Negate the Vote!

In an attempt to expose the sheer ridiculousness of the upcoming student elections, we decided it would be cool to go on the offensive. Calling for a rejcection of the student government.

The student elections put all those eligible to vote in them, all undergraduate students, in a position of forced choice: either vote, or not vote. Obviously we are opting for the “not vote” option, however our stance runs a lot deeper than simply not being satisfied with those who are running: it is a broad criticism of the Student Government, and the system of hierarchy and irresponsibility it runs on. This is why we are calling for a full ‘Negation’ of the vote. It is not a rejection of the election in just this instance, or anything as shallow as that. Which is why we use the word ‘Negate’ (ne·gate 1 : to deny the existence or truth of 2 : to cause to be ineffective or invalid) And the word ‘negate’ just sounds sexy. Some of our more specific thoughts on the matter follow.

It seems almost like a joke to call out to abstain from doing what is, in itself, an empty gesture. However, the reasoning behind it comes from the potentiality for destroying the Student Government’s hegemony over politics at the University. In the large-scale political universe, outside the University, there are those who vote and those who perform Direct Action. Our aim is to create a similar situation in the microcosmic world of the University. By not voting in the student elections, one does not play into the bio-political monopoly of the Student Government. This is a humble, but necessary start.

As children, we can call out lies and recognize deception to a very large extent. When we age, we are socialized to tell ourselves more and more complex lies, and form more and more disgusting and counterintuitive habits. One of the more prominent lies that some adults tell themselves is: voting works. The lie that voting works is pretty obvious, the question: what effect can checking a box, punching a hole, or clicking a button on the computer make? The answer: none. Additionally if one looks at those who are telling us to vote, it is usually those who have something to gain from us voting. This is something to be skeptical of.

Let’s get one thing straight: We’re not looking for reform.
Bigger cages with longer chains are not something we are interested in. Even if a student politician does get elected who is not a puppet for the regents, and who can push for a more comfortable space for the students, they ultimately have to make too many compromises. By collaborating with people in high positions to power, student politicians, even the most well-intentioned, cannot inject the University with the amount of freedom we demand. Thus, being that student politicians are so willing to compromise, and compromise is definitely not something we are looking for, we must reject them outright. There is no hope in the vote.

And, probably the biggest reason to ‘negate the vote’ is that;
Student politicians become real politicians. It makes sense that those who want to become politicians begin in the University. Meaning that when we exit the University, the same student politicians who were given power in their student government are now making decisions that effect people on a wider scale. Thus, since we know politicians are corrupt, and never actually effect positive change in our lives, we ought to oppose them from the beginning of their political careers: oppose them as student politicians.

We are at War.
War on those who oppress us. However, those who oppress us create a battlefield with particular channels through which we are expected to fight. These channels include voting, lobbying, initiatives, and all other boring political channels. Those who are in power preserve these channels because these channels preserve their hegemony over the means of political action. If they can convince us that the only way to win is to play their game by their rules, then we are already defeated. We must reject their rules and their game.

Finally,
We do not have too much hope for the student body, nor any demands of anyone at the school, (or demands of anyone at all for that matter). This idea is to encourage those who are on the same page to reject something they are already rejecting and maybe politicize a few disillusioned students along the way. Also, to confront our enemies, Student Politicians, and let them know that there is a contingent that rejects the legitimacy of their Power. We hope this project surpasses our expectations, which are miniscule; for the first time, we're siding with apathy, a subject students at our particular educational institution are well versed in.

"Why yes, you have it right; we can fight them by doing nothing."

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Some Things We Have Learned Recently...

Coming off of some interesting and precarious new developments around March 4th, we found ourselves at the Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair and the BASTARD Conference. During our time in the Bay Area we learned a lot of new things. In addition, we have formed a close bond to some Greek Anarchists from the Void Network. The perspective gained from their words not only informs how we view revolutionary politics, but inspires us. Additionally, the Void Network was kind enough to link this blog on their own, when discussing their book tour through our area. Our time with some members of the Void Network along with Peter Gelderloos, who accompanied them on their tour, has left an immeasurable impact on us. Now for some ideas we would like to share:

Against the Student Identity
Universities require groups of Anarchist students in order to transform the University from an exclusionary space used only by students, to a space resembling that of a town square or social center; a space where all of the society is welcome. In order to do this we must destroy the student identity. This means destroying the ability of students to use this label to separate themselves from society. The separation of students from society means the separation from students and the social struggles which take place outside their comfortable University. Students need to bring the rest of the society into the University and open it up to other social struggles. This is not to say that student struggles do not have a unique position, students uniquely have the opportunity to radicalize other students, and break the intellectual authority of Academic elites. Breaking the student identity is needed to radicalize other students by showing them that soon they will be workers, and there is no future in that. And realizing that there is no future, no hope for where you are now, is key to putting people in the position to oppose the forces that oppress them. When students open up the space of the University to other struggles, when a particular action does take place that uniquely effect students, they have the support of the rest of society, who, ideally, or in Greece at least, will join the student opposition, come into the University and say, “What is the problem here?” Ultimately, the student struggle cannot achieve any goals unless it is part of the larger struggle against systems of oppression. Additionally, the demands of students in the struggle ought not be demands of the University, but demands of the entire society. Most important to remember about the student struggle is the notion: “We must not be revolutionary students, but revolutionary beings!” The Greek perspective on students and student life is especially important to us because Greek Universities are spaces for action toward larger goals. Further, police are not allowed in Greek Universities as a result of years of struggle in the 1980s to kick them out and reclaim the University as a public, police free space. This is a valuable goal to strive for.

Our conclusions tell us that we must not fit into neat boxes. We must, ourselves, resist the urge to categorize while simultaneously resist being categorized. Finally, in all the reading and listening we have done, we want to point out that while searching for answers we have not found any. As close as a statement or claim might look to an answer, we must be skeptical of treating them as such. To us, even in the books we read, there is no answer. Merely space opened up for us to create our own answers. Along those lines, we feel that the things we say ought not function as answers, but as the opening of spaces for the discovery of them. (paraphrased from pieces of lectures given by the Void Network; which took place at the Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair, the Bastard conference, and the PCWC’s Beer and Revolution)

March 4th at ASU Tempe: Reflections on the Beginning.

The Summary:

Early in the Morning on March 4, students dropped several banners at ASU’s Tempe campus. Getting things ready for high noon in front of the Fulton Center, where the ASU President’s office resides.

At high noon, students rallied outside the Fulton Center. The event started out with banners, signs and a megaphone decrying tuition hikes and unfairness. Chants spread and various individuals took turns speaking into the megaphone, some with more pointed arguments than others. Some staff members stood outside and watched the spectacle.

The scene was swarming with police, at least seven mounted on bicycles, three in the lobby of the Fulton Center, and others buzzing around in their cruisers and on motorcycles. Protesters even recognized an officer filming their activities.

Eventually the students decided to march through campus, trying to drum up support. Some cynics amongst the group felt uncomfortable with the ‘passive, reformist’ chants but followed along in good spirits. The crowd of protesters made it to the Memorial Union, just in time to disrupt everyone’s lunch. Followed closely by cops, the group entered the MU, and commenced to get in people’s faces. The discussion was mostly of boring tuition hikes. Some members of the crowd reached out to workers in the MU, and tried to escalate the arguments beyond mere tuition increases.

After exiting the MU the bunch swaggered back toward the Fulton Center, flanked by bike cops and the slug who was filming the protesters.

Once back at the Fulton Center action was on everyone’s mind. The police had been hot on the protesters’ tails and now the demonstrators wanted inside.

Like the last bullet put into a clip of a gun pointed at a well deserving head, it all clicked into place. The students marched through the lobby, megaphones and voices blaring. Quickly finding the elevator, the protesters packed in and ascended to the 4^th floor, where the president’s office resides. Once there, mischief took place in the corridor outside the President’s office (it was locked), papers were strewn about, chants were executed and papers were slipped under doors. A suit and tie lackey confronted the group and said he was willing to listen to what the protesters had to say. Turns out he was the Vice President. More chanting and yelling, police entered the fourth floor and some of the protesters became very uncomfortable. We ended up leaving when some of the other students began a dialogue with the Vice President. And with a defiant exclamation of the phrase “No Negotiations!” we exited down a back stairwell.

The confrontation dissipated. Interestingly, some students and non-students were detained by the police, eventually being let go. As a result of this, some students may be facing disciplinary ramifications from the University, we’ll let you know when we know.

The criticism:

The problem with tuition raises is the problem with capitalism. The problem with oppressive and exclusionary forces within the University is the problem with oppressive and exclusionary forces outside the University. Criticism of University policies ought not exist in a vacuum. They are motivated by the same factors that oppress those outside the University. This must remain in the front of our minds, especially if we want to avoid getting caught up in cycles of reform and avoid alienating non-students who are fighting against the same systems of oppression.

To us, the March 4th actions serve two functions. First, to express solidarity with those who are participating in wide scale occupations, strikes, walk outs, and direct actions in other locations. Hopefully our actions will let them know that they have friends in Arizona who are supporting them and following their stories closely. Next, to connect struggles in other places to our own. It is going to be a long push, but we refuse to wait for conditions to become ideal for us to make things interesting. While we recognize the strategic value in organizing around student tuition hikes, it should come as no surprise that our goals are loftier. Ultimately, we are happy that the Puppet Student Government is no longer the only voice. Now, as groups crop up to resist, we finally have something substantial to push with and against. We will continue to create ruptures and fractures.

The fires of revolution will not burn without the kindling of dissent and negation. If our recent actions are not enough of a spark the fire, then consider them the gathering of kindling.

Like our friends at ASU Resist, we vehemently exclaim: This is only the beginning.

We are proud that March 4^th, the day that marks the climax for so many, is the birthday of resistance at ASU Tempe campus. Moreover, as we can see from the actions of the police, someone is getting nervous. This makes us proud. And utmost solidarity to our friends working on the West campus; there is something to be said for fighting without regard to whether you are ‘successful’ or your actions are visible to a large number. They fought because their lives depended on it, and so do ours.

And in the end... we are still who we are.

It’s like this: if the other groups cropping up were kids in our class, they would be calling out oppression with an unwavering voice, speaking in proud defiance. While we here represent the kid in the back of the class, probably wearing dirty black clothes, who is not even sure why she shows up to school anymore. If the other groups are the human faces of resistance, we more closely resemble a kid in a Frankenstein mask, waiting to blow a spit-wad at the teacher or overturn a desk and storm out of the classroom.

We are uncompromising and unapologetic. We will continue to lurk in the shadows and emerge to attack.

March 4th: Statement From ASU West

Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall...
Over the last 72 hours, two actions on Arizona State University’s
West campus were taken; both of which were almost rendered
invisible to everyone other than the accused oppressors. The
actions while direct, were intentionally temporal in nature in
order to instigate a test of reactionary censorship. Our
expectations were not only fulfilled, but exceeded. Within only a
few hours time, they ripped the tape holding the written iteration
of an active dialogue straying from the norm of placating pacifist
vomit from the the walls. They brandished their knives, shredding
ropes holding banners with messages thicker than the ephemeral
echos of ‘hope’. The validation that our ideas transcribed into
words can instill fear in those we hope they would, gives reason
enough to spread them in ways that better stick. If our verbal
blueprints are taken as a threat, when the attack lashes out,
imagine the swift blow affect.
Can you hear the foundations begin to creak?

Humpty Dumpty had a Great Fall...
Just as they are blind to their privilege, it is their privilege
that blinds them. The pedestal from which they work leaves them to
be the last one to hear the rumbling of the ‘subversive’ voice, the
last to see the products of hands continuously creating, the last
to smell the smoke from our sparks. This arrogance allows them to
believe that they can put all fires out by sprinkling one flame
with water, gives them the illusion that by shredding what they
don’t want to be read, they can contain anything.
The higher you sit, the farther you fall.

And all the Kings Horses and all the Kings Men couldn’t put
Humpty together again...
The events over the last 72 hours, and the ones occurring while you
read this, are only the foreshocks to the quakes that are forming.
Observe the vibrations as they begin to crack the walls, as the
glass colonial trophies of conquest begin to creep nearer to the
edge, threatening to shatter. This is the start to an intricate
series of chain reactions. We want nothing to do with attempts to
hinder the complete destruction of this violent and oppressive
system.
While they work to glue the pieces of the shell cracked by
this week’s actions back together, you can join us in burning their
castles.

-AFAW-
March 4th, 2010

Sprouts, Sparks, & Solidarity

AFAW Calls out to join in March 4th fun. Posted at ASU West Campus.

Found this on arizona indymedia


This communique was posted around the campus of Arizona State University's West Campus.

On March 4th, California schools will begin a statewide occupation of universities in order to “ resist the neoliberal destruction of public education in California and beyond ” This is a call to join them.

We are AFAW, a group of students, ex-students, would be students,‬teachers, learners, dreamers, readers, writers, lovers,friends, human beings...We are fed up, We are fucking pissed. We are here, We are ready, We are awake, We are making a call to all students, faculty, workers, and visitors on this campus to take actions in whatever way you may see fit to show solidarity with California campuses, and to shatter the glass walled prison you are in that they like to call a school.

Something Burns Something Grows.

For too long have we allowed the University to operate under the guise of providing us with an education, while in reality it ’ s only function is as a factory which produces workers to support the colonialist capitalist system. They ensure that we will enter into the workforce by continuously raising the cost of education to the point where it takes years for most students to pay off the debt they aquire while in school. Don ’ t be fooled into thinking your University is anything other than a corporation that does not work for you, they only work to control and use you. The concept of attending school for any other ends than to find a job and attain higher income, has become an impossibility. What is allowed to be taught, the way our classes are structured, the food that is served to us, the books that are made available to us ; are all dictated by the corporate & state entities that control our Universities. Even this pathetic attempt at providing substantive education is only made fully available to the privileged sectors of our population. We are acknowledging that until the control of education is taken out of the hands which currently cradle it, nothing can change. We do not want to negotiate, that time is past. Relinquish your hold on our education, and we are assured that that we can create a new form of education free from your hierarchy, patriarchy, and inherently racist classism. Below is a list of a few ways we feel we can begin to make the statement to those who are currently in control that: WE DON ’ T WANT YOUR FUCKING JOBS, WE DON ’ T WANT YOUR FUCKING CENSORED AND DULLED EDUCATION, WE ARE TAKING OUR SCHOOLS BACK, WE WILL NOT FUCKING COMPROMISE.

“Occupation means to take a certain space away from the influence of the existing powers, who have little choice but to use police force to reassert their control. As long as a space is occupied, the people inside have at least the chance to define what's happening in it. ” -A Collection of Written Insurrections from Vienna

Occupy Occupy Occupy !! Dance in the classrooms ! Keep the library open all night ! Start a food fight ! Make barricades to keep the fun inside and the oppressors out !

Have a FUCKING PARTY to CELEBRATE the start of something beautiful and free, CELEBRATE breaking away from all that attempts to blind and oppress us, CELEBRATE the destruction of the lifeless beast that holds our education captive and the creation of a space to share knowledge that cannot be penetrated by capitalist colonizers !!!

Render the visible corporate presences ( Starbucks, Aramark, Fast Food, etc. ) on our campus inoperable in whatever way possible ( a rock and a can of paint can go a long way !! ) We are individuals trying to learn, not a target group to market products to ! Damage to property only is violent to the corporate system. A window, a wall, a cash register does not have a heartbeat.

Make banners expressing yourself and hang them from every building ! Make the walls our canvases ! We do not attend a white walled prison, this is OUR SCHOOL, OUR SPACE !

Refuse to give another cent to the monster, encourage others to do the same ! If they won ’ t teach us for free, WE CAN TEACH OURSELVES AND EACHOTHER !

Make music ring through the halls ! Yell to make your voices heard ! Wake yourself up ! Wake up everyone who has been lulled to sleep by the warm poison milk of capitalism !! Cause a break, a fracture, a disruption !

Take back YOUR LIFE, YOUR EDUCATION, YOUR SPACE ! You are NOT A DRONE, NOT A MONEY PRODUCING ROBOT, YOU ARE A HUMAN BEING !

They will try and stop us. They will threaten us with violence, with prison, with expulsion. We will fight back, we will riot in the jails, we will render their academic threats useless by taking away their power.

UC=Unhindered Capitalism

"Research for the private sector
With low scholarship rewards"

Says now defunct fastcore band Scholastic Deth.

Their criticism, originally made in the early 2000s, now comes to mind after this weekend's upheaval at UC Berkeley. Rad to see the people fighting against the 'unhindered capitalism' taking to the streets and making things hot.

Hit up The Daily Californian for more info.