This is our guide to political prisoners and prisoners of war we
support. Feel free to download, print, and distribute as you see fit. 
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Was Jesus an anarchist?
How should the person of faith relate to the institutions of the state
-- a state that sometimes engages in physical force, violence and war?
Should Christians accept that the state, even a warring state, enjoys
divine approval, or demonstrate that their citizenship is elsewhere by
resisting those actions of the state that are inconsistent with the
peaceble kingdom of God?
These are big questions that go to the heart of the discipline of political theology, and a new book considers a radical approach to that believer-state relationship. In Christian Anarchism: A Political Commentary on the Gospel, Alexandre Christoyannopoulos
argues that Christian anarchism is both a unique political theology and
a unique political theory. In this interview for Will & Testament,
I asked him to explain why he believes Christian anarchism represents a form of faithful Christian discipleship.
What is Christian anarchism?
The basic idea behind Christian anarchism is that when it comes to politics, "anarchism" is what follows (or is supposed to follow) from "Christianity". "Anarchism" here can mean, for example, a denunciation of the state (because through it we are violent, we commit idolatry, and so on), the envisioning of a stateless society, and/or the enacting of an inclusive, bottom-up kind of community life. And "Christianity" can be understood, for example, in the very rationalistic way Leo Tolstoy interprets it, through the Catholic framework Dorothy Day approaches it, or through the various Protestant eyes of people like Jacques Ellul, Vernard Eller, Dave Andrews or Michael Elliott. There can therefore be a lot of ways "Christianity" is interpreted, and equally there are many facets to this "anarchism". But one way or the other, Christian anarchism holds the view that, properly understood, what Jesus calls us to in the political sphere is some form of anarchism.
Read More
What is Christian anarchism?
The basic idea behind Christian anarchism is that when it comes to politics, "anarchism" is what follows (or is supposed to follow) from "Christianity". "Anarchism" here can mean, for example, a denunciation of the state (because through it we are violent, we commit idolatry, and so on), the envisioning of a stateless society, and/or the enacting of an inclusive, bottom-up kind of community life. And "Christianity" can be understood, for example, in the very rationalistic way Leo Tolstoy interprets it, through the Catholic framework Dorothy Day approaches it, or through the various Protestant eyes of people like Jacques Ellul, Vernard Eller, Dave Andrews or Michael Elliott. There can therefore be a lot of ways "Christianity" is interpreted, and equally there are many facets to this "anarchism". But one way or the other, Christian anarchism holds the view that, properly understood, what Jesus calls us to in the political sphere is some form of anarchism.
Read More
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Insurgent Anarchism: an idea whose time has come (Part I)
Photo: Tess Scheflan/Activestills.org
In the fall of 2011, as the autumn leaves were turning color, America’s largest metropolitan city was about to grab the world’s attention. On September 17, the first occupiers descended onto lower Manhattan and marched on the stock exchange, eventually settling in Zuccotti Park. Wall Street, the center of capitalist wealth and power was now under siege. As the word ‘Occupy’ indicated, it was not a one day protest. They were there for the long haul.
“The Occupy movement just lit a spark.” Noam Chomsky spoke of its historical significance as creating something that never existed before and bringing a marginalized discourse to the center. At Zuccotti Park, with a library and kitchen, a cooperative community arose with open spaces for sharing and mutual aid.
In a time of rampant apathy and weakening civic power, the Occupy movement came as a surprise to the status quo. In the wake of the Arab Spring, some may have seen a rising tide on the horizon. From the indignados movement, an iconic picture of Anonymous holding the sign “Nobody Expects the #Spanish Revolution“ went viral around the globe. The spirit of the uprising on Wall Street was similarly unexpected. Once the wave moved beyond the East Coast, Occupy inspired the nation and spread across the world.
Yet, after the winter’s slowdown and the brutal police crackdown of the encampment, the movement lost momentum and the waves of change seemed to be evaporating. Is it true that the Occupy movement is weakening? Are people not yet ready to truly challenge the corporate greed that is exploiting the majority of population for the benefit of 1%? The truth is, the tidal wave of world revolution is far from over. Just because it is less visible doesn’t mean Occupy is dead.
Read More
Monday, September 3, 2012
Why Chris Hedges Believes That Serious Revolt Is the Only Option People Have Left
Chris Hedges, a former New York Times reporter, has become perhaps the foremost media scribe and most prolific advocate of a need for revolutionary change in our current institutional oppression and control of the government by the oligarchical and political elite. Hedges writes with a reporter's detail, a prophet's eloquence and a compelling sense of urgency. This is evident in his latest book, which visits the "sacrifice zones" of America. Get the just-released "Days of Destruction Days of Revolt" (with illustrations by Joe Sacco) directly from Truthout right now by clicking here. Make a minimum donation and support progressive writers and Truthout.
Read More
The Anarchist Tension - Audio Book
"Anarchism is not a concept that can be locked up in a word like a gravestone. It is not a political theory. It is a way of conceiving life. And life, young or old as we may be, is not something definitive: it is a stake we must play day after day. When we wake up in the morning and put our feet on the ground we must have a good reason for getting up. If we don't it makes no difference whether we are anarchists or not. We might as well stay in bed and sleep."
Alfredo M. Bonanno, an Italian anarchist currently serving six years for charges related to the famous "Marini Trial," writes about insurrectionary anarchism.
The Anarchist Tension
|
Download the entire album with BitTorrent
CAUSE: Revolutionary Counter-Culture in Venezuela
Almost five months ago the group Cause (Causa) was born to support the work and creativity of artists and collectives. Its members and collaborators produce videos, photographs, t-shirts and even songs.
Cause came into being on 13 April 2012 with the premiere of the music video Patriot by the band Area 23, directed by Vicent Chanza and co-produced by Guarataro Films and Hip Hop Revolution. From that day the organisation Cause became known for supporting alternative culture in our country. Their slogan is “because original is going to the source”, and creativity is evident with videos, music videos, music, art, design, clothing, dance, photography, murals, graffiti, cinema, painting and illustration.
Read More