congressman Guittierez (sp?) they would have to move the set-up inside. They whined and pouted as I laughed, being that I was obtaining media coverage on a cellphone, to be broadcast internationally that night, and their millions of dollars of equipment was being rendered useless as the make-up ran on the faces of their "in the trenches" reporters. They won and the conference was held outside the building where we learned that nothing was changing and the bank had pushed off meetings to the next day. Same story, "we'll work on our terms, not yours".
So we headed off to meet up at the leiken radical library, where we encountered around a hundred anarchists, gathering for food and to watch a film about a factory take-over, called "The Take". It is a great film by Naomi Klein which covers the take-over of factories in Argentina. Problem here is, none of these anarchists were at the factory, but gathered to watch a film about the taking over a factory instead. I addressed the crowd and felt that there would be a critical response the next day.
Later that night, we returned to the Weiser house for some great conversation nd critique, and wonderful hospitality of the folks there. Thanks to them for that.
We were woken in the morning by a desperate plea for help, the factory was being raided! the report said. We quickly mobilized to the factory where there was no police raid, rather a gathering of interfaith church goers, there for a program they had organized. Problem here is, there is a factory take-over and these people had gathered for a program with THEIR agenda. I rose to speak at this gathering and was quickly silenced by the church. Nothing changes, these groups have historically come out for the cameras and pray holding hands at actions, then abruptly leave when the cameras are turned off. This is a vulture tactic used to appear to be in solidarity, but to remain safely removed from any movement that is there. Not only was I censored by the church, but the church had some other support....the local anarchists.
I was told that I was inappropriate for speaking "out of line" and that I was exerting "white male privilege" by speaking. No other resistance came against those claims, only bowed heads and silence from the small, very small group of anarchists that came. The person that called for the gathering under the distress signal of "raid" wasno whjere to be found, and the locals all split when the church group left. This is not to say that local wobblies were not there, they were, and Neil, a local wob, radical and seasoned veteran of action, brought drums, black flags and energy, but was not met with much support from anyone else.
This is meant to be a critical analysis of our lack of cohesion in movement today. This is not to say that anarchists are not doing good things, rather that when there is a calling for action, there does not seem to be much support if it is not within their realm of what is "good action". This is ridiculous. These workers started the flame and said repeatedly that they hoped this would be the catalyst for more action, and they were left hanging. They ended with recieving payment fromt he banks and bosses, and the action has, as of yet, been left to be singular. There was scattered action around the country that took place, ranging from strike lines at banks and actions against them, but mostly it is still unseen as being what it could have been, the beginning of real shift in power structure and worker/non-worker revolt.
This Saturday, at 5 PM, there is an emergency meeting in St. Louis, at Black Bear Bakery, where we will discuss how to move this forward. I would implore all who can, to be there.
www.blackbearbakery.org
Meanwhile, Greece has been in upheaval since a pig killed a kid last week. The events there are an inspiration and a call to arms for the world over, to begin to finally stop asking and start taking back our lives. With these events taking place, both Greece and Chicago, I feel that there is a calling to take action here, and up the fight against capitalism.
Our inability to mobilize, with all of the technology we now have, is sickening. In 1886, there was an incident at a small factory in Chicago, where pigs killed a few workers, and overnight thousands of fliers were printed and distributed and the nex day whousand of workers showed up to incite what we now know as "the Haymarket Affair". Without further action by us, this latest activity in Chicago will be seen as a small blow for labour, but a victory for capitalism. Let's not let this stop here.
Upon arriving at the factory, we were greeted by a hundred or so workers of Republic, carrying signs and passing out hot Chocolate to the supporters, which consisted mostly at that time of local union #105 Construction Union, a few marxist/socialists and us. The anarchist response in Chicago was not to be found.
We left out after a couple of hours in the freezing rain, to head over to find the Weiser House, an anarchist collective living space in Chicago. After finding the collective, and being welcomed in with food and smiles, we were told of a radical library in town hosting a weekly radical thought meeting. We left the space and went to the factory again, where we stayed for another couple of hours, talking with workers and watching the media have a fit over the conditions. The rain began to pour down and the major media outlets were told that if they were going to get a statement from local congressman Guittierez (sp?) they would have to move the set-up inside. They whined and pouted as I laughed, being that I was obtaining media coverage on a cellphone, to be broadcast internationally that night, and their millions of dollars of equipment was being rendered useless as the make-up ran on the faces of their "in the trenches" reporters. They won and the conference was held outside the building where we learned that nothing was changing and the bank had pushed off meetings to the next day. Same story, "we'll work on our terms, not yours".
So we headed off to meet up at the leiken radical library, where we encountered around a hundred anarchists, gathering for food and to watch a film about a factory take-over, called "The Take". It is a great film by Naomi Klein which covers the take-over of factories in Argentina. Problem here is, none of these anarchists were at the factory, but gathered to watch a film about the taking over a factory instead. I addressed the crowd and felt that there would be a critical response the next day.
Later that night, we returned to the Weiser house for some great conversation nd critique, and wonderful hospitality of the folks there. Thanks to them for that.
We were woken in the morning by a desperate plea for help, the factory was being raided! the report said. We quickly mobilized to the factory where there was no police raid, rather a gathering of interfaith church goers, there for a program they had organized. Problem here is, there is a factory take-over and these people had gathered for a program with THEIR agenda. I rose to speak at this gathering and was quickly silenced by the church. Nothing changes, these groups have historically come out for the cameras and pray holding hands at actions, then abruptly leave when the cameras are turned off. This is a vulture tactic used to appear to be in solidarity, but to remain safely removed from any movement that is there. Not only was I censored by the church, but the church had some other support....the local anarchists.
I was told that I was inappropriate for speaking "out of line" and that I was exerting "white male privilege" by speaking. No other resistance came against those claims, only bowed heads and silence from the small, very small group of anarchists that came. The person that called for the gathering under the distress signal of "raid" wasno whjere to be found, and the locals all split when the church group left. This is not to say that local wobblies were not there, they were, and Neil, a local wob, radical and seasoned veteran of action, brought drums, black flags and energy, but was not met with much support from anyone else.
This is meant to be a critical analysis of our lack of cohesion in movement today. This is not to say that anarchists are not doing good things, rather that when there is a calling for action, there does not seem to be much support if it is not within their realm of what is "good action". This is ridiculous. These workers started the flame and said repeatedly that they hoped this would be the catalyst for more action, and they were left hanging. They ended with recieving payment fromt he banks and bosses, and the action has, as of yet, been left to be singular. There was scattered action around the country that took place, ranging from strike lines at banks and actions against them, but mostly it is still unseen as being what it could have been, the beginning of real shift in power structure and worker/non-worker revolt.
This Saturday, at 5 PM, there is an emergency meeting in St. Louis, at Black Bear Bakery, where we will discuss how to move this forward. I would implore all who can, to be there.
www.blackbearbakery.org
Meanwhile, Greece has been in upheaval since a pig killed a kid last week. The events there are an inspiration and a call to arms for the world over, to begin to finally stop asking and start taking back our lives. With these events taking place, both Greece and Chicago, I feel that there is a calling to take action here, and up the fight against capitalism.
Our inability to mobilize, with all of the technology we now have, is sickening. In 1886, there was an incident at a small factory in Chicago, where pigs killed a few workers, and overnight thousands of fliers were printed and distributed and the nex day whousand of workers showed up to incite what we now know as "the Haymarket Affair". Without further action by us, this latest activity in Chicago will be seen as a small blow for labour, but a victory for capitalism. Let's not let this stop here.
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