Slingshot is an independent radical newspaper published in Berkeley since 1988.
The elephant in the room as we go to press is the increasingly pitched series of battles between antifascists (antifa) and white nationalists in the streets of Berkeley. Nationally reported dustups happened while we were making the issue and more are expected right after the issue gets back from the printing press. Slingshot is more effective with analysis, questions and ideas rather than news, which quickly overtakes a quarterly paper and is the main reason we don’t have any articles on this topic in the issue. We welcome a variety of submissions on this topic for next issue, so get out your writing pens.
We’re anxious about the rise of nationalist violence — hate crimes, arson attacks and armed militias as well as provocative nationalist media stunts in Berkeley. The real question is how can radicals be strategic in responding so that our actions isolate, divide and weaken nationalists while unifying and strengthening tolerance and freedom. Acting strategically requires reflection and willingness to use a wide variety of tactics to achieve particular goals.
Diversity of tactics needs to go both ways — both a willingness to use militant tactics when they will advance our goals, and also openness to using other tactics when they are more appropriate to a particular situation. It may not always be to our advantage to participate in our enemy’s sideshow but neither is it acceptable to let rising fascism go unchallenged.
There is both beauty and strength in the many ways anarchists express ourselves in the world — worker collectives, community gardens, housing coops and protest affinity groups. How can we engage in self defense when we have to, while also avoiding the trap of militant rhetoric and images overshadowing and obscuring the complex, nuanced and fragile simplicity of our other projects that aim to build a world without rulers based on mutual aid and voluntary cooperation?
We need to look at the history of fascism and see the connections with the current rise of nationalism while balancing that knowledge with an understanding of the more traditional power structures that are destroying the world and enslaving her people. We need tactics that threaten the dangerous authoritarians who don’t wander the streets wrapped in flags but rather rule from fancy offices.
Answers to these paradoxes will be written in the streets and from the ground up. What is clear no matter what is that it’s time for all hands on deck and engaged in the struggle.
And finally, fuck the internet.
Slingshot is always looking for new writers, artists, editors, photographers, translators, distributors, etc. to make this paper. If you send an article, please be open to editing.
We’re a collective but not all the articles reflect the opinions of all collective members. We welcome debate and constructive criticism.
Thanks to the people who made this: Ashlan, Caroline, Dogfood, Dov, eggplant, Elke, Forest, Gogo, Hayley, Isabel, Iwasa, Jesse, John, Korvin, Mike, Talia, and all the authors and artists!
Slingshot New Volunteer Meeting
Volunteers interested in getting involved with Slingshot can come to the new volunteer meeting on August 20, 2017 at 7 pm at the Long Haul in Berkeley (see below.)
Article Deadline & Next Issue Date
Submit your articles for issue 125 by September 23, 2017 at 3 pm.
Volume 1, Number 124, Circulation 22,000
Printed April 28, 2017
Slingshot Newspaper
A publication of Long Haul
Office: 3124 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley CA 94705
Mailing: PO Box 3051, Berkeley, CA 94703
Phone (510) 540-0751 • slingshot@tao.ca slingshot.tao.ca • twitter @slingshotnews
Slingshot free stuff
We’ll send you a random assortment of back issues for the cost of postage. Send $3 for 2 lbs. Free if you’re an infoshop or library. slingshot at tao.ca
Corrections to Slingshot #123
Eliane Knorr and Paul Z. Simons translated The Many Coups in Brazil.
In the last issue of Slingshot there was a misprint: The actual name of the new publication being started by members of the Slingshot collective is: Subversas.com.
Circulation information
Subscriptions to Slingshot are free to prisoners, low income, or anyone in the USA with a Slingshot Organizer, or $1 per issue. International $3 per issue. Outside the Bay Area we’ll mail you a free stack of copies if you give them out for free. Say how many copies and how long you’ll be at your address. In the Bay Area pick up copies at Long Haul and Bound Together books, SF.