Submitted by aiwendil in AntiFascistAction (edited )
I have been thinking a lot about how we should respond to this Hurricane, given a few interesting variables. The fact that it is in Texas, means that it will likely disproportionately affect people that are not ideologically in line with us. This presents some interesting challenges and opportunities as we decide how we want to respond, should there be a need of volunteers down there(I am thinking of a Katrina like situation with all the rain and flooding).
I think how we respond could actually be an opportunity to connect with people in a positive way, in communities that have not been exposed to, or have been resistant to anarchist ideas. Obviously helping out is, "the right thing to do," in some senses, even if it is people that wouldn't do the same for you. I don't think helping other human beings should be contingent on their political ideology(unless they are nazis, or kkk members then let the fuckers drown... You get the idea though).
I have read a lot of research on punishment and I don't believe it works and I don't think we should adopt tactics that specifically involve punishment(such as not helping out as punishment for communities having a lot of racism), but at the same time I think that whatever we might do as a community to help out in the aftermath should be done with dual purpose. We have a real opportunity to show people directly that we are not just giving lip-service to ideas about community building. We can actually do it by meeting people that might otherwise be our adversaries, with compassion. In so doing, we may in fact change some minds(maybe that is naive and overly optimistic in this political climate).
I am a person that cares about the suffering of others and as such, I plan to get involved in the humanitarian efforts that might ensue in the aftermath. I do plan to do so on my own terms in a lot of ways though. I want the people that I am helping to know I am an anarchist. I want them to know; where the government fails them, our diverse and amazing community is willing and able to step in and help them to get back on their feet. This counter-point is something I feel is necessary, just as much as is helping people in need.
I don't say this because I want personal validation, but because I think that our movement needs this kind of validation. I don't think it will come from the media coverage, so much as the connections we make with other humans. I would like to hear other people's constructive opinions on this, or maybe ideas on how we can get involved.
An_Old_Big_Tree wrote
This book is about what an anarchist did when there was that disaster with the levees breaking in new orleans. It's somewhat related, if you don't know about it and are interested.
Black Flags and Windmills: Hope, Anarchy, and the Common Ground Collective
Link to Free Copies