337 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
337 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
Anarchy: a journal of desire armed. #38, Fall 1993
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COLUMNS
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-includes The Iconoclast's Hammer by Feral Faun, Untitled Fiction by
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Peter Sapira, The School of Metastasis, Iraq - the Unknown Revolts,
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and Anarchist Contacts.
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The Iconoclast's Hammer
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By Feral Faun
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Radical Theory: A Wrecking Ball for Ivory Towers
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"Radical theory is thinking becoming sensually integrated into an
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insurgent life and learning, however slowly, to express itself with
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precision and fluidity."
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It seems to have become a given among many anti-authoritarians
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that radical theory is an academic pursuit. On the one hand, there
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are the ideological activists who accuse anyone who attempts to
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critically analyze society or their own activities in a way that
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goes beyond the latest hip anarchist sloganeering of being armchair
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intellectuals or academics. On the other hand, there are those who
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supplement the income of their academic/intellectual professions by
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writing tracts criticizing society, the left or even their own pro-
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fessions, but in such abstract and insubstantial terms as to be
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meaningless in relation to their own lives. These intellectual
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``radicals'' and anti-intellectual activists remain equally
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enslaved to society's discourse. Radical theory is elsewhere.
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Radical theory springs from the energy of insurgent desire first
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as a basic recognition that the social context in which we find
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ourselves impoverishes our lives. Because we have been educated not
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to think, but rather to have thoughts, it is very easy to fall from
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this basic recognition into accepting one or another ``radical''
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ideology, mouthing the appropriate slogans and participating in the
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mindless activism (better called reactivism) which jumps and dances
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for every cause and issue, but never attacks society at its root.
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I've heard ``class war'' anarchists (many of them from upper middle
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class backgrounds) justify such stupidity by declaring any attempts
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at more precise and critical thinking to be an expression of
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classist privilege - even when those making the attempts are high
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school dropout lumpen. But there is nothing radical about stupidity
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or "thinking" in slogans even when they're anarchist slogans.
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Radical theory is the attempt to understand the complex system of
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relationships which is society, how it reproduces itself and the
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individual as a part of itself, and how one can begin to undermine
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its control and take back one's life in order to become a self-
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creative individual. It has no place in either the ivory tower of
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the academy or that of mindless ideological (re)activism. It is
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rather an integral part of an active insurgence against society.
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Having recognized that society impoverishes our lives, it is a
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very small step to realize that the simplistic sloganeering that is
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frequently passed off as radical thought is part of this
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impoverishment. It belittles us as individuals by substituting
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itself for thinking and imagination. ``Smash authority!'' is a
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wonderful sentiment, but that's all it is. It tells us nothing
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about the nature of authority, our relationship to it, its
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trajectories and tendencies or how we can go about destroying it.
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This is why those for whom this slogan is an adequate analysis of
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authority continue to repeat the same futile and insipid actions
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over and over again as signs of their resistance to authority,
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actions which have long since proven only to reinforce authority by
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creating easily confined rituals of pseudo-opposition which keep
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rebellion domesticated.
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The small step which opens the possibility of thinking beyond
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slogans is an about-face, a reversal of perspective. If society
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impoverishes our lives, if it offers nothing worth having, then
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there is no reason for any of us to let this absurd system of
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relationships into which we have been integrated continue to deter-
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mine how we view the world either by acceptance of its perspective
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or by reaction to it. Instead our attempts to create our lives as
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fully and intensely as possible, which will bring us into conflict
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with society, can be the basis for an ongoing analysis of society
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and our relationship to it that challenges and enhances our
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thinking and imaginations and stimulates an active insurgence
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against authority as it exists in the interactions that create our
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daily lives. This analysis can not be a static set of ideas and
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principles, because it is an integral part of a dialectic of
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thinking and living as an insurgent, self-creating individual. As
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such, it is an integral part of action, not a separate
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specialization. Written expressions of this analysis (which should
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not be mistaken for the analysis itself) require the development of
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a language that is very precise and very fluid, very pointed and
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very playful. I am very far from attaining this, but am trying to
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develop it. The language of the situationists (particularly Debord
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and Vaneigem in his SI days) was aiming for this. But those who
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prefer slogans to intensive analysis frequently accuse those
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attempting to develop such a language of ``intellectualism,'' yet
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only by developing such a language can the expression of theory be
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wrested from intellectual specialists and made into an integral
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part of an active insurgence.
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Radical theory is an aspect of a way of living which smashes all
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ivory towers. It exposes the theories that spill from the academic
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ivory towers as lifeless shams. It exposes the actions of the
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ideologues of activism as mindless reaction. To put it another way,
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theorists who aren't living an insurgent life say nothing that's
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worth saying, and activists who refuse to think critically do
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nothing worth doing. Radical theory is thinking becoming sensually
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integrated into an insurgent life and learning, however slowly, to
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express itself with precision and fluidity. When developed it cuts
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like a well-honed knife.
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Untitled fiction by Peter Sapira
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Dr. George Lemming stood behind the large oak desk in the empty
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classroom and prepared for what would be his first lecture as a
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Harvard University professor. Prior to last August, he had always
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lived in England where he spent the last 15 years as the dean of
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history at a small university. There he gained the reputation as an
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expert in the study of feudal England through his books and lec-
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tures. It was this wide academic acclaim that prompted Harvard to
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offer him a position on their staff. The benefits that this oppor-
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tunity provided made it impossible for Lemming to decline. However,
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he did have apprehensions about teaching in America. George viewed
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his work as sacrosanct, and he feared that the American students
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would be arrogant and unresponsive to the reverence which he tried
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to instill his classes with.
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As he began to question his decision once more, the class began
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to assemble. He did not look at the faces as they entered the room.
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Instead he was trying to forget that these were not familiar
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surroundings, that this was not the same small university where he
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was so revered. Because of this introspection, George Lemming
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failed to notice a young man of the most bizarre appearance enter
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amongst the class. This student had an unhealthy paleness about his
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face and the old top hat that partially covered his straggled black
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hair looked as if it had once belonged to a chimney sweep. He wore
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black jeans, brown vinyl cowboy boots and an orange T-shirt with
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the name Rudi printed on the back. The oddity rushed to the back of
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the room and slid into a chair where he sat grinding his teeth and
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clutching the sides of the desk.
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About midway through the lecture, just as George had begun to feel
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he had established some control, Rudi's teeth grinding grew louder
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and sweat began to drip from his face onto the desk. Several
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students began to stare at him, not knowing whether they should be
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amused or frightened. His breathing became louder and sporadic and
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it appeared that he was about to hyperventilate. When this panting,
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grinding and sweating reached its climax, Rudi flung himself up so
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fiercely that he knocked the chair and desk to the floor as he
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screamed, "Let's go you bunch of stains! Oh boy!!" Everyone then
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watched as Rudi stumbled slowly forward. At the front of the
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classroom, he stood beside the same desk that Dr. Lemming was now
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trembling behind.
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Rudi then placed his top hat on the desk, bowed slightly to the
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professor, and proudly announced, "Excuse me! Excuse me! Please
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pardon the interruption, but I think I have something of interest
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to show you all." He then lowered his head and started laughing.
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Then trying to gain his composure, he covered his mouth to hide a
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smirk. Still giggling, he addressed the class again, "Really,
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you're gonna like this. I promise. I swear!" With a renewed
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intensity he turned sideways to the class and shouted, "Observe!"
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He then flung himself into the air in an apparent attempt to
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perform a back flip. However, he did not rotate enough while in the
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air so instead of landing on his feet, Rudi smashed his head on the
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hard wood floor. He jumped up screaming, hands clasped behind his
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head, blood spurting through his fingers. He started running
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blindly around the classroom, slamming into desks, bouncing off
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cement walls, and ricochetting back into the desks, knocking stu-
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dents to the floor. As Rudi continued on his rampage, Dr. Lemming
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decided to leave. He began to tip toe his way through the carnage
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toward the door. Just as his hand was about to turn the knob, the
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door flew open, hit Lemming on the head and knocked him out. Then
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through the door way, a tall, gaunt, blond man jumped into the
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room. He was dressed like Rudi, only his T-shirt had `Rodney'
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printed on the back. Seemingly unaware of the upturned desks and
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tangled bodies, he started performing an array of uncoordinated
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spins and jumps about the room. "I've always loved ballet," he
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cooed, "It's so graceful. I wish I was a ballerina instead of a
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hairdresser!"
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Rodney then finished his routine and bowed to the unconscious
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audience. He then noticed Rudi crouched in a corner, still clasping
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his bleeding head. "Rudi!" he shrieked, "Your hair is an absolute
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mess! My God, you've tried to dye it red! Oh well, come along dar-
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ling, off to the salon with you!" The two then linked arms and
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jumped out of the seventh story window. After landing safely on the
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ground, they met Dr. Shone Fraide. A dentist who, over a five year
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period in Tasmania, would show our two young heros the true meaning
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of anarchy. Actually, Rudi and Rodney were killed instantly from
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their jump out of the window, but Shone Fraide was there to pull
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all of their teeth out.
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The School of Metastasis
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Are you psychic? If you have money and a gullible disposition,
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come to the "Sixth Sense Seminary" course at the School of Meta-
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stasisTM. We'll reinforce your most naive illusions about your
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extrasensory abilities to engage in telephony, psycho-immiseration,
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slide projection, clear-annoyance, past-life beatings and much
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more! Sure to be profitable for us and confusing for you.
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* * * * *
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Do you want to be a millionaire? Would you enjoy living in a world
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where the wealthy few exploit the impoverished many, as long as
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you're one of those wealthy few? Come to our absolutely free
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lecture=FE"Exploitation is Your Right" and find out how to make more
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money without feeling guilty about it.
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* * * * *
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Learn how to trap the genius within you! The School of MetastasisTM
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offers classes in dream crisis intervention, transcendental seda-
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tion, advanced day-dreaming, mental crutch construction, psychic
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potty-training, asshole projection, psychopathy, and more!
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Remember, all you need to bring to our classes are your cash and
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an empty head. We'll do all the thinking for you!
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March 7, 1991: IRAQ - THE UNKNOWN REVOLTS
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Two years ago, the allied forces of triumphant capitalism, at war
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for their new world order, came across in Iraq the old fear that
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haunts all the rich of this world: the offensive and fighting
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autonomy of the proletariat.
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By forming the Shoras (autonomous grassroots organizations), and by
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attacking the mosques, city halls, prisons, police stations, banks
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and businesses, these ``nobodies,'' who were considered to be
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forever recruited in the service of all states, revolted, thus
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showing the only possible way to have done with war, exploitation
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and oppression forever. Yesterday with conventional machine-gun
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fire, today with digitalized bombing, we are always condemned to
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the silence of the grave: A leaden silence over 700,000 dead.
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On this 7th of March, 1993, the tons of bombs have temporarily
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yielded to the humanitarian aid of the nationalist-democrats. These
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vultures are continuing, through their charitable, religious, paci-
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fist, UN-style, etc. organizations, their role as the guard-dogs of
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capital. Let's not be duped by their democracy: a Kurdish parlia-
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ment is still a parliament; a Bosnian state is still a state;
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capitalism, regardless of its colour or language, is still capi-
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talism and therefore war.
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The authors can be contacted - and their pamphlet Iraq, les
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r=82voltes inconnues can be obtained at the following address:
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C.D.L., C.P. 5209, Succ. C, Montr=82al, Qu=82bec, H2X 3N2, Canada
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[I suggest people send a blank postal money order for $3.50 Cdn.
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to cover expenses: if you can't afford this, write anyway. -tr.]
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Anarchist Contacts
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This is a listing of addresses of groups and individuals who
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would like to see the growth and development of anarchist
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practice of one form or another. The list may help those
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participating to make regional contacts and intercommunication
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links based on their self-defined perspectives.
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If you'd like to see your address added to this listing just
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write to us and we'll include your name, address, and a short (20
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words or less) description of your perspective, practice and/or
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desires. Each contact address will be run in two successive
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issues.
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(Note: We are only compiling this list, we are not endorsing the
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positions of those who have asked to be listed.)
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Institute of Fatuous
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Research
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BM JED
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London, WC1N 3XX
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England
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Conspiracy M.E.D.I.A.
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POB 158324
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Nashville, TN. 37215
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Publishers of Radical Pizza zine, R.A.D! music zine, and
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anarchist-oriented computer bulletin board Mondo Gordo! BBS.
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Psychoriot Sound
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c/o Count Zee
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POB 752
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Crocker, MO. 65452
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"Composer/axeman/music softwear programmer looking for any
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creative outlet for video, live or other projects. Relocating to
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Alabama. Advice?"
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Brian Metz
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POB 70551
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Richmond, VA. 23255
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"I wish to build correspondences with anyone sincerely interested
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in progression toward a shark-and-pig-free world."
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Dale R. Gowin
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#91-B-0209
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POB 500
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Elmira, NY. 14902
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"Anarchist activist and `drug-war' POW seeks correspondence re:
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counter-cultural movements and conscious social-revolutionary use
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of psychedelic sacraments."
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Joanne Bender
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23 Linlake Dr.
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St. Catherines, Ontario L2N 2M5 Canada
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"Would like to correspond/share info & ideas with other
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anarchists/radical environmentalists/ people interested/involved
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with ALF."
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Thornton Kimes
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605=AB S. Main #2
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Seattle, WA. 98104
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"Bi anarchadude seeks (bi) pen friends, friends to hang out with
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and give/receive massages to/from, cuddlebuddies and/or a
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bianarchist household..."
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Dan McGarrigan IIII
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333 Springhouse Road
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Newtown, PA. 18940
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"I like punk music, political rap, nature Wicca, and debating
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against right wing extremists."
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Mike Kelly #493005 &
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Victor Mendoza #410216
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Clements Unit
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9601 NE 24th Ave.
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Amarillo, TX. 79107
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"Anarchist revolutionary artists."
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Pong Juie Jung
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205 School Street
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Somerville, MA 02143
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"Situationalist/zerowork/vegetarian/simple living/ urban
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survivalist/samurai/Native American cultures."
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Bloodclot
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University of Houston
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Box 926113
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Houston, TX. 77292-6113
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"Campus-aired radical/ anarchist TV program seeks your political
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films, videotape footage and input."
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