A Pinch of Salt #21

2010·3.9 MB·English

by  Hebden, Keith (ed)

Chdstiadty and anarchism in dialogue No. 21 April 20 I 0.
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Christi-Anarchy /kristiaeneki/
n.
Christlike life; lifestyle that
is
characterized by the radical, We hca" fl."
-lhri'.,o dd
non-violent, sacrificial compassion of rir.r q
Jesus the Christ. A way of life WE',t waY
distinguished by commitment to Iove
and to justice; to the marginalized
I
and disadvantaged; so as to enable
them to realize their potential, as men
and women made in the image of
God; through
self-directed,
other-oriented intentional groups and
organizations.
- Dave Andrcws in lb/,teligiak, htl lorc
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sr.ords
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FREE! or nearest offer
The Party Leaders' debate, Inside APoS... Reluctantly rendering unto we should appreciate the ballot for lhe lie it
by Phil Lane represents: d€moclacy. The ordering ofour
By the time you gel lhis thc virious poliri.i,l Caesar govemment does mt nearly l€nd its€lfto par-
I saw two white men talking on TV panics will have already begun to lobby Io, ti€ipatory involverne[t. Until we wake up to
They knew they were important, bom to rule, your vote. ln the blue comer they'll bc lrlk the fact that the balot is ultimat€ly a conces-
But what does all thei talking mean to me? ing ofrevolution. The 'Big tsang Revolution Lasl summer I Iirced well over a nonth of sion to a public which has litde power and con-
I ke€p my head dowll in my flat and lool is their plan to ston the BBC criijcising ls agonisnrs, thcologisnrg, debating with oihers. hol over the decisions which affect them,
TThhee reb'sa ilnifoft hheaat tinI'gv en loowng, bsuint cteh eg oligneh isa wsatiyll. work trhaeeliir fopruesighn upso leiclye.n T fhuen Mheorn edyo wRnev othucln nnr. oi{ wlitetleig hbiint go nfpli thee pprraoysi nagn do vceorn sth, ea nmda yttecsr, oevfen a wwhilal treevmear inc huamngeea wlisee dw.ish to see in the world
And at least it's somewher€ safe and dry to stay, whcthcr to votc in lhe European eleclions.
Although ih€ loneliness magnifies my hurt when the time came. I spent a sombre one- I don't regret my action last summer, seeing it
And de.pair spreads Iike rhe mold above my bead. The Christian Party will continue to look lilc minxle walk ro the church next dooraDd com- as a gesture ofdumage conbol against the em-
This ciry ofsadness and bolted doors, a cross beN.-'.een lhe BNP, UKIP, and Ecnnl mitled thc dirly dccd. pire in which al/ political parties are both com-
In the icy air each day dawas grey and dead, Ilinn's cmbarrassing uncle. And the rest $rll The BNP had gained l1{o seats in the European plicit and b€neficiades ofiacism. There is
On screen they promise speDding and Dew laws, make their promises to do it all so yox doo r Parliamenl, one offlrem beins in my own rc- room for disagreement overwhat we do at the
I'd settle for one ftiend in this dank tower, hale to for the nexl fouryears. gion ofthe Nonh West. Despite my resolve, ballot booth, as long as we recognise the diver-
Who'd share with me the silence ofthe houls. Meanwhilc somc offer love and resisrMr. and the resolve ofthe otlrers, the attempl to siq7 of how we act and understand that each
choice is valid. For some, they may want to
glcan from the bins. find altematives t() lll curb fhscism at theballol box had frilcd. spoii their ballot pap€r - perhaps *aiting in the
The orchestration ofpr€ss, mdio and television vote. put their bodies in the way of tefl(, The questions ofhow Christians engage wilh name ofJesus? Others might simply vote for
to create a continuous, lasting and total envi- states, blaspheme the Money God, slan(l ,,t, the principaliljes and powers are ne\ereasily the party they be[eve will inflict the /e61
ronment rendeis the influence ofpropaganda asainst colonialkm on islands easily lar8,,r answered. Among ihose tough qucstions re amount ofdamage. Others still might vote in
virtually ufltroticed plechely because it creates ten, dig lhe land, build community dnd rll mxins that ofhow and whelherweuse the place of someone they lmow and t'ust who has
a constant environment. wilhout rcfcrcnce to govem,nent. vote. In the time leading up to the European no right to vote at aI, e.g., a ftiend or col-
- Jacques Eilul Love. peace, and anarchy, Elections, when it lookcd likcly thal the BNP league seeking sanctuary.
Keith Hebde, world gain power, it seemed as though there
Whatever choice we make, God in Christ has
If voting changed an)'thing they'd [email protected]
already disarmed the powers and the work h€
make it illegat. As I lisrened to the woes ofvotcN convin.ed began 1viil eventually bring their power io
- Emma Goldman that the low iurnout had given the BNP their nothing (Colossians 1:15-20and2115; I Codn-
apos-archive.blogspot.com
adva.tage.l couldn't help but think ofthc cvils rhians 15:24-25). The attitudes we take toward
perpetuated by oLrr nuinstrcrm panies which rh€ next geneml election must be secondary to
Ifyou want to support this magazane... lrad helpcd to tucl thc xcnothobia.nd social how we exFess God's love in our own con-
.
Send a cheque to "Keith Hebden" at division upon which racists and fascisls fecd. munities, whether tbrough solidarity with the
"Brilishjobs tur Brilish $,orkcrs,' for example, poor and oppessed, engaging in direct action,
58 Haycroft Drive, Malson, Gloucester, GL4 6){X is now a phrase spoutcd irr much fascist propa- canpaigniDg, corrununit organising, fosrering
Or ganda bur initiall), came from the nroudrpiece nonviolent resisiance, or any nnmber ofcrea-
. ofthe Labour Priy This nation's govenrment tive acts which enact and embody the triumph
Send articles and artwork to the above address or to sccms pafticularly good at criticising the rise of ofcods Kinsdom.
[email protected] racism while subjecting asylunr seckcN and
However we decide to act come Electiotr Day,
relirgees lo horific cxpcricDccs ofdehumani-
Or let us do so in the spirit ofresistance, recognis-
salion through burcrucmtic oppression. the
Distribute copies to anyone you think might want one. poverty ofthe voucher support schemc, dctcD itniogn athrye btaaclltoicts ,b onxo ri si sn toh astu bcslorsitsu reo nf oar prieecveo luo-f
Don't be shy. tion cenlrcs, aD.l ihrcxt ofdepoft.lion. I-ow paper zear.l, any substitute for the cross of
voter tuor ont helped the BNP bui the licious
And Christ. It is oDly by ,,lat ffoss that true chanse
cycle ofpowe., panonage, ard subjugation
and transformation enters the lvorld, and before
Pray.
which all political parties and authorities will
s€ats.
Whatclcr ourcon!ictions on voting mighl be. one day lose thei 2
Gaza at Christmas in the Transparency is cruciaL wilh such scnsitirc have to clajm back our true human inage, in
pink: Reflections on mass awcittifvi itNie.s .T hyecyt Chaodd eb rPoiungkh wt eurpe tfoa r1 f4r0o0m p eclocprrlc wonheic ahn owteh ear.r eO tone l ivfoer mfo ro feraecshis otathDecre, niso tt oa gbalainss-t
action to Egypt with the hope ofgelting us into .1.. phene the money god. Jesus continually blas-
Gaza fora nurch. Those at the top hold thc phemed him. Thitrt( ofdrc story about the fool-
by Les Gibbons power, which is informatior, conlacts and ish rich man who ihought he would live foF
Code Pink manased to mobilise rnany to go to coordinaiion. Affiniq, grcups can subled rhis ever, ofthe workeft who wer€ alt paid the
the Middle East to be piesent on the memorial by nakiDg thougfittul, people centred. grass I same rcgardless ofhow much wo* they had
of a catistrophic eved, even if it was under the roois decisions - however to some extenl wc I done, and how Jesus praised the widow who
pretext ofto Gaza. It was geat to me€t many were xll dcpcndant on Codc Pink for Coordi gav€ a tiny offering although it was a[ she had.
people who carc about Oaza, Gazans and those nation though I'm not sure they sawthenl- There is a delishttul humou about the way
who want to thwart Israeli St te violenc€. Jesus cheated the mon€y god by paying his
Many were inspidng to be around especially in On reaching Gaza I spokc to documcnldry taxes with money fol]nd jnside a fish!
the small group context. mat worked well !ideographer Marcel.lacobson who told nrc
was loose atrnity groups - caring and working elen one week before we all went to Egypl Money loves money, and money is attract€d to
together over the rcaI issues you needed to deal thlt thcrc \ras minimal planning lbr 1,100 mon€y, mal.ing tlle pile grow. OK. So we do
with. Also to break away ftom the group when people. Code Pink also asked that peoplc the opposit€. Instead ofgetting we start giving.
it got so often bogged dowtr - yet continue to make 'risky' aclions, aDd yct it was uncle{r Every time you siv€, freely and
be connected by phone, email or in meeting or $,lut supponthey nright be offering. Thcrc
traYelling logether. was little legal inibnnation lbr those consd Every time you give,
ering nonviolenr direcl ac1iorr and resinxncc.
It was hard to find good information when we
anived in Egypt on the 25th December and Ilcncc llamas stcpped in and took ovcr. pos freely and joyfully,
sibly causing civil organisalions to siep brck
after having rested was hard to find. People
traveled ftom the UK ftom different airlorts vou shake the throne
and to different hotels - there were aheady I lcamcd notto be irrvolved in mass org.ni Blaspheming the Money
some connections amongst us, some had m€t ?ation or ilI nnd myselfdoing so to brcak God of the money god.
aheady yet many ofus were spread apat geo- away ifncccssary and not be obliged to coty
graphically. In an unfamiliar place checking on command. I waoted to go to meet GaruIs. by Jolrn M rlull
emails and talking to others was important and IllllUing few words s.td in July 2009. Sotrre Hnman beinrs are crealions ofGod and the jo,4ully, you shale tlle rhrone ofthe money
yet it had its pitfalls much infomation was times vision is i portanlt l lemlt to rcmcm image orGod resrs upon Lrs Moncy is a hu- god. This is why St Paul says'God lovesa
coDfusing, contradictory or arnbieuous - it en- ber th.t when up to mv neck in Crocodiles man crcation. and bccause $.e ourselves are cheeftl giver' (2 Corinthians 9:7).
gperonbdleermeda timc.a sOs na catrioivnas l - iirh aCt aciraon oanlseo obfeth hei sfbirlsyt (sEupmycpntitasn, hpigohli ceex, pnreesssscyd mea,rsost imone)e tainngds t,o rr $nrea dmea ikne thhca si nlhracg ep oolfcCnitoidd , foerle crdyrtrhyiirngg tthhaet Mmoonneeyy, iosn ae mtheindgiw ins eoxfecxhcahnagendg ef.o rB ayn motehaenr.s of
emails I rcad fiom Code Pink stat€d that the foctrs on the original objective to pull thc diviue imagc Llut thc imagc ofCod is dis- Everytling, we say, has its pdce. OK. So let us
authorities werc noi permitting any Code Pink plug thal dnins thc s\vamp.lIxvtug a vision torlcd by human sclfishness and greed. and break the exchange thing by giving away ow
polna n2s7 tlho. bSeo athlioe wmeede otinn gb upslaens naendd fnoor tmhee e2t7intgh in ooufhgohtu n,iot'ts a lgloowin go tblee riss stoo simtapirdo fotann ol uarn de ywec' so the lhings rve nuke may also bc distofed. unwanted shrff. lfyou have a kitchen table you
Cwearireo bwloacsk eindi.t iaTlhlye r€ cawnacse llae dg raenadt dtheea l boufsferuss- bllls not cvcD oursclvcs. Msoolnideiyri thy.! ss lihrcc .p iot ticsn at isaalfyo ro bfsinhdairnign gu sr ei-n dfiromni'tt unreee da,n dri nggiv eu pi tt htoe tchheanri.t yT hthearre disis ha ibliumteiis to
tration with the way informatiotr was shar€d sources and naki g Iita slronger, but whcn this but that does not mean you can't make a
and we w€re in th€ midst ofit. New infolma- the hLrman $ill for po$cr and donrination start. If we ger into th€ habit ofthis, then what
tion was dislodged or contradicted widlin min- inflnenccs nroney. then money begtus to bc Jesus said will come tuel 'Frcely you have
utes, like w€ were all sianding on shifting sand. come dominant Il wc put dll ou hopes and received; fteely give' (Matthew 10:8).
We had to mak€ up oru o\rn minds, rathei thr.n desires inro money, Droncy uill grow The money sod loves vasueness and seclecy.
foilow the crowd. We had to work in a difier- slrongcr.n.l sttrnr8er. and then rve starl to How many bankeN io you hear being int€r-
ent way than idealistic consensus decision worship it. Ther) mone), beconcsI) god. viewed? Morcy hates trarsparercy. OK. So we
Q makiis We havc ro sl.rt d rcsrslance nro!ement. We encouage openness. We don't seoetly store{
up money, except to give someone a nice sur- 'ifyou are a hearer ofthe word and nol a As the night weDt on, we stopped at two oth€r
pdse! We don't boast about having more doer, you arc sclfdcceived (James 1:22). shops finding potatoes, breads, ft€sh cut flow-
mlieosn a€yb otuhta hn awvien ga clensras llmy ohnaevye . thWane wdoe trr1eta€llly liinally. rhe money god is utterly selfish. IIc uercsh, a(nthde cwheeeastehse, r yiso gcuorltds eannodu gohth efor rd iat irnyo tp trood-
encourages us io thirk fiat ournroney is
hhligea vhwet,.r owTtehe ish'I afi svw ep eaf erwtl laoolwfkw sihhnai ptth ewS iltti hgJ hootb nnae s m ahenea oinsttl einwr' h th(e1en rceiaal.l lyIh eou rms obnuely thgco dtr utathlk sis oafltla mxaotDioeny iass siof it sopftohile). tWdphle tnh ew lea drcietsu mweedre ltrheiasd iys ftohre ubse.st part
JobD I i7). !,!as dre Treasury taking our money o!1ol Everylhing was put on the kitchen table to be
ourpockels aDd giving it to drc tax man. OK. sorted and inspect€d. Here we "oohed" and
The money god is a s€lf deceiver and encour- So we don't think ofour money as ours bu1 "awwwed" at our treasur€. The regiment began
ag€s p€ople to deceive themselves. OK. So we as belonging to tbe community. We dor't with looking for holes which required us to
tate steps to avoid selfdeception about mon€y think ofit as tax but as communiB/ monev, re-bin those goods. Aq,thing passing the test
Know rvhat proportion ofyour incom€ you thc moncy wc girc 10 ppotlhe commu- was then put through bleach water, dnsed in
give. It is easy ro have an inflated idea ofthis. nity. That is how to live as St Paul said 'The fi€sh water, dded and put away. I kept a tally
If you wo* it out, it may not be as much as body is a unil allhough il is made up ofn ny how much the goods were worth: over 140
you foDdly imagin€. One pmctical way to do prns' (l Cornrthians 12:12). pounds. This did not include the ftesh ,ruits,
this is 1o iilhe. This is an old fashioned way of veggies and (my favouite) drce beels which
But whatyou do not do to blaspheme the
blaspheming the money go4 bui it still hurts were without price tags.
himl It doesn't matter ifit is t€n perc€nt, money god is 10 sel fire to a five pound note.
twenty perceni, or only one percent; the thing or flush il dorvn rhe loo. Althongh ithas bc' Amud lam we set out fff bed with visions of
is that you krcw, and you keep a check on it. come demonic, money is stjll potentially in bl€ached pluIns, bananas, potatoes, and kiwis
the nnage ofGod. The moncy you bum could Tipping, Skipping, Dump- danciry h our heads. Th€ spidtuality behind
bc thc brcad ofdre poor. oul work This dtual, which many might sim-
ster Diving... ply dismiss as mere tipping, is for us, a very
Objections to anarchism
I'd rather call it Gleaning
By George Barret 1888 - 1917
by Shamon Hope Fisher "When you reap the haryest ofyour
No, 2 The House of Commons and the Law have been At the Catholic Worker Famr we have a land, do not reap to the very edges of
used by the present dominant class to gain their endsl weekly ritual; this is a story ofmy first time your lield or gather the gleanings of
why ca not they be used by us to gain ours? participating in it. Last night was a nice your harvest. Leaye them for the
night. After we ate a delicious iasagne dinDer poor and the alien. I am the LORD
Ihis queslion takes for granted that Capitalism and the WorkeE' movement have I made myself a cup of tea and settled in with
your God,r'
the same end in view. If this were so, they might use lhe same means; but as the Scofi, Ma a and Tanya to waich Into rhe
capitalist is oul to perfect his system of e).ploitation the worker is out lor emancipa- Wild on the ploj€ction scr€en. We laughed, Leyiticus 23:22
tion; the same means cannol be employed for both purposes. we ffied, and when it was over Scott told us
It is thought by the enthuEiastic politician that o4ce they can captr[e govem-
WIer Scott Tarya and I partake in this act we
ment, then fuom lheir position ofpower they wodd be able quick-ly to mould society Tanya made a tea flask and I grabbed a gra- know tulI wel that w€ hav€ the capabiliry of
into the desired shape. Pass idea.l ]a$rE, and the idea.l society would result, But, alas,
the sho cut to the Golden Age is aII illusion. Law cannot shape Eociety. Those who nola bar, because, as you know, you should working hard to provide emugh food for our-
never go to the gocery store on an empty selves and our imm€diai€ farnilies to sutvive.
uIldelstand forces behind progress will see the law limping atong in the rear, never stomach. We poceeded inro a ne3r town's We each value the hon€sty in hard wo*. The
keeping up with the progress made by people; always in fact resisting ally ad- posh sup€rmmket that Scoft and Maria have work we do in the bins is trot for the rush of
'[he present n ing class, who are supposed to be a living proof that the Gov- pgaretevsi owuesrlye hoapde ng. reQaut iclukclyk aatn. dF aqvuoi€tulyr abwlye, the ifimond infogr ofiuere .f aWvo€ udatlseo fdooo dnso ts dtiloi ii1n fgoor othde cjoonyd io-f
elnmenl car do arything, are in lhemselves quite candid in the admission that it can jumped out ofthe car dd opened the dump- wading tlrough teaked mscle relaxanr and
do litlle. If there lvas any logic io the question, which there is not, w€ might restale it steN Oins ifyou will) and were amazed. We yea1s oid bin slime. The reason we engage in
thus: "Since lhe present dominant class were unable to gain their ends by use of the found loads offresh fiuit and veggies, along this sometim€s €laring sometimes degrading
-House of Commons and the Law. why sholr.ld we hope to gain olrls by them?" with other random necessities. work to is feed tlose wlo cannot wo.k to fee.l
D rhemselves. 6
The Hebew Bible's story ofRuth and Naomi Want to yolunteer at the Christoyannopoulos wo*s wirh texts and over the legitinised use of viol€nce," to a more
Fovides much inspiBtion to us. Like Ruth, the Farmhouse? ideas that have been key fol Christiar ana.r- generously phras€d "atticulation ofa socie9s
seven guests at the farm are foreigners in this chists to show coherence and diversiry in the defmirion ofjustice".
cormty. Boaz allows Ruth to glenn from his The Catholic Worker Fam are working to tradition. Part one would make a great read"
The argum€nts of Chdstian anarchists are
fields according to the laws established and support and accommodat€ destltute wom€n ing-circle for ndical Christian grcups to ex-
r€corded in th€ books ofl-eviticus and Deuter- (whom we cal 'cuests'). rhese are \ulner- plore their own response to the Sermon on based largely in a literalistic or defening rcad-
ing ofselected parts ofthe Bible, mosdy in the
onomy. This tradition demaads that when you able homeless women and childr€n disen- th€ Mounl or Rornans 13 for example or the
haryest a field you do not harvest the edges or tided to benefits or wo* permits, literally relationship between the state and the Clris- New Tesiament - they often ignore church
traditions, being sceptical ofany theology prc-
an),thing that falls when harvesting fiom a "street homeless". The hollse is locat€d near tian cornmunity. Almost all ofpart one aDd
vineyard for that is to be for the poor and the Rickmanswofh, Junction 17 ofthe London ( much ofpart two is Jesus-focused and Leo duced within a Church gmppling with its cotrr-
promis€ with the State. But Chistoyannopou-
alien; this is called gleaning. It is Boaz's kind- OIbital. Tolstoy features heavily thoughout. PIenry
los dmws Cbristian anarchists back to these
ness and adherence to the law that saves Ruth f ofroom is left in the book for exploring
an.l Id norhd in law Nemi from atanation The Catlrclic Worker Farm would like to Clristian anarchist practices too. Chdstendom theologiaN.
extend an invitatiotr to aI p€ople int€rest€d in
Here at the farm we feel that wher w€ go to the Clristoyannopoulos notes the literalism in
bins we participate in this mill€rnia old tradi- laivnyinogn ef uo cveorm tmheu naistye. oIfn 2te0m wshhoip sw oaureld o plikeen ttoo CClrli sstotiayna nannoaprcohuilsots t hhinigkhinliggh ttos dae nveeelodp w aithin much ofth€ Ctuistian anarchist tradition as
tdioonna otef gthleeaird onugt.d aWtehdi lefo owde afinrds t haeslpk suhso ipns o1u0r experience a year livins and wo*ins within more thought thrcugh Cbristology. He does eTvhiidse hnacpep oenfish t op lbaec etl ricn saa mmeo de€mnliisgi htewnomreldnvtiew.
Cod given responsibility to feed the poor, a rural, faith-based community. this without criticising the present thinliDg worldview out ofwhioh anarchist theory was
many choose not to, It is orlly at this time th3t $ryw.th€crtholicworkerf ff m.org but by simply outlining them he reveals their bom. A post-modem shift in thiDkitrs for
inadequacy.
wuned edri gt htberiro uvginhe ythaerd e dbgmens coheftsh eroir sfuiesltdasin athIIodse Scott d Maria Albrecht 07983 4fi819 Cl stolaiiopoulos refds to Cbristid uar- bColruinsdtiaarnie sa noafrtchhiDiskmin gw,o uslpde ahkeilnpgfu allnyd pduosinhg.
who do no. have the ability or oppomrnity to chist understandings ofhistory as mysteri- Perhaps engagem€nt with other faiths and con-
do so for themselves. ously unfolding. He claims th€y are unired by temporary anarchists will help make this hap-
a refusal to "hasten God's kingdom by politi- pen.
cal means" (276). Itey anticipate the king-
Alexandre dom but they dont precipitate it. Thh is im- Alexandre Chdstoyannopoulos do€s a geat job
porta because the Chdstian anmchist cri- of oudining the argumeDts that have been made
Christoyannopoulos, tique ofthe Stat€ arises out of a cornmitment and suggesting a number ofpossible dn€ctions
Christian Ansrchism: to non-viol€nt resistanc€ and nol vice-versa. for fuhue discussion. This book could easily be
This means Ctuistian anarchists would rather for Clristian arurchism what Gustavo Gutti-
A polilicdl corn nerrtary on the gospel, live in submission to the stat€ than violently ercz's A Theologl of Liberario, was for that
Exeter, Imprint Academic, 2010, overttuow it b€cause the means maner as school ofthought. And ifanyon€ thhks theol-
review by Keith H€bden much as the ends. This is what sets the mdi- ogy canl change an)4hing look at The Jubilee
cal Cbristian approach in contrast to much of Debr campaign, Fair Trade and the many other
AIex Cbrisloyannopor os's new publication, the secular anarchist approach ro social ways in which iib€ration theology has shaped
Chtistian anarchisn h^s been a labour of love chrnge. political agendas and policies over the la$ firy
for the author who has worked with thorough- years. Buy this book and see if Ckistian anar-
ness and care to prcsent an alrnosi exhausiive IJ Ctuistoyannopoulos's social ortology is a chism can do it all over again.
ever)'rhins of Cbristiar anarchism. briliandy cl€ar apology fol a theology of
/ love as social aal1sformer. He chooses to This is Alex's second book. the first was as
The oDly word of caution would be tiat because draw on Paul Ricoeur and Paul Tillich to editor of a colection ofpapers on various tra-
it is a doctoral-thesis - nrm€d-book it can fe€l describe society's struggle to articulale jus- ditions al1d insights ofrcligions anarchism,
dry in its fiorougl'ness sometimes and so wont tice. This is a wouderful antidote to the cyni- mostly ftom a Ckistian perspeciive. Religious
suit every rcader. But as academic works go cal view it is so easy to fal into ofa Mani- Anarchhn: New Perspectives, Canbridge,
th€re's no fancy lang age and ev€rything is plop- chean state hell-bent on domination for the CSP,2OO9,
erly explained. sake of exploitation. Clristoyarmopoulos There's also plenry to rcad for ftee here:
seeks to widen tle Chdstiar anarchist under- http://sites. google.com/site/
standing ofih€ state ffom "the monopoly christoyiuopouloshublicatiotrs 8
The Chagos Islands: Ahhough thc indigenous pcoplc won thcir 1'eorle lollowing a military Iine ofthinking end ofthe bombing flights ard those tortured
couft cases against their deportation they are will scc a *strategic position'in their officcs. in the concentation camp Foolprint of
Paradise Stolen still being denied the right ofrelum. The I ronr an occupied island sea and sca lanes Freedom. But also for those who impose this
by Andr6 de Raaij main intcrcst for thc UK govcmmcnl sccms .r,r bc contollcd. People living on the hell on other humans.
to be the presenation of nature ir the ishnds drc a burdensome side issue. They
The Chagos Isla$ds fiate up ar archipelago in archipelago. Globalwarming, which is ofno ( he deported ifdeened ncccssar',. The In their desertedness, their apparent
the IDdian Ocean, halftvay between Africa and intcrcst to the govenmcnt gcncrally, is cited t)co|lc ofKwajilcin in Marshall klands are utrtouch€dness and paradisiaoal allule, islands
Indonesia. Colonised by French plantation is aD argument against thc rctum ofthc ,,,1! allowcd lo \aork as wage labourers on reFeseni a feminiDe principle. Specilically
opemtorc, populated by slaves tatefl fiom other islanders: they will be drowned by risins sea thcir island and must leave for other islands when mea.sured against the paradise m),th with
French island colodes in the lndian Oc€an and levels. Deportation. continutug colonisalion, rllcr work at dre base where US Securjly is which the bible begins, the story which for
ftom the Anican continent. In 1804 the British making fiuman habitat a nature rcscNe r1tirdcd Pcople liom Okina*a and other many people means both the begioniry and th€
conquered the islands and abolished slavery. lvithout inhabirants butwith a na\y and ishnds in the Rluklu archipcla-go have been end ofthis colection ofbooks. N€ither
Plarfations and wo*ers however stayed. airibrce base for fie US the gnm reality of ,icporled to Bolivia to nake phce forbases. Woman nor Island ar€ s€ducers but the more-
than-slmbolical rape which th€y undergo in a
AhoifngAdhm tsheterratirct eatgh iecd egvcoaidvlueeerdn amthneadtn wtt haoenf ttaehrd€ c htUiop nehiltaaevgdeo Stwhtaeatse sof CMhnalgtiocsu ltius rtahle Plaolset(c oalondn iaple rBhariptas inth.e mo( (tI) rll,,rerrg daoishscrsg iasonassss i aatnunsrdn efaodrre itnwhtoiotsn eea shosDee lslt: h telor e rtlehl cefeo wirv aitnhyge cquualhlirfiec adtioontrj nwatheicdh b ys€r vmeasl e tvoi ojulesntcifey pthriosvides a
natural harbour ofthe nain island, Di€so poisnut cxanplc ofhow islands and their
Garcia, as a na\.y base on conditio! that inhabitants are treated as asset orburden in #e*'e
nobody be close enough to snoop around. the pursuit ofglobalsecrrily. Why flris
prcfererce for Nlandsl
The islands, annexed fton the original main
island colony ofMaudtius, were not giv€n
ind€peDderce and the British govemment
decreed that the population ofslave The leople who were deforted tiom Chagos
descendants was ieally an itineraot worker describe lhe islands as paradise. There was
commmiry. For specialist medical caxe and for cverythiDg ncccssrry for a modesl cxistence.
necessities which could not b€ foud on the A life withoutpoverty or riches. It looks like
ishnds, the Chagossians regularly went on a you canlrol say anything worse than thal io
boat trip to Mauritius. At a cedain point they whitc lluropeans wilh a Christian backstoryl
were denied the retum hjp home; 'th€ islands Paradise is aplace from which humans have
have been sold". Th€ colonial administrato$ in
Weshninstei mean\,r'hile nade joking remarks
about rh€ inlEbitants, "some man Fridays" ll is hard to say uteiher life was really
wiih'home birds". The first act ofet}nic idyllic on the nrary islands conquercd by
cleansins was ite collecrive kiling ofthe white EuropeaD coloDialists. Compared to the
islanders' dogs, meatrt as a waming for the existence ofmany Chagossians no$.
humans. Plantations were nationalised and deported and lefi to their own devices in the
imrnediately closed doxm. Remaining islade$ slums ofMauritius aDd thc Scychcllcs, lifc
were deported and the US nary and air for€e on the islands looks like life in taradise.
moved in in 1973. Many Chagossians descend liom people \\ho
In the so-called war on temr the islands are $,crc violeDlly trken a$a), as slavcs fron
their own hearths in Moqalnbiqne or
used as a prison and tortue canp under the
incredible code name 'Footp ntofFreedom'. Madagascar. A lreatnrent that is a sufiiclelnfl '@
retutation of any pretcnse of ci\ ilisation.
The Suboontircnt, East Aftica and the rhe Shan AcL.uht ofthe Dentu.tio oftha ,h)29)*! tr*
Arabiatr peninsula and beyond can and 1,./ier ofBatolomi de Ias Casas had not nd. tFic, rZa. tett t t{1h
indeed are being bombed ftom the
I island. bccn sufficicnt lmorc on tlut sonre odrer
@, o!.Lt\co.,\ix- ex^*
Comrr
c€iring
16
18 June 2010
Catholic \Yorkcr Farnhouse, Herts,
[email protected] ahoo.co.uk
Scott Albrccht 07983477819
Aiierlhree conferences (Lccds 2006, Bradfbrd 2007. Sheffreld 2008) thcre was a sense a,nong I I )or are interested in creitive and thoughtl'ul writing on anarchist thinking based in thc
delegales thal more affinity and morc clrrity on decision-making is needcd. Thc 2010 conterence. I l( trom fri€ndlJ folk you night read...
,\pocalypse Now: Unveiling Empirc. Conccivnrg Communion anns lo .ddress that rssuc morc
squarelY. \trxrchist Voiccs: A joumal of evolutionary anarchism
s,Ll,scriptions are available at [8.00 for four copies a year(r5.00 conc.)
Ratherthan seminars led by cxpcds nr 3 field orfiom an organisation. therc willbe lilcilirated. I l'Sinrcock, Iotal Libery--,47 High Sfee1, Belper. Dcrby. DE56 l(iF, UK
structurcd discussions on more generalrhenics. This mcans eleryonewillbe able lo pafticipale
more tul]y in thc ourcomcs oflhe conference while oDly a fcw pafiicipate in the hostiDg and or I fie Cunningham Amendnent: The Joumal ofEasl Pennre Andcrisps.
garising of tlie evenl. l)((liclt.d to revohtionary acts ofjoy and ircvercncc.
I h(re Je mJm rhre( J.m' ro rhe )010 4 or i(rulce. ll\ {lo|ations !o 1005 Iluddersficld Road. Bradford. BDl2 SLP, West Yorks, UK.
.
Io cxplore oxr emotional and spiritual depcDdcnce on tlre stale (using FoDiefs spnilurl ()rganiscl The parish magazine ofthc Anarchist Federation.
. de!elopment model) IjM ANARFED. London. WCIN ]XX. Ensl.nd, tlK. e,nail: info(4afed.org.uk
To xnalyse flre many injustices that prop up aDd stsbilise the nation state
.
To begin to fbrm a communion ofouroun 10 increase our commirment to onc another and
10 tlre kingdom ofcod
t
Those involvcd in P3( conferences have come from a vast range ofgroups and commnnities in .roIn 'l "o^o,
cluding Cat|olic WorkcN, Tlre Society ofFriends. RomaD Calholi.s, Christian Peacemaker ' A Pinch ofSalt's recorunended
,li",I"Pu*
Tca s, Student Christian Movement. Priycr 158, Anglicars. Baptisis. non-aligned Chrislirns, bed time reading. Two year old
Hunranists. Politic.rl Scienlists, Tolstoyans. Evangelicals, Libcrals, xnd nore beside. Our comnlt Maxtha loves this story of anarcho-
ments lo non violcni rcsisrarce to rule brings together an cclcctic mix ofPeople.
femioist-syldicalist revolutioo; she
In order 10 keep ihe discussions live ly you will be asked lo let Scott knos if yotr arc pan of a W,g especially likes the Manist cd-
grouf or dcnominalion so llra! we can deliberately mix it up fi the discussion groups on the week tique ofthe exploitation and alieo-
end. This folloNs the succcssful nrodel used at the Anarchist MovcDrcni Conlerence in East
ation ofthe worker.
W ..r
{,;rrF
lfyou.re nrtercstcd nr ionring adiscussion on dris issucs it$,ould be greal lo see you therel . Ask your library today!
ll
l2
Non'Resistance attitud€ oust the thing expected), would not ruf- A Pinch of Salt to shake the
fian's coolness and wel-trained nuscular force
by Adin Ballou (fi-onl Nor-Resistance to Hu- Empire
be almost sul€ to seal the fate ofmy family and
km"cWnieao€1rnwy1 ,,G "h 1oo8vsw3ea9 ry)nysom tuhe enw too, buBjledoc stmtooarn,n aN"Igo esn h-mRouaeltsdtei srltisak neifc rteho eSo- mseCshoycosnauetprlledafl . r,Iwy Bnittouhot t apbilneel r pfaleimckct€libtyn a,gs ba tflih€tlniyqe ? n, ,ni now.en..e -c rveasdseilsls t asounuptt p pooasfte4en, to .rnl,r rr llrullkc9ninlir0gpg iotGnhfega sn facdoolhutylino dlnmeaidatui olda nt amshx eao- rtfchs haerh ifderto., B A"thrwsiet ii hslIhhen dhlEihaeminsld p cIiho rieaagm,sht pCl(otrhncoleims Lti,eilre iSdniiaa traera u\f{i'oarhLr li.sl oWlrtr foeirtrkIeexnJlr' etpl triis0srtaele]rllt
ruffian should actualy breat into your house that no moral najesry, no calm and dignified lirrrdhi and his companions *ere protesling P,r':e non'.,ir,lence Pl.rughshares Palesiirre
wywedsohyrii€atfueohed su fs?lisadrh"len rptIdit nrl ceeoclad mvhnb eilniead.no crrtBtgeek un netlet tin klsIltc€ loayhc uaao rcg nwhcbh oo tt eweIwa rmln ae wddhri dge om hawbautke nr faIddoa c o€rrntes.u d e ig neyfW h roysat uuooitlcrouu hI lrda act rraswgeelvraotmoraureuniolgapendht d s bttIt ero eaard h nnrooihcnl?tf€ ed ha,I i fnnamw argioytnnh udntpeo lodesnwctr o aseg coinaddonttismhv ;f einaeItr he rwme m o oiipnyfhuor tle eludovwr rvye cheonroadostvri o ioetotminrhon e;ent honsa€if rntinhd e aI .vhln,,ng,.r{lnsx ril !lrshhislhlcttei pyglfv rawhfoola mcrft ro etdrht iheetIaen yxNd seisaotdaanrw teshe s.eat toasT vtahmoilneya ukrroeecno sjubt uhstehlettn eitres a fasoxita sw llo atn mfwt hsoteha rIetyc1r iSCRU,ceaSlltipiig.orAiitcrai l tselXu, nairla vlmlPeirlrrdolcit+rrlirl nsr lnt, e,A lirlj[rr.3ol. rrNciltrliyrgrip 5aWetld rnSairri lludTisC lrliNseast, .t l,ll.If,ri loieaDlteAwinrd€.octserl
- how I sholld vdsh to act. IfI am a firm, con- rcceive the blows of the muderer. I would say, AJII-C Birmlnghm
siste non-resistant, I should pove myselfno "Since nothing but our blood will satisfy your Itukrng bxck at that hisbrically significaDt CiristoJ'anrolld.s Ne' T.etimerl ibama l,lli
tchoew haigdh;e fsotr foit rtrietuqdueire tso tbhee an otrbulee snt ocno-urerasgiset aannt.d ttrhuiNstt., HI ec owmilml reencde ivmey uasl l toto h Giso bdo isno mwh, oamnd Imay .$\.u1, rr ol hrecm ceomnbteerm fpilotr athrye dBirsisriesnht eErm wpoiruel d$ adso- En€ruI ll.nsing M)$tiriax n l,i)rir ii:;lt ,r.rEli;ix
ffI am what I ought to be, I should be calm He hav€ mercy on you. Strike ifyou will, but r'r .crked at Dandi beach. Untilrhat day ir is Cr.LIf, alrlsta;dfirr leieriit! ani a sri iiD ,{rti
and uffuffled by the alarm at my door. I should you must come through my poor body to the l,l.ly lhll mosl British admirisirators. sxve the [mkfair l.rde!: Nr{Csrl!]i ihagr: lririr lcfrtltt
maire,e at msayl uwtarteiotcnh, eadn dfe all odwep-moratmn ewnitt hs oa Csphidrist,! an pboosdeie sth eo fhthoensibelhee ltpralegsesd yv iisc tcimoms!p"l eWtee all,n ds uopu-r ls,hrfir c it( lwoalsle ocnt othfe. nwraopu.ld struggle io kno!,! 0;y ilhl Ir',,ni 1,n|I UL:iul lii llps m!t::!ii.ii$t
like, so Litde expected, so confounding, and so butchered remains are all lying silent in then l',!lrrps Gandhi was advised by friends on how Fl'rl'ef ls,i :rsnr!{i iiaNiltrt ,:htllla!
momlly inesistible that in all pmbability his gore; what then? W€ are aI dead; we fell cling- r,i rxikle this injustice. "co 10 Dclhi and dunrp Iial;an €r ]9s!rrs :h:i9ali! iiail rgiai ::hurx
whaeramploensss otof vhioisl esnidce€ . Ia wndo udelda tsha yw, o"uFlrdi efna4ll why idnega ttho we€raec h oovthe€rr;; thine a" dmeobmt o€nftn atthuer ep"a iniss p oafid; ,L :rrtrLl kr osaf yr ictoe pouul tssiadlte irLtoo rhdi sI Nwainre'sr shuopupslye,"". aBlllllalllnl llstrr :thlaa tilrDp! :glL!"iid! ,1
wdoh oy o$u.i scho myoeu h neroet?h inSgu ebluyt ngooot dto? iTnhixirse htohuossee is wvehyeerde bayre hwoely n aonxg?e lsO, uwr ihnagp tphye isrp liirgitsh, l conng- ':,,d\ (,l. libcafg'.s Boufst aGlta rnod hLio nddido nn o\n\,eir ho larh peesteir iothniB fgosr !L3a*rrtldll:aLUwi:rrn L i:iblaplxrnamtiemri :il!ldil caErii:eir la,liidii rIrrl*el!t
ygoonyue, oarcrfpefr eecasohcld ey, oavnuadrrs mfeii lefyanotd usorhsuierp lt faatobt leao;lu l irmf ytauoneul;d inafdrhe.u Inf- flight to the boverc ofPamdise. ,,ll,{r, irl c ii\nnc nrtnh ypk r oocttahesesert e twhdea $yp copw enreirrrji uoIsnoreric dce h.t haeHn gege o cviaoeyur nlidmn esthencel lLre'Llhnmiil!r sitlli]r il, ]Llais.lria'4r ntaarti.i idili rlN].t tiriitrhiirli il1, r,le*"li
weary, sleep in our bed; ifyou are destitute, Adin Balou (1803-1890), a starmch pacifist l,,Lnds ofthe people tirrcush making their own .{li!:til,r Lii.r F.rnrf x.il,!trl.:r rrirLl
pCaolol omfrt,oe m,a nl edet vnuiesl eabdneyd ,f ibfieileenesdslys u, tsat hkwaeit t hoG fo hodisu mlp garooy otekdecset.ipo nu.s" hFainesda Fccheoefned1r rpaeendlid nt'gen rrmcatr egwu asmsoe m'nAets o onffot-hrr eeJs emissuotslsr' tf 'Smeormvionng :rr,, s1l. rthsu lsc sreunsd' emdonsgt trheelo sluatlti o]Dawa ryim pnroelsesnatg.e is in u;..itriillan:t ' |i l\irlr, a:ti:rrilL !!r,,]li, il/, :rr,.: li:'rn f:..irl !i.,.r:'i:n r i,nie . ;F'rir!'
hWtfIheeimiaestsal?i tnt r efgWowhsro eobouaueftiladtd hri n ebiaote lfnli f nteomhvtne aesc ddeioveiftmefrae,lt pycesl tdeo o t oeauvfslistyo u eoiecoiftnthhvhce eeetrrrc? etho oaoWm tummeos aeeut,knhl detoe rai siat wobaonenni erta ht rhoa cefTnhi sooiMssltsmuhoteeou rsbyn,. o tt tlhBehtood a au blstgohe huae t alttahhwkboeeoewny l t edolaivit sreecdarro g araarrlesellyv esa.adp y otShsotrie mndol qiarlwjy aeD rictoiuhttrimee ad-ss :nr.I ir[,Lie..lgkidcL liw . ndi tsahgt yhai reotidh lretpeIhs r flctieirn v nntmcehedidcpSoe dsahkntlpi iitsntrh i cegoolsidllnfo coesl.aums tnrs lid toocxo np.Dcf oacaHd\rno{oy edpdw rhlsa.a i ?c dcP t]or aCaoi srswlrd r etedcsharii es tcici hvshooecnDav'l sylc-l, liLM!i?:ir:;5i ;,ti,:!ti!:1:.. r:i,:!. I::!iiraijrd l:ir,il'll; lllint] r Eli dri!/rPd .i.nt, rrldr } illjt!p ,.,ri.l". r L!i&i?ililhai.-. ilr {!iaLr..i-:i ,!: i rD!i!riiai ,t!rrri,l .,uiit!ir$,r1.,
nshoat lbteer eind codomopr,a rhaabllfy dsisatfaecr ttehda nw tioth r uaslha rrmo ,the ac rpiroicsasli boilfi"dh,.u mNoanne tgheolveesms,m heen tw."a sB €xetsriedmese, lythat \,rcd Ne may tum ou backs on him alro- f:!lt.L nri..tr,ii:x 9lrj i.r,r,l rrli:.( !.::iii il
eBsping some d€adly weapon and bearing it he found himself obliged to rebut accusations i!*l: saril fiilfli Sli:tIlr,.r lar,L: !t,rr 1l!
aloft, looking fiery *aath and mad defiance at of"anmchism" suggests thai his argum€nis l)! Kcidr Hebden a:ui.r r ;:,rl:!!r ilrl.iaii iirlr! I{il:rili :li:ri
the €nemy? How soon would follow the moital were indeed sometim€s heard to Iogically im-
encounter, and how extrernely uncertain the ply such anarchisn. ::)$t:.r':* ilirniNt ri:r1r iL,itl. rr{rt;id: }:ir;:,!
i, fie
t., outcome? moment I appeared in by Ale, Chtistoya nopaubs
such an