A PLACE FOR EVERYONE
joey only

Meetings must be accessible for people that do not speak a complex political jargon. Some are mentally ill, young, or speak English as a second language. 50% of homeless people are minors, how many homeless people grew up without the privilege of education? Other poor people are too busy trying to survive and feed the kids. Not all poor people have a complex academic analysis of every ‘ISM’ one learns to be an enlightened activist. If they know that it is wrong for society to let people go to bed hungry, they know what is required to fight back, there is a place for them in the broader struggle.

John is someone who has childish behavior despite his middle age. He has obvious mental health issues. This causes anarchists to publicly humiliate him, and whole rooms full of anti-war activists to tell him to shut-up. When John is about singing, yelling, or hugging people, the collective anus of those around him constricts. He can be really irritating. Yet somehow I don’t think that makes it okay for people to publicly humiliate him. His attention seeking behavior is a manifestation of the fact that nobody accepts his often-annoying personality. But the movement can’t move forward without a great deal of patience for the constituency it is mobilizing. I don’t always know how to deal with John; it’s very difficult.

Capitalism is a system that thrives when the weak are subject to the collective assaults of the mighty. Our movement cannot reflect capitalisms lack of compassion and virtue. Nobody can use privilege against somebody else. To do so is a continuance of the behavior that created masters and slaves, greater and lesser. We are going to be more accepting, tolerant and patient with each other because we demand dignity and respect for ourselves. If there isn’t room for everybody, our movement stands to be co-opted by the pursuit of power over those outside the social clique.

There is a place for everyone in this movement, I am sorry for when I haven’t made that clearer with my own actions and words. You can stink. You can talk funny. You can be stupid. You can be ugly. You can be an addict. You can be socially awkward. You can be old. You can be a gimp, queer, coloured, poor, trans, woman or child. If you are willing to work against or fight the system that preys upon you; you can be in a great movement the world is about to see. I will do my part to struggle for the tolerance to accept you; it is winning behavior. Please accept me in return.

Everyone should appreciate the contribution of everyone else. Our Forces require radio shows, art, forums, economic disruptions, direct actions, ‘civil’ disobedience, music/drums, graphic designers, tellers of stories, lawyers, fundraisers, medics and cooks in order to be fully capable. One person throws a brick, the other person takes a pic of the damaged shit and the violence the police inflict. Both actions create fear of our potential power in the bowels of the ruling classes asses. There will always be militants and there will always be moderates. No matter how the scales balance, this split will not go away! There is room for both ways now because the whole world is at stake.

“At fights there is a front, a middle and a back. People can choose where they want to be, so long as they choose to be there.”

We are in the business of defending each other now. There is a place in this movement for anyone that we don’t have to defend each other from. If you don’t tell me that it’s wrong to be angry and militant against this contemptible system, you have met the criteria it takes to be my ally. That is what peace, love and solidarity is really about.