Month: March 2016

Big banks brought about the 2007 financial crisis through risky lending, and they are notorious for exporting wealth from local communities. The hacks in congress claim these banks are “too big to fail,” so rather than regulate or outlaw them, the politicians continue to use public money to bail out these private institutions–rather than directing funds towards education, transport, healthcare and other desperately needed community services.

No one else is going to do it for us, so perhaps it is time to take bank regulation into our own hands & shut down the corporate banks ourselves.

In 2012, a group of students & teachers at the University of California at Davis (UC Davis) used their bodies as a human chain, blocking the entrances to a corporate bank on their campus. After 2 straight months, the bank branch shut down and left the university forever. Maybe this tactic is most effective on universities and other campuses (i.e. hospitals), or maybe it can be transplanted into any community. We can only find out through trial and error.

If you are out of work due to the financial crisis the banks created, why not dedicate 15 hours a week to blockading a corporate bank in your neighborhood? It’s a great way to meet people, and it could have lasting positive effects on your community and quality of life.

Some tips:

– Coordinate. The Davis Blockaders are rumored to have used an online spreadsheet to sign up for 3-hour shifts to make sure multiple people were always covering the entrances during banking hours. (For funsies: you can treat the blockade like a job & wear a suit!)

– Personal Stories. If you have a personal story about how big banks screwed you or your loved ones over, don’t hesitate to share it with the customers you turn away.

– Recruit Lots of Local People from Diverse Backgrounds. It can also help to have some local celebrities & upstanding community members as spokespersons.

– Educate. Some people are still plugged in to the corporate media and don’t understand why big banks are bad. Be ready to explain the basics to these n00bs, or have some fliers to give them.

– Bring a book. Some relevant titles: DEBT: the first 5000 years by David Greaber and Too Big to Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin.

– Document Any Abuses. If bank employees, customers, or cops attempt to break the law by assaulting anyone in the blockade, film them!

– Avoid breaking the law. Don’t give the police an excuse to crash your blockade. If a window gets smashed or a pedestrian gets punched, it’s pretty much over. If someone wants to do drugs or booze up, they need to go someplace else. A bank blockade is a specific type of tactic & needs to stay focused on its goal. That said, if a random riot wanders by and saves you some time by torching the bank, what can you say?

– Get Legal Support. Be in touch with local law firms that specialize in Civil Disobedience. Twelve of the Davis Blockaders were charged with misdemeanors, but several rockstar lawyers showed up to defend them in court. With help from the legal community, the “Davis Dozen” each received a mere 60 hours of community service & clean records.

– Send us your stories of successful blockades! We may run them in the Slingshot newspaper. All submissions to slingshot@tao.ca.

Some resources:

strikedebt.org – Join the global debt strike! Stop making payments & reclaim the future!

publicbankinginstitute.org – Make all banks into publicly-owned institutions and end this bullshit once & for all!

Books

FICTION

Summer People Marge Piercy

He She It Marge Piercy

Best of Singapore Erotica editors L.Q. Pan & Richard Lord

Ecotopia Ernest Callenbach

The Octopus Frank Norris

Bluebeard Kurt Vonnegut

Bastard Out of Carolina Dorothy Allison

The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Mists of Avalon Marion Zimmer Bradley

Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone James Baldwin

Ceremony Leslie Marmon Silko

The Rum Diary Hunter S. Thompson

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Robert Persig

The Revenge of the Lawn Richard Brautigan

The Dispossessed Ursula K LeGuin

Ubik Philip K Dick

The Galactic Pot-Healer Philip K Dick

 

NONFICTION

Days and Nights of Love and War Eduardo Galeano

Killing Hope William Blum

More Power Than We Know Dave Dellinger

The Riot Grrrl Collection Lisa Darms

Why We Drive: The Past, Present and Future of Automobiles in America Andy Singer

We Got Power!: Hardcore Punk Scenes from 1980s Southern California David Markey

The Enchanted Screen: The Unknown History of Fairy-Tale Films Jack Zipes

The Irresistible Fairy Tale: The Cultural and Social History of a Genre Jack Zipes

Sphinx: The Life and Art of Leonor Fini by Peter Webb

The Vicious Red Relic, Love: A Fabulist Memoir Anna Joy Springer

Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide Andrea Smith

A Free Range Childhood: Self Regulation At Summerhill School Matthew Appelton

On the Ground Illustrated: Anecdotal History of the Sixties Underground Press Sean Stewart

Heroines Kate Zambreno

The Coming Insurrection The Invisible Committee

Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age W. Bernard Carlson

Subversion: Definitive History of Underground Cinema Duncan Reekie

Destroy All Movies: The Complete Guide to Punks On Film Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly

The Courage to Heal Laura Davis

Bound for Glory Woody Guthrie

Anarchy Comics: The Complete Collection Jay Kinney

The Philosophy of Punk Frank O’Hara

Frames of War: When is Life Grievable? Judith Butler

Don’t Leave Your Friends Behind Vicky Law

Firebrands: Portraits from the Americas Josh MacPhee

 

Zines:

Hungry Hungry Hoes, Doris, Breakfast,

Shotgun Seamstress, Entropy, Mend My Dress,

No Gods No Mattress, Absolutely Zippo,

Asswipe, Baitline!!!, Wasted Indeed, Cometbus,

Nuts!!!, The Match, Muchacha, Node Pajomo,

Maximum Rock n’ Roll, Fifth Estate, The Pelican,

Fireworks, Shards of Glass in Your Eye,

Razorcake, Rochester Teen Set Outsider, Neon Shit,

Degenerate, Specious Species, Shut Up Slut, Rad Dad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NONFICTION

Days and Nights of Love and War Eduardo Galeano

Mass Psychology of Fascism Wilhelm Reich

Horror Movies of the 1980’s John Kenneth Muir

Killing Hope William Blum

The Best of Intentions: The Avow Anthology Keith Rosson

More Power Than We Know Dave Dellinger

Sphinx: The Life and Art of Leonor Fini by Peter Webb

Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide Andrea Smith

A Free Range Childhood: Self Regulation At Summerhill School Matthew Appelton

Asia’s Unknown Uprisings: South Korea Social Movements in the 20th Century George Katsiaficas

High Risk: An Anthology of Forbidden Writings edited Amy Scholder & Ira Silverberg

The Vicious Red Relic, Love: A Fabulist Memoir Anna Joy Springer

No Straight Lines Four Decades of Queer Comics edited Justin Hall

Heroines Kate Zambreno

The Coming Insurrection The Invisible Committee

Anarchy Comics: The Complete Collection Jay Kinney

Queers Dig Time Lords: A Celebration of Doctor Who by the LGBTQ Fans Who Love It edited Sigrid Ellis & Michael Damian Thomas

On the Ground Illustrated: Anecdotal History of the Sixties Underground Press Sean Stewart

Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age W. Bernard Carlson

Subversion: Definitive History of Underground Cinema Duncan Reekie

Destroy All Movies: The Complete Guide to Punks On Film Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly

Don’t Kiss Me: The Art of Claude Cahun & Marcel Moore

The Courage to Heal Laura Davis

Bound for Glory Woody Guthrie

Why We Drive: The Past, Present and Future of Automobiles in America Andy Singer

The Philosophy of Punk Frank O’Hara

We Got Power!: Hardcore Punk Scenes from 1980s Southern California David Markey

The Enchanted Screen: The Unknown History of Fairy-Tale Films Jack Zipes

The Irresistible Fairy Tale: The Cultural and Social History of a Genre Jack Zipes

The Riot Grrrl Collection Lisa Darms

Frames of War: When is Life Grievable? Judith Butler

Don’t Leave Your Friends Behind Vicky Law

Firebrands: Portraits from the Americas Josh MacPhee

I Wish There Was Something I Could Quit Aaron Cometbus

 

FICTION

Summer People Marge Piercy

He She It Marge Piercy

Islam Quintet Tariq Ali

Best of Singapore Erotica editors L.Q. Pan & Richard Lord

Bluebeard Kurt Vonnegut

Bastard Out of Carolina Dorothy Allison

The Revenge of the Lawn Richard Brautigan

The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Mists of Avalon Marion Zimmer Bradley

Ecotopia Ernest Callenbach

The Octopus Frank Norris

Ceremony Leslie Marmon Silko

Going To Meet The Man James Baldwin

Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone James Baldwin

The Rum Diary Hunter S. Thompson

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Robert Persig

The Dispossessed Ursula K LeGuin

Ubik Philip K Dick

The Galactic Pot-Healer Philip K Dick

 

Zines:

Hungry Hungry Hoes, Doris, Breakfast, Shotgun Seamstress, Entropy, Mend My Dress, No Gods No Mattress, Absolutely Zippo, Asswipe, Baitline!!!, Wasted Indeed, Cometbus, Nuts!!!, The Match, Muchacha, Node Pajomo, Maximum Rock n’ Roll, Fifth Estate, The Pelican, Fireworks, Shards of Glass in Your Eye, Razorcake, Rochester Teen Set Outsider, Neon Shit, Degenerate, Specious Species, Shut Up Slut

 

Books

 

NONFICTION

Days and Nights of Love and War Eduardo Galeano

Horror Movies of the 1980’s John Kenneth Muir

Killing Hope William Blum

More Power Than We Know Dave Dellinger

We Got Power!: Hardcore Punk Scenes from 1980s Southern California David Markey

The Enchanted Screen: The Unknown History of Fairy-Tale Films Jack Zipes

The Irresistible Fairy Tale: The Cultural and Social History of a Genre Jack Zipes

Sphinx: The Life and Art of Leonor Fini by Peter Webb

Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide Andrea Smith

A Free Range Childhood: Self Regulation At Summerhill School Matthew Appelton

On the Ground Illustrated: Anecdotal History of the Sixties Underground Press Sean Stewart

Why We Drive: The Past, Present and Future of Automobiles in America Andy Singer

No Straight Lines Four Decades of Queer Comics edited Justin Hall

Heroines Kate Zambreno

The Coming Insurrection The Invisible Committee

Anarchy Comics: The Complete Collection Jay Kinney

Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age W. Bernard Carlson

Subversion: Definitive History of Underground Cinema Duncan Reekie

Destroy All Movies: The Complete Guide to Punks On Film Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly

The Courage to Heal Laura Davis

Bound for Glory Woody Guthrie

The Philosophy of Punk Frank O’Hara

The Riot Grrrl Collection Lisa Darms

Frames of War: When is Life Grievable? Judith Butler

Don’t Leave Your Friends Behind Vicky Law

Firebrands: Portraits from the Americas Josh MacPhee

 

FICTION

Summer People Marge Piercy

He She It Marge Piercy

Bluebeard Kurt Vonnegut

Ecotopia Ernest Callenbach

The Octopus Frank Norris

Bastard Out of Carolina Dorothy Allison

The Revenge of the Lawn Richard Brautigan

The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Mists of Avalon Marion Zimmer Bradley

Ceremony Leslie Marmon Silko

Going To Meet The Man James Baldwin

Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone James Baldwin

The Rum Diary Hunter S. Thompson

Best of Singapore Erotica editors L.Q. Pan & Richard Lord

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Robert Persig

The Dispossessed Ursula K LeGuin

Ubik Philip K Dick

The Galactic Pot-Healer Philip K Dick

 

Zines:

Hungry Hungry Hoes, Doris, Breakfast, Shotgun Seamstress, Entropy, Mend My Dress, No Gods No Mattress, Absolutely Zippo, Asswipe, Baitline!!!, Wasted Indeed, Cometbus, Nuts!!!, The Match, Muchacha, Node Pajomo, Maximum Rock n’ Roll, Fifth Estate, The Pelican, Fireworks, Shards of Glass in Your Eye, Razorcake, Rochester Teen Set Outsider, Neon Shit, Degenerate, Specious Species, Shut Up Slut

 

NONFICTION

Days and Nights of Love and War Eduardo Galeano

Horror Movies of the 1980’s John Kenneth Muir

Killing Hope William Blum

More Power Than We Know Dave Dellinger

Why We Drive: The Past, Present and Future of Automobiles in America Andy Singer

We Got Power!: Hardcore Punk Scenes from 1980s Southern California David Markey

The Enchanted Screen: The Unknown History of Fairy-Tale Films Jack Zipes

The Irresistible Fairy Tale: The Cultural and Social History of a Genre Jack Zipes

Sphinx: The Life and Art of Leonor Fini by Peter Webb

Conquest: Sexual Violence and American Indian Genocide Andrea Smith

A Free Range Childhood: Self Regulation At Summerhill School Matthew Appelton

On the Ground Illustrated: Anecdotal History of the Sixties Underground Press Sean Stewart

Heroines Kate Zambreno

The Coming Insurrection The Invisible Committee

Anarchy Comics: The Complete Collection Jay Kinney

Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age W. Bernard Carlson

Subversion: Definitive History of Underground Cinema Duncan Reekie

Destroy All Movies: The Complete Guide to Punks On Film Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly

The Courage to Heal Laura Davis

Bound for Glory Woody Guthrie

The Philosophy of Punk Frank O’Hara

The Riot Grrrl Collection Lisa Darms

Frames of War: When is Life Grievable? Judith Butler

Don’t Leave Your Friends Behind Vicky Law

Firebrands: Portraits from the Americas Josh MacPhee

 

FICTION

Summer People Marge Piercy

He She It Marge Piercy

Ecotopia Ernest Callenbach

The Octopus Frank Norris

Bastard Out of Carolina Dorothy Allison

The Drowning Girl by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Mists of Avalon Marion Zimmer Bradley

Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone James Baldwin

Ceremony Leslie Marmon Silko

The Rum Diary Hunter S. Thompson

Best of Singapore Erotica editors L.Q. Pan & Richard Lord

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance Robert Persig

Bluebeard Kurt Vonnegut

The Dispossessed Ursula K LeGuin

Ubik Philip K Dick

The Galactic Pot-Healer Philip K Dick

 

 

As we build new non-hierarchical projects, businesses, houses and institutions, efficient, clear and open group process can make our work a lot easier. Making decisions as a group shouldn’t have to mean sitting in endless disorganized, frustrating meetings or letting our groups be dominated by those with the loudest voices. Here are some tips on how to create effective, fun, cooperative structures for liberation.

Decision Making Process

• If possible, come to meetings having already thought about concrete things to say and discuss.

• Starting a meeting well sets the tone for what is to come. Make a clear agenda that everyone understands and agrees on. Select people to play roles at the meeting: a facilitator or co-facilitators, a time keeper, someone to take minutes, and maybe a stack-keeper and vibes watcher for bigger meetings. Go around the circle and have everyone introduce themselves and perhaps check-in with how they’re feeling to build a cohesive spirit for the meeting.

• Meetings are more fun when there’s food and drink served.

• It can be helpful to have a brainstorm to generate lots of ideas on a particular agenda item. Everyone throws out ideas and no one comments on them or discusses them at the time. They are written down and organized or discussed later.

• Sometimes people raise their hands to speak to a point. The facilitator or stack-keeper will call on people and keep their comments in order. Other times a “talking stick” gets passed around — only the person holding the stick can speak.

• Sometimes, it is nice to have a “go-round” so that everyone in the circle can speak to a point or at least say “pass.” That will give quieter people who might not raise their hand a chance to speak.

• During the meeting, after discussing a point on the agenda, one or several people can state specific proposals or counter-proposals for the group to act on. This avoids general discussion that doesn’t lead to a clear decision or action.

• When a meeting is having a hard time getting to a decision, it can be helpful to take a non-binding “straw poll” to get a sense of how people feel on an issue. It may be that most people already favor one course and a straw poll can move the meeting from discussion to reaching a decision.

• Many groups use consensus to reach a decision — the process of only making a decision when, after thorough discussion, everyone agrees to a proposal or agrees to stand aside and not block it. This can take longer because it takes time to hear everyone’s point of view and requires people to compromise but avoids a group splitting between winners and losers.

• At the end of the meeting, make sure the date is set for the next meeting. Doing a check-out to state how people thought the meeting went can help heal hard feelings that may have developed during the meeting. It also helps to have people repeat what they agreed to do at the meeting so everyone remembers who will do what later. Write up minutes and distribute them to the group.

Organizational Development

• Groups that grow slowly and organically — starting with small goals and letting the project expand with the group rather than biting off a huge task right from the start — tend to keep going rather than burning out. Avoid endless discussions of abstract structure and procedures before you’ve even done anything.

• Collectives work best when they stay small — maybe the size of a band or at most a smaller chamber orchestra. If a project requires more people, several independent collectives can communicate and cooperate on it.

• Having an established welcoming ritual for new members will help the group seem open rather than a closed clique of friends.

• Some collectives are open to anyone who wants to join. Others are closed collectives — new members have to be invited to join by the existing group. Figure out which kind your group wants to be based on the goals and needs of the group. It is okay to decide who you want to work with — being closed can help deal with disruptive people. On the other hand, open groups can include new energy, people and diversity outside your personal friendship network.

• Finances should be open and not mixed with anyone’s personal money.

• Keep a binder with all the minutes of meetings to maintain history as membership changes.

• Avoid development of an “in-group” by rotating tasks, sharing information about how things work, and publicly posting meeting times if the group is an open collective.