John Brown: A Discussion

When: Thursday, May 9th @ 7pm

Captain John Brown was a white settler man who took up arms against slavery in the USA. Today, May 9th 2013, would be his 213th birthday. This event is a call for folks, especially white people opposed to white supremacy and racism, to gather to review the life and death of captain John Brown and discuss the implications of this historical figure. People are encouraged to have these discussions everywhere on this day, this particular event will take place in Seattle, WA at the Wildcat social center on 23rd and Spring in the Central District. Being as such, our discussion will focus very much on the whiteness of Seattle and challenging white supremacy and racism here and among ourselves.

The following end to Dan Berger’s article “Refusing to Surrender: John Brown and White Anti-Racist Struggle” points to the importance of this discussion.

“By critically reclaiming Brown, we can acknowledge his faults and celebrate his success. We can counter the dominant historiography that makes Brown and white anti-racism appear to be “crazy.” This pathologizing process is yet another way white supremacy appeals to white people. A critical reclaiming of Brown counteracts this historical revisionism, but the critical analysis is key. From Brown’s achievements and mistakes we learn the necessity to wage militant, principled anti-racist struggle on all fronts. From welfare cutbacks to civil liberties attacks, from border militarization to race-based incarceration, from environmental racism to affirmative action, from education to health care, from colonization to gentrification, there are many sources of struggle. Radicals, especially white ones, must combine a revolutionary vision with a radical analysis and liberatory strategy. It is our job to pick up where John Brown left off.”

Hope to see you there, below are some resources, please post further materials on the event page if you have stuff to share.

Articles:
“John Brown”
http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112391/john_brown.htm
“What is White Supremacy Culture” by Tema Okun http://supportblackmesa.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/White-Supremacy-Culture-Tema-Okun.pdf

Wikis:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brown_%28abolitionist%29
http://civilwar.wikia.com/wiki/John_Brown_%28abolitionist%29

Zines:
“A Plea for Captain John Brown”
http://zinelibrary.info/files/johnbrownzinefull.pdf
“The Lowry Wars”
http://ncpiececorps.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/lowrytotal.pdf

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/541099155933954

The Basics of Encryption: An Introduction to Truecrypt

Truecrypt is a free, open source program that provides easy to use on-the-fly encryption. It is available for Windows 7/Vista/XP as well as Mac OS and Linux.

This class will cover the basic theory of encryption, what encryption does and doesn’t do, followed by a step-by-step walkthrough of how to use Truecrypt to create an encrypted volume.

This will be followed by a screening of the new movie “The Pirate Bay – Away From Keyboard.”

*** Bring your laptop if you’re coming to the skillshare. ***

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/events/365117310267404/

 Event:  film showing, discussion, Q&A with writer/producer:  “Ghosts With Shit Jobs”

Benefit for L@s Quixotes and The Wildcat

When:  Friday, April 5, at 6 p.m.

Where:  The Wildcat

Join us for a screening of the hilarious and thought-provoking sci-fi film, “Ghosts with Shit  Jobs,” written by Jim Munroe, who also makes video games and writes graphic novels and comics, including “Time Management for Anarchists,” which was distributed at the 2009 Seattle anarchist book fair.

This film gives us a look at what life might be like if anarchists get lazy or unlucky…”

–From The Georgia Straight Weekly:

In 2040, technology is as advanced as you may predict it to be and is in the service of the dominant Eastern market.  The Western Empire is collapsed and white people are relegated to roles as “Ghosts with Shit Jobs.”

In what the filmmaker, Jim Munroe, calls “cannibalizing another country’s misery,”  talk-show hosts depict the sad and ironic working condition of these North American worker’s lives.

Serina [is] a “human spammer” who oozes through office spaces and bars, targeting hapless guys and getting paid to drop brand names into their conversation.  [Then there's] Karen, whose PhD in robotics has gotten her no further than building disturbingly lifelike baby dolls for Chinese kids–a job that might be undermining the childless woman’s sanity, especially since she has to eliminate the “defectives”.  Toph and Anton, meanwhile, are homeless brothers who collect the silk of giant mutant spiders, which they exchange for water.  Saddest of all is “digital janitor” Oscar.  He erases corporate logos from “in world”, a virtual reality constructed from the city’s surveillance cameras.

Check out the trailer for “Ghosts With Shit Jobs” on the official site.

http://ghostswithshitjobs.com/

PDfs of “Time Management for Anarchists” can be obtained at:

http://nomediakings.org/category/comics

Event:  film showing and discussion, “Ghosts With Shit Jobs”

Benefit for L@s Quixotes and The Wildcat

When:  Friday, April 5, at 6 p.m.

Where:  The Wildcat

Join us for a screening of the hilarious and thought-provoking sci-fi film, “Ghosts with Shit  Jobs,” written by Jim Munroe, who also makes video games and writes graphic novels and comics, including “Time Management for Anarchists,” which was distributed at the 2009 Seattle anarchist book fair.

This film gives us a look at what life might be like if anarchists get lazy or unlucky…”

–From The Georgia Straight Weekly:

In 2040, technology is as advanced as you may predict it to be and is in the service of the dominant Eastern market.  The Western Empire is collapsed and white people are relegated to roles as “Ghosts with Shit Jobs.”

In what the filmmaker, Jim Munroe, calls “cannibalizing another country’s misery,”  talk-show hosts depict the sad and ironic working condition of these North American worker’s lives.

Serina [is] a “human spammer” who oozes through office spaces and bars, targeting hapless guys and getting paid to drop brand names into their conversation.  [Then there's] Karen, whose PhD in robotics has gotten her no further than building disturbingly lifelike baby dolls for Chinese kids–a job that might be undermining the childless woman’s sanity, especially since she has to eliminate the “defectives”.  Toph and Anton, meanwhile, are homeless brothers who collect the silk of giant mutant spiders, which they exchange for water.  Saddest of all is “digital janitor” Oscar.  He erases corporate logos from “in world”, a virtual reality constructed from the city’s surveillance cameras.

Check out the trailer for “Ghosts With Shit Jobs” on the official site.

http://ghostswithshitjobs.com/

PDfs of “Time Management for Anarchists” can be obtained at:

http://nomediakings.org/category/comics

“We are not machines!”
The Situation & Struggles of the iSlaves in China

Join us on Sunday, May 12 at 3 PM for a presentation and discussion on the struggles of Chinese workers for Foxconn, who make electronics for companies such as Apple, and the possibilities for non-reformist forms of international solidarity.

The presenter, from the Gongchao Collective (based in China, Germany, and Poland), has helped translate a book on Foxconn workers, narratives of Chinese migrant women workers, and first-hand accounts of strikes in the Pearl River Delta. He has also contributed to the radical investigation and analysis of gender, migration, and class struggle in China as well as Europe.

In preparation for this event, there will also be a series of readings and film screenings every Saturday at 3 PM at the Wildcat, starting April 13.

Further details and schedule for film and readings here