(en) Active Resistance in Toronto
Graeme Bacque (gbacque@idirect.com)
Thu, 16 Jul 1998 01:33:20 -0700
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A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C E
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[This message includes background to Active Resistance, registration
info, a draft schedule, logistical information, process info and the AR
'98 vision statement. For more info, e-mail resist@tao.ca]
--- ACTIVE RESISTANCE: A Radical Gathering ---
August 17 to 23rd
TORONTO
Northern Great Turtle Island
(aka Canada)
-- WHAT IS ACTIVE RESISTANCE? --
Active Resistance is an anarchist gathering of organizers and activists
to share and discuss strategies and tactics to build and support radical
left movements against capitalism and the state. We are dedicated to a
long-term struggles against patriarchy, white-supremacy, wage slavery
and all institutions that rob people and their communities of
self-determination, freedom and dignity. We align ourselves with
anarchism as a political and historical movement that takes the form of
the oppressed living and rising against the oppressor. We believe that
people are more than capable of organizing society for the benefit of
ALL, without dominating and coercive social structures. Active
Resistance '98 is about organizing for this. We are a group of working
class anti-poverty organizers, radical feminists, student activists,
luddites, writers and artists who see anarchism as a non-dogmatic,
anti-authoritarian social and political project to fight for, and win,
freedom.
As local activists AND anarchists, we are for lasting contributions to
liberation movements. We are organizing Active Resistance as a way of
making and discovering the potentials of the anarchist struggle both
locally and internationally. AR '98 in Toronto is not seen as merely the
hosting and completion of one conference, but as one part of the larger
on-going process of social liberation as a whole.
-- HOW CAN YOU BE A PART OF ACTIVE RESISTANCE? --
As a PARTICIPANT, you can register and attend. We welcome everyone
interested in learning about and furthering the project of
anti-authoritarian organizing.
As a FACILITATOR, we would like you to come at least 4 days early, by
August 13th, to meet the other facilitators and organizers and go
through some facilitating workshops. The success of Active Resistance
cores and discussions depends on a solid basis of anti-authoritarian and
affirmative action focussed facilitation. If you are a good faciliatator
(or want to be), we encourage you to help out in this area.
As an ORGANIZER: this is an anarchist conference, which means it si
organizer through self-regulated individual/group responsibility. If you
would like to come help before the conference, register yourself as an
organizer and tell us how you would like to help and when you are
coming. There's lots of work to do, this is NOT for the light-hearted.
-- HOW DO I REGISTER? --
Contact AR '98 by mail, phone or e-mail and a registration form will be
sent your way:
By mail: AR'98
PO BOX 123
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 1K2 CANADUH
By phone: 416-635-2763
By e-mail: resist@tao.ca
-- WHAT'S HAPPENING? --
Here is the draft schedule for AR:
Monday, August 17th: Registration and Orientation, Neighbourhood Walking
Tours, Radical History Exhibit, Core Group Introductions
Tuesday, August 18th to Friday, August 21st:
Mornings: Free Skool, Caucusing
Afternoons: Core Group Meetings
Evenings: Ad Hoc Workshops, Discussions, Free Skool
Nights: Shows, Events, Forums
Saturday, August 22nd:
Afternoon: An Action with the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
Night: Anti-Racist Action Benefit; Performance Art Party
Sunday, August 23rd:
Morning-Afternoon: Hands-on Projects in the Community
Evening-Night: Anarchist Picnic in the Park
Basically, during the week, the mornings will be occupied by Free Skool
workshops, caucuses, meetings, etc. If you are interested in
facilitating a workshop at Free Skool, contact the AR organizers asap
(contact info below). The afternoons comprise the heart of Active
Resistance: the core groups. The four core groups, which allow for more
extended discussions and debates, and a place where we can get to know
each other better, will be:
-- Building Revolutionary Movements
-- Art and Revolution
-- Community Organizing
-- Alternative Economics
Early evenings will have more workshops and a place for ad
hoc/spontaneous discussions, caucuses, networking, etc. The nights will
be set aside for forums, shows and solidarity events. The week
culminates with an action in downtown Toronto with the Ontario Coaltion
Against Poverty on Saturday afternoon, a show that night, and a picnic
finale on Sunday night. There are other events that are still in the
planning stages (for example, a Propaganda Carnival during the week with
zines, posters, books, magazines, etc.).
-- LOGISTICAL STUFF --
Housing: Please bring a mat and sleeping bag. We're working to
accomodate every participant in the conference between a central large
space and a network of local billets, be we CANNOT GUARANTEE space for
absolutely everyone, so it will be provided on a first come first serve
basis. We are well aware of our responsibilities to people from out of
town and country and we promise to do the best we can. A list of
relatively inexpensive hostels and hotels is available on request.
Food: Vegan and vegetarian meals will be provided for at the conference.
Participants will be asked to volunteer for at least one short cooking,
cleanup or general work shift. Bring your own dish and utensils to save
on time and garbage.
Cost: The cost for the entire week is US$ 25/C$ 35. That includes a
place to crash, two meals a day, as well as the AR zine.
Childcare: Childcare will be provided for from August 18th to August
23rd, and as needed under required circumstances. A varied and creative
children's programme is now in the planning. The capacity of children we
can safely handle will be based on the number of children that are
registered. Please register by July 15th if you are bringing children so
we may provide for all of them.
[Traduction: Si tu as besoin d'un service de traduction en francais,
fais nous le savoir (courriel: benno@hotmail.com). Nous nous
organiserons sur place. Il y aura aussi quelques ateliers et des debats
en francais.]
Legal Stuff: For more info on crossing the border, knowing your rights,
search and seizure, hitchhiking, trainhopping and security, e-mail
resist@tao.ca for a "Legal Stuff" primer.
-- PROCESS --
The Active Resistance Toronto Organizing Core committee meets weekly
under a consensus process with a 80% majority backup vote upon
unresolvable blocks. The Organizing Core is composed of separate
organizing committees working on different aspects of the conference.
They are Activities (program, speakers, organization), Logistics
(billeting, food, space), S.A.I.L.O.R.S. (Security and Information
League of Revolutionaries), Agitprop (propaganda, mailing, printed
materials) and Fundraising ($$$).
The process and structure of the conference will be transparent and
participatory. All meeting and workgroup facilitators will be trained
before the conference in organized and focussed consensus decision
making and discussion techniques with gender parity.
Women's only spaces, rooms for affinity groups and space and time for
caucusing will be made available. A safety and security team (the
S.A.I.L.O.R.S.) will always be ready to help with any problems as they
arise. A breakdown of the way AR '98 is organized, who has
responsibility for what and to what degree will be provided at the
outset of the conference. Plenaries are scheduled to take place for
orientation, progress reports, adjustments and general evaluation.
During the conference, we expect most participants will form themselves
into many different affinity and workgroups of their own choosing both
inside and outside the core groups. We are organizing th conference as a
forum for the free exchange of ideas of experiences and not as a formal
"congress" making long-range decisions. However, longer term campaign
planning will take place as part of at least one of the cores. We expect
many projects will be started out of Active Resistance and we will help
facilitate space for specific projects people want to engage in.
-- AR '98 VISION STATEMENT --
Active Resistance: A Radical Gathering (AR) is a revolutionary left,
anti-capitalist gathering and convention uniting theory and practice.
AR will provide a forum for community and workplace organizers to
discuss strategy and for the exchange of ideas and knowledge.
AR will provide space and time for workshops, general assembly, and
strategy sessions to build revolutionary movements.
AR is working for the creation of autonomous spaces.
AR is an anarchist event using anti-authoritarian and democratic
process.
AR will work to transform society and ourselves: by confronting
capitalism, imperialism, colonization, patriarchy, racism, heterosexism,
state-violence, and all forms of domination and exploitation; by being
critical of systems, institutions and technologies; and by using tactics
of resistance and direct action.
AR is working towards an anarchist society which is anti-authoritarian
and self-governed, in which people organise themselves from the bottom
up on an egalitarian basis; decisions made by those affected by them;
direct democratic control of our workplaces, schools, neighbourhoods,
towns, and bioregions, with coordination between groups as needed; a
world where people have power over their own lives, bodies and
sexualities, where we cherish and live in balance with the earth; where
we work to ensure self-determination for diverse cultures, races, and
sexual orientations; where we work together cooperatively to nourish
community, autonomy and mutual aid.
-- CONTACT INFO --
AR'98
PO BOX 123
Toronto, Ontario
M5A 1K2 CANADA
tel: 416-635-2763
e-mail: resist@tao.ca
http://ar98.tao.ca
There are also regional outreach contacts for AR that are trying to
arrange transport from their areas. Get in touch with AR'98 for info on
your local contact.
"L'imagination au pouvoir!"
[end]
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#############
Graeme Bacque
<http://web.arcos.org/gbacque>
#14909975 on ICQ
*Question and challenge *all* human 'authority'*
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