Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives
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1) Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives (FRAC)
Founding Conference September 7- 8th
Lansing, MI
We are a federation made up of member collectives. If there are other
people or collectives interested in attending this conference please drop us
a line. We apologize for the last minute nature of this announcement but
the location and date of the conference was up in the air due to the
activities in DC last weekend. For a copy of all FRAC documents or to join
our supporter email listserv please email us or send a letter to:
Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives (FRAC)
FRAC
PO BOX 4502
East Lansing, MI 48826-4502
nightvision (at) ziplip.com
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2) Introducing the Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives (Great
Lakes Region)
The Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives (FRAC) is a
revolutionary anarchist federation in the Great Lakes and Midwest region of
North America. The FRAC was officially founded in June of 2002 through an
over year long effort by numerous anarchists and anarchist collectives in
the region who wanted to take the theory and practice of anarchism to a new
level for the 21st century. Inspired by increasing levels of resistance to
oppression and domination around the world, the FRAC came together in the
spirit of forging a new path for revolutionary anarchists through blending
fresh theory, practice, and organization. Amidst the smoke and haze of the
US's "War on Terrorism," increasing police brutality and murder, failing
schools and hospitals, and more we know that another world is possible. Our
goal is to build an organization based on revolutionary anarchist politics
that can help spark the flame of collective rebellion that will one day lead
to a world worth living in for everyone.
What's up in 2002?
The world is getting hot. It seems like every time you read the news
someone around the globe is getting bombed, having their land stolen, being
forced to work insanely long hours for little pay, or being degraded and
oppressed. The US's "War on Terrorism" is promising to take more lives
while trampling our so-called rights more and more at home. Right-wing
politicians and fascist movements from the U.S. to France to Afghanistan are
attacking women for taking control of their lives and bodies. Cops are
jacking people left and right, especially youth of color. And those who
stand up to their brutality often face just as harsh treatment.
Globalization allows corporations to swallow up entire groups of people and
give them the choice of backbreaking labor and poverty or starvation and
disease.
But resistance to all this is growing. People all over the world are
refusing to take all this oppression sitting down and just accept the ruling
class and it's entire order without a fight. Much of this resistance has
taken on an anti-authoritarian character in ways that have inspired
revolutionary anarchists throughout the world. In the Midwest/Great Lakes
region things are no different; revolutionary anarchists want to be a part
of this growing struggle for freedom. This is where the creation of the
Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives comes in.
Da' FRAC
Revolutionary anarchism works towards building a new world, one free of
unnecessary hierarchies and domination that create systems of oppression and
exploitation by one group of people over another. We see the existence of
capitalism, patriarchy, the nation-state, and racism/white supremacy as
being an intense combination of forms of domination that all interlock as
part of modern society. We hold that turning the world around will take a
social revolution of a size and intensity never seen before on the face of
the planet. This transformation will have to be based on an understanding
of the world we live in and its complex web of exploitation and repression,
a vision of the future the people of the world actually want to live in, and
a plan to help us get there. The Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist
Collectives aims to be part of this social revolution by developing and
acting on our revolutionary anarchist perspective in the Midwest, North
America, and ultimately the world.
Our Politics
The Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives is dedicated to
revolutionary class struggle against the system of patriarchy, white
supremacy, capitalism, and the state. We believe that revolution is
necessary and must be based among the working class and oppressed
communities with the anarchist goal of a decentralized, non-hierarchical
society, self-organized into federated neighborhood, workplace, and cultural
committees energized with a spirit of egalitarianism, direct democracy,
experimentation, and mutual aid.
We are against capitalism because it is based on inequality, alienation and
theft and does not provide the majority of world's population with the basic
necessities of life. We intend to replace it with mutual aid and a
cooperative, bottom-up, and democratic form of communism where those who
work control the means of production. We go by the maxim: To each according
to their need, from each according to their ability.
We consider ourselves Internationalists. We support self-determination and
cultural autonomy for oppressed people. We are against the system of white
supremacy which seeks to maintain a cross class alliance between white
workers and the North American ruling class. We seek the destruction of all
forms of racism, imperialism, and reactionary nationalism. We are inspired
by multi-ethnic organizing against white supremacy, and believe that it is
the foundation towards its destruction.
We want queer liberation. We are against heterosexism, homophobia and the
simplicity of the dual gender system. We are for the liberation of lesbian,
transgendered, gay, bi and all queer people. We embrace the full spectrum of
consensual human sexuality and celebrate a diversity of family forms. We
want to liberate desire from the binds of religious bigotry and patriarchal
social conditioning.
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3) FRAC - GL - Points of Unity
We are Revolutionary Anarchists!
We are dedicated to revolutionary class struggle against the system of
patriarchy, white supremacy, capitalism, and the state. We believe that
revolution is necessary based among the working class and oppressed
communities with the anarchist goal of a decentralized, non-hierarchical
society, self-organized into federated neighborhood, workplace, and
cultural committees energized with a spirit of egalitarianism, direct
democracy, experimentation, and mutual aid.
We are Anti-Capitalist!
We are against capitalism because it is based on inequality, alienation and
theft and does not provide the majority of world's population with the basic
necessities of life. We intend to replace it with mutual aid and a
cooperative, bottom-up, and democratic form of communism where those who
work control the means of production. We go by the maxim: To each according
to their need, from each according to their ability.
We are Internationalists!
We support self-determination and cultural autonomy for oppressed people. We
are against the system of white supremacy which seeks to maintain a cross
class alliance between white workers and the North American ruling class. We
seek the destruction of all forms of racism, imperialism, and reactionary
nationalism. We are inspired by multi-ethnic organizing against white
supremacy, and believe that it is the foundation towards its destruction.
We want Queer Liberation!
We are against heterosexism, homophobia and the simplicity of the dual
gender system. We are for the liberation of lesbian, transgendered, gay, bi
and all queer people. We embrace the full spectrum of consensual human
sexuality and celebrate a diversity of family forms. We want to liberate
desire from the binds of religious bigotry and patriarchal social
conditioning.
We are Militants.
We pursue direct action and a diversity of tactics as appropriate methods of
achieving our goals. We uphold the right of all oppressed people to
self-defense by any means necessary.
We want Dual Power.
We seek to build popular power that can contest and replace state and
capitalist power. We actively work to create a new world in the shell of the
old-politically, culturally and economically. We do this by both challenging
and confronting oppressive institutions and establishing our own liberatory
ones.
We are Dedicated to Critical Analysis.
We engage in a constant process of evaluation and self-criticism of our
politics and practice. No one is above criticism, and we view it as a
healthy, productive aspect of strategizing and organizing. We base our
politics on the realities of an ever-changing world.
***This is still a work in progress, and much needs to be developed and
worked on. For example there is no point of unity around women's
liberation. This is not because we find it unimportant, but because we find
it important, debate has been vigorous and we have not agreed on wording for
a point of unity. These points of unity should be viewed as our starting
point, where we can grow with discussion and critical evaluation. With this
in mind please forward any questions, criticisms, comments, or concerns to:
Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Collectives (FRAC)
FRAC
PO BOX 4502
East Lansing, MI 48826-4502
nightvision (at) ziplip.com
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4) Building Revolutionary Nuclei
By Federation of Revolutionary Anarchist Federation (Great Lakes Region)
What is the best way to organize for revolution? How do we start to take on
the system of patriarchy, white supremacy, capitalism, and the state? In
what way will our efforts pre-figure the free society we are fighting for,
defend autonomy and self-organization from authoritarian repression and new
elites?
Nuclei is a fancy word that means seeds, kernels, cells, "the head of the
comet', "a central point, group, or mass about which gathering,
concentration, or gradual build-up takes place". Revolutionary Nuclei means
a core group that is trying to learn, expand, develop, prepare opportunities
in which we can help bring the struggle for total freedom and equality to
higher and deeper levels; ultimately an uprising or "insurrection" that
joins into an international anti-authoritarian Social Revolution.
A true Revolutionary Nuclei, would be our anarchist collective, but it would
also be more than that: The scenes in which we operate, the struggles that
we join, the projects that we create, the skills we develop, the music that
keeps us moving, the elders that we learn from and the youth who we try and
keep up with.
Revolutionary Nuclei is not Leninist Vanguardism. We don't claim any
automatic access to "the truth" and we deny anyone the right to permanent
"lead" over the struggle or society. Our goals are also opposed. We do
not seek to capture power for our organization but instead to use
organization as an effective contribution to the fight against all
exploitation and oppression. We move amongst the people not as "leaders",
but as equals.
These are some specific elements of a strategy for building Revolutionary
Nuclei:
1. A Pole in the Movement: There is a new movement on the streets of North
America in the wake of the battle of Seattle. It is large, but
inexperienced. It has many anarchist aspects including direct democracy,
direct action, and "anti-capitalism", yet it is still dominated by social
democrats (left/liberals). We need to be a clear pole within the street
protest movements arguing for and developing effective anarchist politics
and tactics.
2. A Base in the Class: The revolution will be made by the masses of
working class and oppressed people or it will not be made at all.
Organizing projects within the working class - especially communities of
color, women, and queers - help break isolation of radicals, cut against
elitist attitudes and help lay the basis for the mass organizations with the
only social power capable of revolution.
3. Creating Revolutionary Culture: The authoritarian ruling class survives
not mainly through its repressive force, but through the acceptance of
hierarchal, racist, sexist, dog-eat-dog culture. The revolution must break
this grip over how we live as much as overthrow the structures that hold us
down. We need to create music, art, community, life that inspires the kind
of world we are fighting for.
4. Counter-Institutions: Counter-Institutions show in the here and now the
benefits and the challenges of collective control over resources, services,
and structures. Counter-Institutions can highlight needs that the state
does not fulfill and provide a base of operations for the anarchist
movement.
5. Developing Skills: We should consciously create an environment where we
can share and develop the necessary skills for the tasks ahead: critical
thinking and public speaking, child-care and emergency first aid, agit-prop
and self-defense, etc., etc., etc.
6. Making Links: Crucial to any revolutionary project is the expansion of
ideas and debates, mutual aid and solidarity, coordination of organizing and
attack. We should actively look to make contacts and/or alliances with
other groups and individuals with similar goals across Chicago, our region,
North America, and the world.
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Member Collectives of FRAC
Black Heart Anarchist Collective
Columbus, OH
Burning River Collective
PO BOX 27376
Cleveland, OH 44127-0376
216-732-3337 Voice Mail
brc (at) burningriver.org
www.burningriver.org
YUCC (Yet Unnammed Chicago Collective)
Chicago, IL
Nightvision
PO BOX 4502
East Lansing, MI 48826-4502
nightvision (at) ziplip.com
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