| "When, in some obscure country town, the farmers | | | | all that they can, committing all types of crimes, so that |
| come together to a special town meeting, to express | | | | they can prevent this change of organization, these |
| their opinion on some subject which is vexing the land, | | | | revolutionary changes.The arguments presented by all |
| that, I think, is the true Congress, and the most | | | | Conservative theorists and parties are always the |
| respectable one that is ever assembled in the United | | | | same. Whenever presented with a new reform, an |
| States."-- Henry David Thoreau, | | | | alteration of modern society, a change in organization |
| "Slavery in Massachusetts," 1906 Houghton Mifflin | | | | of social order, we always hear the same arguments. |
| edition printingWhat is it that turns a man or a woman | | | | We will always hear their primary argument: humanity |
| in to an Anarchist? When I ask this question, there are | | | | was not built for this new system. There is no way |
| many others that I might as well ask. What is it that | | | | that the nature of humans could ever allow for a |
| makes a person a Communist, a Socialist, a Liberal, a | | | | utopian dream. Man is naturally cruel, greedy, and |
| Leftist, a Syndicalist, a Freethinker, a Non-Conformist -- | | | | mean-hearted, and it is his baser instincts that should |
| all words in to one, what is it that makes a man a | | | | be given free reign in the social order; otherwise, the |
| Progressive? I know the definitions of these terms. I | | | | functionality that we appreciate of today's economy |
| am quite familiar with that part of the question, "what | | | | would completely fail. "It won't work!" Of course, |
| makes a person a progressive?" A person is made a | | | | though, this was the same argument the |
| Communist by his ideal of turning all farms, factories, | | | | Conservatives presented to Abolitionists and Women |
| and mines in to public property. Another individual is | | | | Suffragists. They claimed that, if the slaves were |
| made an anti-authoritarian by his ideal for a social | | | | freed, or if women were allowed to vote, that the nuts |
| organization where authority must respect all the rights | | | | and bolts of social organization would snap, and we |
| of the private citizen. Those who call themselves | | | | would end up as hunter gatherers again. They also tell |
| Liberals are supportive of reform measures in the | | | | us that these new reforms will compromise our |
| system, such as welfare to alleviate poverty. All of | | | | integrity. "By giving women the right to vote, it saps the |
| these individuals, all of these little sects, collectives, and | | | | morality out of men," is the argument. They will make |
| groups work to change the world. Respect for the | | | | references to god and religion, or just about any |
| freedom of association, speech, and thought; | | | | obscure, unknown, unseen principle. Since religion has |
| demilitarization of all western nations; regulations to | | | | kept men in shackles for hundreds of years, these |
| protect the working class; a fair tax that takes more | | | | industrialists feel content that it can still keep them in |
| from the wealthy than from the poor. It is understood | | | | slavery for the coming years. Whatever the case, the |
| by nearly everyone that these are the common ends | | | | arguments of these Conservatives always fail. Our |
| that these progressive groups organize to achieve.The | | | | social organization is a much more effective system |
| essential premise of every group I mentioned was the | | | | than theirs, in theory and in practice. There is no |
| improvement of mankind by certain changes, reforms, | | | | argument that can bypass that simple fact.It is we, the |
| and other alterations of habit and policy. "By following | | | | Anarchists, the Progressives, the Communists, the |
| the suggestions we present here, in heart and in mind, | | | | Socialists, and the others who want to compromise |
| following them as a practice and believing in them as a | | | | the position of a few top individuals in order to give |
| theory, we will create a better condition of civilization," | | | | peace and liberty to the general population. Because of |
| they all say, "We will support this change. Some will | | | | this, we have a second reason to come together and |
| offer our support in finances, others in action, others in | | | | work in cooperation. We call this reason a sense of |
| their vote, and others still, just in their voice. In effect, | | | | justice, of right conquering wrong, of good triumphing |
| we will be creating a new order of social organization | | | | over evil; we are motivated to work side by side so |
| and cultural understanding that will alleviate misery and | | | | that we can achieve the greater good. In marches, we |
| create happiness." All of our arguments generally | | | | stand face-to-face with riot police. In unions, we |
| seem to be based on philanthropy; we have the same | | | | always must accept the fact of a lockout or losing our |
| motives as those men and women who want to end | | | | jobs. We are rebellious and non-conformist students in |
| suffering and make a utopia out of the existing social | | | | the schools and organizers of the people. The fact |
| order. That is to say, not that class of individual who | | | | that we must band together, that we must have a |
| calls themselves revolutionary, or even reformer, but | | | | living and breathing solidarity with our brothers and |
| one who goes by the title philanthropist, humanitarian, or | | | | sisters, that we are fighting together against the |
| saint to the poor and unwanted. These people who | | | | enemies of goodness and truth, that there are people |
| are trying to improve the lot of mankind when they | | | | who are working to oppress us, all of these facts bring |
| build hospitals, arrange for funds to cure cancer or | | | | us together and make us fight harder. Philanthropists |
| educate the people, organize community activities, or | | | | never bring people together to "achieve social justice" |
| they work to feed those whose our social order has | | | | or "eliminate the system that has caused so many |
| hurt the most. This is always the case when it comes | | | | toxic excesses." Only revolutionaries come together in |
| to the poor, minorities, or other groups that have been | | | | order to obstruct the path of the god Moloch, to |
| disadvantaged by the present situation of society. | | | | organize so that our combined strength is enough to |
| Today when we look back, at authors like Saint-Simon | | | | outdo the enormous, centralized, regimented forces of |
| who argued for a fund be set up for innovation and | | | | the defenders of slavery. That is where this sense of |
| technology, or promiment figures like Jane Addams | | | | justice always come from. We unite not just as |
| who managed a charity house. While we praise these | | | | bringers of a new way of life, the prophets of an ideal |
| people as the great forefathers of the philanthropy | | | | civilization realized through cooperative effort. We unite |
| movements, in their time, they were considered | | | | as active and powerful changers of the current |
| revolutionaries, breakers of society's tides. In their own | | | | standing order. We work together not to ask for |
| time, these defenders of science funds and poor | | | | scraps from our masters, but to demand and take our |
| houses were considered unorthodox, maybe even | | | | liberty back from them!The first act of becoming a |
| un-Christian and anti-social.The goals of these | | | | revolutionary is in understanding that the current state |
| humanitarians and revolutionaries are the same: to | | | | of society is not the only way social organization can |
| create a society where there is less evil and greater | | | | take place. There is a better way for the world exist |
| good. What is the difference, then, between the | | | | and there are better policies for men to adopt. Should |
| philanthropists and social agitators? The motives of | | | | these progressive policies gain widespread approval, |
| both may essentially both be the same: we want to | | | | the primary miseries of civilization will be abolished and |
| create a world that is much more desirable. The | | | | the excesses and corruption of the spirit will be |
| philanthropists do this through charity work, while the | | | | eliminated. The philosophers will look at this new culture |
| revolutionaries do this through trying to change the | | | | and this new people, and maybe they will call them |
| system. The first respect the social order and desire | | | | ideal, but I know the poets will look upon our new world |
| not to change it, while the second feels that all of the | | | | and say it is free. The second step in becoming a |
| ills of our present system are caused by the | | | | revolutionary is accepting and believing the fact that |
| regulations and laws of the people. The call of the | | | | this free world is and always has been possible, but |
| charity worker is, "Work together, in order to help | | | | there are privileged individuals of the current system |
| those who have been lost." But the call of the | | | | who have mobilized their power against the interests |
| revolutionary soldier is, "Work together, in order that | | | | of the people. In order to set up a food bank or |
| we might overthrow today's oppressive regime." We | | | | housing for the homeless, philanthropists are not |
| differ from the humanitarians in many marked ways. | | | | hindered by police officers. But in order to destroy the |
| Most notable of all differences, there is the question of | | | | system that causes starvation and homelessness, we |
| how society respects these two groups. Rarely has | | | | are are attacked, harassed, and beaten by the |
| the established order ever taken an opposition to | | | | stormtroopers of the present order. They bitterly |
| charity groups. They don't seek to change things, but | | | | oppose us, because if we succeed, then they lose |
| only to alleviate temporary miseries; and they do this | | | | their power, and the world loses all forms of slavery |
| as though the suffering they end is not a part of the | | | | and authority. The third and final step of becoming a |
| system's excess, but in accordance with the idea that | | | | revolutionary, of becoming the gunpowder to spark an |
| the humans of this society are flawed. They believe in | | | | explosion in social relationships, is action. We must act. |
| the theory that humanity, not the social relationship, | | | | We must proliferate these ideas, organize unions, |
| needs to be reformed. Either it's the poor not trying | | | | protest, march in the streets, publish, distribute, |
| hard enough, or it's the wealthy not being liberal enough. | | | | exchange, cooperate, manage, organize, organize, |
| The theories of charity workers never ceases to | | | | organize. That is the call to the Anarchist of our |
| impress the imaginations of revolutionaries.We want to | | | | world.The only reason that liberty means anything to |
| alter the system, change its rules, revolutionize the | | | | us is because authority means something to us. If we |
| social organization. The traditions or heritages that the | | | | were ignorant of their tactics of imprisonment, torture, |
| members of human history have carried with them | | | | executions, censorship, and deception; if we were |
| must be abandoned. There is a better word for such | | | | totally blind to their methods of oppression, coercion, |
| "traditions": prejudices. And they must be left behind, | | | | and violence, then we would not cling to liberty as an |
| ignored, and not our source of guidance, if we are | | | | all-serving agent of good. It was not until disease came |
| going to live cooperatively and mutually in order to | | | | about that physicians stressed prevention methods of |
| achieve peace and happiness. In desiring to change | | | | spreading germs. It was not until cancer came about |
| social roles, we revolutionaries act as an enormous | | | | that medical professionals became so engrossed in |
| threat to those who have power. The defenders of | | | | chasing the cure. And it so happens with our cause: |
| Civil Rights acted as a threat to those the white | | | | the illness Capitalism and government shows with the |
| community that had accepted the prejudices of an | | | | extraordinary amounts of poverty, unemployment, and |
| ancient society. Martin Luther King's efforts focused on | | | | misery. It seems to be a perpetual hell on this earth, |
| allowing African Americans in any role in society, | | | | solely because the heritage and traditions of our |
| whether as members of the ruling class, employees of | | | | forefathers included Capitalism, an idea that would |
| any business, or students of all schools. The | | | | serve as the right hand to exploitation. The one |
| advocates of Free Enterprise were an enormous | | | | common string that can be found in all of these |
| threat to the feudal lords. They wanted all serfs to be | | | | progressive movements, whether Anarchist, |
| freed from what has always seemed to be a | | | | Syndicalist, Libertarian, Liberal, Communist, Socialist, or |
| perpetual slavory of the poor and downtrodden. The | | | | Marxist, is to overthrow authority where it is harmful |
| Feminist movement, the anti-Child labor movement, the | | | | towards mankind. Progressivists of human sexuality |
| Socialist movement, the Environmentalist movement -- | | | | argue that the state should have no authority over |
| all of these organizations of citizens were brought | | | | sexual activity; group of individuals can do whatever |
| together so that the social order would be rearranged | | | | they want, so long as there is consent. Unionists |
| for the interests of all. We are a threat to the | | | | always organize so that employers do not have as |
| established "way of things," this rightfully demonized | | | | much authority over them. And those proud members |
| thing called culture. All of the members who benefit | | | | of the civil disobedience squad are in opposition to the |
| from the culture, all of those who hold high positions, or | | | | government's use of authority in foreign countries, |
| moderately high positions, all of them have an interest | | | | through aggressive militarism and imperialism. We may |
| in preventing the revolution from achieving its aims. | | | | use all of these titles and names that we've applied to |
| Whether it creates happiness or not, whether it | | | | ourselves in so many cases. But the goals of these |
| prevents suffering or not, it doesn't matter. Their | | | | leftist activists is all the same: to eliminate the painful |
| argument is and always will be: "We may or may not | | | | condition of being a slave in obedience to an unjust |
| believe in our way of doing things. That's not the point | | | | authority.As men and women who seek change in |
| at hand. The point at hand is that I can live like a king | | | | society, our primary objective is this: to organize the |
| so long as you live like a slave. If you stop being a | | | | social forces in a way that justice, peace, and equality |
| slave, I won't be able to exist in the lavish conditions | | | | genuinely exist. For this reason, we are in the same |
| that give me luxury and comfort."Philanthropists and | | | | ranks as social reformers, organizers of charities, |
| charity workers organize in order to save the system. | | | | pro-bono legal counsel for the poor, distributors of |
| Their calling to hand is the betterment of mankind. That | | | | foodboxes to low-income families, and those who |
| is the initial instinct that draws together Socialists, | | | | cook food to give to the homeless. What makes us, |
| Communists, Leftists, Progressives, and Anarchists in | | | | the revolutionaries of the world, different from these |
| their efforts: the betterment of mankind. However, we | | | | philanthropists is that we believe the misery of society |
| differ widely at this point in the road with our brothers | | | | was created by its organization. In our opinion, poverty |
| of good heart. We want to destroy the system, in | | | | is not simply the biproduct of the Capitalist, so much as |
| order so a more effective social organization can take | | | | it is the direct result of Free Enterprise. War, |
| place, where the miseries of mankind are absent and | | | | Imperialism, and Colonialism, the exploitation of these |
| where his freedom is prized above all else. In their | | | | foreign countries, is not an indirect result of |
| efforts, they are met with kindness and felicity. But in | | | | government, but the chief aim of all organized, |
| our efforts, as revolutionaries and agitators of the | | | | hierarchial groups. Racism, bigotry, prejudice, and |
| government, the coals under the foot of the giant, we | | | | cultural clashes are not so much caused by |
| are opposed, detested, and persecuted. The | | | | differences of heritage, so much as they are caused |
| Haymarket Riot was caused by police officers | | | | by lack of a truly free education. We analyze society, |
| shooting and killing unarmed protestors who wanted an | | | | and see the very causes of all the suffering that |
| eight hour work day. Thousands of Pacifists were | | | | humans are enduring. And, as revolutionaries, it is our |
| arrested by the government for refusing to take up | | | | goal not to repair the damage done by the system, but |
| arms against their fellow brethren of European nations | | | | to change the system. That is the manifesto of a |
| in the first world war. Those who burned their draft | | | | revolutionary. Life, |
| cards during the Vietnam conflict were likewise | | | | PunkerslutPunkerslut (or Andy Carloff) has been |
| arrested. The authors of unpopular essays, pamphlets, | | | | writing essays and poetry on social issues which have |
| and journals have always been oppressed by society | | | | caught his attention for several years. His website |
| or looked upon with suspicion by authorities. Whether | | | | provides a complete list of all of these writings. His life |
| they released publications that question sexual morals | | | | experience includes homelessness, squating in New |
| or supported equal rights, their books have been | | | | Orleans and LA, dropping out of high school, getting |
| censored and their publishers have been fined. There is | | | | expelled from college for "subversive activities," and a |
| this enormous structure of the privileged classes, doing | | | | myriad of other revolutionary actions. |