Showing posts with label self expression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self expression. Show all posts

Saturday 6 January 2024

Punk.

 


      The next Spirit of Revolt event is this coming Thursday, 6:30pm, 11th. January, in the Creative Lab at the CCA 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. It will be the usual talks by various speakers/chat/questions/discussion affair. This is one that I'm sure will interest lots of you, punk and the DIY music industry. So come along and have your say on this vibrant, creative brand of expression.

 

Thursday 28 January 2021

Be The Revolution.

       This extract is what I consider to be excellent advice from one of my favourite journalists, Caitlin Johnstone.


        One of the most frustrating things is seeing where we need to move and not being able to get the collective to come with you. You’re like, “It’s there! Let’s move!”, and they just want to bicker and ego spar. Just blast off into health yourself, and trust that the others will follow if and when they are able.
        Be your own revolution. You have all the media access you need to help wake the world up with the power of your own inspired action. Reject cliques, factions and sectarianism, and have the courage to stand on your own two feet attacking the machine with your own unique abilities.
        This doesn’t mean you can’t organize and work collectively; you absolutely can. If you see people doing something you want to uplift, uplift it. But when you’re done, don’t stay and become a member of the club. Move on and retain your self-sovereignty. If you’re doing something that people want to help uplift and amplify, let them do so. When they don’t want to anymore, let them go. Don’t try to manipulate them into staying.
       You are free to collaborate with anyone on any issue at any time. You don’t actually need to be a member of the Blah Blah Whateverist Club to do this. And when nothing is happening that you want to collaborate with others on, you can attack the machine on your own, using your own unique set of tools based on your own inspiration. You are not owned or bound.
      All these debates we’re seeing lately over who should be let into and kept out of the Revolution Club, how the Revolution Club should act, who should lead the Revolution Club etc are based on the assumption that there has to be a Revolution Club in the first place, and there just doesn’t. Organize and collaborate on a case-by-case, issue-by-issue basis while remaining sovereign.
       Have the compassion to prioritize the needs of the collective and the courage to stand as an individual. Trying to impose your will on exactly how the collective revolution should and should not be moving is a doomed endeavor, because you cannot control the collective, you can only control yourself. So be your own revolution and attack the machine wherever you detect a weak point in its armor.
      I’ve avoided all cliques and factions like the plague, and I’ve been far more effective in this fight than I would have been if I’d chosen to glom onto some faction and uphold all its -ists and -isms. It would have killed my ability to move with agility in whatever way is demanded by each present moment, because I would have been binding myself to the movements of a group that isn’t seeing what I’m seeing and can’t move the way I move.
        This is just what’s worked for me, and of course your mileage may vary. But if you’re like me and you don’t see the various groups, organizations and factions getting us to where we need to go, consider stepping out of the vehicle, standing on your own two feet, and waging your own revolution.
Read the full articlle HERE:

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk 

Wednesday 30 January 2019

There Are Some Anarchists---.


       I post this article in full, knowing it may well cause discussion, argument and even anger, but also may cause some to have a look at, and question their own values. So what is wrong with that?
This from Anarhija:

         There are anarchists who run after uprisings on other continents wherever the spotlights of the media fall. There are anarchists who talk about “fortress Europe” and they don’t even know which States are part of the EU. There are anarchists who struggle against the borders and they don’t even know where the Schengen frontier runs. There are anarchists who, like “good white men”, see in the “dark-skinned” non-EU people potential comrades, and they don’t even notice that there are European non-EU people.
       There are anarchists who talk about internationalism and they don’t even know (or don’t give a fuck) what happens on their own continent. There are anarchists who express solidarity with all prisoners (or all political prisoners), as if the prison is really a correctional facility that automatically turns a human being into a better person (or a comrade/anarchist).
        There are anarchists who think of antifa as their comrades, as if the left-wing/extreme-left movements/parties are the lesser evil in an illusory revolutionary front. There are anarchists who get into the role of victims, just because they are a woman, gay, trans etc.., as if it is not enough to be “simply” a human being to be oppressed by the Power (as if this notion is too tight and therefore it requires some other label to express that someone is more oppressed than others; is it possible that in these times of alienated sexuality where people, including anarchists, obsessively see sexual harassment on every corner, we suppress our femininity/masculinity turning ourselves in a sterile “gender”, in which the democracy is trying to turn us, in accordance with this mechanistic society of mutilated sexuality?).
        There are anarchists who in the 21th century still talk about the “class” struggle (a concept created in 19th century; in fact, marxist), while we live “simply” in a stratified society (like it has always been since civilization). There are anarchists who idolize the “native” people, as if they have already materialized Anarchy (always according to the notion of “the noble savage”), as if the history/time is linear (not circular).
        There are anarchists who say that they seek to decolonize their territory from the State in their struggle for national liberation (“the nation”, this concept born with the modern State), as if the Earth is private property, as if all of us are not colonised by the State. It appears as though anarchists have fetishized the struggle per se, any struggle, regardless of its purpose, background, actors and ideology. So long as there exists any weak minority clashing with a more powerful enemy, it is sure to find attention (and occasionally, fervent support) on the counterinfo sites. It is as if many have forgotten that national liberation struggles are not struggles against power, but struggles for power. (National liberation is an appropriate term for what it is: it is a liberation of the nation, not of human beings).
Likewise, the struggles of native groups do not seek to destroy power, but to take a (greater) share in it. No Kurds, Palestinians, Mapuche, nor any other oppressed ethnic minority or any irredentist/separatist movement seeks to abolish oppression altogether, but merely to abolish oppression against them, so that they may be free to become oppressors themselves and build a national empire of their own, justified by the same myths of ancestry and “the right” to a “fatherland” and to “national self-determination”. These terms are the jargon of the State and have no place on anarchist platforms. All these struggles take place under the cult of the nation-state. How does anyone calling themselves anarchist can find comrades among people reproducing power, authority and submission?
        And there are anarchists who see no problem in being every day watched, registered, filmed…, so they make their own videos/photos to share them online. There are anarchists who use the social networks as if they are places of discussion (with “like”, “followers”, “friends” and all). There are anarchists so devoted to animal liberation, as if anarchy could be achieved (as if by magic) by all becoming vegan, as if liberation is plural, and not just one and total (liberation of the Earth and of everything which composes it).
      “Everything is velocity, moment, instinct. (…) My nature is — opposition; logic — indiscipline; philosophy — subversion” [Janko Polić Kamov, “Sloboda”]
        How do you intend to destroy the existent if you support it with your own struggles?
anarhija.info & some comrades
Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

Wednesday 29 August 2018

A Two Year Old Birthday Party.

 
       If you can get there, have fun, make contacts, learn, share and help change the world.


       Squat Kumma celebrates its 2 year journey in august with a hardcore gig on saturday 25.8 and a DIY-festival on 31.8-2.9. At the DIY-fest there will be workshops about tattoos and “artvandalism”, food, gigs, art exhibition and more!
       Two years ago a group of squatters decided to squat an empty house in Malminkartano, Helsinki and create a space for self-organized and free from oppression. Since then the squat has hosted numerous events; gigs, peoples kitchens, movie nights, workshops etc.
      What does Do-It-Yourself mean for us?
      DIY for us is anti-capitalism, squatting, taking back our lives, solidarity, direct action and many other things. It is not only a theory but an action that we want to spread right here and now.
      We dont want to create a consume-based event but to create a space for sharing skills, learning from eachother, experience and emancipate. No-one has to be a expert to participate because DIY for us is also Do-It-Together.
*SQUAT KUMMA DIY-FESTIVAL PROGRAM*

OPEN CALL FOR ARTISTS:
        Squat Kumma invites graffiti writers and all sorts of artists to decorate Kumma for upcoming diy festivals on thursday 30.8
send email to kumma@protonmail.com or just come to the house afternoon!

PROGRAM:
Friday:
17:00 “Artvandalism” workshop
      How to cut stencils or to use spraypaints? Whats the best way to make wheat paste or make paint bombs? In this workshops we go through basic practices of art vandalism and why reclaiming cities walls should be important for anarchists.
Workshop is free
 
20:00 Music and dj:s 3-5€
    KUUMOTUKSET FEAT VIOLA (PSYCHOTIC RAP)
AFF (HARDCORE TECHNOMETALLC PUNK EXPERIENCE WRAPPED IN REGGAETON)
FLORALL ( cutest in the game // soundcloud.com/florallll )

Saturday:
15:00 Pizza
       Squat kumma starts the day with pizza
 
16:00 Stick n poke tattoo workshop.
      Practicing and doin handpoke tattooing. Come and make tattoo for your friend or on yourself. Kumma will provide tattooing materials so we wish that people would donate little bit to cover the costs of inks, needles,glowes and so on. However if you dont have any money thats not a problem!
 
19:00 Film documentary: If a tree falls
        Trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAGxy85R380
+ documentary about social center satama.

Sunday:
14:00
Fleemarket/Freemarket/freeshop/Distro(s)
       Come and bring your old clothes, distro, whatever! There will also be kummas own zine distro.

16:00 Building workshop
      Kumma will provide materials for creatin. You can build art
installations, furniture, whatever you want!

17:00 Food

18:00 Playing basketball, football etc

xoxo
Changes in the program are possible!

Welcome to Kumma in late august!

      If you have questions or want to help organizing the festival please contact kumma (at) protonmail.com
kumma.me
Visit ann arky's home at radicalglasgow.me.uk

Wednesday 3 August 2016

Man Lives Not By Bread Alone.


       My partner will be exhibiting at the Pittenweem Arts Festival, both of us will be up there for about the next ten days. So the blog will fall silent AGAIN, See you all soon.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Tuesday 22 December 2015

A Serious Problem With Authority.



       A poem from The Anarchist, by Roland Michel Tremblay, translated by Sheila MacLeod.
 



Ever since I was born you’ve told me what I should do with myself

I’ve never been free to take the slightest little decision

And if I once stood up to tell you I wouldn’t do something

Once just walked away to do something else

That something else soon became your Plan B

I went on doing whatever you wanted me to do

And you wonder why I hate authority

Why I don’t take kindly to criticism

Why I can’t stand people telling me what to do

It’s because you’ve planted these powerful authority figures everywhere

At every level of my existence

Some sort of authority is fencing me in

Checking up on me, spying on what I do

And if I object, however feebly, an army descends on me

An army of parents, teachers, supervisors, directors, priests

Psychologists, policemen, soldiers, agents of all sorts of outfits

What counts is order, conformity’s the thing, total peace without compromise

Well, I’m telling you I’m not the one who has a problem with authority

Too many people have too much authority over everyone else in the world

Don’t be surprised when everything blows up in your face

When someone suddenly pulls a gun and fires it among you at random

You were asking for it and you’ll find it yet

Monday 27 July 2015

Solitude.


Solitude.

Sometimes,
the hours take my hand,
lead me by the sweetest route
to where anguish vanishes,
shadows are soft, the moment sighs,
times quarters fuse to mist.
In this world where silence reigns
I find a safe retreat,
guard all portals against your intrusion; this is mine,
its tranquil air you cannot share,
enter,
and it's an illusion.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Saturday 16 May 2015

Rage, Rage Against------.

        Dearie me, I missed it by two days, May 14th. Dylan Thomas Day, sorry Dylan. This is probably his best known and one of my favourites.



Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Wednesday 29 April 2015

The Concept Of The Other!

       Today and then tomorrow, then it is the end of National Poetry Month. What will you do with all that extra spare time!!!!

Fashion Conscious.

Pretty pretty butterfly people
fluttering in the midst of
Armani, Gucci, Versace,
aimlessly ambling arrogance.
Each,   a born again narcissus
who venerate
their own frivolous existence.
Hearts saturated in self-adulation
oblivious to a brother's cry of anguish,
wrapped in a mind that failed to grasp
the concept of the other.
Pretty pretty butterfly people
fluttering in the midst of
Armani, Gucci, Versace,
how I long to see you live
for more than one brief moment
in reality's rigorous narrative:
perhaps to see Serbia's plight,
hear the Kurds cry,
feel enough of Iraq's pain
to make you question why.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Tuesday 28 April 2015

To Say, "This Is Mine".

   Just a couple of days left in this National Poetry Month.

A Scarred Heart.

I tossed a heart at life
saw it dance in the morning sun
watched it through a field of nettles run
felt it warmed by passion's breath
heard it crack between love's teeth
was proud, as it turned its back on fear
sighed so when it near' drowned in an anguished tear,
scarred and bleeding it came back, aged like wine,
with a quiet pride I said, "This is mine".

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Saturday 21 March 2015

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.

       March 21st. World Poetry Day. So write a poem, read a poem, recite a poem, talk about a poem, give a poem. Poetry can say so much, it can inspire, comfort, ridicule, bring people together, it is a bridge between the song and the conversation, a wonderful means of self expression. It's free.
     From the labyrinth of my old distorted mind:

I’m Proud

I’m proud of my people, proud to be one of them,
that great mass on society’s bottom rung.
Those who, with coal-dust under their nails
in their eyes, in their lungs
claw at the earth's entrails.
Their brothers,
cement in their hair
in their mouth, in their ears,
oil ingrained in their fingers,
on their face.
Sisters, glistening with sweat
midst the ceaseless noise of machines
that throw out shirts, shoes, toys, carpets
for other people.
Those with soil and sweat stuck to their skin
smelling of the earth, feeding the multitude,
grinding out their lives in a harsh pitiless system
weighted down
with a sack load of half-dead dreams,
sometimes brought to their knees
by a tidal wave of despair,
never defeated,
groping in the dark to find tomorrow,
keeping hope alive;
they amaze me.
Somehow, from somewhere
in this cold, cruel
unforgiving scheme of things
they find love for their children.
Not a teaspoonful, not a cupful,
but buckets full, to bathe them in,
to pour over them.
They seem to know
that one day this world will be ours
and to take care of it
we will need those who have been loved.

And from a master, a poem I have loved for most of my adult life.


Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Wednesday 24 April 2013

A Scarred Heart.


     Long poems, short poems, what does it matter as long as you say what you feel. Today's poem is a short one verse.

A Scarred Heart.

I tossed a heart at life
saw it dance in the morning sun
watched it through a field of nettles run
felt it warmed by passion's breath
heard it crack between love's teeth
was proud, as it turned its back on fear
sighed so when it it near' drowned in an anguished tear;
scarred and bleeding it came back, aged like wine,
with a quiet pride I said, "This is mine".

ann arky's home.