lit fuse issue 2

8/19/2019 Lit Fuse Issue 2

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We are Lit Fuse. A monthly anarchist periodi-cal published by the Athens based radical col-lective, Bombs Away. BA aims to entertain, en-

lighten, and enrage our readers. The point isto open a dialogue with commentary on localand global topics. We also want to reach outto potential comrades who want to get involvedwith the radical community here in town, whichis continually growing. We aim to combat sex-ism, white supremacy, transphobia/homophobia,xenophobia and any other form of hierarchy. Wefight to empower those who want to start afire; the fire of anarchy and true liberty de-

void of domination. Another world is possible;first we must build it “in the shell of theold world.” Join us and light the fuse.

If you want to write for us, to us or want toget involved shoot us a line at [email protected] for meeting times and loca-tions! Follow our bookstore on facebook!

See you soon,

What are you guys doing?

Thanks for your question, real person who sent this in who is notjust us talking to ourselves in a coffee shop. Basically, this zinefunctions dually: as a newsletter for all the radical (and justrad) activities the Bombs Away collective and assorted comrades areup to around Athens and a forum for artistic and political expres-sion from any number of creative people in the community. Like whatit says in the mission statement over there, but with fewer semico-

Why didn t anyone send in any letters for issue

What is the meaning of life?

That's a big question for a little zine! Are you sure you didn'tsend this to us by accident instead of Cosmo or Gourmet ? Anyway,we don't know. Invest in renewable energy.

I want to write an article about how the later Mario Kart

games offer a workable critique of technocratic para-

digm. Proposed title “Blue Shelled: The Decay of Utopi

an Socialism in Kart-based Economic Parable.”

Cool, shoot us a draft at babcollectiv

[email protected]. We'll pub-

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Waing onNates Meeng

Notes

Waing on Nates

Meeng Notes


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The Pendulum is Swinging Back

Comrade Rant

Between white supremacists openly organizing and pro-rape

advocates espousing their disgusting messages on a global scale, it's safe

to say we are approaching a new, familiar chapter for anti-fascist resistance

and it is up to us to confront these would-be despots. A trend of passivity has

swept across the United States, urging people not to directly confront these

dangerous ideologues. Please understand: this is extremely problematic.

State Police, “free speech” advocates, and movement policing protect these

violent ideologies. We must abandon the idea that free speech encom-

passes oppressive, racist and sexist proponents. Sure, these people can

freely state their ideas of their sick fantasy world, but we should be expected

to freely toss rocks at their heads in response. European antifascists seem

to understand this brand of logic, demonstrated when London anarchists

outnumbered fascists at their own march last August. Ideologies that encour-

age hate are spreading violence, and remaining passive allows that violence

to grow.

As privileged, conservative Americans continue to find themselves in an

unfamiliar landscape where norms and traditions are challenged, their very

“ American” identity becomes challenged by the presence of an “Other,”

whether it be refugees, Black Lives Matter protestors, feminists, anarchists,

or teenage Trotskyist Martians. BLM seems to have become a target of par-

anoid traditionalists. Recent events involving people of color murdered by

police and white supremacists have popped the color -blind bubble in which

many in the U.S. have been living.

Now the pendulum is swinging back. Just as Italian and German

working-class citizens embraced Nationalist ideas around the 1920s-1930s,

Americans are following similar patterns with mass patriotism and blaming

the failures of the state apparatus/capitalism on “non- Americans” or undocu-

mented immigrants—the“Others

”who challenge national identity, the mi-

grants who believe in the American dream most of all and have died trying to

attain the dream while met with xenophobic attacks once they arrive. A patri-

otic hive mind has generated and is mobilizing in the forms of the silent ma-

jority, armed militias, Blue Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, and every patriotic/

traditionalist group conceivable. These groups exist to combat and demonize

anyone who questions the narrative of this country, scared to learn that the

narrative is a lie.

The borders we have drawn across the globe only exist in our minds. Our

loyalty to whatever country we reside in is unmerited and we

owe only our gratitude to each other, not as Americans but

as fellow humans. The terrorists we have created in our

heads have grown and now Americans fear every woman

with a hijab, every man with a beard.


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This is a product of the media’s fear campaign and it keeps us reliant on those

who claim to protect us. While we’ve been obsessing over ISIS threats, something

sinister has been permitted to grow in our own soil. Fascism is making a comeback,

and it’s a global problem. The so-called refugee crisis wasn’t a problem for many

until France was attacked; within a day people who had had no opinion on Syrian

refugees were suddenly experts on border security. Most Americans have no idea

that Rojova, Iraq, and Lebanon were also targets of ISIS that week. Before France,

Donald Trump’s proposal to build a wall keeping Mexican migrants out was met with

standing ovations. A seed has grown into something sinister.

Before we continue, it’s important to discuss fascism and truly understand what itmeans. It seems no one wants to come to terms with our current reality; instead,

people want to label Nazis or white supremacists as mere “extremists.” This takes

away the meaning behind these threats; the term extremist is an umbrella term en-

compassing anyone unwilling to work within systematic boundaries. Fascism’s basic

definition is: an authoritarian and nationalistic right -wing system of government and

social organization.

To quote a recent Crimethinc excerpt:

“ The Southern Poverty Law Center that was founded to monitor rac-

ist and far right groups have now adopted a language of opposing

“ extremism” rather than racism, fascism, or even the still vague butat least more on point term “ hate groups.” By focusing on so-called

extremism, they've expanded their mandate to include anarchists

and earth and animal liberationists as targets of their surveillance,

which further muddies the waters by associating us with fascist

groups that we oppose. The existence of groups that emulate anar-

chist style and rhetoric towards fascist ends offers yet another rea-

son why it's non-negotiably crucial for anarchists to be consistently

active and visible in anti -racist struggles, so that no one can lump us

together with fascists in a generic anti -extremism and in doing so

delegitimize direct action.”

In other words, we MUST confront these threats somehow. White supremacist

groups meet no resistance from authorities as long as they remain “peaceful.” This

is the same thing we hear at every demonstration. Anarchists and leftists never have

cops protecting us—they're too busy attacking us. This only proves that white su-

premacists are on the side of the state: their agenda isn't a threat to the current or-

der and you don't have to dig too deep to find Klan members serving the law in the

daylight. Just as it was in Mussolini's Italy, Fascism has the support of the law. Po-

lice and lawmakers systematically support white supremacy and the right wing hate

groups create a presence in the streets. Just look at the Golden

Dawn members amongst the police in Greece. It's a very old formula.

For this reason, the streets are our domain as anti-

fascists. We can'tafford to lose them.

This being said, anti-fascist education/awareness, street demos, immi-

grant solidarity, and autonomous organizing by people of color and indige-

nous communities are just as vital as direct confrontation. Our history books

in our schools conveniently leave out certain chapters of history. Fascism is

not something widely examined today and many people are blind to the vio-

lence that people of color are subjected to on a daily basis. Many are also

unaware of the threat this poses to us as free individuals, and we seem to

forget that at one point we were all immigrants. Nationalism only links our

bondage to the powers that continually dominate us daily. Our freedoms and

our strengths lie in one another. From colonialism, our nation was foundedon the lie that inequalities were necessary to maintain fruitful lives for some.

Look at us now. We are ALL still miserable. The state, capitalism, white su-

premacy, the patriarchy, and systems of dominance are all reliant on one

another. Anti-fascist struggle means intersectional struggle. If we can find

affinity with one another we can stop ourselves from repeating a brutal histo-

ry. Times are changing and it's time to pick up the pace. There is no way to

be neutral in this situation. Whether it's through direct confrontation or edu-

cating one another we MUST combat hateful ideologies. If fascists enter our

community, then it is up to us to make sure that there is resistance. Other-

wise, we lose the fight so many before us have died for. We can't do it

alone. We must stop arguing semantics and worrying about what's proper ornot. We need to build our numbers and we need to ignite active resistance.

Anti-fascist mobilization must be permanent and it must spread. The failures

of capitalism have left people ready to believe anything and cling desperate-

ly to any form of order. White supremacists and fascists are ready to take

advantage of the situation. Fascists offer the last thread of familiarity to peo-

ple who can't wrap their heads around progression or those who will oppose

it until the end. We should not be surprised that these societal vultures have

made an appearance on the scene. As anti-fascists/anti-racists, we must

ward them off and create a dialogue that combats their ideology of lies. We

have a long struggle ahead of us, comrades.

Love,

An Antifa Comrade


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As we approach the 27th of March, Easter Sunday for those who cele-

brate, I am reminded that this date marks the 100th anniversary of the 1916

Easter Rising in my native land of Ireland. The Rising was not only a tremen-dous moment for Irish independence from Britain and Irish Republicanism, butalso for global socialism. The Rising proved that the people in oppressed andcolonized lands were willing to fight for justice and liberty, even at extraordi-nary costs.

Few figures better typify this belief than Commandant General JamesConnolly, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising. Born on the fifth of June,1868 to Irish immigrants in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh, Scotland, Jameslearned early on that the lives of the poor and disenfranchised are neithereasy nor pleasant. He left school at age 11 and began working to support hisfamily. Having few routes for gainful employment, he falsified his name andage and, like his brother John before him, joined the British Army at age 14.He was taught how to fight while stationed in Ireland for seven years, a testa-ment to how Colonialism and Imperialism seek to turn the oppressed againstone another. Developing a deep hatred for the Army, he deserted upon hear-ing his regiment was being sent to India to help put down native uprisingsthere.

Taking up work back in Edinburgh, having married an Irishwoman andraising children together, Connolly became active in several Socialist move-ments. His involvement in the IWW eventually led to him becoming JamesLarkin’s right hand man and returning to Ireland in 1910 as an officer in theIrish Transport and General Workers’ Union. During the 1913 Lockout protestand military policing action, he and another former British Army officer, JackWhite, formed the Irish Citizen Army as a militia to help protect the rights ofUnion members and attempted to organize the people in a general uprising.Three years later they would get their wish.

In the midst of the First World War and seeing young working men from thebelligerent nations be sent to die for the interests of the ruling class, Connollyfelt the time was right to make a move. Feeling the leadership of the Irish Vol-

unteers had grown too bourgeois, in 1916 Connolly threatened to send hisICA comrades against the British Imperial Forces, by themselves if need be. Adeal was made to wait until Easter. James Connolly was made CommandantGeneral of the Dublin Division of the Army of the Irish Republic, and given thatDublin was the largest theatre in the Rising, he became the de facto leader ofthe Easter Rising. So fierce was his determination behind the barricades andgarrison at the General Post Office that Michael Collins himself said that hewould’ve followed the man through Hell.

The Proclamation of the Irish Republic, their declaration of independ-ence from Britain, declared all men and women equal (unheard of in most of

Europe at the time) regardless of race, colour, and creed. All ofIreland belonged to the people, including the benefits of indus-

try.

Easter Rising

Gallowglass

We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the own-ership of Ireland, and to the unfettered control of Irishdestinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible. The longusurpation of that right by a foreign people and govern-ment has not extinguished the right, nor can it ever beextinguished except by the destruction of the Irish peo-ple. In every generation the Irish people have assertedtheir right to national freedom and sovereignty; six timesduring the past three hundred years they have asserted itin arms. Standing on that fundamental right and againasserting it in arms in the face of the world, we herebyproclaim the Irish Republic as a Sovereign Independent

State. And we pledge our lives and the lives of our com-

rades-in-arms to the cause of its freedom, of its welfare,and of its exaltation among the nations.

The Irish Republic is entitled to, and hereby claims, theallegiance of every Irishman and Irish woman. The Re-public guarantees religious and civil liberty, equal rightsand equal opportunities of all its citizens, and declares itsresolve to pursue the happiness and prosperity of thewhole nation and of all its parts, cherishing all the chil-dren of the nation equally, and oblivious of the differ-ences carefully fostered by an alien government, whichhave divided a minority in the past.

Eventually though, the Rising did fall, and the leaders were execut-ed. James Connolly was wounded in the fighting in Dublin, and though hehad only a day or two to live the British court martial ordered he be shot inan execution by firing squad like the other leaders of the Rising. He was tiedto a chair, as he didn’t have the strength to stand, and was summarily exe-cuted by the British Army in Kilmainham Gaol. He left us with this letter inresponse to the Court Martial:

To the Field General Court Martial, held at DublinCastle, on May 9th, 1916:

I do not wish to make any defense except against

charges of wanton cruelty to prisoners. These trifling allega-tions that have been made, if they record facts that reallyhappened deal only with the almost unavoidable incidentsof a hurried uprising against long established authority, andnowhere show evidence of set purpose to wantonly injureunarmed persons.

We went out to break the connection between thiscountry and the British Empire, and to establish an Irish Re-public. We believed that the call we then issued to the peo-ple of Ireland, was a nobler call, in a holier cause, than anycall issued to them during this war, having any connectionwith the war. We succeeded in proving that Irish-men are ready to die endeavouring to win for

Ireland those national rights which the BritishGovernment has been asking them to die to winfor Belgium. As long as that remains the case,the cause of Irish freedom is safe.


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Believing that the British Government has no right in Ire-land, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any rightin Ireland, the presence, in any one generation of Irishmen, ofeven a respectable minority, ready to die to affirm that truth,makes that Government for ever a usurpation and a crimeagainst human progress.

I personally thank God that I have lived to see the day when thousands of Irishmen and boys, and hundreds of Irish women and girls, were ready to affirm thattruth, and to attest it with their lives if need be.

JAMES CONNOLLY,

Commandant-General, Dublin Division,

Army of the Irish Republic

The leadership of James Connolly in the struggle of against Imperialism,

Colonialism, and Capitalism is a hallmark of the struggles around the turn of the

century. He was one of the few members of the Second Internationale who op-

posed the First World War outright, feeling the working class had no interest in

fighting the wars of the ruling class.

Though I myself am an Anarchist, I am a human being first. As such, I am

inclined to respect the struggle James Connolly and the other Irish Republicans

carried out during those days of the Easter Rising, 100 years ago.

Tiocfaidh ár lá!

A Letter to My Future Children

Little Sunflower

I’m sorry you will have to learn about penguins, polar bears, elephants,

orangutans, rhinos, and tigers in history books. I’m sorry you

’ll have to pay a

lot of money for the basic human necessities, like clean drinking water. I ’m

sorry you’ll never get to experience the beauty of coral reefs. I ’m sorry you’ll

likely experience extreme droughts and floods in your lifetime. I’m sorry you’ll

never get to explore the coastal cities that existed during my lifetime. I’m sor-

ry you will never get to see a real butterfly. I’m sorry you’ll spend a lot of time

in basements waiting out the extreme storms and hurricanes. I’m sorry you

will be exposed to numerous life-threatening diseases like malaria. I’m sorry

you may never get to eat delicious corn, a crop so sacred to your native an-

cestors. I’m sorry you will never get to drink wine with your friends in college.

I’m sorry you will have to wear a gas mask outside just to

breathe. I’m sorry you will live your life in a constant state ofanxiety and depression. I’m sorry you will probably never get to

exist.

Destroy the Edifice

A journey lies ahead of us.

Take not more than needed,

Like those who live as they please

And forget about us.

Things created for purchase are fakes.

Real things you make yourself.

You don’t need anything else that is selling

Through broken windows, backdoorsOr screens on the television.

You don’t need to believe the stories they are telling

About old documents smelling like several

Spelling mistakes were made.

Fellow countrymen, mistakes were made.

Wonder of what make traps us?

All rights misunderstood,

Nothing left unexplained,

Wrong decisions,Unrestrained, self-centered narcissism,

Capital, corruption, thugs well-equipped

With copper-cash change-coin chips.

To the sad slave faces of the other half

Trapped in a disaster-cycle, the same place as the past, or

Looking at a future that never existed,

Ask these questions:

Who are your friends and allies in this tight space

We must live in and now survive?Who the bullies and the enemies living safely on the outside?

Instead of fairly dealing,

Others blaming and themselves concealing

Whenever the Masses themselves revealing!

Reeling they will shit themselves when they see us,

Angry faces raging full-force versus the betrayers,

Sent us averse to kill the foes un-created,

The age-old terror that enslaves us!

Poem by Sob Laughter


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UPCOMINGEVENTS

FOR MARCH

lit fuse issue 2

Documents