To celebrate 100’000 blog views, a blog tough question, and a poem
I started writing this as a response to the question below, taken from an article that whizzed by on social media. Since starting i watched some Slavoj Zizek on youtube, and marveled at his diligent dance around philosophical questions, and then recalled his comments on punching a nazi, a theme of this blog, that i conclude to mean, don’t punch a nazi, please, it lowers any progressive movement and authenticity of the undeniable force for good. By using the oppressors method of violence. Zizek holds his place as public intellectual and comedic philosopher of our times IMHO.
“By definition, the antifa arguments are both radical and controversial. The unanswered question is whether liberals, moderates and others who oppose the radical right can learn something from the antifa activists’ confrontational stance. Or will the violent tactics they advocate only worsen tensions in a divided society and beget more violence?http://www.salon.com/2017/03/10/anti-fascist-radicals-liberals-dont-realize-the-serious-danger-of-the-alt-right/
Yes, the liberals, moderates and others who oppose the radical right can learn something from the antifa activists' confrontational stance, and yes, violence worsens tensions, and begets violence. The unanswered question can be answered with art, i think. Yes, in my humble opinion. Let me try to explain...art to mean and deeper/broader sense of the interconnection between things.
Anarcho-pacifism, to mean a kind of make crazy peace not normal war, love bombs, etc. Disruption comes in many forms. To build, artfully, can can say whatever it is you want to draw attention too by destroying it. Temporarily apply huge artificial cracks, fake smashes, and the illusion of destruction to any target, without actually breaking or damaging anything, permanently. A temporary augmented dystopia.
The world is watching, so put on a jolly good show out there. Who’s watching who? An umbrella, a funny 3D printed steampunk mask, general clowning, moving music, intricate beatbox, singing, tone-science experiments, dancing, and lion shit’s are all fun and games. The heart of the battle, the muddle of the political language of change, the language of class warfare, and the general left leaning humanism associated with it, seem to me, in the balance. To be an undeniable force for good?
What we need right now are artists united in a willingness to step to the front lines and translate this raw humanism into a new language we can all read. And that may make us laugh, or interrupt the tragedy of two valued global divisions. My main critique of the violent far-left type of anarchism is that it does not make me laugh. Or, it makes me laugh and then, later, feel awkward and sticky.
Although, i laughed out loud when i first watched the video of Richard Spencer getting sucker punched, a widely perceived deserved punch, to a neo-nazi. The meme 'punch a nazi" went viral in and a lot was said about by thinkers and provers alike. But, if violence leads to more violence, it must be stopped to go forwards. To be seen as a force for good, without question.
Next in my way, on my way to defending anarcho-pacifism is the obstacle brought to my attention about an incident of sexual harassment at a school. A girl was repeatedly harassed by a boy, snapping her bra, and somewhat ignored by the teacher, so she punched the boy in the nose, twice. Again, my first instinct is justice, and to think - here is an example of necessary force used, nobody has any permanent damage. Right on sister! However, i can't help but think of alternative scenarios here. What if the boy had suddenly died, less justification? What if it was the teacher snapping her bra, and who then got punched, more justified? either way here i am forced to think of an artistic alternative. For example: draw a picture, write a song, make a video, or cast a spell/poem into the heart of the matter. Much of the responsibility in this case was deflected and propagated by the teachers, and the justified response of the parent who leads the story with her narrative.
Thought #1: Slogans on bra straps that read "when is it not okay to punch a pervert? and signs all over every city war memorial that read: "When is it not okay to punch a Nazi? temporary signs and sigils, but please, nothing to physically damage property.
One problem, i have with physical violent retaliation, from experience, is that it depends on a 100 percent certainty you know from where the violence originated. In the moment, split second your senses tell you, roughly from what direction the punch came, and from who. But you might be mistaken, cause another cycle of violence. I ask you dear reader to think, please think before physically striking anybody. Yet, if it comes down to it, be prepared to feel psychically self-defeated sometime afterwards. The gut instinct in these cases, after long consideration, was wrong. The goal is to stop the wheels, or change them for a new set, and then stop them. Non-violent civil disobedience is a friend of Art and in need of magick. Know thyself, love one another.
To live by example, to express charity, compassion and shared openness to others, perhaps even strangers, and leave no doubt in anybody else's mind that you are a force for good. For peace.
Tolerance, Brevity.
Poem by Steve Fly
tough minded and spirited saft
tender minded pacifists united
up the creek on a raft craft
everyone united artists
intuition counterparty to unique
the removal of
violence from all human relations
refuse to cooperate by it, resist
repeat general strike
'on your bike, take a hike'
psychically self-defeating.
to coerce by beating to reverse
the meaning of solidarity cooperation
mutual aid open thought
taoist targeting total state
either capitalist or socialist
the centralised control block
square solid unmoving
blubber state
wailing to oppose violence
tool of oppression, non-verbal
hatred in action
fascism racism and war-mind
factions other say a little provocation can
go a long way to social upheaval
knee jerk reactions
Music as a weapon
is a weapon in a pig pen
music weapon when a weapon
made of music
weapons weapons weapons
an artists stockpile of fantastic
weapons built to last and built to fight
against the forces of ignorance
of racism, greed, corruption, murder
and genocide
music is a weapon to fight fascism
music is a weapon
stolen from the musicians
sound weapons are used by government
sonic cannons are a thing
but can they sing and do they swing?
punching nazis weeping poeweapen.
punching nazis is not punching judo
it’s punch and judy
and getting all moody
whoever the crew be violence
crude 'G'
don't punch a fascist and don't
punch a nazi
try them trial them shame them
file them rehabilitate don’t hate
who can turn a nazi
better than the English paparazzi?
American Russian
see how the poem took a jab there
a punch in the nuts and guts
a slight lump on the figurehead
i see you reading me
what is this?
punching a Nazi
bop, right on the nose.
oh i do hope the blood doesn't stain
his nice clothes.
Hugo Boss at a toss?
look, here's the brain floss,
an eye for eye for an eye for a ear is wrong.
like a nose for a foot for a hand for a
toe for a tongue
my enemies enemy is your enema.
go suck yourself off in a
16 screen cinema
sinnerman sick of ya' yappin'
and clappin' sappin' and strappin'
floppin' and flappin' 'flippin' and
'strippin' the patience
out of friends
leaving the innocent with
a case of the bends
anger can be handy
but not on the brandy
and not on the candy
early on a sunday
better to run than risk breaking
that spine you so rigidly hold
on your back all the time
relax and don't punch
stretch out now don't hunch, get a healthy lunch
if you breath and
have water all's fine
if you visit the waterfalls finer
take a break don't worry
shut up look up fuck up
let the mindspray mindspray
book up
ideas into chapters
raptures vultures pecking
memory bleeding
seeding painful inner cactus
and barbed wire pasta
string of fishing-hook on toast
the sour shit sandwich
served up
and still i have a smile and a message of
good luck duck
don't do it
like a Gremlin after midnight
it makes them multiply and
justify such a violent psychology
both physical and mental
be gentle
be a man, beer man!
awake from ideology
awake from ideology
--Steven Pratt.
Amsterdam.
17/03/2017
