Comments on: The Fruits of Anarchist "Anti-Racism"

By: genxgina

genxgina — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:55:49 +0000

thank you for posting this article. i tend to agree with all you said. i find myself embarrassed to be a white educated “leftie” or “liberal” when in the company of people “of color,” especially when also in the company of other white educated “liberal elitist” types who speak in a patronizing paternalistic manner about “social issues” and “racial politics.” Maybe we should keeppolitics out of it and just do what needs to be done for all of us to live in freedom from tyranny and let people maintain their autonomy, and make decisions for themselves to improve their own lives, if that’s what they want in the first place, and not assume we know what’s best for everyone because it’s what we’ve determined is best for us.

By: Andrew Yeoman

Andrew Yeoman — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:08:36 +0000

Good analysis, I agree with it completely.

By: TGGP

TGGP — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:17:54 +0000

The "Part Two" link actually goes to an SPLC story on California national-anarchists rather to one about APOC/SAWB. Erik Kuehnelt von Leddihn's book is available for download. Rothbard argues for the left-wing position on making the personal political on more topics. Personally, I'm with Anthony de Jasay and against politics.

By: Hispanics, blacks, liberals, young most in favor of secession « Entitled to an Opinion

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:08:37 +0000

[...] about the overall numbers of the poll before, but I was surprised by those results. Hat tip to Keith Preston. I actually did expect that the south would be the region most supportive, but those other factors [...]

By: Bunker

Bunker — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 02:12:51 +0000

I really like your blog and i respect your work. I’ll be a frequent visitor.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:38:45 +0000

That von Kuehnelt-Leddihn quote is really important. One of the central arguments I’ve been (unsuccessfully) trying to make to left libertarians is that politics is not always the appropriate tool for addressing every evil. The point of the cross-ideological coalition is to address those things that are politically actionable: things that are concrete like the government, occupation armies, corporate operations, etc. I’d say institutional racism falls into this category, but racism in the abstract? That’s far too subtle.

The personal is often political, but that doesn’t mean that standard issue anarchist political action is always the prescription. There are certain aspects of authoritarianism and bigotry that just are very hard to work with in a political setting, because there is little around which to rally other than anecdotal experiences. This doesn’t mean one cannot work towards a less racist world; it simply means that the work may not be overtly political, that it’s a much more about connecting with individuals than about establishing formal institutions to pursue this desire for justice and egalitarianism.

There is real work to be done as individuals with other individuals that transcends politics and political identity. “Lifestyle anarchism” is the cancerous growth of the mindset that everything about our human experience can only be pursued via politics. It turns human life into a symbol rather than something worth living freely for its own sake.

By: Quagmire

Quagmire — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:54:45 +0000

Great post. These are all ideas that have been swarming around in my head recently.