[pagan-magik] last statement on activists etc

[steve ash]

Sara, ok 'attack' was perhaps too strong, I just
*felt* it sounded like you weren't willing to suffer
the presence of the St Georgians, when I've always had
to suffer the presence of activists.

And for the record, list, I'm actually far more into
anti-political countercultural individualist living
change than political activism, causes and pretend
change. But each to their own. I regard St George's as
a good base for the countercultural community,
regardless of diverse opinions on some of the current
occupants. As a misanthropist however I tend not to
specifically target for people for special criticism. 

As for what I mean 'activism', I think there are a
class of people who get off on 'good causes' as a way
of feeding their egos, and become obsessed with those
causes above all else. Others want to overcome 
their alienation by being part of a politically
correct 'gang' and attack those outside the thinking
of their gang. Many of these people are
crypto-authoritarian by the very nature of their
motivation.
Even if they use PC open, voluntary organisations
methods there is often a shadow power structure within
it (sometimes even a subtle that they are not aware of
themselves). Their politics implies imposing the way
they want the world to be on others. I'm not
interested in imposing anything, even utopias. 

These are the 'idealistic' politicos, many others are
more 'pragmatic', they have power agendas hidden
behind 'activist' projects. These are the kind of
people who would put 'pagans' in gulags 'after the
revolution' (as they have always historically done to
rival factions). This view is based on experience
rather than theory. 

I think its naive to say that left wing politics isn't
still dominated by these types, the ESF/ECF events
demonstrated this. 

I'll take Sacha's word for it that the G8
'coordination meeting' she went to was genuinely open
and libertarian, though I noticed that they seem to
regard themselves as a central body re the financial
donations expected (and I never voted for any central
committee, so they don't represent me). But even if
they are above repproach thats not the point, thay are
only a small part of the wider anti G8 movement, which
includes crypto-facist groups like the SWP. And it is
this wider movement that wields the power. That is
still the reality of left politics in most countries,
and one reason for getting them before they get us.
Though personally I would rather ignore the whole
bunch of them.

Now as for us I don't regard us as 'political
activists' in the way the dinosaurs mentioned above
are. I think we are a different kettle of fish
altogether, something far more interesting, destined
to replace the dinosaurs when they become extinct,
though we will always be regarded as fringe freaks by
these mainstream activists. I think our inclusiveness
should be as a union of diverse freaks and not include
the mainstream 'politico' activists who have no
respect for us.

That said, I recognise that in being part of an anti
G8 movement we are going to have to work alongside
them in a spirit of solidarity, and am willing to
suffer that for the time being. So I will not further
complain about my discomfort with them, anymore than I
will by discomfort with some elements at St George's.

I'm all for living the change we want to see, and
using these political events as a community building
exercise for an alternative society within the broader
one. So when the rest of society goes down the pan we
can inherit whats left.
I'm not interested in being 'part of the political
process' or pretending I'm 'changing the world'.



  



		
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