We are all over the world.
We are the intelegent individuals and groups that can see where corperations are trying to lead us.
We are not the blind mass that immediately believe newspaper and television reports.
It is us who are burdened with anger for being able to see and acknowledge the poor behaviour of the rich and powerfull.
We are the people who speak out, and as a result in many cases we learn more and grow more from the communication we have with the other people we are in contact with through our protests.

I was at the Melbourne S11 protest against te holding of the World Ecconomic Forum.
That was three months ago. I am still traumertised by the event, however it took me two months to realise it. Be aware that the events you have all been involved in while vital to your cause, can cause traumer in the future, and make sure you keep in contact with friends who can help you.

Remember:
The people being protested against have many lives in their greedy little hands, and we, THE PEOPLE did not vote them in.
We know right from wrong even if they don't, even if the blind masses don't yet.

I am a peacefull protester
I was beaten by the people who are there to protect me (the police)
I am still a peacefull proester, but I am also a human being.
I am angry

What is particularly interesting--but certainly not surprising--about these impressions is the apparent collusion among (1) the European state machines (French, Italian, Spanish, etc) (2) the various European corporations and (3) the local city law enforcement agencies (Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Lyons etc)- a -collusion against the international protesters. And as always, the state repressors are never afraid to go after the media, especially video shooting media. It is also a little disturbing that all these events happened in France, a country that has always prided itself to opening up its borders to the disenfranchised: to for instance, the many African-American writers and jazz musicians who flooded Paris in the 30s and 40s, and still even today.

translation comment:

SDF = sans domicile fixe
= person of no fixed abode
= homeless person

An SDF is not (usually) a law enforcement officer.

Thanks for that correction of (SDF) Sans domicile fixe. My mistake. I knew that. Thanks again!

Fellow activists:

You are invited to join a new email list for discussion of activist
"violence" and "nonviolence" at the current large mobilizations (J18, S26,
J20, etc). All perspectives are welcome.

You can subscribe by sending a blank email to

v-nv-mobilize-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

or by visiting

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/v-nv-mobilize

Do not "Reply" to join the list.


GENERAL INFO
WHY THIS NEW LIST?
SECURITY
FORWARDING THIS INVITATION


GENERAL INFO

The goal of v-nv-mobilize is to facilitate a respectful, international dialog on activist "violence"/"nonviolence", in which people of differing views can learn from one another, and people of similar views can discuss how to act on them. (Quotation marks are used here for the sake of openness, to recognize the many uses of these words. This is not a convention others need follow.)

Since mid-January of 2001, this invitation has been sent to over 500 people, lists, and organizations, representing a wide range of:
* geographical locations
* issues of primary focus
* political views
* positions on "violence"/"nonviolence"
* types of involvement in the mobilizations.

The list is unmoderated -- which means self-moderated -- with an open subscription policy. Its primary language is English.

v-nv-mobilize is for examination of activist "violence"/"nonviolence" as a movement issue, across different mobilizations. Practical applications will hopefully be discussed, but this is not the primary organizing list for any mobilization.

v-nv-mobilize focuses on the "violence" and "nonviolence" of activists, because it is a list for activists (in the broadest sense), and aims to help us direct our own movement. The "violence" or "nonviolence" of police and the prisons are uncontroversial among activists, and are widely addressed on the internet. The same is not the case with our own behavior.


WHY THIS NEW LIST?

There have been all kinds of activist "violence" and "nonviolence" at the mobilizations of the past two years. v-nv-mobilize was inspired by -- but is not limited to! -- some of the events at S26 Prague: activist/independent media reports were that a small minority of activists threw cobblestones and Molotov cocktails at police, and similarly attacked delegates, injuring tens of people, at least two seriously.

Research for this list turned up numerous accounts of and reactions to these events, but hardly any extended discussion, especially of activist "violence"/"nonviolence" as a general issue for the movement.

During that research, another example of "violence" occurred at N30 (2000) Nice, where activist/independent sources reported that some activists started a fire at a bank, and then drove off firefighters by throwing rocks.

Note: v-nv-mobilize is not concerned only with these potentially lethal actions; they serve as dramatic examples to argue that we activists should be talking more about the whole spectrum of our "violence"/"nonviolence" at the mobilizations.

And to repeat, the goal of v-nv-mobilize is to bring all sides together, not to advance one view of the issue. All perspectives on activist "violence"/"nonviolence" deserve public discussion in depth, due to their significance in:
* movement strategy and tactics
* mobilization organizing
* media and other outreach
* (for some people) morality and spirituality.

(By the way, if you are aware of such a dialog occurring elsewhere, please post its location to v-nv-mobilize.)


So why are these matters not more talked about? To be sure, each mobilization is different, and where there is less likelihood of serious "violence", it is understandable that there is less attention paid to the issue. But these mobilizations are part of a common movement, however it is understood: what happens in Prague affects what happens in Washington DC and vice versa, on the streets and in the conference rooms.

Three other reasons to avoid this challenging topic come up often:
1) "Let's not divide ourselves."
2) "Let's focus on the practicalities of organizing, not on abstractions."
3) "Our view on "violence"/"nonviolence" is settled. There's no need for dialog with other groups."

Each of these points may be valid for some people and some forums. But v-nv-mobilize is a list for people who feel differently.


SECURITY
v-nv-mobilize is essentially public, as is its archive. Eddresses will be concealed in the archive and the members list, but not in the "From" field of postings. This will hopefully prevent people's eddresses from being "harvested", but it will not provide real "security". Bear this in mind at all times.

The lack of security does favor people of the "nonviolent" view, especially among those who live under more repressive states, because they may feel more free to express themselves. But the research for this invitation turned up many groups whose websites or lists approve of or advocate revolutionary "violence", so hopefully these people will feel just as free to express themselves on this list.

Note: the public nature of the list has security benefits. Non-members can post to the list from a "secure" or anonymous account, and can read the replies in the archive via the web.


FORWARDING THIS INVITATION
Please forward this invitation to anyone you think would be interested. But many people, lists and organizations have already received it. So you will minimize duplicate postings by forwarding only to the following: people you know personally; organizations or lists you're involved with which have not received the invitation; organizations which have no website.


Thank you for reading.

May this list serve us well -- and the movement.

alyosha Witness
listworker