St-Imier, we have a problem
A newly published article analyses many of the libertarian, ableist, technophile, new age etc. workshops to be held at the International Anti-Authoritarian Gathering, July 19 – 23 2023 in St-Imier
It all sounded pretty great.
At first.
An international anti-authoritarian gathering in St-Imier, Switzerland to be held 150 (+1) years after the infamous anti-authoritarian international, that took place in the very same small village located in the Swiss Jura mountains. At said gathering it is commonly assumed Bakunin, Malatesta etc. (as well as many women who were sadly emitted from the history books) founded the anarchist movement.
I live in Switzerland, but as of now i do not plan to attend this gathering. Or actually i can’t due to a nightmare of an experience that i personally had with the organizational team, when i tried to participate in the organization of the gathering, but was side lined for months, in what i can only describe as an ableist maneuver.
I described my ordeal at length here.
After writing my blog post i needed to take some distance from this event. It hurt me too much. In the following months i was contacted by several people, who had read my text and some even expressed solidarity.
Recently a previously unknown person contacted me to ask, if they could quote parts of my text in a text she or they was/were working on.
But of course.
Well, their text is now online.
And it is a shocker!
It really seems that this event has been hijacked in large parts by libertarian, “anarcho”-capitalists, new agers, and even some antisemites, conspiracy nuts and neoliberals. But have a look yourself, you’ll find a translation of the text.
Please don’t get me wrong, i still assume many interesting people will attend the gathering and some great workshops might take place in St-Imier. I personally do not want to know too much about it, since it would just upset me that i can’t attend — because reasons.
Please give their text a read, it is quite long, some of it can be skimmed. And then please spread the word and/or discuss this mess.
We can’t allow this confusion to continue.
Anarcho-capitalism has NOTHING to do with anarchy!
Crypto currency has NOTHING to do with anarchy!
Right wing libertarianism has NOTHING to do with anarchy!
Neoliberal or new age self-improvement have NOTHING to do with anarchy!
And antisemites and conspiracy nuts?!
Are you fucking kidding me!?
It seems to me, we need to work extra hard these next few years, to try and reset the compass of what anarchy actually means. Its name has been hijacked.
We have to do this.
Or we might have to shop around for a new moniker for our movement.
https://pieceoplastic.com/2023/07/01/st-imier-we-have-a-problem/
Tags: st-imier