ddraig
kicking against the pricks...
link
London Bookfair ‘won’t happen in 2018’ -in-2018/
London Bookfair ‘won’t happen in 2018’ -in-2018/
[Sat 28th Oct 2017] London Anarchist Bookfair (London)
- Thread starter Kate Sharpley
- Start date
stethoscope
Well-Known Member
Have been watching this unfold, but also reluctant to comment on it. I don't have the inclination to say much really other than its very disappointing obviously to see the collective decide to give bookfair a miss next year - can only hope it'll be just a temporary year out but frankly who blames them. Really sad of state of affairs.
As someone who has been aligned to both feminist and trans groups/politics over the years (especially for a period where some of us were making some good progress on uniting, in some cases, oppositional ideological ground to focus more on common experiences of oppression from patriarchy/capitalism/class), it's been immensely depressing to see where this stuff finds itself again. Two particular extremes of the worse facets of identity politicking, played out mostly on social media and now increasingly spiralling out into hostile public spats and battles with fuck all consideration for comrades and groups around them trying to keep up momentum in creating alternative spaces and political movements.
Frankly I'm fucking sick of both particular wings of rad fem AND trans politics in the last few years especially constantly playing this game of upping the ante, using dubious tactics online and off with outing people, threatening behaviour, having fuck all respect for other political organising, fearmongering, increasingly hardline demands that will never be reconciled, and all round petty, individualist, and divisive bullshit.
As someone who has been aligned to both feminist and trans groups/politics over the years (especially for a period where some of us were making some good progress on uniting, in some cases, oppositional ideological ground to focus more on common experiences of oppression from patriarchy/capitalism/class), it's been immensely depressing to see where this stuff finds itself again. Two particular extremes of the worse facets of identity politicking, played out mostly on social media and now increasingly spiralling out into hostile public spats and battles with fuck all consideration for comrades and groups around them trying to keep up momentum in creating alternative spaces and political movements.
Frankly I'm fucking sick of both particular wings of rad fem AND trans politics in the last few years especially constantly playing this game of upping the ante, using dubious tactics online and off with outing people, threatening behaviour, having fuck all respect for other political organising, fearmongering, increasingly hardline demands that will never be reconciled, and all round petty, individualist, and divisive bullshit.
Treacle Toes
Time
This. I have thought about posting stuff recently that actually made me feel grubby by association...on both sides wtaf? :/
J Ed
Follow Back Pro Expropriation
Hard to imagine a more powerful way of dividing groups and organisations which are dependent on solidarity.
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
FFS, really, really angry and sad about this. I hope those fuckers that behaved so badly on the day are fucking embarrassed, as are those that signed the open letter to the @ Bookfair. Absolutely politically destructive fuckers.
I hope the @ Bookfair collective take one year off and organise another in 2019, by which time half those pricks would have given up on politics.
Seriously, the state of anarchist politics in 2017, what a fucking mess.
I hope the @ Bookfair collective take one year off and organise another in 2019, by which time half those pricks would have given up on politics.
Seriously, the state of anarchist politics in 2017, what a fucking mess.
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
I doubt it. I imagine they're reveling in it.
These people have NOTHING to do with anarchism. Nothing.
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
This just in from Maria MacLachlan.
Thimble Queen
Called away to another place
Fozzie Bear
Well-Known Member
Meanwhile from the other side of the park...
Treacle Toes
Time
FFS. ffs. ffs. errr... ya. ffs.
J Ed
Follow Back Pro Expropriation
For them, I am sure that this is their politics. Subcultural squabbling.
J Ed
Follow Back Pro Expropriation
Same one that openly celebrated Mark Fisher's suicide then claimed that she was a victim when people were upset with her for it.
Such a pity. I've only been twice, both times with my children, the eldest was a baby at the first, and my youngest a baby at the second, with the eldest going to the kids space, where I hung out too for a bit. It was really important to me that there was somewhere for the kids and it was the kids I thought about when I first read about what happened because I couldn't help but imagine how frightening it would've been for mine. The description of the kids crying because they thought there was a fire was very upsetting.
ska invita
back on the other side
Worth remembering Edinburgh and Merseyside AF branches threw their hats in the ring on this as did AFed Trans Action Faction....I see Freedom will be saying something about all this on Monday according to their website, and if i were betting Id expect there'll be criticism for not denouncing transphobia in the bookfair statement.
ska invita
back on the other side
good luck!
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
Yeah, with a few exceptions the Libcom thread is horrendous. Think there's been some pretty shocking behaviour and jumping to conclusions and positions from a number of people and groups about this. And over the 'Religion is Stupid' banner.
Stavvers is a nasty fucked up arsehole of the highest order.
Poverty is increasing but the hot topic is who should be allowed / banned from middle class spaces. Leave the cunts to it.
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
Yeah on some level I agree, but I think the Bookfair not happening is a real political step backwards (I mean not like setting the revolution back or owt, but just generally a retrogressive step in the public side of anarchist/communist visibility). Surrendering these spaces to shit politics is really problematic I think, and like someone said up thread, if this can be ruined, then anything can.
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
No, the hot topic is people having such a go at comrades that they withdraw from an activity they've done and done well for years
redsquirrel
This Machine Kills Progressives
Fucking idiots. Both of them. Illustrating very nicely stethoscope 's point
J Ed
Follow Back Pro Expropriation
I wonder whether stuff like this is partly the result of power being less legibile in our time than it has been before. Increasingly we imagine our world and the relations within it as being that of a series of individuals and disputes centre around the interpersonal relations between those individuals or groups of individuals, and that becomes the territory on which battles are fought.
It also makes me think about just how, to me, non-political these disputes seem these days. Particularly in the whole radfem vs 'anti-cis' trans group stuff but on a whole range of other things, it seems like there are no ideas which are being fought over and there is nothing that anyone can do to win over people in other groups or even non-aligned bystanders. Everything is already decided as far as who is on which side, the only thing which is happening is that various previous grievances are being aired and acted upon, and during the course of that new ones are being generated.
What is the point in any of it?
LDC
On est tous des pangolins
Two bald (one cis/one trans) men arguing over a comb?
chilango
Hypothetical Wanker
They’re not even talking about the comb. Just fighting over who’s the baldest.
stethoscope
Well-Known Member
Most of these with media (Guardian, New Statesman, etc.) and social media prominence, and regardless of whether they have come out with vocal pro or anti trans positions, all seem to be ultimately liberals and will happily throw any radical left/anarchist politics under a bus when it comes down to it.
As will a fair few ‘anarchists’ by the looks of things.
Similar threads
