I think a lot of places that prohibit talking about violence are supporting the horrors. Like, it'd be swell if we could vote ourselves out of this mess but that seems like a long shot, and a lot of damage would be done before that even started to take effect.

I get most of us don't actually want to risk our lives. We don't want to be the one guy who throws a molotov and gets shot by the police.

But shit is really bad, and at the end of all things might makes right. Principles and philosophy don't matter if you're dead.

I think everyone's thought about like "what if i went back in time and shot Hitler before things got really bad?" Well, that's now. You've arrived at the time travel destination.

I don't really want to live in a world where republicans are shot dead, where the prosecutors putting people in jail for protesting are murdered in their sleep, or where the owners of a factory that pollutes the air we breathe are beaten so badly they'll never walk again. But I also don't want to live in the world those forces will create if left unchecked.

Besides, the right has been using stochastic terrorism for years.

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 5 months ago (5 children)

The Troubles 2.0 are indeed here.

[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

EDIT: Sorry, replied to the wrong person.

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 10 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

I didn't mean to imply I support violence as a first strategy.

I actually wholeheartedly agree with your assessment. Partially because the violence against us is coming anyway. It is clearly planned. They are telegraphing what they intend to do, which is criminalize half the country so they can put us to death under the guise of "why couldn't they just follow the law."

That being said, just because the violence is coming doesn't mean inviting it right away is the best solution. The best solutions are the kind you suggest but also using Mutual Aid to develop Parallel Systems.

Parallel systems are simply systems outside of the capitalist mode of production and integration. Providing water, food, medical care, housing, support, and so on. The efforts of the Black Panthers were an exercise in developing parallel systems. The Black Panthers also knew violence was coming which is why a contingent of them were armed. Having such systems in place makes it easier for individuals to survive a long-term General Strike.

The testimony and cross examination of undercover officers by Afeni Shakur stands the test of time when she showed that the people pushing violence in the Panthers were undercover police officers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afeni_Shakur#The_Panther_21

Shakur got White to admit under oath that he and two other agents had organized most of the unlawful activities. "She asked him if he'd ever seen her carry a gun or kill anyone or bomb anything and he answered no, no, no. Then she asked if he'd seen her doing Panther organizing in a school and a hospital and on the streets and he answered, yes, yes, yes."

We must be prepared to resist the violence that is coming, but to do so without organizing and planning is a fools errand.

[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 8 points 5 months ago

i don't know a lot about the history of the black panther movement (not surprising nothing about it was taught to me in school). Infiltration by the government/antagonists is a real concern. As is being murdered like fred hampton. I don't really know how to guard against that. The "They pull a knife you pull a gun. They put one of us in the hospital, you put them in the morque" attitude has bravado, but isn't really safe or sustainable. But on the same time, just being casually murdered isn't either.

[–] ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 5 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Apologies, I accidentally replied to your comment when I'd meant to respond to the commenter you had also responded to. Though I'm somewhat glad I did, as your response here was also excellent :)

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 5 months ago

No problem, you still raised important points either way.

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