The War Stops Here

written by David Zlutnick and Ian Paul of the Friendly Fire Collective, 4/25/08

As an anti-war movement, we find ourselves pouring our energy and time into mobilizations which result in isolated days of spectacular actions. We attempt to achieve short-term goals but without the necessary collectively developed long-term vision needed for a sustainable anti-war movement. At times these actions may be able to accomplish goals of their own, yet we must ensure that they are being carried out in the most effective manner possible and at the same time advance us in the achievement of our broader objectives. If our strategy is to build a movement—a movement capable of destroying the state’s capacity to wage wars—then we must be critical of our organizing and gauge its effectiveness by its capacity to build a successful antiwar movement. What follows is our perspective of the actions of M19, our experience of organizing within DASW, what mistakes we feel were made, and how we think we can best move forward to continue to create a radical space for radical action. Continue reading San Francisco: M19: The (Re)Construction of an Antiwar Movement…

Over Labor Day Weekend, 2007, anarchists and anti-authoritarians from all over occupied Amerikkka gathered in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The object was to discuss the 2008 Republican National Convention and hash out a framework for anarchist resistance. Through a process of consensus in the main strategizing session and the action breakout that followed, attendees developed a three-tiered strategy for denying delegates access to the RNC. The strategy is available for viewing at several websites and floating around the internets, including: http://www.NoRNC.org and http://www.UnconventionalAction.org Continue reading Twin Cities: Why a Blockading Strategy at the RNC…

Video coverage of Evergreen student activist Shizuno Wynkoop and other women from the Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) of Olympia talking about the forefront role women played in face-offs with police, the army and right-wingers as the PMR resisted military transports through local streets. The women also discuss the role of direct action and how women can revitalize the antiwar movement.

Continue reading (FIXED)Seattle: Female and Fearless Against War: Blockaders of Military Shipments Speak Out…

by Matthew Smucker
Published March 14, 2008 in the Inydependent

Remember February 15, 2003?

That day saw the largest coordinated global demonstrations in the history of the world. Ten million people from more than 60 countries sent a clear message to Washington that the world was saying no to a U.S. war against Iraq. The newest manifestation of the antiwar movement seemed finally ahead of the game. But when the Bush Administration ignored us, what were we to do next? This was no easy question, and organizers understandably struggled with direction, tactics and strategy.

Five years on, we have some assessing to do. Despite the dedication of many, our successes have been quite limited. We have been unable to translate popular antiwar sentiment into popular antiwar action. We have been unable to build the kind of grassroots political power strong enough to apply pressure to end the occupation.

Continue reading What Is To be Done? Assessing The Antiwar Movement…

To kick-off the week of actions around the country, Stop-Loss Congress carried out a series of intersection occupations and confronted politicians as they prepared to go home, to enforce the stop-loss orders that congress has recieved due to their failure to follow through on their commitment to bring all the troops home.

Continue reading Hitting the Streets: An Initial Round-up…

Shutdown is an exciting project for anybody who has actively opposed the war, but has felt powerless in the struggle to be effective. Like We Interrupt this Empire, Shutdown is a documentary that focuses on the actions in San Francisco following the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Unlike WITE, however, Shutdown focuses on the strategic dimension of the actions, and the organizational dynamics of Direct Action to Stop the War (DASW) which organized the day of action.

As anyone who knows me can tell you, I was instantly excited when I heard about the project while I perused the workshop schedule of the US Social Forum. Unfortunately I didn’t make it, but I did shoot them an email, to which they gave an appreciative reply, and I’ve been sending them overzealous emails demanding updates ever since. I bookmarked the domain name they set up, and have checked it almost daily for the past few months. Finally, we have some movement there, and I want to let you all know how you can benefit from and support this crucial project. Expect lots of updates about it as things develop.

Continue reading SHUTDOWN: The Rise and Fall of Direct Action to Stop the War (DASW)…

‘Propaganda of the deed,’ the lazy person’s direct action

By m(A)tt, The War Stops Here

The NYPD is alleging that a small bomb caused minor damage to the military recruiting center in Times Square, New York City this morning. The AP is reporting that police have video footage of a hooded bicyclist riding away from the scene, and that several congressional offices have recieved envelopes with photos and manifestos claiming responsibility.

I will not speculate about whether or not this was an act by actual antiwar activists, police provocateurs, or wingnuts. Some important things to keep in mind, however, include the fact that Times Square is not the kind of place where things such as this can just happen without the authorities having a whole lot more to go on than such a vague description; local police forces, and the NYPD in particular, are notorious for creating pretexts for repression against movements they don’t like. But regardless, this situation raises an important point about tactics and strategy, what is or is not defined as direct action, and what types are going to take us the farthest in a movement that can effectively bring the war to an end.

Continue reading Times Square Recruitment Station Damaged by Explosive Device…

Monday, March 10, 2008; 6:30 – 9 pm

Cosponsored by the Heads Up Collective, the Catalyst Project, and the Center for Political Education

At 522 Valencia, @ 16th Street (we regret that this event is not wheelchair accessible)

San Francisco, CA

On March 19, 2003, when the U.S. escalated the war against Iraq with “shock and awe” bombing, thousands of people took to the streets of San Francisco with Direct Action to Stop the War and effectively shut down the financial district.

Now, as the 5th anniversary of the war approaches, DASW is once again planning direct actions in downtown San Francisco.

In the intervening five years, struggles for economic and racial justice have continued to intersect with the movement against the war as more and more of the resources used to wage war on Iraq and on Iraqi’s are diverted from domestic uses such as paying for schools, health care, rebuilding New Orleans, and other human needs.

Many people who organized and participated in the 2003 DASW actions have continued to engage in racial and economic justice struggles, working to build a movement not only to end the war, but to build justice in the USA.

What lessons can be pulled from our experiences in the streets in 2003 for movement building? How do one time direct actions, and direct action campaigns, contribute to movement building?

Continue reading Strategic Opportunities: Direct Action and Movement Building: Lessons from Direct Action to Stop the War…

PRINT and DISTRIBUTE to your CHAPTER, CAMPUS and COMMUNITY!The SDS News Bulletin working group is proud to bring you our third issue, much improved over the first two issues in our humble opinion. We amped up the articles, poetry, art and layout from Issue 1 & 2, and you made it all possible by sending in your work, thoughts, ideas and love.

Here is the result:

Print Version
Online Reading Version

(You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view the PDF file, which is FREE software you can download Here)

Enjoy! and Distribute widely!

Send us your stuff to be published in Issue 4: sds.bulletin@gmail.com

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-The SDS News Bulletin Working Group

From the SDS website

You’re Not Special: An ode to Hennessy

February 20, 2008
By Rahul Kanakia

President John Hennessy is an administrative genius. His main virtue is his ability to use his Silicon Valley contacts to raise billions upon billions of dollars for Stanford. But my greatest respect for him lies in his ability to quell undergraduate protest.

Every year there are at least three or four groups that stir up a tempest in a teapot by asking Stanford to divest from Israel or the Sudan, stop using sweatshop labor or pay its workers a “living wage.” Then they stage a bunch of protests, clog up bike traffic by laying down in a main intersection, have a hunger strike or two and maybe just end up urinating in the President’s office.

Continue reading How One University Defers the Dream…