some incohesive, incoherent thoughts...

i've been listening to Paul's argument on this stuff for a few weeks now. theres also an email list we're on where he's hammering away hard at good people, and am really quite taken aback at his zeal to promote the dichotomy of an "us vs them" concept.

it seems Paul, that you want us to become terrorists or we become the Imperialist. c'mon man, isn't there another option. or even many others? life's a pretty broad experience and never one thing or the other...

we've discussed this "terrorism dichotomy" on the News From Nowhere show at length many times over the last few months - on RTR. last night mar and i had a great conversation about the subject... outcome: anarchists, when faced with two options may take the third!

but, i personally feel pretty disturbed by your support for kidnappers and murderous beheaders of innocent human rights workers, and in the way in which you promote their videos across the activist wires - are you supporting them? would you do that YOURSELF? because i think thats what you are saying. but i might be wrong. i hope i am. because you are losing a lot of respect and crediblity round the perth online community. as well as in backstreets and bars!

so, heres a 1am al_ rant:

sure the Coalition of the Killing is really fucked. very very bad. absolutely wrong in EVERY sense.

forced versions of American-style democracy are nothing more than self-serving and vengeful acts of TERRORISM. and that is very clear to pretty much everyone i know. the USA's arrogance [and Australia's for that matter] is fucked. a bunch of greedy warmongers killing thousands of children - to prove a point and get rich. post-modern war is designed to prop up the oil and military industries... and not much else. [well, there are others but thats an aside]

so its clear i am saying: "no no no" to the Bushites okay?

but the behaviour of some of the more "out there" insurgents is also terroristic in the extreme. and i have to seriously ask you man: can you really, deeply, in your good heart, support some of that shit?

have you ever felt fear like that, or experienced severe body damage? bled? been beaten into unconsciousness? lost anyone close to you? i mean imagine if these fellas had done this to your mum? or to you as you area westerner yourself.

hey! i understand where these guys come form. and they have every right to resist and retaliate the US fuckers.

YES: fighting the enemy in the street, undermining the profiteers, fighting for your territory is admirable and honourable and i would do EXACTLY the same if the US came trampling over the hill to my house in suburban perth. kill the americans - yeah i would. no worries. without a moments hesitation.

if the occupation was here in the streets of WA - then yeah - i'm out there, protecting my family, my community, my street. myself - by ANY MEANS NECESSARY. basically if its gonna happen in my backyard - i am gonna fight like fuck... YES! i support that - wholeheartedly.

to use your language: it is absolutely WRONG that the capitalist infidel has desecrated the holy places of Iraq.

but sorry - i am not going to go out and behead good people. i am not going to chop the heads of innocent human rights workers. and if i was in your guerilla cell group i would block that motion. i would leave the group if i could if i knew you were gonna do that shit. its counter productive.

so yes - i would fight in the street and many other things - but i would not and do not support some the extreme tactics of the monority of the very factionalised, incoherent, and lets face it incohesive insurgence. in other words, i cant support the WHOLE resistance. because its too general. yeah USA fuck off. but dont kill innocent people.

so, in that, i really can't get my head around your logic. its all too sterile and polemic. theres a GWB/hoWARdness about all this. where exactly are you coming from? what ARE you reading? or maybe its the lack of articulation... are you actually trying to say something else?

is it possible to:
1. have NO support for the US invasion of Iraq
2. support the Iraqi resistance
3. and still not be fence sitter.

why is it so important for you to force people to take a side on this...?

hmmm does that rant make any sense?
bro_x

paul's response is here...
and a bit more of mine.