Anti-Racist Action: A Reader

Anti-Racist Action a reader

--J

1

contents:

1. Anti-Racist Action,

a pamphlet by U-A.R.A for Rock Against Racism 2. ARA CONFRONTS RACISM IN EAST ST.PAUL,

by Jean-Marc in Love & Rage Vol.2 No.7 Au^st 1991 3. ARA Confronts Racists in Minneapolis,Again,

by Kieran Frazier in Love & Rage Vol.2 No.9 November 1991 4.1nterview with Jonna from Anti-Racist Action

from Profane Existence issue 13 Early 1992 5.0n The Prowl: Anti-Racist Action

lAnd Developing Anti-Fascist Strategies In Toronto

by Lola in Arm The Spirit No.16 Fall 1993 6.Editorial: Abolish the white race- by any means necessary from Race Traitor No.l winter 1993

Anfi-Raclst Action 1

History of

Anfi-racisf

Action: TtieBaldies, 1987 Antl-Raclst Action began In

March on The East Side in resporwe to several racist attacks, arxj cor^slstant orgarkizlr>g by th>e white Anarchist Bowling League drafted up supremacist Northern

1987 witti a groLp of miitkacial.youth

a flyer with the hope of regroupir»g

oriented, skinhead and r>on-sklnhead

Anti-racist Action. A wonderfully

men. The Baldies. A.RA. emerged as a response to tt>e White Knights,a new

grouping of neo- nazi skinheads who were organizing for white supremacy

in Minneapoils (tt>ey were Influenced by racist leader Tom Metzger's White

Aryan Resistance In Caiifomia). Ttie Baidies wanted a more broad-based resistance to tt^ nazis, and created A.R-A. Some members came from

different gangs; the Vice-Lords. Latin Kings, the Disciples, some didn't, but tt^ unifying element was tf>elr workingclass commitrrrent to defeating racist

organizing In tt>e twin cities as well as nation-wide. Anti-Racist Action had

tremendous success in combatting and defeating the Wiite Knights

organizing

capabilities through

education and direct confrontation.

This victory gave impetus for many A.R.A. chapters to autonomously emerge in San Francisco, Chicago.

Cincinnati, Milwaukee, indianapoiis, artd Portiarxj. A.RA. received nation

wide notoriety

Hammerskinheads on tt>e East Side of

diverse group of people came St. Paul. ARA's first public event wos to together and started articulating th»e begin organizing a march In this kind of antl racist group tt^ey would like community, in Jura of 1991. With tta help of our East Side members, we to be in. We began with a strong began door Imocklrjg. dbtributir^g and analysis of txjw t>eterosexualiy male-

posting fliers, talking with neighbors, ARA was. The new group also agreed meeting with several differant that physical confrontation can be community councils, as well as used as a tactic against racist participating in several discussions with dominaated and controied the old

presence,but ttxit we needed to build an understanding of t>ow men often use vioierK:e to dominate and control.

other concerned activists about

tactics and stragtegy. The march brought about 300 righteous antkaclsts together from Mlnraapolis and St. Paul to speak out agairrst racist attacks arxd also give support to tta anti-racbt presence In the East Side. Many saw the importarce of the march In raising awareness of the Issue of racism, but still others saw tt>e march as 'puttir»g down the East side'

because we

pointed out the racist elements organizing there. The march was a very Important learning event,and we apply what we txjve learned trwards other events we participate In.

with articles in Citv

Tribune. Chicago Tribune, and the

University ARA and the White

nationally distributed magazine. The

Student Union

Utne Reoder. It was probably or>e of

the most Important grassroots militant

youth movements against racism arxJ facism In recent history, precisely because tt>eir membership was multi

cultural. workir>g ctass-bas^.and had gang participation. Their strength arxl courage put out a message in their communities that there was no room for rxEls In tt>e scer»e.

After the defeat of tt>e Wt^te

Knights ARA dissipated for several reason - ttiere were rx5 easy targets to

organize agair^tand ttie groip turned twords more internal education.

Reformation of ARA, 1991

in August of 1991.Torn David began running an ad In The Doiiv ( the University of Minnesota campus newspaper) for the formation of a White Student Union. Several enraged letters and articles later. ARA put out a

call to ail student groups to come together and form a united force agalrat this organized racism and to

take action. The Coailtl4>on Against White Supremaacy(CAWS) was formed. CAWS organized a rally, 500 people strong, where the diverser>ess of the CAWS membership was reflected in Its speakers. Tom David and his cronies were escorted

in tt>e Spring of 1990. members of ttie Baldies and of the Revolutionary

off

campus by the mobilized protestors who chanted.'On the carrpus,on tt>e

University ARA: As We

streets, nazi scum taste defeat! .

See It

Tom David's connections wltti j Neo-Nazi groups on the east side became apparent when six well-

known organized racists from the East I Side of St. Paul showed up to offer him protection at the rally.

Tt)e Free Association Forum

^0

"Stop the Nazi Concert!"

After tt^ victory of 'escorting* Tom

David

off

campus. ARA

concentrated Its er>ergles on stopping

a concert by the white supremacist

group Bound for Stupidity (uh. we mean Glorvn

Tom David's appearance at

the U of M has congealed the racist

right's energies In tt^ Twin Cties. arvd recently a new

racist coalition has

sprung up.

and Issued a leaflet

Recently racist groups have

calling for the community (predomlrxantty Vtetr>arT>ese)to phorre

and other hate crimes have been

in to try ar>d stop tT>e corrcert. After a few short days. tt>e armory which was

increasing In tt^ Twin Cities (as well as nationwide). This Is in part due to ttw

been organizing and racist attacks

going to sponsor tt>e event coved in to

Free Association Forum. The FAF Is a

community arvd media pressure and

local coalition of rtational hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan. the Posse Comltatus. Whit Aryan Resistance.

Northern Hammer Skinheads, as well

refused to hold tt^ event. Yayll

"Three Pronged Aftaclr": The Regrouping

H'

as tt^ Whltw Student Union. The KKK

has opened local chapters In St. Paul and Stiliwater. while recruitment flyers

After tf>e major successes on

tfte march on tt^e East Side,tt^ raising of awareness arxi tt>e resistar>ce to tt^ White Student Union, as well as the

stopping of the Nazi concert. ARA realized that It would be much more effective to spilt up Into three

separate subgroups : University ARA. South Minneapolis ARA. arvd St. Paul ARA (situated on tt>e East Side). Each

group Is semi-autonomous and completes projects of Its own. yet also gets tt>e guidance of tt^e larger three group ARA for major decisions and education. We feel ttxit this sort of organization offers tt^ best community Involvement(as tt>e people from each community become part of the

respective ARA sub-group), as well as being much more efficient and organized. Hosta La Victoria Sleimpre!

have been distributed In North

Minneapolis. St. Paul arvd surrounding areas.

Klan literature Is being

'Diversity' has become a

distributed within the Minneapolis Public

catch-phrase of the times, a liberals

School system and the racist White

ciich'e for an underfunded, inefficient

Student Union Is In the process of

and still largely Eurocentric educational

.. becoming a student group at tt^e U of system.

Existing and even future M . These racists perpetuate mental and physical brutality on people of legislated reforms are not enough color, wimmln. gays. Iesblar«. and because legislating from the position blsexuals. people of different religious of power Ignores the need to analyze belief (especially Jews arxd Muslims), and overturn the whc>le power structure _ ^ and anyone who disagrees and works In tills country.

It takes people who have against their racist Ideology. Be

been denied power to educate each other to overcome the Eurocentric dangerous, they are growing, anc worldvlews pushed on thern.

To must be resisted from every strar>d of Inspire a movement towards mutual society. Only through collective respect for other colors and other resistance can we create on gquoI cultures and to recognize and tolerate arid racist- free wotkd. real Diversity (not the token reforms Government and Academic swallow

aware that these

groups are

grudgingly). thos€J who have beeri ©pressed must claim freedom and civil rights for themselves.

WNte people wtvD truly want to work for the end of Racism, but have the potential to become opressors

through the positions society puts fhem in, should not fail into useless gu lt or despair, which is itself a luxury. No one is born a racist or Is racist bfca^^

of their own skin color;

It is t^

conditions we are bom Into that make us racist If we accept them without

question or meet them with apathy.

Grassroots Vs. Government University Anti-Racist Action works as a

political group from these premises;

that racism Is Ingrained Into our system

WEVE HAP fFIGHT FOR A CLASS OF ALL H

perpetrators, although this should not

ENOU'^!

be elevated to the main thrust of a 1 COLORS AND NOT | A BOSS strategy: We understand that lasting

Li

^OfANr / i

I

of governing, which perpetuates a

change comes from people banding together, not from Isolated acts of individuals fighting back. On the other

hierarchy that opresses everyone

hand, it Is Important to realize the

through manlpuiotlon and false

necessity of this tactic. Fighting back In a world which conveniently keeps the

divisions/dichotomies. Action must be

taken not only through the approved or legal channels, which perpetuate

oppressed in their victim role, can lead

this system by providing for resistance by governmentally approved means

oppression and the ability to sustain

to new understandings of the nature of ttieir resistance.

but by organizing ourselves with a nonhierarchical structure. U ARA believes

University ARA: Structure

U niversity ARA: History

we must take action directly against

the oppressive system, particularly

racist hate groups, because the mainstream prefers to Ignore rather

than chalierige their beliefs. This means ttxatwe must

not

rely

on

the

government or corporate institutions to defeat racism, rather we

must

organize as a mass of people of different cultures and educate each

otf^er and reclaim the power we have

to forge a free and equal society that Is controlled from the grassroots.

Certainly, governmental policies such as affirmative action and Roe V. Wade

help push

notions of equality onto

grudgingly accepting economic and political Institutions, but as noticed from the recent assault on these same

policies shows. The government gtveth

and the government taketh awayi Tactics: Demonstrations and

University ARA is committed to using a

Our group attempts to be non-

variety of tactics In the struggle against hierarchical and democratic, and we oppression, in the short while of our try to wort< togett^r to find ways to help existence as a campus-based group we were instrumental in organizing a

large meeting of campus groups and individual students as a response to

each other overcome our oppressive

baggage that we bring In with us.

Because not everyone has been

encouraged to develop leadership

racist opinion piece articles in Sept. skills or has access to the some 1991. ARA then initiated a call for

resources to learn O-Š- ttie computer),

unified coalition of student groups

U ARA attempts at sharing these skills.'

against racism and proposed the Everyone is a leader, and no one a

name The Coalition Against White follower' Is a motto we strive to attain.

Supremacy (The CAWS). From this If you see things as we do. or are coalition a demonstrarion and rally was Interested In finding out more,check us planned , at which over 500 lively outi students participated. We have participated in forums on racism (albeit What is Racism?

In different ways than the panel

thought), and have Issued many leaflets and opinion pieces and letters to the editor exposing Tom David and his Neo-Nazi connections.

Racism

Is

c

social

and

economic opression created and perpetuated by tt>ose In power, a

majority of wt>Dm Identify themselves

Fighting Back

with or>e color to the detriment of oil ott^ere.

We as everyday citizens are

For example: Our capitalist system relies on the condition of a large pool of

so removed from those in power who make the laws,that often times the only

way to focus attention on the raging problems of racism are to make a

strong, lively, visual presence, Demon strating and rallies are essential parts of resistance.

in

a

society

that

completely controlls us. from standing

in line and raising our hand to go to ttie bathroom when we are children, to

%

..

punching in and out every day at a job that we hate but are told that it is our

only legal option.so 'get used to It", creating a space all our own such as a march or rally Ls an incredibly liberating prospect.

Demonstrations are just one

tactic in a strategy v/Nch IrTciudes letter writing, speaking at events, putting on musical programs, organizing community events, as well as

defending potential vlctimrts of racist, sexist, or heterosexist violence. Part of this entails direct confrontation with the

m

lEP

unompioyed labor to keep wages low and keep workers competing tor jotM witti low wages. White supremacists want to ensure that all whites are

employed and use people of color as that pool of the unemployed or menially- employed to use as

o

scapegoat

and a prod on white workers to accept their condition.

Although the system

o» Grond W.xarc

o.

Capitalism uses racist mearvs to furttier its own goals, many s^/hlte supremacists want to seize ttie means of production for THEMSELVES and create o faclst. racialist State of tt^elr own devising.

Raclsm=Preludice + Power

Organized White Supremacy Racist organizations prey

upon a white person s fear of unemployment

In

financially

oppressed peoples In depressed times, and attempts to ^/arlous ^American society.

By searching for tt)e incite fear In people of color by violent causes ^ of. for example, racism, speech and terrorist actions agalr»st sexism, ^ and homophobia. ar>d acting tti»em. undermining ttielr possibilities for

^

resistance.

, substantial sodal and p>olltical ct>ar"*ge.

on these causes, we hope to affect

White Supremacists attack -Successful activities such as Rock Affirmative Action policies. distort ^Against Racism and on-campus them, and make them seem ' demonstrations against racists

threatening to white workers. They ' organizing at the university are Ignore that ttiese policies are not tt>e ' of some of the work our problem, but an attempt at a remedy 'examples group has done. Seeking to be by compensating for ttire bigotry which | proactive rattier than reacting to tti>e Is part of the large-scale economic 1melodrarrxj of tt>e right-wing, we plan problem of Uryerrv ployment. ' that Increase awareness of Unfortunately as a remedy. It events racism, homophobia.ar>d sexism and applies band-aids to a huge and Infected wound. Racism pervades the very structure of our Government.

Economy and 'Justice* System.

Despite our taking this view, we are

not against Affirmative Action: ttiough Inadequate to the scope of the

problem. It counteracts the bigotry that could keep people of color from Jobs tti>ey need to sury^/e.

The Government cannot

legislate away racism. Tolerance Anyone can be prejudiced, comes from people educatlrg each True Change will come from th»e but that ot^ becomes Racism when ott^er.

Grass-Roots- from people organlzlrtg

Implemented by a group In power over ottier groups.

In America, the prejudices of

non-whites are not Racism by this

definition because they don't have tt^ power to control the resources and means of production of society, and by extension.then. cannot withhold those Important resources (jobs.foodhouslngJelsureand cultural expression ,educa-

towards mutuol empowerment arvd an end to tt>e system of opressors.

Effects of Racism

Communities of color suffer

their related social and economic

causes.

8^ 1992, University

Antl-Raclst Action put together a benefit. Rock Against Racism, that comblrred an eclectic blend of local musical talent with speakers of divert

backgrounds raising their voices to Rock Against Racism.

The members of ARA come

from

a

variety

of

political

backgrounds; discussion is emphasized and ercouraged at our meetings.

If you feel you can

contribute to our effort, please atterjd one of our weekly meeting held Wednesday afternoon In Coffman

Union ~ check the schedule posted dally In Coffman for the room and the

tremendously In tt>e Inner cities where they are forced Into crowded areas

by high rent prices , becoming like small nations ^tt^n tt^ larger Nation

t(HAN RISMTS•SELF - CtTER'UHATlON•kATlOhAL Lt«WTIOK

that must struggle to avoid being

pushed to the point of collapse under tlon.clothlng.etc.). They are not the siege of poverty and bigotry.

Implemented In a systematic >^y (within the system ItselO towards tt>e If you are bom a person of color. 17% destruction and , your chances In life are determlr^d assimilation of other cultures. This Is of for you before you take any action In what distinguishes white supremacist the world. groups and the United States government's racism, and the various What's Going Down: prejudices of people of color. Many Current Projects and of

these

prejudices

are

understandable as ways of retaining a cultural Identity and keeping a sense of

persor^ood In a social dirrxite often tries to urvderrr^ ttie worth and humanity of people of color.

Concerns of U-ARA Untverslty Anti-Racist Action te

taking steps to defend the rights of

5 1V iKTtlWATlONALIS'* *

I

' A' -♦

supremacists claim to hove a strc -.g

rundamentolist religious bcckc'c

d.

with which they justify their ideologies,

especially concerning the nuclear

family and sexuality. Non-heterosexual relationships run counter to the accepted gender roles stereotypes In our society. These relationships are

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m

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the: kkk ^ ^

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therefore

considered

JÂŤI

|p(

dangerous,

deviant, and deserving of punishment or violence, Queer wimmin break from

the way wimmin are supposed to act.

They challenge the assumption that men have constant access to wimmin.

Society reacts with terrorization and violence against people seen as different. Queer men are not seen as real men. In actuality they are

challenging and expanding on the limited gerxJer roles taught to them.

The perpetuation of the Aryan

race Is of central importance to the

sexist. homophobic, white supremacist

ideology. men's

A fundamental tenet is control

of

wimmin's

Interconnections of All Oppressions It is necessary for anti-racists to have an understanding of the hierarchlchal nature of our society. As people working to eliminate racism and anti-Jewish prejudice. It Is essential to fight sexism.homophbla.heterosexlsm. ableism. ageism, religious

dogmatism, and classism. These oppressions all have common roots, based on a theory of white, ruling class, heterosexual dominance. Because of the meshed nature of oppressions, to

interrupt and completely dismantle

one oppression, we must also destroy the others . How can a lesbian of Afrlkan descent claim her freedom

when the anti-racist war is being fought by a group that leaves no space for her to be ail of who she is? When we

come together as anti-racists, the oppressor/ oppressed identities we have been taught are often played out in group dynamics. There must be a collective responsibility within the group

to not only smash systematic institutional oppression but to also acknowledge how interpersonal hierarchies get played out in the group.

The

connection

between

neo-nazi terrorlzatlon of people of color. wimmin. and queers are clear., it

is important to see these acts as parallel so that the anti-racist movement

can

understand

the

dangers, the nature of oppression, and the goals of nazi groups.

White supremacists

practice

the extremes of bigotry, and by doing so make clearer the commonalities of

these

oppressions.

Most

white

u

reproduction: white wimmin are used to produce white babies, and wimmin of color are forcibly sterilized. The maintenance of traditional Eurocentric

family values and sex roles are utilized to achieve these goals, as well as to perpetuate a gender and sex-role stereotypes.

The

nature

of oppression

divides us and keeps us at each others throats, rather than bringing down the

straight, white, male, ruling-class system. The more we acknowlege this, the more unified and strong our

movement freedom

for real equality

becomes.

and

ARACONfROimmmiSlllimEA§l;ST^PAUl

©vrtr 3(k> ANTI-RAO

R raoaivad some slack for being

lift* 9«tla«z«d for a ralHr -Taul poUoaam\as|i^iiftm •ad march through tha Itt indloorlniinataly cracking "taafiriftn.riaa m

Saat SUa -naighborbood of St. Paul, hUanaaota on Juno 23.

Oiganisad by Antl-Raciat Ao. tioa(ARA). a damodratic ooaU' tioD of anaiohiata. antl-raoiat

heads

whiu callous and disrospWful eo the

ing people ofcolor to support it.

V This itself is no new tactic, as

community•an important atti cism to lotdi at). - ARA also has

■ many)lbaral whits groups try to

the Minneapolis,oope,;^ (although atarga aspact.bfths

aeata chMge using this idea.

bacausa.ihay foft^iiur alo^.Qn C:. siat^ campaign was fodusad bean engaged in-an all-oot sur•thewhole.(Niceguys,thoeepor.. on eoovay^ ARA's Intm for yaiUsaoa of tha msBslMaifltffl hca.) . .'...;:^^ Jtb«mar^totbawl^ ARA vras weU awara of tim\frnity, as vraQ as aztiojdatiniriH

dirty. They are supported by mechanisms, won the confi-

•kmhaoda, laabiana,, bUaxuala 'risk of violent attacks •t^gay man,tha march proved to ba a huga ampowaring auo^ . caaa. Prompted by tha riaa In

the streets to

racist attaoka and organ^^

. vtfhha tuoLniMimMMSSm

'^jK^rijQm^P^nderstand the authoritar^^fiperwOsm. There are,

pt oooly a( ct

Lintoth^^

color who

railv ara

>n4||Lin t

utnn^ to lend supi Ltj^.

Ii^prhM^^f^nly leaderasking

zadnnta-i strategy '

on

day's arOc^ ere,

led. RlilB dente

M mpKe m^fostgphi pressj

with

v^ta'ail^ilire^ah

co-exist vnaRhe ha SBlac^, Aaj^g

for "unified action" anahyg-Waja

critical time

grated ARA's role^

ing to forge Although

^iWthinksyS^ihlstQ^ the f the racist violenc«|and or^aCir^-Hght^ega^ iMkgVolled tnizing to' r^I^f^';ptdM^:^libeTal pi^e, as

1 pathetics^

Atac-

premacista wenj^g

abortions and

side streets, t)w3 leadership struoKr;

WB-are to

proceed witlK^

^ani^^toia&bbrrs^^^

through the ra«

State. With such a powerfully

ately the march s^

peo-

street, all the wA

pla who work at the local cable

"The Raat Slde'a i

m^pSsair'paris of tha march

put the Nasi'a on t

routa. which allowad for faca to

access channel so that we can air an anti-racist cable show

foca discussion, as waD as the

that might help to combat Race

"No Nazi's, No Kn

teemed almost sacOnd iratuiC to )ust take the four-lane straat — the energy of thia crowd would not be abatedl Evan

though tha oopa wera swaating

St having DO klaa what wa wara going to do naxt, thay waia

and ulti-

^Sately proto-fascist American

ing" grounds. Aim

USAl" When we c

larger

inrp^S fo ti^Q coounurities.

and white

were weUdi^^S strength an^^B about six cariS^n

white

•fc^cs da^Mjjptance wae^SF

fey tt<dqMcen» alra to flnSBray

the event to

and

aSCfer^^SUji^^^l^^ iaci^m';WUi&'{^piapust also Bimeimi^ t<^i^i^SBic'^nd edu-

y^M^^pe^&|day

and racl8|Mli|i0c«

share a

some roWSfotI

idLpf their

in the oon^^ggp^,i

our

we must

chants of

r. Ho HHV,

repressive apparatus in place,it is of utmost importance for cur rent revolutionaries to use any and all means ofcountering this turn towards right wing conserveiira. This means hard fuck-

your poUtiS) Has'Oot TcuOl"

wa^ of attaddng racism and

Am I glanced towvds the front

affected by the violence, sup

of the march,I rtoticed a young African-American girl's face light up and aha bagan to chant, whiia proudly carrying a plac

ported tha march, as did Sime white aflm*radst citisans. An axtaruiva anti-racist spray-

paintt^campaign was alM

rather than )ust white people

ard that announcad 'Quaars

gun iii' tha Bast Side (although

organizing a demo and expect

organizing the support neces sary for the dismantling of ra cism within affected

communltlas

■TaijiH]1iliiy,,":iiii\.JtagMxing tha. necessity of using creative ways to counteract the spec

tacular lies fed to people. Some

ideas might be to organize a

thamsalvas, (Continued on page 9)

SEVEN HUNDREDPEOI^''

BY IbSRAN FRAZEKK

flll«d th« plaza ill frotit of

tha Northrap Auditorium attha University of Mlnnaaota on October 9th to protest a neo-nazl

student gtoup. The Coalition Agalst White Supremacy (in

ARA:Xonfi^ilts Raci^ in Minneapolis^ Again

ARA handed out a flyer at the

forum asking p>»ople to join us in shouting down the nazi when it was his turn to speak.

ARA and cur supporters num bered about 30, the total audi ence was a few hundred. When

strong role)sponsored the dem-

David rose to speak there was lots of noise, many joined in

cnstratian in response to the for*

jeering the Nazi, many also

mation of the 'White Student

thought David's 'freedom of speech' should be respected Bird attempted to silence us(go

which Anti-Radst Action plays a

Union* ai^ the viciously redst opinion pleoes its mambets were getting printed in the University

figure). David zzranaged to get

.newspaper. The crowd was loud

through his speech but scurried

and Ihrely chanting *No Nazlsl

away with police protection

No KKKI No Fasdst USAI' and

right afterward — not sticking

'Radst Sexist, Anti-Quaarl Nazi

around for questions or ARA's

Scum Get Out of Haral' and

greeting party. After the fo

cheering speakers from the Afri-

rum, dozens of students

oana Student Cultural Center,

stopped by the AR lit. table to

Asian Axmrican StudentCultural

Canter,the Student Qay Lesbian Bi Assodation,tha Young Sodalist AIUaDOe, the Progrestve Stu*

check out information, argue with us about 'free 8i>eech,' or ask how to Join.

Itis importantto note thatDavid

dent

is notjust scsne radst kook, but a

Organlzetion,

end

national socialist csgnnizer, part of

Anti'Radst Actkm among others.

Heeding up a small oounterde-

a.

Hoe frrfwiw ifofa tw

rf <mjL bawwr at ibdi IimJw IiHI» Pw Ngt »>•

monstration was Tom David,the leader of the white stident union

Defeat!* hoping to getseme kliul

Next,ARA initiated a meeting

and author of an opinion piece in

the Minnesota Dedfy that began,

of spontaneoua march started.

This was partly successful —

to form a coalition the first week of the semester. Invitations

by quoting Bob Matthews, the

about 76 or 80 people joined in.

leader of the neo-nazi terrorist

ARA aird other TVvln Cities ac tivists first became aware oflbm

were given to all the student cul tural centers and all tha pro-

group the Order, and ended by calling for the inunediate crea* tion of a whites-only republic

within the US and posting the National Quard at the borders with tha Instructions *lf It alnt white waste itl' While ARA would've been

down for it. the mood on cam

David when, in late July, he placed an ad in the Minnesota Dally inviting students to Join his

gresive student groups but the meeting was not promoted publidy until the Daily got wind of

groups(who are alao part of the

has suffered some recent defeats,

coalition) to discuss the impli cations of white supremacy. So far so good.

namely the Southern Poverty Law Center's successful suit against Ttam Metzger which led to the or-

The fact that ARA was not

gaiuzational collapse of the white

to attend.IVvo hundred students

pate in the forum seemed curi

much-hyped stories in the Daily followed. Although at first Tom

showed up at the meeting and tha Coalition Against White Su premacy was born; larger,

ous but not too serious, until it

Aryan Resistance,in the TWin Cit ies this process of regroupment is moving finnly ahead.The Free As-

was learned that Tom David of

sodaticn Forum is a coalition ofthe

David daimed to have no radst

Intentions, seeking only ta'pro-

the White Student Union wasto

Minnesota Klu Klux Klan, tha

be a panelist. ARA generally holds the position that all nazi

Posse Comitatis. the national So cialist Movement, the Northern

organizing from speaking to violent attacks must be op

White Student Union.

posed because it is all part of one strategy, a strategy of

These Fasdst organizations

j'

are a real threat, and therefore

'

genocide. The other main rea son A.R.A. opposed giving

anti-racist movement. Anar

ship is both young and politi

David a seat on the panel was

chist partidpation in such a

cally anti-authoritariian (which are very good things)the group has not always been well or-

our feeling that the question of whether David had a legitimate

ment more democratic and

ideology, whether his ideas were bad or good,Iwd been set-

more militant, and will force us to deal with questions that

mote white culture,' ARA smeDed a nazL An ARA member

called David pretending to be

before and after the October

So a long banner reading 'STU

radst skinhead intersted in join

DENTS TAKE ACnONI nOHT

ing. In this conversation E^vid

RACISM! Anti-Radst Action,' along with a PSO barmer, were used to block the nazls and

revealed his true politics,inform ing usthat he correspoirded with Tom Metzger and William Pierce

9th demonstration, and ARA has continued to participate, allthough not withouth prob

minimize their presence. After nearly an hour the nazls de-

author ofthe neo-nazi cult classic 77ie 7\imer Diaries. With this in-

dded It was time to leave, and formatkm and a revealing inter a contingent of demonstration view in the Daily,it was obvious security escorted them from .what David's agenda real|yyvas<

U.S.AI' and 'On Campus, on

entire campus with informa tional flyers about racists orgalzing at tha University and urging students,faculty and on campus workars to mWtantly opposa

the Streets, Nazi Scum Taste

them.

Nazis, No KKK No Fascist

sored by a number of campus

tions. The forum was spon

white student union. Several

was against fordbly removing or simply smashing the fasdsts.

AHA folks started chanting'No

groupment of the far right (skin head street fighters, anti-seinitic farmers, neo-nazi intellectuals like David). Although this movement

the week after the demostra-

invited to endorse or partici

pus and within the coalition

onstrators from loUowing.some

a national movement towards re-

the meeting and urged students

whiter, and slightly more liberal than expected.

The coalition remairred large

cuttty tried to keep other dem

'

lems. Because ARA's meinber-

ganized^Gu: prepared for other

Hammer Skinheads, and David's

must be countered by a militant

movement will make the move-

if^bavB^en ducked for

j ^

. i ■ virtii^imii ni

•^ke^^liatir-bur-analysis of " Other tensions within the

coalitions axe coming to a heed, whether some kind of unity can

to stop the White Student Un ion. To give David another op

white supremacy and national oppression and why the anar

portunity to spread his racist

chist movement is so white.

be maintained remains to be

garbage, to put him on a panel

seen. One of the bigger dla-

with anti-racists was a foolish

'agreements is over aforum held

{SeePogel 3 for a Lota Breaking Development)

"\

big up into tone smeler groupsso we can fat more roetod In back,end to nwle a 8p*e where we can briatfie endive.

oirimwniiyaetMsrn. Ithinkirsrealyimpertoflttobeieetod wd create. That often men beefing people out of our tocommunktoebicwusetierswhoweiw. Wenaecount- space «)d out of other people'i space who maybe cent do •bfetooureommuniVindouoomfflunlVlsaaoouRlableto R for themsehea to thto (me. I tfink the reeeon ITS so ua,and ITi where we drew strangtt from, oontroversial is t«l It worfo. hwHts.MatKficusedwIth

lnlstviewm9iJofina.»longimKiivistinAMm>dtt$Twin

Cil>06ingeneial.mwslmon9lucHngaolhummb0rff. lnl»r^bfpel,wilhtgfoggyCMgOwkpm»tH.

Joto; Where are tiesecemmunHieeT

othartocdca. I donlbeleyathto beefing ttonazii Is the only

Jonna: ThMeeommuni(aeirtliaeu(hMnnaapHb,tte'^tKhctodowttkadstwork.fautHlaavetygoodtHfitoind UniveiaiVofUinneeotAindtfiaaaalsldtofSLPtoif. The 'we'veseen Hworkretolywel. Itosoihlrklwlalolofwhite raaaonwhyiraspecifcaBytteeastsldeofSlPauliathtoira fiberais who talk about padiflsm can also be oonatrued at arealylvgerMzistronghold. Bottesethraagraupaiirlbe pretiyracito,ordasslst,crs«xist,becauteoffitosaposit)oni meating autonomously, but wal also ba meeting aia large of power|whltimkiileclese people Indtoeinsefves to.) You

Joel: Why don't you ten a linle bit about yourMKfint.

Jonna: Wed. I grew up ail over the place becauM my mom wasahippteartisl She vraa poor,real poor,aeweBvedIniMi

big red truck named Betsy with a dog named Baasl I waa

gmup every otoer week to talk about strategy. WeYegoii^ maynotaverbetoasituafionofaphyslctoconkontifion.bul

bom in Brooklyn, then we moved to living in a lent in upctata New York, then we went on the toad. We moved lo Soho, Otiio,on farms,in cities, in the foresL We moved here in tie middleolfitthgmde. That's kind of how I grew up. fmJewiah by heritage, which is reelly important to me,to remember my

to beceucutingwlthoppreeaedaridoppreeiorgroupaend iwomenonthesreetwhoheewitotockeruponharwho than we're going to be talking about thtogilte hew me as a wantstotapehar,whtolsihegotogtodo,rDlover7No,sha'B

queer,wofldng with heterosexuals, how do we together fight going to 11^ ba^ and a lot of peopia who have privilege radam whileiM addressing homophobia end heleroeexlam. donT find themsoivaa to thoee kinds of confmntafione, tow

cuitiire, but I think the religion It reelly petriarchal, hierarchlcai,and doesn't really oFlermud)empowering,but tieculkjre

The world la oufil

wito a nazi going.Yuddng nigger,fuddng niggerT You hava

Joel: You strongly emphasize toe connedoni and intsrpiay among el toe oppressiorB. Why then toe name Anti-Radtt

Joel: 1 donT totok a tot of nonviolent people would hava a

hseif does, bec««e irs e really great culture of resistance to

Action? Why toe emphasis on radim to your name?

fascism. I'm queer and 1 came out when I was twteeneie

Jormc Wei, lifidnlchoaeethename.

Joel: Butalotof things In ARAwe geared around racism,too.

raging lesbian separatist and I haled men and anything that

to fightback.

problemwitiawoman lighting back in anatiemplad rape,but what about say, Martin Luther tang's organizafional iKtica,

organizing broad-based rrtovemana based on nonviolent Jonna: Yeah. WeR, my visloni are etw^rs toward compMe sfiateglea,which a lot ofgroupssvucture fitemselves around

had to do with men,and tialiedmetobaingarBdi^actrviil

Joel: WhydonlyouexplainaitllebllBbautwhatARAItand

revolution and how to bu9d a revolutionoiy mcrvement and I led at a whhs person, in order to buM a ravoluiioniry movament, I really need to work on Ighling ractom coe right now genocide is being commiled against peopleofcolor,and thatis a retRy big priority to me. Aiso.toegrcupcameabout

Jorma: Yaah. Wei,I totokh[the nonvtolentapproach]is ktod

what it's doing.

and waa modeled alter Antl-Faaeiit Action h England. I

efunrealiba IdonTthtokHweria. Wecanlook,histor1caAy

Jonna: Well, ARA has changed a lot since its firitincepfioa What ARA was was a group of young, working dese, mi,M-

would ike the group to arentusAy be Anfi-Fasdsl Acdon,but

and heritoricily, at armed movemenlt and we cwi look Nstoitcally and harstorlcaBy at padfat fnovemerdi and see actually whattvorks. Andaita.ridsmaiotoitkjtlonalized

Now I'm in a pretty long term heteroeexua)lovership end thai B really kiteresling /laughs^ I ike him e tot; iTi very herd.

He's B very good friend,and Ihat^ probably why H lometimee works.

I totok the whole idee of what faadim hare in toe Unhed

laaal skinheads catted tie Bd^iet. [They emerged]ae a response to a group of nazi skinheads called tie Whita Knights, who wars organizing in Umneepdis. The Beldiae

Satee is, people doni reafiy undarstartd H yet. and so t«e tidly couldnl cal oursehae that, yet

'Joah How (fid you beoeme invol^ to ARA?

today. Whatis toe advantage to not danying the necaisity of violence to mass-based organizing es oppoaed to the Uirtn Luther Nng approach,which almoslevery group to America takes.

as wal aa one-orHxie aasautto;we're taking about bringing

down asystem,and that to gdrig to tike a really big.armed rwrolution. so you gotta buid nnmirhere.

ratoly txptatoing how toe iKfito of viotonea Ihi Into a much bread' Uhtoktototoamorawetol(ibouilt,paaptowlunde

ito and support and coma to buid ARA or groups ■» AR/

wanted a more broed-besed resistance to the nazii.so they

Jonna: IsrMtoagroupcaRedtheRevokrftonwyAnarchlsi

createdAnt-RadstAction. tldidnltumoultobeverybroa^

Bowing League,and we were trying cute new structore of -JodtOoyouthtokifsstwweonvtolencehuflsorhilpsARA

Pso pie doni quito know whan up yat

based, though, ft was very Inlamei and very mecho, very male-dominated. That's how the Baldies were, period. But

braaldng down Into bowing teams, end one of tfte bowing toams was an anll-radet bomfing team. Wa deeidad that

Joit R seems to tie in a tot wfto otoN. The nontootonce stonr

they were very successful in beating out tienazi sMnhaeda,

maybehwouMbeagood IdeatostiflARAupagain,bacausa

which is so incredible, and they were youti and fiey were

to that point R had(fissofved. OneofthaguysinRABLwK ■too a Btode — Kletwi—so he caBed up some Bekfiw and

organizing as youth. They held press conferences,they did

a lot of propaganda,a lot^education,they(fid t tot of realy great tiings.

Joel: WhafsARAnow?

Jonna: ARA now is still a pretty youti-besad organtzxtioa It's much, much broeder. StiH pretty white but there ere a

we called up aortte other paople and we had ourfirtt meeing together. Iwasatootofasponietoaloiof raditincidena that had been happening. H(e Tycel Nekion, whowaa shot In the back and klM by pciBco. Joel: ARAhasa tomestoetcontrcwerilto stand on vfbtonce.

to its daoRngs with the community?

'Jonna: I gueu H depandt on which oommunlty you tah AouL t h« f^van us a reefly htsrasfing plM to toe progteesivefred'icaWberto eommuniiy, when toetTre eitoer

afraid ofuaordonltakeourpeificaserioualy.WeTre become the dtopoctofieyouth. They can ignore us baceuae they think

Wila not thWdng our ahtt out bacausa weYs using thase tactlca. I to oeatoa ra^ Incradftito alQea. ptopla wtto know this is toe right Ihtog to do because ihey>t had to do H

couple people of color, tt addressee oppressionsincAidirtg

Why doni you sxptoin K WhyiiARAAOrnomMentand

toeir whole Ivea.

Joel: LAawho?

radsm: sexism and homophobia and heteroeaxiun and

whtoii tot noed forviotonce?

Jonna: Ukspeopfewhoaraonthe street Poorpe(tole,ofel

dass. What we're tying to do Is understand how aB ttteee oppressions intersect, perpetuate each other, lead off each

Jonna; BecauM we billsvi toto peepte naad to aurvfva, and that to ordarto sunrlve we need to defend ourNlves and fight

dHtorent oommuifitlee, Hto really about exptototog taefice and

nowadays Is a pretty wtiits. prMeged ctoaa Hng. Anotoertok ARAgets a lot of shit far. aspectony as of toto around the unfvarsii Is toe freedom ofspeech stufL Why doniyou axptoto ARA^ itsnt on freedom of speedi, because leedom of speech* is such sacred cow to Americsn cuftotorelceBy.

Jonrtc Ezacly.toafitoewftototolng.R'itheortficto. TheBiRightiiounds Rha toil way red pieoaof paper, but toafs toe Ho h isjust■ ptoceof paper. The goon sqiad, kncmn as toe poke, wi

are suppr^ly defendtog whats said to the pierto of piper, arejt doing ihingtfortheirown good. The whoto premise tee speech

(fiftorentcolm, andwomea As tor ■ bufidtog alee with

other,andinordertofightrecismweneed

eRe.andsowe1eirytog»reframetoewholevgumenL Evsryt* otoe. Treedom of speech, teedom of ipeeehr but we dom hr R, so how cent be token eway? And arm If we did hive teedc of speech, (to power of toe peopto to ARA..

I mean wi doni have very much power to toe IOC

to Hghl ell the oppressions together. ARA has avery anarchicway oforganizing and wofkingwithinthegrDup.Thereirequeers

witiin the group, pe^ from different dass backgrounds, people who have dropped out of high school, people who have their bachelor's degreee and are on to tftoir master's. The levef of mKlancy is iim pretty high.

Joel: Whats ARA doing right now?

Jonna; RightnowARAisembarkingonst incredible adventure with a nawstudura.

vrhichrmveryhooefulabout We'redMd-

scale to toe Unhid Stoiae so how can we aiton

wiybedy?

Id 11 Iw

FIG HT I

_ m

FIGHT

RACISM!

& ■ **

JosI; Exptoto to me your stenoe on fraodom speech, betwiae obviously ARA is ifrueturr

beted on weryone having an equto sag and (

J| I

SEXISM!

FtGHT THE REAL ENEMY...

^1 I

HI ■

eryona havfng toe fight to tpatoc, so toto etanw very much be freedm of spescA twl than on 1

otherhandafatofpsoptotoARAaigtototeMk

ofspaachliam)^. Whan you aqr (raedoiK

apaachliamyto.MtirnaafatofpMpfaofla saema oontidfatory to toa actoto ptaeiioat ARA, ao H you oorJd mtow Ihto dfafinctton ma...

Jonna: Sura. Tha tpaech toat itoofato ipail

Chris:Thswholsphraieteedomofipeeeffiipatontodartd tmdemarfced in Amshci.so yeah it is•myth in tttoi you cant

ofwoman donlgrow upgetllnq intofitofrghtiwith their friandt

thamonanfntwparsonallawd. I Nrtii twee caucuses that

or wraetlrQ,to again, iri about how do wa come at t\ingi

•ey-

from on equal place. I think ITa about reframing the enlira

we1 be having wlbe^ to painl toat out,cos I dontttinkwe knowhawtodoM.reely. As people weYesoiieitosdfrom

Jorma; Wei,freedom of speech In America aaumesttolwe ilposseu tto seme amountof power. I maen,here comes the fascistor the nazi,and then here comesthe person wttoH

patipectiwa. Physical fighting doasnl have to be a macho thing, it can be an action creating aelMelsfinination.

Joal: How does ARA go about indudng women In hs advitiaa, and does ARA do it falrty?

Jenna: UWapointofvlew. toatypoimefview.tdenlihMi

going to delude the fascist, tri assuming we're on(he same Iwrel end we're not. These people (nazia]ere white, ntaft,

each otiwr in thissodey.wtdonlknow how to heveheelthy

intimacy «td reislitoe^ oihar In e good eny.

Joal-. HowwslwouldyousayARAdowftiioemparedto

>■

other|foupa9

Jonm: Cxoelent fVebecninwamentigraupi wtdiafalsn and they appear to be hetoroeaxu^, and ttosa talts are ll^firbacausawativelnamliogynlstsocietytittohaBtought groupe thct of CDUTM ere mich mere intemW, but IB fv ee totally valued in tH country. TIteyhavethemotlaocaaato man to degrade woman,and no matter hew conadoui men balandng IntafTwl end extomal [pofitice] I think we're mo^ and M most power inthis countiy.Sohere I come along,this era about being equal,eixxit being lair, being nice, mlsogyrry inegoodway. TheorWotoergtoupiiwtltiMitwtwoTVad Jewishqueerwomanwtn'sarevoiutionaryenarchiBtwho's . and saxism and al toe oppressions ere still plsyedoutln.... bettor waRABt, and we were too anreme;!*# would do a

supposedly going to debalt this guy. Wa do not have tie' ARA. 6ut,MfirasfaclittBt)oa as firas putting out leeflett,

lot of Inttmta stuff and H wasnl balanoad enough, tve didnT

aame power and wfthiniho structira of AHA we try to be as nonhiararchical as possible, so within our meetinga we can

as fir aa political discussions and argumems, women are invited and take a realty strong piece in tw group, it is now

have too rhythm. I have e lot of hope in ARA, end I kind of have e lot of hope by deftutt because I have to have hope in

exparimenl wtth tie ideas d free speech because we can

who we become, who we are. Who we have become, to have

sometoing, but I do have ■ lot of hope In ARA. Imean,ti>a

Bctoally debeie each otter. Wlten you're debating a nazi you

womeninleederthippositions,helping makedeckions. We really try to be coneetlve, and since there ere women in toe group. It just becomee pert of toe collective ptocesa... Wa

itoicture, I've rteverbeen in a grouptoaTi had this interesting a structure to fry to help us build anetysis, buld tust, build inierpareonalnjff.indactuafly beaction-orientedandchange

dooT come at It from such an equal position. WHhinA^ maybe we can shrt to look at what it actoally is Eke to have freedom of speech.

Joel: So ttn structni. Free speech tMumes ttret people startfrom ttesame Bdal posifon iniodely,when ttey raelly

take toin^ that am "Women's issues'and toey become ARA

Joel: WhatldndofcommunityoufraachlsARAimntvedin?

Joel: How weil do you titink sexism end homophobia and

Jonna: Not as much ss I'd lika. Al of our fere, fitsrature.

donl

ciattlsde^wTthinARA,8ndh(wwelldoyou think peopta

Jonna: Right

deal with ii in titegmup?

Jonna: Ithlnklt'tpiayedoullnstrbtleBndnol-soeubtiewayt, intoeways people Itstenor dcniiisienorthe way we InterTupt

invitee people to meetinga. I think tool's great We work in ooalitiortwith other groups. rdUkebseerigetatotbroadsr.

Joel: Whet directkxw would you ita to see it take, commu

Joel: B8cktottevfolancathlno.bjumparoundibil Doyou thirdt ARA1 tiance on vwlenca exdudas you as a woman In

JcW Everything. I guess my priorities are working with

Itwktoars realty wttere toe oppression Is played out llhink that we're d really seared to hold each other accountable on a personal level witfiln toe grot^ h'sjuststortingtohappen,

diflerent communities of people of color, becoming an actod

Joel; AlotoffeminiBtargumaniiasBen—andtteunfverilty ARA has gotten shit imm woman making such Mgumanli— that not laidng a nonviolent stance is rsaRy macho and

but ITi really scary.

Jod: Whet do you mean?

Jonna: I think that'rt is so empowering for women to have . Jorma: Lika, I'm realty good friends with peopla In toa group, control over their physical surroundingt and to be able to but rm raaDy scared to put mysetf out there, and I'm so scared create a space fw themselvea. Sometimae tiol means ofappearing to be the nag orthe bitch orto be taidng too much forging it out physically. Women have been stereotyped as timaorturrwigARAmeetingsinbatoecBpygroup t'mraelly patiiarchaL

I want to be a part of is empowering everybody and liberation for werybody and I dont feel that by allowing fascists to speak,this la

going to aeale true freedom lor eve^bo^. The people that invite fascists to speak on the radio or anywhere, I think tiiat should be disrupted and not allowed to hap^ because rt^ not building toward true liberation.

ally in their stiuggle for ^-^iarminatioa

Jod: How CM we do this?

Jonna: Nlhad(hemipjoet,wewouidVtbaandoingHabng time ago. Urn, by walking our talk. By actoaily showing

differentcommurities ofcolor toatwesreagood^tolhsm.

We can do that as white people by Iguting out our stake In whitesupremacyendfghtingtobringitdown. Uorespecilfcafly. by going to the boat tendings, by putting our bodtos on

physically w^and that even rf we are strong we should

concerned aboultitosetiungs.butalthe same time, people

the ine... going to demensrations, helping to support them

appear to be weak because toat makes us more desirable. I

am being sHencad by these oppressione. Just

want to smash those ideas. We can be whaiever we want to

you It the meeting before lest that Td prefer you uying

in their stniggies as well as doirrg our own tiling in our own communifrr that fights racism. By supporting quawi bashing back, by rnakingapresencetaquearpride andiupportingtiie

saying to

beartdifthalmaansbaingphysicaBy itongand acting upon

'queer* Instead of *gay* end titis Is vtoy, that was so scary to

Ktitonwa should be abta to do that for oursetvas. khasabt

ma. Iwatlike,ohmygod, maybe I'm silencing)oelorma^

todowithseH-determinatioa As faras rt being amacho thing,

hell have a really hard time with me now or maybe he's

setf-determineiion of that community.

Joel: What are some of the limits of ARA, organizatonelly

up thing, but wtreaDy need to do these simple toingt. Wa

Jonna: Wei, we grew up in a sodefrt that taught ua to be

oppreseors. so that really fanita la until we Rgure out our oppressor idenlities end how to undo them and to be aiai of the people that we oppress. Organtatfonetiy and sfruclur■fly, wet, we're notMbigMrdlikiustoba, indtoa more peoplt involved tia more we can do, hopefutiy.

Joel: Where do you draw the line? What about misogynisfe speaking? What about statists speaking?

Jonna: I believe in not letting misogynists speek, too.

Joel; But that basically silences 99.d% of the United SWas of

'has taken a lot of time out—thoi^ not as much time as rd Eke—in times olinersdiblecrisis to talk about our motvatieni

come frm different reafities, you know, and you may not

America.

Jonna: You have tostartsomewhere. We have to startsomewhere.

for action,like asking the men,Arayou clear aboutwhyyouTa

know that toon a hard thing for me, and Ite my rasponsibiiiiy

fighting, why youYa using ihto as a lactic, how do you leal

to letyouknow. Here we are, whha people fighting racism, fuck, wa roafly have to open up our mouths and say, "Hey

IPs very unrealistic to silence,say,the pom industry. But,whatwe can do Is encourage men and hold olhwmen accountable for tfieir misogyny and men organiziang together to fight misogyny, like

nity-wise?

each other or whose ideas are valued more than others. I

anyway?

Jonna: Nowayl

preediing genocide and hate,and that is not about treedofn,thalii not about liberation, it is about Killing people and subordination and domination and perpetuating a hierat^y. The kind of free speech

the world we livt in.

bsueeaawelL

worktho with men and being I physical force with men,ARA

about nota^as defanders of the women In ite group but

working with tw women as afliea and at equals end he^ the women be le empowered as the men already are. Alot

feeling a lot of sh^ now. ft becomes toll raally big hyped

man, ItoinktoarBreally fudedup* We really need to take these fiskB, we realty do, and I donl think we take enough of

end effectiveness?

Joel: Wei, look at this namde: waYe very democratic, but

it takes us along time to make dedslofa. k

men's p^cipation in the Take Back the Night

tekM us a long time to even decide when to

march, and having a No Pig Zorte. I think thafs averybrgpaninsilendngthacope. Wecanstarl

small, like trying to shut down pom shops and

boycotting tl^.

Jo^: I think ARA really hurts itself by saying free Bpeechisamylh.becauseinpractkaARAisvery much into letting people have their say. Itseems to me that the freedom of speech issue Is a

stiuctural thing, like what you were saying about m'aogynisticandhomophobicspeech. Thewhoie

Idea is to empower people and shutting people up is not going to empower people, except for fascisls. Fascistsarefascists.tfKy'renotgoing to diar^ and have to be beaten out of exis tence.

have meetings. Sometimsswhanrmlnihe meetings I have a sense thet ties democretio

mam ■

Ii

FIG HT RACISM! I^ i

LJ m

process. .. fm'Und o( worried thatifi white

FIGHT

oentaied, because I cmI imigins some

V

I w

im I

SEXISM!

FIGHT THE REAL ENEMY...

homeboyssHiinginourmaatingsandquiddy waUng out, saying, this is boring buhhH

Iffl "

■

Chris: irsbacomaadibatasociaqr.

Jod: Wsl, I donl know about ton WtatM

yourtiwughtaontitat?

\fDnr«:Wdl.ldon1tM)rtitdBbaiiioclaV. /toe Iqpa andad/arm. 7

-

The Spirit

On The Prowl

HERITA&E FR4NT

Anti-Racist Action And Developing Anti-Fascist Strategies In Toronto

by Lola

FMNT

white supremacist organi zation but as a "while iq>a-

pheoocnenOD.The Heritage Front is not the Hm Toronto-

raiist" group concerned with "equal rights for

based fascist group but the most recent example of a

whites".

The growth of the far right io Toronto is not an new

"Equal rights for

movement which dates back to the 1930i: when the

Canadian Nazi Party ran candidates b Toronto; wbenthe

whiles"has become a popu

Balmy Beach Gub in the east aid ofthe city was renamed

lar slogan used by the right

the Swastika Club; when nazi thugs attacked Jewish youth at Christie Pits Park near downtown, yoolh who

to justify attacks on the tra

defended themselves and thcirccmmunity by physically

LAffiSIVSH

ditional targets of white supronacy. Under this ban ner,groups such as the Heri

trouncing the nazi mob. Even the nazis of the 1930s cannot be isolated from the history of racism m Canada -

tage

from the genocidal policies used agabst the First Na tions to the history of violent racism directed agabst the

women's rights, non-wWie immigration, lesbian & gay

African and Asian communities.

rights. Native land rights

This ongoing legacy of racism provides the fertile grounds for the growth of groups like the Heritage Front

and educational curriculum which stresses anti-racism or

usbg violent attacks aspart ofits efforts to make Lhe earth

tells the history of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust - all

a "whites-only" planet.

The"church" part ofthe organization is based upon the teachbgs of the millionaire racist and one lime On

Front

denounce

Anti-Fascist Demons Demonstration Organized By ARA On January 2SI93 Anti-Fascist

and Church of the Creator today. It's the historical con

of which b ihcirmbds adds up to a conspiracy to destroy

text of racism which makes some white people vuber-

the while race. Like the NAAWP, the Front hides the

able to these hateful organizations, and the luoog links between groups b Canada, the U.S., Europe cod South

blatantly redsi and anti-Semitic rhetoric of the past be-

tario-resident. Ben KJassen (who took the HiiJer-thing

hbd rants agairut immigration laws,crime,lesbian &gay

full circle m August 1993 by committing suicide). Klas-

Africa make the white supremacist movement dangerous

rights, a^irmative aclion, perceived itucks oa (their)

icn wrote the "While Man's Bible" which serves as the

to us all.

"religious"excuse for their violence and hatred by teach-

and violence. It is sometimes easier to see then as misfiis

free speech, anti-racists, etc. b hopes of appealbg lo existbg prejudices b white Canadian society.

Tlie Heritage Front runs a telephone haieline which

or isolated extxcmistf rather than face the larger problems

is used to broadcast verbal attacks agabst the communi

and that all other races(or"mud races" as they call them) are inferior.

It is often temptbg to ignore neo-nazi organizing

of widespread racism,homophobia and anti-Semitism b

ties which don't fit bto their world vision •communities

society. But the first step to confrontmg bate violence is

which b reality representjust about all of us. It also plays

undentandbg how racism and prejudice has played a

in essential role in recruitment as the bitiai public con

crucial role b the history of Canada, aisd bow the

tact pobtfor unaffiliaied racists and fascists b the region.

The Heritage Front also publish a monthly magazine

struggles against it•from the time of Columbus to today • must inform and shape both our anti-racist analy sis and

ideological/'spiritual" basis for COTC. It provides a

bg i^l white people alone are made b the image of god The Toronto COTC is the organization's mtb

reprtseniative in Canada and among the most icqrortant clupters btemaiionally.COTC peoplefrom theToronto/ Hamilton area have played major roles b the mtema-

called U{tfront which carries articles by both Front

tional leadenhip and the most popular COTC rock band,

memben and fascist organizations m the U.S. and Eu

RaHoWi (short for Racial Holy War), is based here.

rope. It even boasu a regular column by David Duke.The

RaHoWt and other COTC bands are crucial in fundrais-

Front holds several leaet raUies a year often featuring

daiien from the U.S. and Europe. CHie meetings arc not

bg for their violent racist activities and b recruiting young people and skinheads as stormiroopen. The conceru pump up the bonehead fans with violent hatred and

b the U.S.: or b Alberta, Saskatchewan or Quebec - yet

advertised for fear ofa massive inii-racist response,such

"siegheils",often resulting b assaults on the public after

southwestern Onurio is the most active area oforganized

as that organized by ARAin November 1992 which shut

the shows let out In June 1993, Heritage Front skinhead

white supremacy b Canada. The region is peiliaps the ' down a HF gatherbg.)

Despite their claims of merely seeking "free organizational centre for the Canadian far righL The leadenhip of the local neo-nazi movanent is speech" and "open debate", the Heritage Front has time

Jason Hoolans brutally assaulted a Tamil man after a

Who Are The People In Your Ndghbourbood?

Many of us b Ontario seeoeo-nazi, Ku Klox Kltn and other far right organizbg as somethbg that happens

prombent KKK and neo-nazi leaden and Holocaust

RaHoWa gig, leaving the man partially paralysed.

Local COTC boss and RaHoWa "sbger" George

and time again revealed its true violent nature. In Juite

Burdi(aka Rev. Eric Hawthome)recently helped found

Toronto radst organizations smce the 19703 and 1980s.

1993, three Front memben, bcluding Droege and bis

Some have travelled btemaiionally to meet aitd work

haichman Pete Mitrevski, were arrested on assiuh and

I Detroit-based record label called Resistance Records to make and distribute neo-nazi tecordbgs across North

very experienced, many of them havbg worked with

Droege. Droege has been active b the Canadian far right

weapons charges following an attempted assauh of inli- America and Europe. The label's first release is a racisu.(An aaempi which son several ftscisu to hospi RaHoWa compact disc entitled "Declaration of War".

The Toronto COTC also boasts a Security Legion tal.) The other From member arrested, Giris Newhook, has already been convicted and is now lervmg a 12 (or "White Berets"), a group of skinheads who trab b

sbce the 1970s when be worked m both the Toronto

month sentence. Another Front diehard.Elisse Hategan,

based Western Guard and later with the Canadian

is facbg charges of distributing hate material targeting

neo-nazi events b the city. Toronto media recently iden

Knighu of the Ku Klux Kltn, where he rose to become

the Black community.

tified Eric Fischer, a former sergeant in the Canadian

the numbcriwo man b the national organization. Droege is a friend and "racial comrade" of both David IXke,the

U.S.for his racist activities,including three yean for his

with their European and U.S. counterparts. Many have done prison lime for "the cause".

The mam public figure m Toronto is Wolfgang

former KKK leader turned racist politician and U.S. Presidential candidate, and Tom Metzger, leader of the violent Califomia-based White Aryan Resistance (WAR).

The Heritage Front was founded b 1988 when

Droege and other white supremacists left the radn Na tionalist Party of Canada. The Front bases itself on the National Association for the Advancement of White

People, the organization formed by David Duke after leaving the Klan. The NAAWP presented iuelf not as a

Droege hinuclf has already done prison time b the

part b an attempted neo-nazi armed bvasion ofthe island of Dombica, which was blended to esublish a base for the international fascist movement. One of Drone's

responsibilities after the bvasion was to have been rvoinbg a cocabe processing plim.

The flip side to the Heritage Front's"soft"image is the auTch of the Creator (COTC). perhaps ite most

violent neo-nazi organization b North America. The

COTC has chapien b the U.S., Canada. Europe and South Africa and is known for paramiliury training and

martial arts and weapons and provide security for many

Airborne Regiment, as the leader and trabcr of the Security Legion. Eric, along with his brother and fellow Security Legions member,Elkar (another Airborne vet eran), were arrested during the summer of 1993 with a third COTC bonehead for kidnappbg a Heritage Front

member, assaulibg him, and ihreatcnbg lo kill him by

bjeclbg him with wbdow cleaner. Another Security Legions member, Richard Manley, was recently sen tenced to nine months b prison for illegal possession of

weapons and ammunition.(He's another Airborne vet eran... cobcidcnce???)

The fact that the HF and COTC apparently use Page 3

-

The Spirit

differem methods does not reflea a split bus an attempt to

is a tiger leaping on a swastika]. ARA has recognized that

nazis to walk past and into the from doors of the coun.

build a bfoad racist front atlncting all manner ofpotential recniiu,from older bigou to younger mil itanu. Not only do Burdi and Droege associate openly,but Burdi is often a prominent figure at Heriuge Front rallies, where he

one of the main atlractions which the n&zis have for

Several demonstrators required brief hospitalizalion.

young people is the sense of both rebelliousness and

During the media circus which followed, both Po

community which such organizaiioai provide. The nazis

lice Chief William McCormack and Metro Police Serv

certainly recognize this dynamic, which is why they have

ices Board chair Susan Eng admitted in the press that ibe

either speaks or performs with his band In April 1993, Burdi appeared with Droege at an CXtawa press confer

put so much effort into developing neo-nazi bands as

ence announcing the launch of the Heritage Front's Ottawa chapter. It's apparent that Burdi (who was ar rested for the May 1993 assault of an Onawa anti-racist)

effective politically, it also has to be "hip".

Few yoiuig people are attracted to fascist organiza

reason the nazis were not taken in through one of the four altemative eiurances was because Droege be teken in the main doon (which raises the question of who is actually giving the order for police to attack ami-

recruiting iiutiuments. ARA realizes that if it is to be

is effectively the number two man in the HF.

The Heritage Front also acts as a front for the movement. As a public organization,unlike the secretive

COTC, the Heritage Front is a contact point for newly

tions on the basis of ideology alone. Most are attracted to the cultural scene finl, through the music, parties, or

racists?).

friends and only later drawn into the movement and its ideas. Rather than ignore this reality, ARA has actively sought to promote a compeiling, vibrant, and fun culoire

anacks by assaulting members of the American Indian

of resistance to attract young people and provide an altemative to the nazis. At the same lime, the providing of an active social elonent to a political organizalioa helps not only to keep activisu and otben interested but also provides a forum for people to build up the friendship and trust necessary for effeoive political work.

bitialed radsts and fascists who can later be direaed

towards more violent groups.

The primary recruiting ground for both these organtzatimis is young white people. It is from these ranks (hat the fascists, as they have done in Europe, hope to draw their stoimtroopers. In this effort, local high schools have become one of the major political baale grounds of the 1990s.

Inside the courtroom itself, police continued their Movement who were aaing as security for Native Centre representative, Rodney Bobiwash. AIM memben were

thrown to the floor by police and handcuffed after they intervened to protect Bobiwash from an assault by Heri tage Front supporten. After the demonstration, two ARA

members were arrested on their way home on bogus

charges of assaulting police, one for ^legedly throwing an egg the other for sptiing. (The two anti-fasdsu.ooeof

ARA demonstrations have been more militant and

whom was a minor at the time of the incident, were even

confrontational than has tradilioually been the case in Toronto. The events have consistently drawn large

tually convicted of lesser diarges and received proba tion).

The penoQS urgeted for arrest

On The Prowl

Anti-Racist Action (ARA)

art significanL Both were on the front

formed in the Fall of 1992to organize a street level presence to oppose the

line of the demonstration and played

^public ARA speaker at the demoo-

3

growth of the fascist movement in

Toronto. The primary impetus came | I B I

from young people, many of them I ■

M

I

^91

Despite the police attack and

objeoives were to oppose the nco-

the arrests, most taw the deoKiastra-

tioQ as a huge success. Not only did

Dizi presence in both the political and

Hentage Front were and are tcuvely recruiting young people. The latter

On On JSHUary January 2£ 25 neo-nazi hate groups will march ^ a on a Human Human Ri Rights hearing to intimidate and "■ Hetitage fws

was to confront them in clubs,' bars ccmitehontHiMne ir!E22?!^^Il2L Sung«cTiaJtong* sung f tfialwng* r» onane and Other social arenas where skin- tnfr tnM't*Onano heads and neo-nari bands were be-

figw ca*»

silence those who speak out against racism and hatred. ' ^ ^ Anb-rsasts Will gather at the t

a.m. to march on the courts and confront physically attack people of colour, 8:15 ' While the focus was clearly on youth organizing, ARA also set

TorontQ's TOfOntQ S fasdst fasos movement. niA >

anti-racists outnumber the nazit by

»

more than ten to one, but the attack

clearly revealed on which side the police stood. The aftermath of the

w Y ^

25th alto revealed on which side other ami-racist organizations faU in

IIQI^ ^

On January 27th, both the Human Rights League of B'nai Britb

and the Canadian Jewish Congress

I A A lift I d^unced the demonsintioD in the

AQAIM media. Karen Mock, national spokesNO to racism, NO to fascism, NEVERI AGAIN VA MAu

about to explore new and creative llVr Lw iCT methods oforganizing and to expand

^

jQUth eod of QuecR's Park at ,

ginning to build a presence and to |».<c am

anti-racists and punks.

charge, and one was also the fuiai sintion dispenal polnL

high school students. Their main I I ■ I hB

social arenas.Theformer was to take pl.« in ihn high .d,0«i,, whnni ii«

active roles in repelling the hone

1 MUMI11 person for B 'oai Brilh, accused ARA of "jumping on a bandwagon and using this high profile anti-racist initiitive to aoempt to create disorder and

the boundaries of the traditional

forms of {>roiest in Tororuo. The young activists saw the need to challenge what they saw as depressing, dissnpowering, and ohimaiely ineffec

numben and their atmosphere of anger and a wlllingoest

tive modes of protest which the left has fallen into. ARA

neo-naas while attracting the attention of the police and

aimed to move away from boring pickets in front of

the press.

faceless buildings and instead build a militant street level

to meet the fascists face-to-face have both intimidated the

For example, a large and deteimined demonslratioD

movement to fight grassroots fascism which would at the

in November 1992 ouuide a "secret" Heritage Front

same time work in coalition with other groups around

meeting it the Roma Restaurant caused the police to shut

broader issues.

the meeting down. Angry nazis were forced to flee

Along with the critique of the nwbilizatioa strate gies of the left, ARA also incorporates an inherent chal

the hail of eggs thrown at them by the demonsinton.

police protection while at the tame time trying to avoid

lenge to iradiiional political dogmas. Distrust of old-style ideological restricdons led to the creation of a political

Toronto courthouse was to be a pivotal moment in shap

penpeaive which, in essence, borrows from the best of

ing the organization. The Canadiio Human Rights

A January 25,1993 demonstntioD called outside a

many traditions. Elements from anarchism, marxism, the

Gnomission has been in the process of hearing a com

German Autonomen, Fim Nations organizing, and popular culture ait synthesized within ARA to create a

plaint brought by the Native Canadian Centre ofToronto against the Front's telqrbone hotliise. An announced

political perspective which speaks to (he people involved

fascist march on the courthouse in support ofthe Heritage

and aliowi the group to look beyond the constraints of

Front was met by an ARA dononstntion of over 500

any one tradition to aaenpt to create a new way of

people who blocked the main doon to the building.

Rather than Uke the small conibgent of nazis into the courthouse through the back door, the police instead

working politically.

A central element to the overall ARA approach is

take the law in their own hands."

Gerda Frieberg of the CJC stated that "The Cana

dian Jewish Congress does not support these kind of

actions." It was clear to some that the seif-ierving media ploy by B'nai Brilh and CJC was intended more to

solidi^ and justify ihcirown close working relatioruhips wiihpolice rather than advance the anii-racisimovemem.

Indeed, recmt revelations in the U.S. of Anli-Defairutico

League (B'nai Brith's U.S. counierpan) coDaboraiioo

with the San Frandsco Police Dqranmeni in spying on progressive and leftist organizations should certainly

make committed anti-racists in Toronto wary of organization's true political goals.

The denundation by these organizaiioni was «l*n

significaru in that it played direoly to the police aul media propaganda line of separating "legitimate" antiracist groups from "Ul^itimate" ones, thereby hoping to criminalize ARA and justify unprovoked police violence against the demonstration. However, much of that at

tempt was derailed in the community, if not in the press

itsdf, by the fact thai such "legitimate" groiq>s as the

the cuhivation of an anti-ncist/anti-fascift cotntercul-

chose to charge the anti-ndsts from two sides. Momfted

tuit. This has proceeded primarily throogb the organiz ing of regular Rock Against Racism concerts and also weekend parties, u well as the creation of an ARA 'sTyle**. The group also actively circulates buttons and Tshins [the group's motto is "On The Prowl" and their logo

Native Canadian Centre and (he Montreal-based Cana

police rode into the front liis of the demonitntion,

dian Centre on Racism and Prejudice (as well u represes-

trampling people and wbackiiig them with riding crops, while officen on foot rushed into oite side, kicking punching loti-raciiu as they did so. The "reason" for the attack was to hmvc the ARA demonstration to allow the

Ulives from the Black community, women's movcmo^ and labour movement) suppwried ARA completely ami publicly denounced the police's aoions.

Although ARA continued to organize acuoni folPatc4

'^^tm The Spirit lowing the Jtouary 25(fa police ineck.inclodiiig donoa-

cooimuniiy organizationi. the re-

ftniioDi igtinit local school teacher Paul Froaan, who

sponse has similarly been quiet.

has been aaive in the Toronto far-Right for the paat 25 yean,the next major event did not occur couil June 11th.

The second goal for the fascists is simply practice. We know that the nazis engage in various

L

| I I

Ov«r SCO

co«T^mirt*d «v«ry y««r in Toronco.

Behind The Front

forms of physical and paramilitary

While the Heritage Front and the Qtorch of the Creator maintain publicly that they are not violent groups but are merely interested in opo) debate on the iisuea, their behaviour to date reveals quite the opposite. In response to community action on many levels against the

trairung both m the Toronto area

slow escalation is allowing their

• assault: p.veASSAULT: Fiva.on.cina

stotmtioopen to put their training

• HARASSMENT: • harassmeivt: continuad thraats to anti-racitta

HF and GOTO, the iiazii have slowly been waging an

scenarios. This again allows the

and with contacts in the U.S. This into practice in irKreasingly violent

escalating terror campaign against anti-radsts. This

fasdsts to test thdr own capabili-

campaign has primarily manifested itself in patterns of banssmenl and iniimidatioo.buthas recently moved into

ties and the commitment of differ-

ent individuals, while also learning

The campaign began in the fall of 1992. On the night of November 28th. nazii painted swastikas outside several prominent anti-ncisttargets in Toronto including

and preparing for what they see as the soon to begin Radii Holy War. As the summer grew closer, the nazis began to dramatically in

the Native Canadian Centre and a tocialin bookstore.

crease the level of violence. As

Other targets hit at that same time which were nol men

meruioned earlier, in April the

tioned in media lepoiu were KYTES, a community theatre and employment centre in Kmsington Market which at that time was serving as ARA's regtilar meeting

mation of an Oiuwa chapter. The

violent physical attacks.

place, as well as the home of an ARA member.

featuring Canadian Neo-nazi

While men have received calls, the harassment for the

most pan has not been ofthe same violent inteosicy as that

against women and has tMt continued pasta period oftwo weeks.

One woman was also targeted physicaUy for sur veillance,and thenazis placed people in cars outside her home to follow her and track her movemenii, who she

met with, etc. Another woman was the subjea of a radst

flyer containing attacks agaiiut the Black community while listing her name,address,and phone nisnber as the conuo person for the fictitious white supremacist group which claimed authorship ofthe flyer. The intention was to give the false impression that the anti-racist activist was a nazi and thereby subject her to harasxmeol from members of the community.

ii ifLip -i-i

JUME n,1993-WE FIGHT BACK. Assemble at John Innes Community Centre, Assemble Sherboume and Sherboum

Friday 7:00 PHday 7;0<

to march on a Nazi

centre of o peration

Anti-racists

in

Ottawa

quickly began to mobilize against the proposed concert, eventually forming a coalition among various groups. ARA was invited to send a delegation from Toronto,and about50anti-fascists made the trip by bus. Despite gathering a crowd of 600 to

known location in the dty and, as one of the main

suppliers of hate material iniemaiionally, his home/of

fice is of major significance to both fascisu and anti fascists. Because of the location of the mectmg place, militant elements among the demonstrators eventually | dozens ofpolice gathered outside ZundeTs boose(which led to a situation where many of the people wanting to had been covered in plastic by its owner to protea it from the expected onslaught ofeggs and paint bombs.)Bfty or confront the nazis and close down the coocen were

abandoned by the demo orgtnizen, resulting in violent

more skinheads were also present to "defend Zundei's

atucks on the few local anti-racists left behind at the

bouse" from anti-fascist attack • an atuck which never

scene. Skinheads bruully beat several demonstxaton,

materialized when,to the surprise and outrage ofthe cops

hospiulizing half a dozen. The hundred nazis present

iztd nazis. the ARA demonstration piled oato streetcars and headed east to the home of Gary Schipper - the voice

paraphemalit and bringing racist materials into the shel

where leader Droege announced to the "seig belling" crowd that one day these buildings would be thein.

The Heritage Front and COTC clearly taw the events of May 29ih as a victoiy which provided a major boon to thcirmorale.They crowed about their victory in Otuwi over theirhotline for days and there was a marked

ter.

increase in violent neo-nazi atucks in Toronto, particu

The nazis responded to this by launching a series of line. A campaign of threatening phone calls and physical surveillance of staffensued which eventually culminated

in an arson attack againstoneofthe shelten in late March.

A staff member was also assaulted in her home by

skinheads. During that tame period, a member of the

larly directed against the Tamil community. The week following Otuwa, a Heriuge Front skinhead named Jasoo Hoolans brutally beat a Tamil man outside a Toronto rcsuunmt,resulting in the man's being hospital ized and partially paralysed. Hoolans was on his way homefromiRaHoWagiginihenorthofthecity when the

was attacked by five nazii one evening after leaving the BADC office.

In our analysis, this slow and deliberate escalation of violence is not haphazard but calculated. The slow

of the Heriuge Front hateline.

As the phalanx of 300 demonstraton marched up the residential street, ARA manhals passed out informatioD flyen to the participants identifying the still secret

she and the reasons for the action. Other ARA people went door-to-door to pass out similar flyers containing

Sdiipper's photo and address to the residents of the largely irrunigrant neighbourhood and explain to them the intentions of the demonstration.

After reaching the house, with eggs flying through the air, a dozen or more demorutritors expressed their

It was in this context of increasing violence and

outrage in amoredirea fashion by rushing the bouse and smashing windows. After the direct aaion was over, and the speeches had been completed, the demonstration withdrew from the neighbourhood. In one instant, the fight had been taken right to thenazis' door in a way that bad not occurred anywhere else in Caiuda.The implica-

displays of bravado by the neo-nazis that ARA'i next

tiooi for the fascists were clear - we knew who they were,

attack occurred.

Black Action Defence Conuniitee (the main Toronto

group organizing against police racism and violence)

oity centre only four blocks south of the home of promi-

Qenln&zipublisherEmstZundcl.ZundersboiDeisawdl

confront the nazis. the liberalism and collaboratioi] with

then marched on the Canadian Parliament building

lesbophobic attacks against Youthlink staff on their hot

RACIST

police on the part of some of the coalition orgtnizen plagued the action from the sun (the specifics of which are discussed later). This conflia between liberal and

These attacks soon escalated from tntimidaljoa

member who was a resident of the shelter was qeaed by

mm

bands RaHoWa and Aryan.

tactics to physical assault and arson.[>uring the spring a campaign o( terror was waged against Youthltnk, two shelters for young women.Early in 1993 a Heritage Front the staff for iolimidaiing other residents by wearing nazi

Queen Sts.

pm sharp

was to be a "Rock for Racialism"

harassing and later threatening phone calls to tome ARA memben. While several people received calls, the fas

litiK, an obvious reflection of their bibereni misogyny.

For e^arnpla. ^^ARse^rrt^ck ,

• ARSON anack and tarrer campaign on ratiOanca for young woman pnysical anack on Black community acxrviat

inaugural event of the Ottawa HF concert to be beld on May 29ih

This targeting of women has been their pattern since that

snowing eh«ir ugly lac* — and violam aeta Dy

Heritage Front announced the for

Utis was followed quite quiddy by a campaign of

cists chose to concentrate their efl^orts against women.

Wt-tit* w^.t* ».ypr*m«ci*cs

local n^azis ara ascalating.

Shut'Em Down

action took place. A demonstration was called for June

we knew theirfaces,we knew where they lived and where

1 llh to march on a neo-nazi centre of operations. The

they met, and we would not be intimidated by their

actual destination of the done was unknown except to a

violence.

The fint is to test the response of police. The nans need

few ARA organizers.The rationale for the secret destina

to see how far they can push things before feeling pres sure from law enforcement. Thus far, the fascists have received liitJeorno interestfrom pobce in regards to these

tion was a uctical one - if ARA announced the exact

A controlled expression of community inger had been accomplished, one which made th'i anger and

destination, the demonstrators would most likely en

resolve clear in a direct and militant fashion, > ei one so

counter not only a sizeable and armed contingent of

controlled and disciplined on the part of demonstrators

trucks. The Heriuge Front is also testing the resolve of anii-racin forces, again to see what the response will be

skinheads but also an even more sizeable and better

that no other residents' property was darruged. No

armed contingent of police. Ralherihan tangle with copi

parked cars were touched,no other homes were touched,

on horseback again, ARA chose a different strategy.

no gardens were trampled • only one building was the urget, and that target was identified and dealt wilh.

escalation has two identifiable goals for the movement.

from the left. Unfortunately,apart from a few significant

solidarity links being made between anli-iscisi and other

Organizers chose as the meeting place a commu-

Spirit

-1^——

Because the Zundel bluff w«s so effective, no DAzii were were

a wove oj vlolince created by racirtr. WhiU the merits

there end so few cops that the demonsimon were e al al-

attddemerUs ofproperly damage can be debated, ii is far

lowed to enter and leave the neighbourhood without houl

from the deadly and physical violence of the Front." •

incident (Except for Heriuge Front leader Wolfgang gang

Rodney Boblwosh, Klanbusters

Droege appearing in his cor with 5 skinheads to verholly sally threaten demoostraion waiting to disperse afterwards.

Mr.Droege Tceived a smashed windshield for his efforts foru and his small gang quickly sped away.)

AJIA recognizes that doing anti-fascin work is

unlike most other political siniggles in the Canadian

context (outside of Native Territory) in that there is a very real element of physical retaliation- in this cose by nazis.

It was interesting in that the most vociferous oppo-

Rather than choose the easy path of staging irrelevant

lition and denunciation of ARA after June 11th came

picket lines which present no threat to fascist organizing,

from more progressive sectors of thecommunity, mainly

Late that evening - in a poorly planned and exe executed attempt at retaliation - a gang of thirty skinheads eods armed with baseball bats converged on i popular club club frequented 1^ ARA people and other anti-racists. The The

ARA chooses to take the fight ri ght to the nazis - in the

revolving (whether admlned or not) around the question

schools, in nazi socializing places, at their meetings, at

of militancy.

This kind of criticism is an unfortunate tradition of

their homes. Because of this strategy, ARA demonstra tions cannot be social events because of the need for the

the North American left It seems that all loo many are

location was doubly significant in that the club itself had been a popular nazi hang-out until they were drivenI out out

security.

comfortable in supporting militancy everywhere but

Unlike any other organizations in the city, AJIA

their own backyards. This tendency was certainly obvi ous in the response of the left to the development of

by local anti-racists a few months earlier.

Despite being outnumbered three to one, the few onii-racists present defended them-

lively confronuiional.

dononstraton march in ranks with their arms linked to help strengthen the formation and ensure that there ore no

D intimidation, ar est, luzi at ack, or fascist sur

people left isolated and vulnerable • to police

■!

selves and chased the skinheads out Several

l|

UNWANTE

na22S,includingleaderDroege,werebeatesaiid

veillance. ARA also takes a defensive

II

hospitaIized.DroegewasIaterlobearTestedai>d charged with aggravated assault on one of two

ami-racists seriously injured. Also arrested that

H i TEMONGEJRS HA

night was another Heriuge Front leader named

Pete Mitrevski and a tkinbead named Chris

^9

Newhook. Newbook has since been convicted

DS

marshalling stialegy. While most t>naf}tBn

demonstrations have marshals in place to pro tect property from demonstrators so that their

T y city

the

some "unruly clemcnu", ARA'i mirxhals arc

there to protect the body of the demonstration

BmI

ofossaulting police and possession of a danger- f OK ous weapon (a baseball bat with "SS" carved

r^E CHT!

prevent surveillance from fasciiu (who, as

elsewhere, like to show up and videoupc and

h(K^ photograph anti-racists).

wu swift from all direoioru. The media, as

BK;

could be expected, had a field day condemning |H|K ARA as lenorisis adopting the same tactics as jBbW

-fornotholdingbackactivisiswhofelltbeneed to take more direct forms of aciiwi. In a commu-

this action from January 25th, at least in the media, was that no non-govemmentol anti-rac-

taiamaCaM, (kiT IM

ill organization dared publicly denounce ARA

2^*72

EUtsr ZUNDEL

HOOCNNC OkOECE

KENMXEX ik

CEORCEIUKDI

nity statement issued by ARA to respond to such critiques it was stated:

•to arM a, MM* ■

or the June 1 lib action. While this did not stop

.— ■■■a

wwTV

'During the demonstration, some anti-racist

various columnists from venting their mi*. placed moral outrage for several weeks follow- -, , ,

protestors struck back against Gary Schipper ■ and the Heritage Front. Paint bombs and rocks

ing the demo, it did make the criiicismi ring

were thrown al his residence and windows

quite hollow when eves the most conservative

were broken. Although these acts ofvandalism were not plarjied by ARA, our group allows

of ami-racist groiqit would not join the reporten' crusade.

people to espress their anger against fascism

A sampling of the public comments by

and white supremacy as they see fit. We do not

other tnti-radsts went:

police anti-racists."

EULSiLKAJL>.ANAXA *- ■-

bfiiHNQI

j ■ ■■

■

rmUMJTVLYSU

^

BMpulWWMf

The problem is... the police and the attorney

Some critics denounced ARA for allowing such expressions of militancy to occur at all

the fascists, etc, etc. However, what separated

'Ejareme..J)uijustified' - Dudley Laws, Black

against attack • whether that comes from the nazis or police. The marshals are also there to

into it) and was senteiKed to twelve months.

'I The respome to the events of June llth ^

Action Defense Committee

cause is i»t "discredited" by the actions of

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generaCs office have not been co-operating.

'— I—

«

They haven'I used legislaiionas a means toslop

al this point because they have chosen to do

nothing (about hate cri/nesj." - BernieFarber, C.aaadlao Jewish Congress

intention of committing an indictable offense.

The anesu of the four did not occur on the site

of the demonstration but happened arbitrarily

hate-mongering. Young people... understanda

bly gel veryfi-ustratedandwrongly take the law into their own hands. 1 really hold the people whoare in the position ofauthority responsible

In the aftermath of the demonsiraiion, anti-racisu were tircsted on charges of mischief to property and disguising with the

over the ensuing two weeks. One woman was

ZERO TOLERANCE FOB FASCISTE ISTE

local radio station after represeniDENY ANY SPACE FOR THEM IN TORONTO rORONTO picked-up onwhile a call-in show.a Two oihcn were attending subiequeut antiracist dsnonstraiion. Despite being arrested on

armed organizations in the U.S. and Canada during the 1970s and 1980s. (See Ward Qmrdull'i essay "Padfimj

different dates and in different pans of the dty,

all four were picked iq> by the same two undercover

officers, indicating a coordinated police effort to identify

'Ifthe rallying cryfor all anti-racists is Heyer Again"

as Pathology" in Issues in Radieil

oaivirt groups such as ARA. If Canadian gavemmental authorityproves to be as incapable in stemming racially motivated crime andfascist political organisation as the German governments of the 30s and today, then the unthinkable resurgence of organised Naziism may be

leoi molysii of this pbenomeootL) Indeed, h seezni pa

and target ARA ictivisu.

thetic commeotory on the Canadian left (and on the level

cle^y politically motivated and intended to curtail their

then no one ispressing this at the moment any more than

literally at our doorstep. The w^ortunate excesses ofthe

fo, „ exceJ-

of self-policing done by Canadian progressive movemenu) that a bit of egg throwing and i few broken windows ore seen as acts of violence. As was said to one

ARA critic by a South Asian comrade, "It's only within tfaeconftrtes set by the white Canadian left that June llth

June 11 rally may be causefor some concern, bid it does

can be seen as a violent dononstiation."

not beg in to compare in significance or gravity with such an eventuality." - Roger HoUonder, Metro CooDclUor

The uafominite faa it that for most leftisu is Canada, demonstniioDi have become soda! evenu.

'his the Heritage Front, CAureJi cfthe Creatorandother racist groups that have carried on a violent campaign of

friends, chat while the speeches are going on and then

intimidation over the last several months - all the while

the dano has finished. ARA'i demoDitratkms con

proclaiming their virtue...Anti-racists are respoe^ing to

sciously challenge this comfonoble nonn by Kring ^c-

They are forumi for people to come together, meet their leave in groups for the nearest bar after (and oftai before)

The bail conditions imposed on the four were

anu-racin activism. The initial conditions (most of which

have since been changed through legal chaUcogcs) in cluded oon-iisociilion with other memben of ARA; barring from aoendance at ARA or other anu'-iidsi meeimgi; and barring from attendance at any demotuLration in the entire province of Ontario. These conditions are more restrictive than those given to Heritage Front and COTC memben charged with aggravated assault, forcible confinanent and weaporu offenses.

The action against Schipper'i house on June 11 th occurred as a direct response to an escalation of fasdcl violence and public organizing. As such, the action suc

ceeded in accomplishing several goals, both through the -

Page ^

The Spirit Arme,iuelf and(be resulting oazi tactical mistake made in

tudes and aaioni to date to see quite clearly thai they are

respoose - namely attempting the mast assault against ARA people later that evening.The assault aoemptfailed miserably on two levels: 1)the fascists were humiliated in their attempt to boost morale and look tough after being fooled by a classic "bait and switch" and 2)it resulted is

much more interested in attacking and criminalizing ami-

the arrests of two key Front leaders. The main effects of

indifference to fascist attacks.

community, a community from which ARA has drawn some of iu stroogest participation and support). Subse quent events involving the acouJ prosecution of a high profile Heriuge Front spokesperson have been even

racisu than they are neo-nazii. While the mounted police

aoack against ARA and police assault of AIM members

more revealing. This case has demonstrated concretely that my move by anti-radsts to lay charges or make reporu to police merely opens the door for police intelli

on January 25th is the most blatant example of this, we can go further In revealing the clear paaem of police

gence gathering on the organization and iu membership.

the day's events was to force the nazis to turn their

The most obvious aspea of the pwlice approach is

orgEiiziQg inward rather than towards expansion.

Planned summer recruiting drives were put on hold due

the clear double-standard used in investigating nazis and

Elisse Hategan (aka Descfaner) was to face trial in

anti-racists. The police have demoiutraled lime and lime

to the legal restiictioni placed on some of their key â&#x2013; ctivisis following their arrests. Funding for a plaimed

again their desire to shelter Wolfgang Droege and the

June 1993 on charges of inflammatory libel against a local anti-radst and distributing hate literature. [Editorial Note: Since the writing of this article Haiegan's trial date

national summer tour by RaHoWa and the opening of a

"random" and "unconnected" acts of their supporten. In

had been moved to 93/11/24. At this lime it was revealed

public office space was eaten up by bail costs and lawyer

the two most violent incidents to date, the 1992 bombing

that the had defected from the HF. She is now passing

Heritage Front as an organizalioQ from the supposedly

fees.

of the Toronto Morgenuier abortion clinic and the 1993

infomuiion about HF activities and aiucks to anti-radst

Despite the critiques of some about June 11th ac tion, this single event arid its aftermath was responsible for the signiffcant decrease in fascist activity and vio lence during the past four months.

firebombing of Youthlink, the police have allowed Droege'f denials of HF involvement to stand at face

groins and police.) She was being accused ofdistributing the earlier mentioned racist flyer intended topaim an anti-

value.

racist activist as a nazi. Interestingly, the police "investi

Polking The Crisis?

As always, the role of the police and the interven tion of stale agendes within a political struggle is multifaceted and often difficult lonegotialeboth internally and externally in the broader movement This is no less true

m anti-fascist organizing in Toronto. An analysis of the police approach to the movements, both racist and antiracist, is essential to begin to develop effective strategies.

While the problem of police inlerfereiKe in politi cal organizing is not a new one, it must be understood that

the police play a particular dynamic ÂŤithin the context of

anti-fascist work which is quite different than in other struggles. This is because in other progressive or radical movements, the question of involving the police as a potential "ally" within the struggle is non-existenL Whether it is organizing around such issues of institution alized ncism, sexism, and homophobia or domestic and foreign policies of the Canadian government, it is clearly recognized that the police as an institution play no poten tial positive role in advancing the cause.

gation" of Hategan, as evidenced through thdr inter

In the Morgentaler case, neo-nazi graffiti suiing "Peace, Love & White Power" along with the Heritage

views of other anli-racisu called as wimesses in the case,

Front's telephone number was painted on a large wall directly across the street from the bombed clinic. The

consisiedprimarily of police aoempts to obtain tbeiumes

graffiti was done sometime between 1 KXJam and 4KX}am

of other anti-racist aaivisu and trace stmcnires and chains of communication within the movement.

(the approximate lime of the blast) on the night of the bombing. The connection to most would seem quite

The case iuelf provides an ideal cover for such a ruse, for it gives the police authority to sul^ena anti-

clear. However, the media revealed that police investiga tors interviewed Droege and essentially accepted his claim that the Heritage Front was not involved.

Over a year later, police have still not made any arresu despite admitung in the press that the perpetraton

racisu and interview them about their work while hiding such probing behind the facade of "prosecuting hate crimes". In fact, it is the suspicion of many that the recent creation of the much publidzed "Hate Crimes Unit" within the Metro Police is in iuelf nothing more than a

were videotaped by the clinic's security system. Cer tainly the history of state and police attacks against the

cover to gather intelligence on the ami-racist movernem.

Hategan has been allowed to assodaie with known

left reveals that a similar set of circumstances involving

mcmbcn of the Heriuge Front in direct contravention of

a right-wing or government target would have resulted in mass repression. In that case, it jeenu that if Droege were

her bail condiiioru. In faa, in one incident she appeared

a leftist he would have been answering questions from a

the Heriuge From and GOTO. Tliis situation was imme

at an ARA demonstration in a car with known leaders of

jail cell, assumed guilty until proveo innocent. In a

diately noticed by Rodney Bobiwasb of the Native

similar manner, Droege was allowed to shrug off any involvement or responsibility for the anon attack at

Centre. Knowing that the violation should immediately result in her re-ajrest and revocation of bail, he notified

Youthlink. While admitting to a Toronto magazine that

the officer commanding the police presence at the dem-

This is unfortunately not the case with anti-fasdst

the Heriuge Front did wage a lesbopbobic campaign

ormraiion, who replied "I don't care." This incident

organizing. The activities of neo-nad groups are by definition violent, whether through actual physical at

against the shelter on their hotline, he says that his group bad DO band in nor responsibility for the atuck. Again this

speaks volumes to the reluctance of the police to truly prosecute neo-nazis and to the illegitimacy of the police

tacks or by the implied threat which their presence pres ents to those communities which have historically been

targeu of fascism. Their organizing also involves illegal activities, from relatively minor incidents of vandalism to more serious acts of violence including assault, arson,

claim to be "uninvolved" has apparoitly been accepted

invefiigation against Hategan.

by the police, who are choosing to ignore a momhi long, lof^sticated and coordinated campaign of harassment

cOTiinues despite that fact that Hategan has apparently

ai^ surveillance of the shelter and its employees. This

adpiined to distributing the

The interviewing and tubpoeiuing of aciivisu

clearly was not the work of a "lone out", and the police's appareot readiness to accept it u such is yet another

paramilitary training and murder. Because of this reality, many anti-radsu see the police as an option against neo-

demonstration of their unwillingness to go after the fas

Dizis.

cists as organizations but instead to individualize aoacks

This douUe vision with regards to the police is both

which are clearly coordirutcd. Police have

problonatic and dangerous. While most are quick to recognize police violence and direct hostility, as was demoQstrated during the demonstration on January 2Sth (with the exception elements of the "legitimate" and

even refused to fully investigate the assaulting

^5-

of a Youthlink staffer by skinheads, choosing

instead to charge the woman hcrselffor filing a

I

false complainti

J

coDservalive anti-racist movement), there remains a

In each case, "investigators" teem un-

[

strong trerid which looks towards legal "remedies" for white supremacy. This trend lakes the form not only of

willing or uninterested in uncovering connee-

fc

lions and links to the Heriuge Front or other

I

desires for stronger laws against hate group activities, but

in particular looking towards police for protection.

organizations,butpreferiooperateonthebasii

that the perpetrator is acted in isolation. Yet, at the same lime as they shrug off interest in the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;"

usually falls along clear lines of race and class. Certainly

hierarchy and organizational structure of the

"

those individuals and communities who have not tradi

Right, ibe police sean quite interested in idcn-

The willingness to look to police as a strategy

tionally suffered at the hands ofpolice are more likely to

tifying such areas in the anti-radst movement.

view them as "protectors" rather than oppressors. There

in fact, instead of being commiaed to

fore it has usually been the anti-racist groups represent

ing these privileged interests which have been urging residents to call police when they encounter racist activ

ity in their coirununity. One Ontario government antiracism organization has even gone so far as to publish a

pamphlet which argues the "call police" strategy while printing on the cover a photo of ARA'i January 25th demonstratioa (without permission, I might add) where

mounted police attacked anti-racists to protect nco-nazis.

However, one need only look at the police's tni-

prosecuiingneo-naziSiithasbeentbepaUemto

^

GV

dale that the police have a much greater interest

ininvestigatingARA.Theplacemcntfandlatcr

expulsion) of a known agent provocateur early

hJS

in the organization's life was one indication of

j

sUlc intentions towards the group (a provo cateur who now spends his time spreading accusaiionsofhomophobiaandqueer-bashing

against ARA in an aaempi to drive wedges between the group and the lesbian and gay

The Spirit flyerand will presumably{Nirsue a defence based onfree dom of speech. It is also significant that by calling anliracists as witnesses,and thereby revealing their identities to the court and to the nazis, the police are knowingly opening these individualsfor harassment The conjec ture is that such a decision is calculated to place these individuals in jeopardy so that the police can 1) gather intelligence on the fascists by using the anti-racists as

onstration by declaring "victory" because ^e cops told

"bait",and 2)hope thatindividuals will turn to the police for protection,Iherdry creating an opportunityforfrrther

them that the concert was going to be shut down. This declaration overthe megaphones,coupled with the herd

intelligence gathering on the anti-racist movemeiu.

These suspicions were reinforced during the pretrial hearing m Oaober when Hategan's attomey cross examined of one of the anti-racist witnesses. Lawyer

ing ofthe participants by l.S. manhals,caused more than

tively small Ata time when 100,000people would come

half of the demonstraton to leave the site. Many antiracists refused to acknowledge that any such victory existed when the sounds ofthe nazi bands playing could

out to a disarmament demonstration,little orno anenlion

Harry Dean(who is defeiximg most of the nazis facing charges in the city) spent most of his time asking ques tions about ARA'sorganizing -thenames ofactivists,the names ofthe organizen ofthe January 25th and Jime 11th

demonstrations, etc. While obviously imrelated to the charges against Hategan, the Crown prosecutor did not olyect to this line ofquestioning.The wimess was uruble

demoiutratort. l.S. manhals tipped off the cops to an attempt by ARA and other anti-racists to rush past police lines to get closer to the building where the nazi concert was being held. This tip off resulted in many of those

immigration laws and police violence and other institu

demonstrators on the front lines being hit with pepper

tional monoliths?

ment in Toronto carmot strategize and nwhilize effec tively enough toeliminatea coupleofhundred nazis,how can we realistically expect to be able to defeat ndst

spray by police.

Later the l.S. manhals purposefully split the dem

Unfortunately, much of this criticism fails to leam

from history,even recent history. As was pointed out by a Sri Lankan comrade who spent a year in Germany at a refugee in the late 1980s,the German leftchose to ignore the neo-nazi movement at a moment when it was rela

was bemg given to the "insignificant" fudst problem.

Five years later, we see the terrifying resulu of allowing

cleariy be heard even outside the buildmg.This cowardly

that movement to grow unopposed.Bvenu such as Ros

decision to split the demonstration (and the faa that the

tock, murderous and violent atucks on refugees and

ARA contingent of50 who had stayed behind at the site were forced to leave at 11:00pm to catch the bus back to

guest workers, and the assassination of anti-fasdsu are

Toronto)left the few dedicated Ottawa activists vulner-

not spontaneous, but are the culmination of years of unhindered organizirtg. Unfortunatdy much ofthe left in

aUe to the brutal skinhead attack which followed.

Canada has chosen to ignore this lesson.

Before the June 11th demonstration, the l.S. had

While we can take all the time we wanttoformulate

the perfect political line and theorize the predse political

Unfortunately,the unwillingnessofsometo see use ofthe police as being at best a tactical decision in certain

made plans to cause a disturbance at the gathering site by demanding that ARA organizers reveal the secret desti nation of the demonstration (this desfxte the faa that all

situations rather than a parental-type figure to protect us from bullies is prr^lematic and dangerous. Indeed,

the advertising for the acrion made it clear that, while the

people who will go to the police outoftrustand reformist

operations, the actual destination would not be known

unfortunately discussion is no substitute for aciiorL How

beliefs in the system ared^erousforany radical organi

u^the group arrived there).Afterthe demonstration,in

do we expect to inspire people after more than a decade

zation which constitutes itself in opposition to that very

a move reminiscent of CX)lNTBLFRO-style tactics, the I.S.took part in drafting a leuercondemning ARA for the "violence"ofthe June 11th action-a letter to which they

revolutimary movements around the worid?

It has to be understood that broad-based and effec

signed the names of several organizations who, upon

tive political movements do not tppcat spontaneously,

to provide Doan with the infonitation be wanted.

system. These are often the people who will, perhaps

unwittingly,do the job of the police by speaking operdy about membership and strategies in some misguided sense that the police, while probletrutic on some levels, are allies against the nazis.The evidence to dateshows us exactly the opposite.

When Opportunism Knocks

Because ofthe early successes of ARA,the organi

demonstration would be going to a neo-nazi centre of

being contacted ARA,had never heard ofsuch a letter and who did not support the statemenu within it

moment to act,in the meantime what work has bm done

towards building the movementsthat will presumably aa at that moment? Political process, political experience, and resolve to struggle come only through work, and

of snmning and crushi^ defeats for progressive and

but are the resuh of years ofstruggle.This work,ifit is to

be realistic and successful, must begin by setting upon manageable goals and taking small victories where they

Unfortunately,it was not only groups within ARA who have demorutrated similar opportunist and patron izing attitudes towards the organization. While some in

can be won. It is out of the crucible of small victoriesâ&#x20AC;˘

the broader left see the formation and effectiveness of

- that larger viaories are possible.

udiich provideexperience and inspiration to a movement

zation inevitably sparked the interest of various

ARA as a positive development, at the same time they

Trotskyist and Marxist-Leninist political parties who began to flodc to ARA like moths to a bright light.

dismiss the relevancy of anti-fascist work and maintain

Race And Resistance

that ARA should befocusing on"moreirrqrortant"issues, which themselves vary depending upon the personal political priorities of the person being critical.

faa that ARA, with notable exoqaiont, is comprised

Unfortuiutely, it soon became obvious that most were

involved nai to work honestly againstthe neo-nazi pres ence in Toronto but mstead to forward the goals of their own organizations.

As has been the experience of many groups who have tried to do political work around various issues,the presence of these party organizations soon becomes an obstacle to building tk organization as a whole. The

International Socialists G-S.) in particular played a

This attitude was riso the basis for much of the mtemal problems with the IntemaUonal Sodalisu and

others, who saw loader organizing against the police and the racist policies ofthe sute as being the priority. It is unfortunate thatin this way someofthe mostdamaging attacks against the nascent anti-fascist movement have come notfrom the traditional enemies in the state and on

An underiying basisfor much ofthe criticism it the

primarily by white,working class youth.Criticism cones from both radicals of colour, vriio are sceptical of white radical organizations,and from other white radicals,who essemially believe that white peo|de have no place initi ating anti-racist work.

Both criticisnu are a concem if we truly hope to forge working links against racism in society. The first criticism is certainly legitimate given the history ofmuch of the white left in North America and Europe with replicating systems of racism and class privilege within

prominent role in opposing every dmonstration(excqx one)that was ever undertaken ARA againtt the far right, while at the same time trying to push through their own proposals which better suited the endsoftheir party.

than doing the work necessary toforge grassroou politi

their organizing. Indeed these problems were a signifi

cal movements.

This behaviourwas later discovered to bein keqrmg with their own political mandate to provide "revoltrtkmary leadership" to organizations of "movementists", who

cant contributor to the downfall of radical while move-

It it the position of many radicals that anti-fascist work is in itself irrelevam because of the relative lack of power and numbers which the neo-nazi movement

menu in the 1960s and l^Os.

while presumably understanding their own issue,did not

commands in Canula at this time. These comrades tee

have the same vision and imderstandirtg ofthe par^ on how to defeat the state.

Eventually, after several months of attempting to work in good faith, the Iniemationa] Socialists were

voted out of ARA by a 2/3 nujority

ARA members.

This had the resuh ofcaasmg all the other Troskyin and Marxist-Leninist parties to leave the gtoiq* en nusse in sufpoitofthe LS.While this on the whole wu positive in that it uved ARA the similarly obstructionist and oppor tunist behaviour of die other groiqM, sndi as the Trotskyist League and the Bolshevik Tendency, it also

the Right,butfrom the left itself- many more concerned with maintaining a level of"revolmionary chic" rather

state and police racism as the arenas where opposition

These concems carmot be ignored,ya can be over come through coruistent and principled work,an open ness to constructive criticism from people oScolour,and willingness to aeate political alliances not based on an

should bedirected,and that"chasing nazis"is an exercise in irrelevancy. However well intended,and cortea as far

scepticism,ifacc^ted u being legitimate and worked on

as hsanalysis ofmsthutionalized racism,this perspective is at its base short-sighted and self-defeating.

stronger and mutually respectful relationship,and there

ill-considered integrationist approach. Ultimately this

in good faith, can provide the buis for a politically

It is argued that without the sea of mainstream racism in which to swirrt,that fasdtu and fasdst movemenu cannot survive. Therefore, the conclusion be

fore the foundations for an effective broad-based move-

comes that doing work against neo-nazis is beginning at

respeagainedfromahistory ofprincipled political work,

the wrong end ofthe problem. Again,this is a compelling

mem.

It wilI be thelinks with radicalsofcolour,builtiqxm which can prove to be the strongest and therefore most

argmnem in isolation,particularly because it is theoreti

had

reliable in a crisis. It has been the demand of some

cally accurate. However, theoretical accuracy does not

risen abovetheir party'sdogna todoprinc^led and solid

always lend itself to practical and effective political

Trotskyist/Marxist-Leninist parties involved with ARA that the organization go out and recroh people ofcolour to lead the organization.However,this ^ipeal to recruitmem and "building a par^"is in itself both self-serving and opportiBUitic. The way to attraa more people of

caused the lots of a few individual comrades work within ARA.

LS. attempu to denoooce ARA did not cease after

their expulsion,butcontioue in variousforms.During the Oiuwa demonstntioD in May,it was the LS. oontingem whoactively collaborated wib thepolice againstmilitant

action. As was stated hy Italian anti-fasdst Errioo Ma-

latesu in early part ofthe cenmry,"The optimum is the enemy of the good"â&#x20AC;˘ the never-ending search for the perfed political action all too often serves as an excuse

colour to the organization, which is indeed a critical and

for doing nothing at alL Indeed,if the anti-radst move

significant goal, must be accomplished through prinPage!

Th® Spirit cipled politiciJ work and an honeaty about motivation.

People who come into any political organization must be there because they see opportunity, pronuse, and the poflibililies ofdoing effective work in that organization. todeed, merely tectuiiing of colour into ni organization is a eurocentric, tokemsbc approach which

oltimately replicates systems of racism in the broader lodety.Recruitment t»l only contains an implied hierar chy but also a passivity on the part of those being re cruited, which often results in the involvement of people who will be amenable to the party platform, rather than those who want to come in and challenge it for the better.

It seems that the Utter is always preferable if an organiza-

buildings, and desire to mcorporaie cultural elemenu of

ence of several hundred to converge on their meeting

resistance into political work are al! challaiges to the

place.

oirrent leftist hierarchies in the dty,and many choose to

dismiss ARA based upon the threat which such a perspec

tive poses to their own relative poiitioni of authority.Far

It was the very faa that they were not expecnug nor

prepared for such a response that in many ways made a successful demonstration possible.The Heritage Front at that time was lets secure with informaiion regarding time and place for their meetings, allowing the date and time

too many leftists see young people as caonoa fodder,or sheep to be herded in particular direoiotu. rather than as equal partners in political struggle who bring much

ofthe meeting to be dissemirutcd several days before the

needed critique, analysis and enihnsiazm to the work.

In their argument against doing anti-oazi work,

much as twenty-four houn beforehand This time frame

these critics also misunderstand some of the most basic

principles of political organizing. It must be recognized

meeting and the location to be given to their members as allowed ARA to receive the information in enough lime to distribute posters and organize demonstntiont.

Subsequeiu to the Ronu demonstration, the Heri tage Front has kept meeting details secret until as little as a few hours before the meeting, then notifymg their supporters via telephone. With this new security practice, the HF has significantly curuiled the ability of anti-

tion in sincere about building itself politically and per

that people are not effectively organized out of guilt but out of recognition of their own interest in change. Again

sonally. A predominantly white ami-racist group must always willing to challenge itself on iu own racism, artd

to quote Ture and Hamilton, we mm move beyond the false "assumption that political coalitions can be sus

a recruitment based party politic is not an effective means of doing that.

tained on a moral,friendly,sentimeaial basis; by appeals to conscience."Such an approach does nothing to expose and identify structures of privilege,and can all too easily lead to political dissolution. To Tore and Hamilton, vi

them at their meetings. This faa higblighu two specific

action around issues of racism is to fundamenially deny

able political coalitions stem from "the recognition ofthe parties involved of their respective self-

tactics, and 2)the need for better mtelligcoce.

ARA needs to again be creative in iu approach to

both individual and colleoive historical responsibility

iDteresu...{and]...ihe mutual belief that each party stands

mobilizing against the fascisu. To maintain an approach based solely around mass demoiutrations is obviously

The second criticism is a concent otily as much as

itis centred in what isessetuially a guib-based politic.For

white peo{4e to simply defer to people ofcolourioinitiate

for oppression. The effective way to take responsibility

racists to mobilize in sufficient numbers to again confront needsforARA'i continued viability,!)differentiation of

for racism is not to sit around and feel guilty and do

desiruaive at a moment when the nazis, through their

nothing, but to work against racism in the white commu nity. As former BUck Panther Party leader Dhoruba Bin

own security measures,have effectively shut offmuch of that opportunity. One of the advantages which ARA has always had contributing to the militancy and excitement

Wahad staled in a lecmre in Toronto,"Racism is not a

problem Black people have. It's a proMem that white

around their demonstrations is the existence of a visible

people have."

and identifiable enemy. The best ARA aaioru to date

In fact,this is why the make-iq> of ARA should be seen as an advantage nther than a detrimenL While older white leftisu may not see the relevaitcy of white yonth, fascists certainly do and have made the high schools

have come when anii-racisu were aaually facing down nazis in the streets. However, if the fascisu can effec

a major political battle ground. The fact that youth of all noes are alienated and ignored by sodety is well ac

cepted, yet until recently it was only the nazis who were capitalizing on this disenchantment to recruit among young white people. Many white radicals have chosen to ignore some of the most impoilant lessoos on the role of white people in anli-recist work as articulated by someof the most militant and articulate Black leaders, such as

Assata Sbakur and Angela Davis.

Such a role was articulated by Kwame Ture and C3iarles V. Hamilton in their book Black Power The

to benefit in terms of that self-interest from allying with the other or others."

Young white people are at this time facing recruit

tively conceal their gatherings,then the opportunity to go face-to-face with them is gone. The element of surprise, of agency, goes from the aoti-racisu to the racisu, who will be the ones daermining when and where they will gather publicly and will therefore be expecting confron tation (as-well as police protection).

If the chance of going head-to-bead is diminished if not lost,then an over-emphasis on mass mobilization will force ARA back onto the path of demonstrating In from offaceless targeu, exactly the thing to which the organi zation worked to develop alternatives. Necessity, then, demands creativity, and the need to devise strategies for both gathering bcOer intelligence and suging effective

ment by nazi groups, dealing with nazi gangs in their

actions using smaller numbers.

schools and socializing places, and seeing their friends,

work to get rid ofiu..It is hoped that evennully there will

education and activism caimot stop with concern over

The most important work to be done,however,lies not within the right but within the lefL Unfortunately,it is the left It this moment which poses the major obsude to the growth of an effeaive anti-racist movemenL The insiimiionalizBtion of progressive Canadian i>oliiics and

be a coalition of poor Blacks and poor whites... aeaiing

one'iownneeds.buiithastostaitthere.The birth of ARA

the visible disdain for the work of ARA and other tnii-

a poor-white power block dedicated to the goals ofa free, open society - not one based on racism and si^rdina-

provides the opportunity to involve a new generatiou of activists in anti-racist work and in radical political organ

fascist organizations needs to be addressed openly. The left has to begin to move from iu current position of

tioo... Tbe main responsibility of this task falls upon

whites... Poor white people are becoming more hostile -

izing. It provides the political support for while working class youth to organize themselves around issues of

stead return to a grassroou approach which speaks di

not less•toward BUck peo^e,partly because they see

racism and oppression,which preseais the 0H»itunity of

rectly to people's experiences.

the nation's iBcniion focused on BUck poverty and few,

radicalizing a generation of activins. This is the promise

if any,people coming to them...Only whites canmobilize

of groups such as ARA,and the long term vision which many of its critics on the left are unwilling to sec.

"One ofthe most disturbing things about afanosi all while

white and non-white, being atta^ed by skinheads.

supporters has been that they are reluctant to go into their

Therefore, anti-nazi organizing speaks directly to their

own communities - which is where racism eiisls - aixi

experiences and political needs. Obviously, political

and organize those communities along the lines neces-

We are unfortunately at i political moment what

the only people doing real grassroou organizing,particu

larly in the white community, are the fascisu. They arc the ones in the trenches, in the schools and workplaces,

Miy and possible for effective alliances with Black communities-.If thejob is to be done,there must be new forms acatcd.Thus,the political modemizatioo process must involve the while community as well as the Black."

attempting to organize along ideological lines, and in

Moving The Movement

The terrain for developing action against the far

right is a constantly changing one.The constraints at this

and they are capitalizing on institutional while suprem acy to organize a growing, well-funderi, intemationally coordinated, and violent racist movement. .

point in limeare wholly different than they were in the fall

While defeating the neo-nazi movement in Canada

of 1992,and the movement must take this into account if it is to continue to grow and be successful. Actions which

it a relatively small task in comparison to defeating

schools,and using the nazi presence as an opportunity to

were possible during the initial phase of ARA activity are

crucial to address at this moment.The work of ARA in

get their peers involved and politically educated alound

more difficult or impossible to organize successfully

broader issues of racism and oppression should be nip-

ported rather than criticised. That fact that many bring

today.This is primarily the result of preparedness on the pan of the fascists. We have to remember that before the

particular provides a basil from which many bigger things can emerge. The opportunity to involve young people in political organizing, particularly in a struggle

with them a distrust and diienchantmenl with 'tradi

Roma demo,the nazii had not experienced a street level

which can show concrete short term gains and can and

response of any magnitude or intensity. This led them to a feeling of security in regards to their aaivity vis a vis goteral meetings. While expecting some degree of infil tration perhaps,they were not ready for a militant pres-

will inevitably be successful, can provide the inspiration and experience necessary to wage broader and longer

The faa that intelligent, articnUle and radical

young people are working againstthe recruitment in their

tional"forms of protest and modes of political organizing is alto instructional to those willing to listen and learn.

Unfortunately the distrust of Leninist party organizing, disdain for meaningless pickelJines in ffonl of faceless

institutionalized white supremacy, it is one which is

term struggles.

Editorial: Abolish the white race

by any means necessary 1993

The white race is a historically constructed social forma

tion - historically constructed because (like royalty) it is a product of some people's responses to historical circumstances; a social formation because it is a fact of society correspond

ing to no classification recognized by natural science.

The white race cuts across ethnic and class lines.

It is

not coextensive with that portion of the population of

European descent, since many of those classified as "colored" T

21-;=

can trace some of their ancestry to Europe, while African,

V

45

Asian, or American Indian blood flows through the veins of

50

many considered white. Nor does membership in the white race imply wealth, since there are plenty of poor whites, as well as some people of wealth and comfort who are not

y

73

3

88

!r

104

;k

108

members share, in certain respects, a status higher than that of the most exalted persons excluded from it, in return for

k

114

which they give their support to the system that degrades

126

them.

white.

The white race consists of those who partake of the

privileges of the white skin in this society. Its most wretched

128

The key to solving the social problems of our age is to

;k cover

abolish the white race. Until that task is accomplished, there

can be no universal reform, and even partial reform will

prove elusive, because white influence permeates every issue in , James a Peny,

U.S. society, whether domestic or foreign.

Advocating the abolition of the white race is distinct from what is called "anti-racism." The term "racism" has come to

be applied to a variety of attitudes, some of which are mutually incompatible, and has been devalued to mean little lict

jle copy: i of 5 or

more than a tendency to dislike some people for the color of their skin. Moreover, anti-racism admits the natural existence

of "races" even while opposing social distinctions among them.

The abolitionists maintain, on the contrai7, that people were

not favored socially because they were white; rather they were

2 - RACE TRAITOR

defined as "white" because they were favored. Race itself is a product of social discrimination; so long as the white race exists, all movements against racism are doomed to fail.

The existence of the white race depends on the willingness of tho.se a.ssigned to it to place their racial interests above class, gender or any other interests they hold. The defection of enough of its members to make it unreliable as a deter

minant of behavior will set off tremors that will lead to its collapse.

Race Traitor aims to serve as an intellectual center for

those seeking to abolish the white race. It will encourage dissent from the conformity that maintains it and popularize examples of defection from its ranks, analyze the forces that hold It together and those which promise to tear it apart.

Pm of Its task will be to promote debate among abolitionists! >^en possible, it will support practical measures, guided by the principle. Treason to whiteness is loyalty to humanity.

Dissolve the club

white race is a club, which enrolls certain people at Pirth, without their consent, and brings them up according to Its rules. For the most part the members go through life accepting the benefits of membership, without thinking about the costs. When individuals question the rules, the officers

are quick to remind them of all they owe to the club, and warn them of the dangers they will face if they leave it.

Race Traitor aims to dissolve the club, to break it apart, to explode it. Some ^ople who sympathize with our aim have asked us how we intend to win over the majority of socalled whites to anti-racism. Others, usually less friendly,

ave a.skcd if we plan to exterminate physically millions, perhaps hundreds of millions of people. Neither of these plans IS what we have in mind. The weak point of the club Just as the South, on launching u that it needed its entire territory and thno. It â&#x20AC;˘. uÂŽ theorsupport of all has designated as its constituency, it ceases to

exist.

Elsewhe John Brow it set in n: men for tl^

white nortl

fugitive sla' understood

the white f the majorit comforts o When J

slavery lea' northern n governmen

When they of northei

represented also right, dimly perci cringing hi Brown an(

would go the grave.

When 1

further to

paranoia i renewal of

whose pro arrogance

the people in commai

land-greed, soldiers, ci one perso' transfomie It is o shall not <

EDITORIAL - 3

Race itself is he white race 1 to fail.

he willingness iterests above

exist.

Elsewhere in this number, readers will fi nd an account of

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry and some of the events it set in motion. Before the Civil War, the leading spokes men for the slaveholders acknowledged that the majority of

ill encourage

while northerners, swayed above all by the presence of the fugitive slave, considered slavery unjust. The Southerners also understood that the opposition was ineflective; however much the white people of the north disapproved of the slave system, the majority went along with it rather than risk the ordinary comforts of their lives, meager as they were in many cases.

id popularize

When John Brown attacked Harpers Ferry, Southern pro-

e forces that

slavery leaders reacted with fury: they imposed a boycott on

ear it apart,

northern manufactures, demanded new concessions from the

abolitionists,

government in Washington, and began to prepare for war.

When they sought to portray John Brown as a representative

The defection 2 as a deter-

11 lead to its al center for

s, guided by humanity.

in people at iccording to through life tiking about the officers e club, and

of northern opinion. Southern leaders were wrong; he represented only a small and isolated minority. But they were also right, for he expressed the hopes that still persisted, dimly perceived, in the northern population despite decades of cringing before the slaveholders. Virginia did not fear John Brown and his small band of followers, but his soul that

would go marching on, though his body lay a-mould'rin' in the grave.

When the South, in retaliation for Harpers Ferry, sought

â&#x2013; T of these Df the club

further to bully northern opinion, it did so not out of paranoia but out of the realistic assessment that only a renewal of the national pro-slavery vows could save a system whose proud facade concealed a fragile foundation. By the arrogance of their demands, the Southern leaders compelled the people of the north to resist. Not ideas but events were in command. Each step led inexorably to the next: Southern land-greed, Lincoln's victory, secession, war, blacks as laborers, soldiers, citizens, voters. And so the war that began with not

launching

one person in a hundred forseeing the end of slavery was

eave it.

ak it apart, th our aim

ority of so-

ss friendly, y millions,

rritory and port of all ceases

to

transfomied within two years into an anti-slavery war.

It is our faith - and with those who do not share it we

shall not argue - that the majority of so-called whites in this

4 - RACE TRAITOR

countr>* are neither deeply nor consciously committed to white supremacy; like most human beings in most times and places, they would do the right thing if it were convenient. As did

their counterparts before the Civil War, most go along with a system that disturbs them, because the consequences of challenging it are terrifying. They close their eyes to what is happening around them, because it is easier not to know.

At rare moments their nervous peace is shattered, their certainty is shaken, and they are compelled to question the common sense by which they normally live.

One such moment was in the days immediately following the Rodney King verdict, when a majority of white Americans were

how would

the courts,

spreading an reserve for j called whites How

ma

unsettle the

impossible to of slave resis the abolition

brought abo War period,

willing to admit to polltakers that black people had good

chain of evei

reasons to rebel, and some joined them. Ordinarily the moments are brief, as the guns and reform programs (both

a scale beyoi war that beg

of which are aimed at whites as well as blacks - the guns as

to take it o\

a warning and the reform programs as a salve to their consciences) are moved up to restore .order and, more

important, the confidence that matters are in good hands and they can go back to sleep.

Recently, one of our editors, unfamiliar with New York

City traffic laws, made an illegal right turn there on a red light. He was slopped by two cops in a patrol car. After examining his licence, they released him with a courteous

admonition. Had he been black, they probably would have ticketed him, and might even have taken him down to the station. A lot of history was embodied in that small

exchange; the cops treated the miscreant leniently at least in part because they assumed, looking at him, that he was white and therefore loyal. Their courtesy was a habit meant both to reward good conduct and induce future cooperation.

Had the driver cursed them, or displayed a bumper sticker

that said, "Avenge Rodney King," the cops might have reacted

differently. We admit that neither gesture on the part of a single individual would in all likelihood be of much conse quence. But if enough of those who looked white broke the

rules of the club to make the cops doubt their ability to recognize a white person merely by looking at him or her.

with a great died to maki The morr down are thi

flow a new f

is being prep but of its CO set off a ser of the white

lem just like What kind Race Tn out to those

ship in the \ those people another, un(

petuates inju them from freedom.

1

discovery in!

EDITORIAL - 5

s and places,

how would it affect the cops' behavior? And if the police, the courts, and the authorities in general were to start

ient.

As did

spreading around indiscriminately the treatment they normally

0 along with .sequences of

reserve for people of color, how would the rest of the socalled whites react?

es to what is to know,

How many dissident so-called whites would it take to unsettle the nerves of the white executive board? It is

altered, their

impossible to know. One John Brown - against a background

question the

of slave resistance - was enough for Virginia. Yet it was not the abolitionists, not even the transcendent John Brown, who

itlecl to white

One such

the Rodney ericans were

brought about the mass shifts in consciousness of the Civil War period. At most, their heroic deeds were part of a

le had good rdinarily the >granns (both the guns as

chain of events that involved mutual actions and reactions on

live to their

and, more

with a great army marching through the land singing, "As He died to make men holy, let us fight to make men free."

>d hands and

The moments when the routine assumptions of race break

a scale beyond anything they could have anticipated - until a war that began with both sides fighting for slavery (the South to take it out of the Union, the north to keep it in) ended

down are the seismic promise that somewhere in the tectonic 1 New York

flow a new fault is building up pressure, a new Harpers Ferry

-Te on a red

is being prepared. Its nature and timing cannot be predicted, but of its coming we have no doubt. When it comes, it will

I car.

After

a courteous

would have down to the

set ofT a series of tremors that will lead to the disintegration of the white race. We want to be ready, walking in Jerusa lem just like John.

that small

y at least in

What kind of journal is this?

ne was white meant both eration.

Race Traitor exists, not to make converts, but to reach out to those who are dissatisfied with the terms of member

imper sticker

ship in the white club. Its primary intended audience will be

have reacted

those people commonly called whites who, in one way or

he part of a

another, understand whiteness to be a problem that per

much conse-

petuates injustice and prevents even the well-disposed among

ite broke the

nr ability to

them from joining unequivocally in the stniggle for human freedom. By engaging these dissidents in a journey of

him or her,

discovery into whiteness and its discontents, we hope to take