Anarchism in the news lately because of the attention focused on community/direct actions, mutual aid and other forms of rapid response often not possible in big democratic-ish institutions.
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Anarchism in the news lately because of the attention focused on community/direct actions, mutual aid and other forms of rapid response often not possible in big democratic-ish institutions. My local (Vermont) anarchist path has been different and it's also one that's available and I rarely talk about it and I should.
It goes like this: run for a position, Justice of the Peace, in local government (shut up). Get elected seven times in a row, the last time specifically as an Independent.
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Anarchism in the news lately because of the attention focused on community/direct actions, mutual aid and other forms of rapid response often not possible in big democratic-ish institutions. My local (Vermont) anarchist path has been different and it's also one that's available and I rarely talk about it and I should.
It goes like this: run for a position, Justice of the Peace, in local government (shut up). Get elected seven times in a row, the last time specifically as an Independent.
Achieve seniority on the Board of Abatement. Become Chair. Run meetings where people seeking abatements for taxes or high water bills can plead their cases. Be the board which can give people life-changing amounts of money back. Wednesday night we gave thousands of dollars of money from "the government" back to individuals.
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Achieve seniority on the Board of Abatement. Become Chair. Run meetings where people seeking abatements for taxes or high water bills can plead their cases. Be the board which can give people life-changing amounts of money back. Wednesday night we gave thousands of dollars of money from "the government" back to individuals.
I also help run elections on the Board of Civil Authority (same job). We make sure everyone legally entitled to vote can vote. We talk loudly and often about how you don't need ID, how you can register same day or absentee, how people with felony convictions (or who are incarcerated) are entitled to vote, how people with developmental disabilities are entitled to vote and can bring someone to help them. We hand deliver ballots to people who can't get to the polls.
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I also help run elections on the Board of Civil Authority (same job). We make sure everyone legally entitled to vote can vote. We talk loudly and often about how you don't need ID, how you can register same day or absentee, how people with felony convictions (or who are incarcerated) are entitled to vote, how people with developmental disabilities are entitled to vote and can bring someone to help them. We hand deliver ballots to people who can't get to the polls.
I perform weddings (same job). I tell people that they can get married however they want, I'll sign the paper that makes it official--however they're doing it is the "right" way. I do it for free.
At the same time, I work with my local Indivisible and Rapid Response community groups because while I may sometimes perform within the boundaries of state power structures, I don't always. It's important to remind people that they can have these sorts of powers. And that's what anarchism means to me
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I perform weddings (same job). I tell people that they can get married however they want, I'll sign the paper that makes it official--however they're doing it is the "right" way. I do it for free.
At the same time, I work with my local Indivisible and Rapid Response community groups because while I may sometimes perform within the boundaries of state power structures, I don't always. It's important to remind people that they can have these sorts of powers. And that's what anarchism means to me
@jessamyn Thank you for this, Jessamyn.
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I perform weddings (same job). I tell people that they can get married however they want, I'll sign the paper that makes it official--however they're doing it is the "right" way. I do it for free.
At the same time, I work with my local Indivisible and Rapid Response community groups because while I may sometimes perform within the boundaries of state power structures, I don't always. It's important to remind people that they can have these sorts of powers. And that's what anarchism means to me
@jessamyn I think online spaces like MeFi also represent a fantastic example of community and volunteerism. You do valuable work.
I'm more of anarcho-syndicalist myself so have a lot of respect for finding ways to force "the system" to be more equitable and community-building. Every little bit helps.
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I perform weddings (same job). I tell people that they can get married however they want, I'll sign the paper that makes it official--however they're doing it is the "right" way. I do it for free.
At the same time, I work with my local Indivisible and Rapid Response community groups because while I may sometimes perform within the boundaries of state power structures, I don't always. It's important to remind people that they can have these sorts of powers. And that's what anarchism means to me
@jessamyn hell yes. use that state power as another tool in your kit.
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@jessamyn I think online spaces like MeFi also represent a fantastic example of community and volunteerism. You do valuable work.
I'm more of anarcho-syndicalist myself so have a lot of respect for finding ways to force "the system" to be more equitable and community-building. Every little bit helps.
@ianrogers I agree. I think it's really good if people have local and "global" ways to organize and help achieve goals and equity. I learned so much from MeFi about how to interact and communicate with different kinds of people. My Vermont town, as much as I love it, is very same-y in that regard.
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R relay@relay.mycrowd.ca shared this topic
