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More about our views on Pride:
Battle for the Soul of Pride
Ps.
Don’t think we haven’t noticed you, Babcock, just because you’re a smaller arms company with a smaller sponsorship deal. So small you kind of have to squint to read your name on the promotional material.
There’ll be a kids space, Vegan BBQ, three rooms of talks and workshops, evening meal, massive after party, and of course dozens of stalls featuring a variety of political campaigns, collectives, authors, papers and distributors.
We hope you can join us there, bring your friends, bring your family, invite that person from work that you are 90% sure wants to overthrow capitalism. Pick up some merch, attend a workshop, chat to your friends, read a leaflet, and plot that overthrowing of capitalism thing with your colleague.
For more in depth information, see the website or facebook event.
Make it to as many of these as you can – we’ll certainly be there!
This Saturday, the 9th of September, there is an IWW contingent joining the anti-austerity march and rally called by Bristol People’s Assembly and Bristol Labour Party on College Green. Facebook event here. Look for the IWW banner [and the AFed one, probably next to it]
Sadly on the 10th of September, fascists will be descending upon our city from outside Bristol attempting to whip up Islamophobia and hatred. This time we’re dealing with Tommy Robinson front group ‘Gays Against Sharia’ who will be attempting to use the LGBT community to peddle known fascist speakers such as former BNP youth activist Jack Buckby, Paul Weston of Pegida UK/Liberty GB, figurehead of the EDL’s deluded LGBT grouping Tommy Cook aka Tommy English and wingnut fash-favourite, UKIP leadership candidate Anne Marie Waters. Bristol Queercaf have already called a counter demonstration and Bristol IWW encourages all members and supporters to go along. Fascist groups have never had much success at organising in our brilliant city but we need to keep opposing until they finally get the message. Again look for our banner or check Loomio for on the day plans.
On the 14th of September the IWW have their branch meeting, which will include a workshop with our FWs from the Incarcerated Workers’ Organising Committee (IWOC). Come and find out how IWOC supports prisoners to organise & fight back against prison slavery and the prison system itself. After the meeting we generally go for a drink in a local pub. [For more on the prison abolition movement see the latest issue of Organise! – which you can download for free or pick up from Hydra Books or Kebele Info Shop]
On the 16th of September we’ll be running our usual stall at the Bristol Anarchist Bookfair with pamphlets, badges and other merchandise. This year’s event has moved to St Werburghs Community Centre BS2 9TJ
Finally on the 17th of September Bristol Radical History Group will be holding a Radical History Festival at the M-Shed, which looks to be a really interesting event with some contributions from local Wobblies.
Whatever you’re doing have a lovely September and we hope to see you sometime.
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On Tuesday Bristol Anarchist Federation hosted a talk by Peter Gelderloos on the theories in his latest book Worshiping Power: An Anarchist View of Early State Formation. We packed out Kebele with people eager to hear about it, we certainly weren’t disappointed. Our friends over in Bath also hosted a talk the following day after we got in touch with them, spreading a bit more anarchy to our gentile neighbour.
It is always refreshing to hear history unchained from the often stagnant ideas of mainstream society. However not only did the talk (and book) go into how states first arose, but how they continue to adapt to sustain the power they hold over us. The lessons contained are essential for all of us fighting for a better world – not just the anarchists. One that stuck out most is one of only two characteristics that all states shared upon forming, Patriarchy. Male domination of both the family and the people that a state would subjugate was universal. It was also actively forced upon societies that were more gender-balanced by imperial powers such as Britain, Spain and France, all seeing it as essential to their control. This is one more nail in the coffin of those who would argue that feminism is any less essential to anarchism than the fight against the state and capitalism.
If you missed it, or if you want a recap, the event hosted by London Anarchist Federation at the Anti-University was recorded here.
Of course you can also get the book. Either direct from AK Press, or if you’re lucky enough to be in our fair city from Kebele Infoshop or Hydra Books.
All of this may well have got you keen to learn more about theory and, more importantly, how it can be applied right now to our lives to create real change. In which case we’d recommend our monthly talks (3rd Tuesday of the month, 7pm, Hydra Books). The next one is on organising in the work place, featuring contributions from ourselves, the IWW, Unite, and SolFed. So should be interesting, even to those who already feel they know the ropes when it comes to work place organising! There is also an anarchist shared reading group – with no homework required – at Kebele Library on the first Thursday of every month.
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