Comments on: The Ruling Class, the[ir] NYPD, the New School and Broken Windows http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows // Culture. Consciousness. Critical Thought. // Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:10:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: [N.W.A.’s Second Album, Track Two] | The Activist http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-71881 [N.W.A.’s Second Album, Track Two] | The Activist Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:41:57 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-71881 [...] Monahan’s latest seems right up my alley.  As a frequent quoter of Saul Alinsky’s plea that the left should “play the game to win” and not just yell “kill [...] [...] Monahan’s latest seems right up my alley.  As a frequent quoter of Saul Alinsky’s plea that the left should “play the game to win” and not just yell “kill [...]

]]> By: The “Vulture Theory” of Socialism — The Activist http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-50103 The “Vulture Theory” of Socialism — The Activist Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:42:12 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-50103 [...] in this spirit that I attempt to play the game whenever I’m tempted to yell “kill the umpire.”  I like to think that this ethos is the same reason why no one can say that Michael Harrington [...] [...] in this spirit that I attempt to play the game whenever I’m tempted to yell “kill the umpire.”  I like to think that this ethos is the same reason why no one can say that Michael Harrington [...]

]]> By: Bhaskar Sunkara http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-36693 Bhaskar Sunkara Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:26:43 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-36693 I'm somewhere in between the ultra-leftists and your stance Chris.  I don't think that occupations should be used as merely a means to a specific end, I think that in principle if the actions had enough support around them and were widespread enough, they could be catalysts for a broader movement.  There's a lot to be done before we can get to the point where that is possible.  And American anarchism is probably never going to get to that point -- too much "lifestylism", too much distrust for organization, and other faults that they are not indicative of the movement in Europe and in its history in America. I’m somewhere in between the ultra-leftists and your stance Chris.  I don’t think that occupations should be used as merely a means to a specific end, I think that in principle if the actions had enough support around them and were widespread enough, they could be catalysts for a broader movement.  There’s a lot to be done before we can get to the point where that is possible.  And American anarchism is probably never going to get to that point — too much “lifestylism”, too much distrust for organization, and other faults that they are not indicative of the movement in Europe and in its history in America.

]]> By: Chris Maisano http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-36669 Chris Maisano Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:11:02 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-36669 I'm all for sit-ins and occupations when there is a clear and attainable goal that the occupiers are advancing, but this latest New School occupation (and the one at NYU a few weeks back) have been nothing but unmitigated disasters. Does anyone in the general public even know what the purpose of the occupation was? In all likelihood, these students are perceived as a bunch of whiny, privileged kids at some fancy private school playacting at revolution. And unfortunately, I don't think this perception is really all that far off the mark. Perhaps these experiences will help student movements in the city and elsewhere learn from the mistakes that have been made so that they can be more effective in the future, but I would suggest we put down the red and black flags, the bandanas, and the hyperbolic rhetoric and build an actual movement that draws support from a wide base of students and doesn't make a fetish of a particular tactic, i.e. occupation. I’m all for sit-ins and occupations when there is a clear and attainable goal that the occupiers are advancing, but this latest New School occupation (and the one at NYU a few weeks back) have been nothing but unmitigated disasters. Does anyone in the general public even know what the purpose of the occupation was? In all likelihood, these students are perceived as a bunch of whiny, privileged kids at some fancy private school playacting at revolution. And unfortunately, I don’t think this perception is really all that far off the mark. Perhaps these experiences will help student movements in the city and elsewhere learn from the mistakes that have been made so that they can be more effective in the future, but I would suggest we put down the red and black flags, the bandanas, and the hyperbolic rhetoric and build an actual movement that draws support from a wide base of students and doesn’t make a fetish of a particular tactic, i.e. occupation.

]]> By: Bhaskar Sunkara http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-36184 Bhaskar Sunkara Sun, 12 Apr 2009 12:25:54 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-36184 Your views make sense on a certain level, and I'll engage with those thoughts and the similar thoughts of those that emailed me (all were polite and cordial, I must say), have you ever read "Social Anarchism or Lifestyle Anarchism - An Unbridgeable Chasm".  It's here if you haven't: http://libcom.org/library/social-anarchism--lifestyle-anarchism-murray-bookchin.  Let me know what you thought of that work.  I've heard European "libertarians" complain about the American anarchist movement and the trends that have marginalized it over the years. Excuse my "glibness"; i'll reply in depth later. Your views make sense on a certain level, and I’ll engage with those thoughts and the similar thoughts of those that emailed me (all were polite and cordial, I must say), have you ever read “Social Anarchism or Lifestyle Anarchism – An Unbridgeable Chasm”.  It’s here if you haven’t: http://libcom.org/library/social-anarchism–lifestyle-anarchism-murray-bookchin.  Let me know what you thought of that work.  I’ve heard European “libertarians” complain about the American anarchist movement and the trends that have marginalized it over the years.

Excuse my “glibness”; i’ll reply in depth later.

]]> By: Chris at NYU http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-36104 Chris at NYU Sun, 12 Apr 2009 04:00:23 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-36104 "Where was the large contingent of radical New School students and New York University students at the Wall Street demonstrations last week?  Were those syndicalist students proudly waving that resplendent black and red flag on the roof the occupied building at any of the solidarity marches for the Stella workers? They might have been there, but I doubt it. I’m not patronizing– I wasn’t there either, but I was out there to support my friends and peers during the NYU occupation." I think you've missed the point - endless marches against endless problems is part of the politics the occupations reject.  It's about means as well as ends - the 'march', the demonstration, the calls to action - all of it is just so much fodder for the news cameras and the myth of democratic self-expression. Occupation represents a kind of politics that immediately realizes your goals and turns the labor of students into a weapon against the institutions that need them.  You want to demonstrate against something else - we want to demonstrate that we already have power and will use it. “Where was the large contingent of radical New School students and New
York University students at the Wall Street demonstrations last week? 
Were those syndicalist students proudly waving that resplendent black
and red flag on the roof the occupied building at any of the solidarity
marches for the Stella workers? They might have been there, but I doubt
it. I’m not patronizing– I wasn’t there either, but I was out there to
support my friends and peers during the NYU occupation.”

I think you’ve missed the point – endless marches against endless problems is part of the politics the occupations reject.  It’s about means as well as ends – the ‘march’, the demonstration, the calls to action – all of it is just so much fodder for the news cameras and the myth of democratic self-expression. Occupation represents a kind of politics that immediately realizes your goals and turns the labor of students into a weapon against the institutions that need them.  You want to demonstrate against something else – we want to demonstrate that we already have power and will use it.

]]> By: Micah Landau http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-36099 Micah Landau Sun, 12 Apr 2009 02:54:01 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-36099 Going to Left Forum, in that case? Going to Left Forum, in that case?

]]> By: Bhaskar Sunkara http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-36095 Bhaskar Sunkara Sun, 12 Apr 2009 02:40:43 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-36095 I am (I go to GWU), but I'm a New York native so I'm up here fairly often during the year and during the summer. I am (I go to GWU), but I’m a New York native so I’m up here fairly often during the year and during the summer.

]]> By: Micah Landau http://theactivist.org/blog/the-ruling-class-the-nypd-the-new-school-and-broken-windows/comment-page-1#comment-36087 Micah Landau Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:48:05 +0000 http://theactivist.org/blog/?p=1035#comment-36087 Great article! Are you in New York these days? For some reason I thought you were based in DC. -Micah Great article! Are you in New York these days? For some reason I thought you were based in DC. -Micah

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