[mobglob-discuss] Starhawk: Lessons from the Calgary G8 Mobilization

[Graeme Bacque]

At 11:03 AM 8/16/02 -0700, you wrote:

>[not an endorsement, but definitely an FYI... Macdonald]
>
>Getting Our Tactics Right: Lessons from the Calgary G8 Mobilization
>
>By Starhawk
>
>July 2002

<snip>

I have the utmost respect for Starhawk but I think this piece is based upon 
some seriously flawed assumptions.

The whole concept of respecting a diversity of tactics isn't intended to 
encourage violence, but to foster and encourage a flexible, de-centralized 
approach to participation and decision-making  when it comes to large 
actions. Unfortunately, it has been my experience that 'expressly 
nonviolent' actions have generally proven to be anything but, at least in 
terms of how event organizers tend to behave.

The examples of this kind of authoritarian behavior have been too numerous 
to count in my personal experience. For starters, I have to refer to the 
union-driven 'days of action' in the Province of Ontario against the Tory 
government in the first two years of its reign. I participated in most of 
these events and on more than one occasion was actually physically 
assaulted by event marshals - once for stepping out of a march onto the 
sidewalk to wait for some friends who had fallen behind (Hamilton, February 
1996) and on another occasion upon returning from a personal errand and 
accidentally straying too close to where a couple of organizers were 
attempting to deal with an abusive drunk. (Kitchener/Waterloo, April 1996). 
On another occasion I had the cops sicced on me for daring to verbally 
challenge the way event organizers were behaving. (North Bay, September 1997).

When I wrote the Ontario Federation of Labour to express my concerns and to 
suggest some concrete steps for improving how their organizers relate 
to  other participants in large demonstrations, the response I got 
suggested that I was (to their minds) being 'too negative.' Not a word was 
said in reply to the actual contents of my message.

A similar situation occurred with the April 21, 2001 demonstration in 
Quebec City, where people attempting to leave the march part way through 
were physically prevented from doing so. The organizers couldn't seem to 
grasp the fact that if someone wishes to leave an event at any point, that 
is their right - and where they choose to go after leaving is no one else's 
concern. There were also acts of calculated vigilantism in the course of 
these demonstrations, where people suspected of  being involved in property 
damage were actually being physically restrained and turned over to the 
cops - by their fellow 'protesters'!

I'd like to be able to say that such behaviors are rare anomalies but 
unfortunately they typify the outcome of a centralized approach to 
organizing.  The sad reality is that human beings and power simply do not 
mix. The term 'abuse of power' is totally misleading because it obscures 
the fact that where such dynamics exist, abuse is 100 per cent inevitable - 
the question isn't if, but merely when and in what form this abuse will 
occur. 'Abusive power' is a much more accurate term and the one I prefer to 
use to describe this particular dynamic.

This attitude frequently extends to verbal and emotional expression as 
well. A friend of mine who participated in the anti-WTO protests in Seattle 
reported how he, after being repeated gassed, clubbed  and (twice within 
ten minutes!) having guns pulled on him, attempted to let off some steam 
with some mildly vulgar humor directed at the cops. Based upon how his 
fellow protesters reacted, you'd have sworn he'd physically attacked the 
police with a baseball bat instead of merely indulging in a bit of humor at 
their expense. There's some seriously distorted attitudes at work here, 
where verbal/emotional honesty is viewed as 'violent' while an overt act of 
physical or emotional repression is seen as acceptable. To my mind, such 
emotional coercion is far more violent than the most aggressive of physical 
acts, for the simple reason that there's no effective means for protecting 
one's self against it.

The bottom line to my mind is that people are fully entitled to their 
feelings, and to freely express them. Attempting to restrict this 
expression through emotional coercion or manipulation is simply unacceptable.

Based upon these personal experiences, I can suggest a few practical 
guidelines for the behavior of event organizers.

1. Hands off! Organizers should never attempt to enforce their wishes 
through use of physical coercion. This is assault.

2. Effective, inclusive communication and sharing of 
information.  Organizers have an obligation to share, in clear, easy to 
understand language, the intended framework, tone and purpose of an action 
with all participants, along with any anticipated risks. Participants are 
also entitled to control all decisions regarding their own individual safety.

It isn't reasonable to expect that people will be able to adhere to 
specific requests concerning their conduct if they have not been made aware 
of them. (I do not hold to the notion that people should be able to read 
minds. Effective communication always requires a concrete physical vector 
such as writing or verbalization).

3. Open-ness and inclusiveness in decision-making. Organizers need to view 
themselves as full and equal participants in an action, as opposed to being 
some form of separate decision-making body.  To function in this role, one 
must be prepared and willing to listen at all times, and to accept as valid 
any reasonable challenge to their behavior. No one has the right to place 
themselves above criticism or reproach.

4.. Respect for emotional/verbal honesty. People are entitled to their 
feelings, and to be free to express them honestly. It benefits no one to 
suppress honest expression of legitimate anger at a known enemy. It is 
extremely disempowering to demand that people accept emotional repression 
under such circumstances. Any movement which denies (or demands suppression 
of) strong emotion is not worth participating in. (By emotional expression 
I am not referring to openly abusive conduct directed at individuals within 
our own ranks, or for behaviors such as racism, homophobia, misogyny, etc. 
These are aberrant behaviors that we all must be prepared to challenge).

5. Respect for freedom of assembly and movement. People attend 
demonstrations through their own choice, and this personal freedom must 
extend to someone's right to leave (or return to) an event at any point 
over its course. Physically restraining or containing people who attempt to 
depart from a crowd (or conversely, demanding that people disperse from a 
public area they have every right to be occupying) isn't acceptable.
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