ACG On-line Public Meeting on February 15th

[charlie mowbray]

Against Nationalism and Militarism
Against Nationalism: class struggle! Against Imperialist war: class war! The Left have lost sight of this, but anarchist communists mustn’t! The Anarchist Communist Group hosts an on-line meeting: Thursday. February 15th. 7pm — 9pm.
The struggle against Imperialism can only be a struggle against global capitalism in favour of global social revolution. This struggle is the class struggle.
We don’t believe that it is necessary for revolutionaries to support one Imperialist power or alliance over another, the task is to abolish capitalism and therefore, imperialism. We are not in the business of supporting one proto-state against the established state.
But we ARE required to analyse the shifting alliances, to try understand the rationale of the Imperialist powers and to oppose them through the only method that can ultimately stop them: the direct action of the working class.
The problem is that the tendency to see the world in national rather than class terms is deeply ingrained in the psychology of the left, as much as it is in wider society. Though leftists may be capable of criticising nationalism in their own back yard, they are incapable of doing it when faced with certain foreign movements.
This reflects the powerlessness of the left. When faced with brutal war and the slaughter of populations in distant parts of the world, a proxy is sought in response to their own lack of agency. Supporting the underdog side — the ‘resistance’ — forms a substitute.
But it is the power of the working class that holds the key. It is the working class that produces and exports the weapons that, for example, pound Gaza. We facilitate that and we can stop it. Unless we find a way to build working class power then we remain at the mercy of imperialist powers, hoping that the interests of one or more of those powers might mean that another war on Gaza, another invasion of a former Soviet country, another escalation doesn’t have to happen.
To register:

Against Nationalism and War

Against Nationalism: class struggle. Against Imperialist war: class war. The left have lost sight of this, we mustn’t.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

 

[charlie mowbray]

Tomorrow.

 

[charlie mowbray]

Today.

 

[Signal 11]

Good talk and some good discussion too. Thanks for putting these meetings on.

 

[petee]

I'm in the States, would this have been zoomed or otherwise online?

 

[GroovySunday]

I know someone who used to be a dedicated member of the ACG. They told me that the ACG has a transphobia problem. They explained it to me. A couple of members started posting blatantly transphobic stuff on the internal forums and stuff in defense of and in praise of Helen Steel. Some other members expressed concern about it and wanted something to be done. But absolutely nothing was done about it. This led to some people leaving (who later on founded the AnarCom Network).

A bit later on a couple of other ACG members left after blatantly transphobic views were expressed at an online members' meeting and after being shut down at the meeting while trying to say why allowing such bigotry is harmful and wrong. The AnarCom Network kept quiet about all this and remained on friendly terms with the ACG. Only very roughly explaining what happened on their website, after being forced to after being accused of transphobia themselves.

There are real problems with such formal organisation, such as a ruling clique (influence of the platform?) and class identitarianism. Aswell as a real lack of young people in such organisations. These organisations are not really anarchist anyway (more like council communists or something) and don't really do much at all that is worthwhile or effective. They are really little more than cults, with those in control of the org (who are usually the founders) and those who just go along with it and blindly follow (this is also true of the AnarCom Network, which my friend was also a member of after leaving the ACG). Being in these orgs has opened their eyes as to what they are and completely put them off the formal 'anarchist' scene.

If you ask me we don't need these organisations (not that they really seem to be achieving anything anyway). What we need is informal anarchist organisation with genuine decentralisation where those involved actually have a real say and real participation - such as affinity groups, which have many good anarchist qualities. And neither do we need all the other problems of such formal organisations, such as dogma (thinking they have 'the one true way of anarchism' and totally dismissing all other types of anarchism) and tolerance of and indifference to bigotry etc.

In my view anarchism should be treated as a philosphical toolbox and not a rigid ideology. Nobody has all the answers and nothing is infallible and theres things that different schools of thought have to offer, even if we don't agree with it all (with the exception of ancapism ofcourse, which is a load of bollocks and not actually anarchist anyway).

 

[Serge Forward]

Groovy Sunday, you're talking about yourself in the 3rd person here, as if it is your "friend" who told you this, which just underlines your fundamental dishonesty. As a former national secretary of the ACG, who was often harangued by you (sometimes on a daily basis) over whatever particular imagined slight had pushed your button that day, I'm glad to say that I don't have to deal with your shit stirring anymore. This reply to you will be my last ever communication with you. Happy days eh.

I am no longer in the ACG but I will say this. The ACG is not a transphobic organisation. Its only possible "flaw" is that, at the time I was a member, it had two members whose views on trans issues were in my humble opinion perhaps misguided or outdated. They weren't "anti trans" and didn't want to erase trans people but they did hold views that would certainly be at variance with some TRAs. I certainly disagreed with those views on this matter. But the ACG had always taken a nuanced approach to this issue, namely, solidarity with trans people but also aware of possible differences of opinion from some from a more 2nd wave feminist background.

This nuanced position is something that certain elements (including you) can not tolerate. So why were you ever in the ACG then? Only you know this. For the record, there was no "praising" of Helen Steel as her current views on trans people are clearly beyond the pale. That said, her getting mobbed and roughed up at that anarchist bookfair years ago was something that I (and I'm sure the ACG) would frown upon. I and others in the ACG knew her and worked with her in the 80s, when we were comrades and friends. But those days are long gone now.

I know it was you who leaked those out of context internal ACG discussions. I know it was you who leaked my resignation letter. I know you did all this to present the ACG in the worst possible light to anyone with an axe to grind or who didn't know any better. Why? Because you're a bitter attention seeking and probably very damaged person. You'd have my pity if you weren't such a devious, manipulative, disruptive and shit stirring twat.

Anyone in anarchist communist circles and beyond, who hasn't yet had the misfortune to encounter you, would be well advised to shun Groovy Sunday/Amateur Agitator/County Cuckula (or whatever name he goes under).

As for his current "class identitarianist" shite, this shows either he never understood the class politics of the ACG (possibly) or is just making shit up (highly likely). And as for his recent affinity/insurrecto turn, well, seriously this guy has little affinity with anyone but himself. But if any good insurrectionist fancies a future stay in chokey, then Groovy Sunday is your man.

 

[Serge Forward]

Just to add, the ACG is a brilliant organisation and I wish it well for the future. I was never in the ACN but I know some of its members and they're top notch comrades. I wish them well too.

 

[charlie mowbray]

I'm in the States, would this have been zoomed or otherwise online?

It was recorded and will soon be put up on the ACG website.

 

[charlie mowbray]

No anarchist in Kent wants anything to do with Groovy Sunday. It turns out he has a long history of verbal abuse of comrades dating back years, as was recently discovered. He is an extremely dishonest, devious and manipulative person. As Serge says, if he wasn't such a devious twat he would have my sympathy as a very damaged person.

 

[GroovySunday]

No anarchist in Kent wants anything to do with Groovy Sunday. It turns out he has a long history of verbal abuse of comrades dating back years, as was recently discovered. He is an extremely dishonest, devious and manipulative person. As Serge says, if he wasn't such a devious twat he would have my sympathy as a very damaged person.

This is sheer lies. You just can't take criticism of your precious formal ancom scene, the failure of which people like you have only yourselves to blame for. You can't face the truth.

And really, wtf has your insignificant little org ever achieved and why is it not going nowhere? The British proletariat are clearly not interested, and why the fuck would they be?

 

[nogojones]

Looking forward to seeing the British proletariat joining one big affinity group

 

[GroovySunday]

People like the ACG are so clearly deluded. On your website you come across as if you think the working class has 'woken up' and are 'in revolt'. Just as deluded as the SWP really.

If working class people in Britian ever do get militant or rise up and revolt, it will have fuck all to do with boring, outdated little orgs like the ACG who are not really doing anything anyway, other than producing dull propaganda that no one is interested in and doesn't appeal to most working class people.

 

[Serge Forward]

Is this now the how to win friends and influence people thread?

 

[GroovySunday]

Is this now the how to win friends and influence people thread?

Posting bollocks as usual

 

[Pickman's model]

People like the ACG are so clearly deluded. On your website you come across as if the working class has 'woken up' and are 'in revolt'. Just as deluded as the SWP really.

If working class people in Britian ever do get militant or rise up and revolt, it will have fuck all to do with boring, outdated little orgs like the ACG who are not really doing anything anyway, other than producing dull propaganda that no one is interested in and doesn't appeal to most working class people.

you'll be in patriotic alternative within five years

 

[petee]

Anyone in anarchist communist circles and beyond, who hasn't yet had the misfortune to encounter you, would be well advised to shun Groovy Sunday/Amateur Agitator/County Cuckula (or whatever name he goes under).

i have no skill at spotting returners but that would explain a post i had to answer recently.

 

[Serge Forward]

you'll be in patriotic alternative within five years

I know I responded with shock emoji but then again, that's possibly a good call.

 

[Pickman's model]

Serge Forward seems to me that that is his most likely trajectory, we've seen several people over the years go over to the dark side and if gs isn't in pa by 2029 it'll only be because he's hitched his allegiance to britain first or some other bunch of fascist losers.

 

[GroovySunday]

Some hilariously bizarre, pathetic and absolutely dishonest responses to the truth being told about the ACG and ACN today. It's been amusing I must say.

 

[GroovySunday]

who was often harangued by you (sometimes on a daily basis) over whatever particular imagined slight had pushed your button that day

It has been confirmed to me that this is an outright lie.

 

[hitmouse]

Serge Forward seems to me that that is his most likely trajectory, we've seen several people over the years go over to the dark side and if gs isn't in pa by 2029 it'll only be because he's hitched his allegiance to britain first or some other bunch of fascist losers.

I don't really do predictions, and I have no idea where GS will be in 2029, but there is one thing I'm absolutely sure of: If GS is in Patriotic Alternative by January 2029, I'm sure he won't still be by July 2029.

 

[GroovySunday]

They weren't "anti trans"

This is another lie

 

[The39thStep]

No anarchist in Kent wants anything to do with Groovy Sunday. It turns out he has a long history of verbal abuse of comrades dating back years, as was recently discovered. He is an extremely dishonest, devious and manipulative person. As Serge says, if he wasn't such a devious twat he would have my sympathy as a very damaged person.

What about brogdale .He's quite a patient bloke.

 

[GroovySunday]

there was no "praising" of Helen Steel

This is also a lie. There was indeed praising of Helen Steel and her transphobia by the two transphobes on the internal forums.

 

[brogdale]

What about brogdale .He's quite a patient bloke.

Kind, but I'm expat from the Jutish Kingdom.

 

[charlie mowbray]

Anyway ignore the sad lonely pathetic loser and listen to recording when it's up on ACG website.

 

[The39thStep]

Kind, but I'm expat from the Jutish Kingdom.

You could at least invite him round for a cuppa with no obligation to join his affinity group.

 

[GroovySunday]

listen to recording when it's up on ACG website.

Yeah, it'll help you get off to sleep.

 

[GroovySunday]

I'm not able to post on the thread about anarchists and organisations, but for the record -

I was not calling 'charlie mowbray' a paedophile (as he claims). I was saying that he bears an uncanny resemblance to the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. And I didn't intend to get personal with people, but was soon on the recieving end of dishonest bile, with people getting personal about my friend and portraying them in a dishonest way.

In anycase, it's a shame that certain people take honest criticism of certain formal organisations as a personal attack on them, and then proceeded to initiate personal attacks, lies and ganged up. It's pathetic.

And yet I'm the one who gets banned. I very much doubt theres any point in me continuing to post on the political threads on here anymore, just as I suspected. And what I said about the ACG and the ACN was 100% true and it's a fact that the ACG has a problem with transphobia.

The two ACG members in question were blatantly anti-trans and were full of praise for both Helen Steel and her transphobic hate. Part of the ACG's 'nuanced' position was supposed to be that it disagreed with how Helen Steel was treated at the 2017 London Anarchist Bookfair, and the behaviour of some TRA's and the liberal/extreme IdPol types, but also didn't agree with or tolerate the transphobia of the likes of Helen Steel.

The ACG clearly went against this and clearly does allow transphobic bigotry amongst it's membership and clearly doesn't care about trans people, which resulted in people leaving.

I would say that the ACG is class reductionist in a sense. They hardly ever focus on oppressed groups, particularly LGBTQ+ people and ethnic minorities. Their mishandling of their transphobia problem is also typical of class reductionists.

Class identitarianism often goes hand in hand with class reductionism. By identitarianism I mean viewing the working class in a certain way, idealizing them and attaching certain characteristics to them. There are definitey those in the anarchist mileu who do this, including some people in the ACG. But to be fair, it is much more distinct and noticeable with someone like Lisa McKenzie ( and that anarcho-UKIP type politics).

Anyway, I doubt this post is going to be received in a serious or friendly way. I'm gonna log out now and focus my attention elsewhere. I also don't want to spend alot of time in an online space that signal boosts the likes of the ACG (and lets such people promote themselves) and clearly doesn't give a monkeys about transphobia, as has been proven time and time again. An online space where shit politics has always ruled the roost (and where general stupidity, mob hatred, groupthink and pompous masturbation is dominant).