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Iowa Antifascists Disrupt Delay David Irving Event In Des Moines, IA
We in Iowa became aware of Irving’s arrival about a week beforehand, thanks to the call out by Trenton Anti Racist Action on Infoshop. Due to a number of prior disruptions and shutdowns, the venues where his events occur are not announced until 30 minutes beforehand and are announced only to people who have preregistered and prepaid to attend. In the past, different forms of redirect points have been used, but despite these security measures, all it takes is a little work to discover the location. Shortly prior to the start of his event, we learned that it would take place at the Embassy Suites hotel in downtown Des Moines. We spread the phone number of the hotel throughout our phone network and internet. Others reposted the request to call the hotel and let the business know what we thought about them allowing someone like David Irving to hold events at their establishment. This tactic frustrated and seemingly overwhelmed the phone lines, blocking them up and creating busy signals. We entered the hotel and immediately began looking for possible meeting places and areas. Thanks to a Phoenix New Times article, we knew what Irving's personal assistant, Jaenelle Antas, looked like. Unfortunately, while clearly looking for a place in the lobby to hold the event, she spotted us and got spooked. She talked to the front desk, then jumped into an elevator. We saw which floor she got off on and all headed up there, temporarily avoiding security/management walking towards us. We lost her and then split up, circling different floors of the eight story building. The hotel was sparsely populated. Nearly every room with lights on was either being cleaned out or clearly empty. It seemed to be the case that, frightened, Irving, Antas and whoever else was with them turned off the lights in their room to make it appear unoccupied. The hotel security/management had been alerted to our presence, and soon caught up with some of us and said we needed to leave. Several of us split off while some were escorted out of the building. Those of us who were still left played a multifloor and elevator game of cat & mouse, continuing our search for Irving while evading the security/management. As five police vehicles and a K9 unit arrived, we decided to regroup outside and discuss our next move. Six police officers eventually walked over to us and asked what was going on. When we told them who Irving was and what he represented, the cop talking to us eye's widened. Despite this surprise, they, of course, relayed to us that the hotel was private property and we were not paying customers. Two of us walked back in with a police escort and attempted to rent a room, but the hotel refused our money. Embassy Suites will rent rooms to Holocaust deniers but not to the antifascists opposing them. Eventually, because of the nearly deserted downtown and the prospect of guaranteed arrest if we re-entered the building, we decided to leave. Despite the lack of a real confrontation, we declared our intervention a success. Their meeting was confined to a hotel room, with one attendee, who's vehicle apparently became angry and forcefully burst the air out of its own tires. We showed Irving that there are people in Iowa that will make it as difficult as possible for him and his ilk to operate openly. We crashed his party, and the handful of misguided fools who showed up to hear him speak were forced to settle for a mere 'stop and chat' with Irving in a private hotel room with the lights off instead of meeting in a public area. We hope that communities and assorted antifascists across the country will greet him as warmly as we did for the remainder of his tour. Signed, Iowa Antifascists
Embassy Suites in Des Moines
David Irving's Cell Phone Number Trenton Anti Racist Action Callout + List Of Dates & Locations Non-Radical Media Account in Phoenix |
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Who are you writing this to?
I feel somewhat concerned that this article is probably geared to mainstream liberal society (will mainstream liberal society join you when you disrupt this fella's talks? Probably not, instead they will be the first to call this a free country and have you jailed for acting like "terrorists"). Take, just the first paragraph, for example:
"Irving is a notorious pro-Nazi antisemitic historian who concentrates on downplaying or denying the Holocaust while attempting to absolve Hitler of responsibility for the Third Reich's genocide. He has associated or publicly agreed with ultra-right, fascist or neo-Nazi ideas and organizations for almost half a century. He has been deported or refused entry into numerous countries and was imprisoned in Austria for “glorifying and identifying with the German Nazi Party”, a punishable crime there."
Here there is an appeal to his views. By reacting purely to his opinions are we not concerned that we may be reinforcing a popular misconception about the power of education? Are people cultural dupes, or will they actually question this fella for the bullshit he spits? There is also the appeal to law: "He has been deported or refused entry into numerous countries and was imprisoned in Austria" .. so the fuck what? So have many of us. We have to ask ourselves why this was written as it was? Who is this written for? There is also the question of whether or not we are simply cleaning up after him. If we confront him, we no longer make this shit as visible it could be.
Also, the first paragraph
Also, the first paragraph was supposed to be
"On Sunday, October 11 at the Embassy Suites hotel in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, antifascists mobilized to confront Holocaust-denier David Irving with the aim and intent of disrupting or shutting down his book-signing tour and speaking event."
The part explaining who he is and what he stands for is common sense when writing an article about someone people are countering/trying to shut down. Not everyone....including anarchists know who he is.
The mentioning of Austria was done, because that is one of the things he's known most for. In fact, his tour is primarily based on this fact.
Whether this article fits a pure anarchist or insurrectionary anarchist approval is irrelevant. The action was not done by just or even majority insurrectionary anarchists and it would be dishonest to the participants to put out a statement that makes it seem like it was.
thx, 1st paragraph fixed.
thx, 1st paragraph fixed.
My argument really has
My argument really has nothing to do with whether or not it fits a particular category of thought. My concern is that this article was written for idiots, by idiots, and to further the idiocracy that radicalism has become in this continent. Sure, this fella is a wingnut, but nobody takes him seriously anyway. And, if we believe that he *might* be taken seriously, then what does that say about what we believe about the nature of power? Moreover, what does it say about our ability to spot the *real* challenge that pervades the radical imagination today: the ability to find fascism in the *unlikely* places: in other words, in our heads, in mainstream america, in liberal democracy, etc.
Nobody wants to challenge that. People are too concerned with one or two oddballs. How comfy that must be: to have an entire civilization on your side.
You're looking at this and
You're looking at this and tying it into a broad analysis based on assumptions you can't back up, such as the assumption that those involved somehow have never and will never do anything but this one thing.
Seems like you're part of the "ignore them, they'll go away" crowd. Whatever, suit yourself, but some people don't like when fascists come to their backyard. One of the reasons their support is so minuscule (although growing nationwide), is because of concerted efforts to make their organizing as hard as possible.
"the ability to find fascism in the *unlikely* places: in other words, in our heads, in mainstream america, in liberal democracy, etc."
Yawn. Speaking of liberals, I take it anarchists are using "fascism" to describe any old thing now?
"Nobody wants to challenge that. People are too concerned with one or two oddballs."
Yeah, American anarchists haven't been obsessed with inwardness, trying to be different for the sake of being different or the American state. Do you think before you submit comments here?
"You're looking at this and
"You're looking at this and tying it into a broad analysis based on assumptions you can't back up, such as the assumption that those involved somehow have never and will never do anything but this one thing."
These are not assumptions. They are observations. If you want my assumptions, let me know: I have plenty to make an ass out of the both of us.
"Seems like you're part of the 'ignore them, they'll go away' crowd. Whatever, suit yourself, but some people don't like when fascists come to their backyard. One of the reasons their support is so minuscule (although growing nationwide), is because of concerted efforts to make their organizing as hard as possible."
I agree with you that some people don't like when fascists come to their backyard. But I believe that we need to be careful not to come off as to pragmatic. If we want to confront this asshole then why not stick to our guns and use a language that does not appeal to popular prejudices. Why not use this as an entrance into an actual analysis and confrontation of all forms of fascism? Where does fascism grow? Why do so many radicals find fascism seductive? Why are so many radicals, themselves, called fascists? What is worse a fascist in public or a fascist in private? Some important questions.
"Yawn. Speaking of liberals, I take it anarchists are using "fascism" to describe any old thing now?"
I get your point. Admittedly, I use the word fascism for shock appeal, but there is still an element of truth to it. Actual fascism is absolutely impossible in our current context -- to believe otherwise is foolish. However, there are degrees of fascism: is democracy not fascism spread out into space and time? Taken in whole, does it not inflict the same degree of pain and control? How do I contribute to this form of fascism in my daily practices?
"If we want to confront this
"If we want to confront this asshole then why not stick to our guns and use a language that does not appeal to popular prejudices. Why not use this as an entrance into an actual analysis and confrontation of all forms of fascism? Where does fascism grow? Why do so many radicals find fascism seductive? Why are so many radicals, themselves, called fascists? What is worse a fascist in public or a fascist in private? Some important questions."
You're asking for theory. That's completely fine, but sort of outside the scope of a reportback or something that people who come from different political ideologies. Not to mention, that you're also making the assumption that everyone who would disrupt Irving do so based on their political positions and not other reasons.
"Actual fascism is absolutely impossible in our current context -- to believe otherwise is foolish. However, there are degrees of fascism: is democracy not fascism spread out into space and time? Taken in whole, does it not inflict the same degree of pain and control? How do I contribute to this form of fascism in my daily practices?"
Impossible? Hardly. While I am not one of those that screams that fascism is at the gates, the racial reality of the United States, the current economic crisis, the various civil liberties precedents set by Bush and a populist right wing movement of white working class people (Teabaggers) contribute to a possibility.
And like I mentioned before, neo-Nazi and fascist groups have grown quite a bit, not only because of the immigration issue, but because of the fact there's a black president. Violent attacks on Latinos have risen and let's not forgot the role of the conspiracy theory movements that perpetuate and re-popularize various old antisemetic tales of plotting and cabals.
Still, you're misusing the word 'fascism' to make it almost meaningless. Liberal Democracy is not fascism. The average person's actions and interactions are not fascist.
Fascism is a specific set of ideas and social organization. While it might be the logical extent of the state when threatened, it isn't the same thing as other forms of the state, it is merely A form.
all forms are forms. a form
all forms are forms. a form is a form. fascism is a form. democracy is a form. lets attack form!
The fact that anonymous
The fact that anonymous internet insurrectionary anarchists have problems with this article means something was done right :)
the critic is not an insurrectionary anarchist, i dont think
rather, im pretty sure the troll is just an old man who saw this story posted on facebook and tracked back to here.
an old man with anarchistic
an old man with anarchistic tendencies?? his argument was basically the article was too liberal. That's not too Facebookish to me...whatever that means because even anews readers have facebook accounts and want to share articles with their friends.