The Hotwire #44: Troops at the border—Anarchism vs voting—Remembering comrades who died recently Nov. 7, 2018

We kick off the episode with a discussion about anarchism and voting. After a roundup of resistance to capitalism and the state, our feature this episode is about Trump’s deployment of thousands of troops to “defend the border” and how it is in most people’s interest to push back on this latest precedent of using the military against civilian populations. We remember recently deceased anarchists Zhlobitsky Mikhail Vasilyevich and Kevin Garrido. There are calls for mobilizations on the border in the coming weeks, updates from the Vaughn 17 trial, and announcements of anti-fascist actions for the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Send us news, events, or ideas on how our show can better serve anarchist activity in your town by emailing us at podcast@crimethinc.com. {November 7, 2018}

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• Table of Contents:
  • Introduction: Anarchism vs. Voting {0:00}
  • Headlines {5:10}
  • Turning the Army against the People: Border Militarization and the Migrant Caravan {10:45}
  • Remembering anarchists Zhlobitsky Mikhail Vasilyevich and Kevin Garrido {19:25}
  • Repression roundup {24:30}
  • Next Week’s News {31:15}
• Download 29:30 minutes long version.
• Upcoming events/demos/etc:
  • November 8–11: International Days of Action against Fascism and Anti-Semitism.
  • November 10: A rally and march in NYC for International Days of Action against Fascism and Anti-Semitism. Gather at 1pm at 83rd and Lexington Ave.
  • November 10: A meeting of the Jewish Antifascist Network of the Triangle in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at Peace and Justice Plaza to hold a service for those murdered in the Holocaust and in recent white supremacist and anti-Semitic attacks
  • November 10: A call for counter demos against PEGIDA’s anti-Muslim and anti-refugee demonstration in Toronto. Meet at 12pm in Mel Lastman Square.
  • November 10: a demonstration in Little Rock, Arkansas against the white supremacist National Socialist Movement. Meet at the capitol steps at 500 Woodlane St at 12pm.
  • November 11: this month’s PDX Rad Movie Night, hosted by Portland Anarchist Black Cross and Oregon Jericho, presents The Gentleman Bank Robber, the story of queer revolutionary and former political prisoner Rita Bo Brown. The screening, followed by a discussion, will be taking place at 6PM at the Social Justice Action Center at 400 SE 12th Ave. - November 16–18: School of the Americas Watch is hosting a border encuentro directly on the US/Mexico border in Nogales, Arizona and Sonora.
  • November 17: A Stand Against Proud Boys action in Philadelpha, to counter Proud Boys who are planning to attend a rally called We the People. Meet at Washington Square Park at 6th and Walnut Streets.
  • November 26 in London, England: A meeting to plan solidarity events for January 19 in support of anti-fascists facing persecution in Russia. The meeting will take place at Mayday Rooms, located at 88 Fleet St.
  • December 17(ish): in Brownsville, Texas, people are planning to Meet the Migrants at the Border, in greeting them food and love! This date is currently tentative, as it is unclear when the migrant caravan will actually arrive. Organizers point out that there are five other points of entry on the Texas border the migrant caravan may try, and are encouraging people to organize more events. Here’s a link to their Facebook page.
  • Duluth, Minnesota: Anti-fascist and anti-white supremacy People’s General Assemblies will be taking place weekly, Tuesdays at 6 PM in People’s Power Plaza
• Upcoming anarchist book fairs and gatherings:
  • November 10: Anarchist Book Fair Amsterdam
  • November 17–18: The Seattle Anarchist Book Fair
  • November 17–18: The Boston Anarchist Book Fair
  • Lastly, anarchists in Umea, Sweden are hosting their first ever bookfair from November 29 to December 2.
• Mutual Aid Disaster Relief is on tour until late November! This week’s dates:
  • November 9: Lincoln, NE. 6:30 pm @ F Street Community Center 1225 F St Lincoln, NE 68508
  • November 10: Lincoln, NE. 10:00 am @ F Street Community Center 1225 F St Lincoln, NE 68508
  • November 14: Kansas Cito, MO. 6:00 pm @ Kansas City Public Library
  • Lucile H Bluford Branch 3050 Prospect Ave Kansas City, MO 64128
  • November 15: Kansas Cito, MO. 10:00 am @ Kansas City Public Library
  • Lucile H Bluford Branch 3050 Prospect Ave Kansas City, MO 64128
  • A complete list of tour dates and locations can be found here.
• Other anarchist critiques of voting and democracy:
  • “Voting vs. Direct Action”
  • “The Party’s Over: Beyond Politics, Beyond Democracy”
• “From Democracy To Freedom”
• “False Hope vs. Real Change”
• The Ex-Worker #51: “Anarchism, Voting, and Direct Action: An Audio Zine”
• The Ex-Worker #48: “From Democracy to Freedom Audio Zine”
• The Ex-Worker #47: “Introducing the Anarchist Critique of Democracy”
• Other Crimethinc material referenced in this episode:
  • “Fuck Abuse, Kill Power”
  • “The Thin Blue Line is a Burning Fuse”
  • “Turning the Army against the People: Border Militarization and the Migrant Caravan”
  • “ On the Attack against the FSB in Russia, Including a Statement from the Anarchist Who Carried It Out”
• The Centro de Cultura Libertária of Cacilhas-Almada, which was founded in 1974 and is the oldest anarchist cultural center in Portugal, is facing eviction due to rampant real estate speculation and gentrification. To help contribute to their crowdfunding efforts, you can donate via the “Contribute” button here on their website.

C.C.L. bank account details for donations Holder: CENTRO DE CULTURA LIBERTÁRIA IBAN: PT50003501790000215493029 (Bank: Caixa Geral de Depósitos)

• To put pressure on the prison where Jason Walker is being held about the cruel treatment he and other prisoners are enduring, you can ring the warden’s office at (936) 295–5756 or try emailing the warden at kelly.strong@tdcj.texas.gov.
• Court support for the Vaughn Trial is welcome! Court is ongoing every weekday from 10am–5pm in Courtroom 8B at 500 N King St, Wilmington, DE.
• Supporters of the seven strikers at the Toledo Correctional Institution are calling for a phone zap, especially because strikers have been met with rubber bullets in the past in retaliation. You can call ORDC director at 614–387–0588 or Toledo Correctional Institution at 419–726–7977.

Sample script: “I am calling on behalf of David Easley, Richard Harris, Elijah Bowen, and James Ward, and all others on hunger strike. We know they have been severely punished with mace and rubber bullets, and I am asking of you to ensure they are not subjected to any further abuse for their actions. I stand behind their demands against adding more solitary confinement wings, and ask that their concerns are addressed promptly. Solitary confinement is extreme and inhumane, and not a solution to overcrowding… no one should be held in solitary because your facilities are inadequate to house them otherwise. There are also reports of harassment and abuse in the 4B overflow units, and I ask that you immediately take steps to guarantee that guards are not tampering with food or denying prisoners proper meals, and lift any restrictions that would prohibit prisoners from receiving books.”

• If you have some time, consider joining the campaign to free the Virgin Island 3 with the Philly Anarchist Black Cross. Because the governor will be focusing on the election until late November, save the calls, emails and faxes for after November 20th; in the meantime, you can download and print fliers to distribute and send letters. Suggested letter format.
• Use this straightforward guide to writing prisoners from New York City Anarchist Black Cross to write a birthday message for alleged Earth Liberation Front prisoner Joseph Dibee, who celebrates his birthday this week:

Joseph Dibee #812133 MCDC 1120 SW 3rd Avenue Portland, Oregon 97204 Note: Joseph is pre-trial, so please do not discuss anything about his case, or anything else illegal either! {Birthday: November 10}

• Sales are OPEN for the 2019 Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners calendar! The theme of next year’s calendar is Health/Care, and it features art and writing from current and former political prisoners like David Gilbert, Mike and Chuck Africa, and Laura Whitehorn. If you buy 10 or more, be sure to use the discount code “BULK” to get 10 or more calendars for $10 each—you can then sell the calendars to fundraise for your own organizing.
• CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS
  • In Hotwire #43, we said that there was an unpermitted crowd that forced Trump’s motorcade to turn around outside the Tree of Life synagogue. There were massive protests, but despite this report we haven’t been able to confirm that the protests, in fact, disrupted Trump’s motorcade.
  • Blue Ridge Anarchist Black Cross informed us that political prisoner Ed Poindexter only has one good eye, due to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services denying him much needed cataract eye surgery. If you write him a letter, as we requested last week, please write IN LARGE, BOLD PRINT.