Response from the Alarm! collective about the recent internet affairs
A short reaction on critique and accusations, that were raised against the Alarm! collective in recent days.
In recent days, there has been a lot of critique raised against the Alarm! collective and the Safer space policy we introduced to our events. Unfortunately, almost none of the criticism was really addressed to us and most was based on the assumption that we are trying to be like the Power of Definition movement, which is not true. We do not affiliate with that movement, so the critiques of us doing so, deserve to be called into question. The criticism brought against us is not based on things we really did, stated or intended to do.
Therefore we’ve decided not to react on the details stated in the Indymedia article “power of definition in ACU” and instead provide the latest version of our Safer Space leaflet and poster (those were present on our latest event, on 13th of February), so everyone can decide how valid the critique is or not:
http://acualarm.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/alarm_safer_leaflet2.pdf
http://acualarm.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/alarm_safer_poster2.pdf
Luckily, no incident occurred during our last two events, so this has been our only “Safer space” activity so far – and thus all the hypothesis about us (over)reacting on suspected harassment, refusing to give people a chance to defend themselves, limiting someone’s attempts to open discussions etc. are just assumptions.
Everyone, who has tried to approach us in a constructive manner, knows that we are open to discussion and ready to revise our stance in case the points raised are valid. That’s also why the latest version of poster differs from the older one that is (incompletely) quoted in the internet discussions – we agreed to make it clearer so that the text is the stance of the Alarm! collective (and not of ACU as a whole), and replaced the pink tape for the safety persons by other ways of identification (as the choice of pink tape was accidental – there was no intention to relate us to the Power of Definition movement).
We won’t get involved in the anonymous discussions under this article or elsewhere on internet. If you have further questions or points of discussion, please contact us via FB or e-mail, or even better come to the next Alarm! night, which will take place on ACU on 25th of March and hold discussion with us personally.
With love,
The Alarm! collective
http://acualarm.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alarm.acu