There’s no other way. Our trajectories should not consist of running forward with blindfolds on. One has to keep finding the time, space and energy to remain critical towards his or her own activities, one’s own projects. Not the criticism that make you fade away into inactivity, compromise and defeatism, only favoring the slow but steady absorption by authoritarian society, but the critique that continuously feels the heartbeat of the struggle. Yes, we are speaking of the critique that allows one to verify that one’s acting is still synchronized with the ideas one is nourishing, that allows for perspectives to be deepened and struggle experiences to be fertile ground for further assault on authority. And this also counts for the very modest project of offering a space of international anarchist correspondence.
A third issue then, and therefore, also some questions and doubts. The initial idea of this project was not so much to read through the existing anarchist publications and pick out some significant texts to republish them in Avalanche. No, the idea was – and still is – that comrades would contribute words and analyses, ideas and questions, from out of their own context, their own paths, and their own experiences (as several contributions sent by comrades in this issue do) so as to give life to this correspondence and make it a dangerous matter. Dangerous, because away from the continuous information bombardment that seems only to promote passivity, away from the theatrical scenes of political representation which has also infected the anarchist movement, away from the very modern obsession with facts and figures, dead material which cannot fertilize the inseparable duo of ideas and dynamite of anarchism. So, asking the inevitable question, is this project still moving towards realizing this initial proposal? We will abstain from answering this question in the columns of this editorial and rather send it, together with this third issue, to all the comrades who see the meaning of a project of international anarchist correspondence.
These last years, uprisings have been taking place in several parts of the world. These insurrections have been breaching the walls of the historical triumph of State and Capital, so eagerly proclaimed after the ‘defeat’ of subversion in the seventies. And if it is true that some obstacles of the past didn’t show up with the same strength as before (political mediation, party leadership, authoritarian organization), other enemies and obstacles have arisen: from the conservative and counterrevolutionary forces inspired by Islamism in regions in open revolt like Syria to the new fascist ideologies emerging inside of the protests. And all this, in a context where dominion has conquered all aspects of human life, poisoning it with the non-ideology of commodities and technology (an ideology which doesn’t have to struggle anymore to affirm itself, since it is becoming the essence of wrecked life itself). Some texts in this issue come straightly from very complex situations of revolt and uprising and challenge us to reflect on the anarchist perspective of insurrection. A difference then, a remarkable difference, between the times and spaces where we are fighting to break the concrete of social peace, disrupting the daily normality of production, consumption and obedience, trying by all means to keep the ideas of anarchy and freedom alive; and the everyday more palpable and imaginable perspective of insurrection, that is, a destructive movement launching a vast assault on the authoritarian and capitalist society. While these paths are connected, the difference in terms of perspective should encourage us to reflect, and to dare go further, dig deeper, project ourselves into a surely uncertain, unstable future, but rich in potentialities.
Everywhere, there are existing possibilities to break out of the enemy encirclement. The strength and courage to do this has to come from ourselves, but we can also feel a more favorable wind is blowing. It is a wind that cannot be pinned down in strict definitions or numbers, it is more like an élan, a fervor, an imaginary that is different than the social reproduction of dominion. An imaginary which could become revolutionary and inspire storms not foreseen by power. For sure, these are only some wild thoughts, but then, what would we be able do without thoughts… and wildness?
Still a few words concerning some discussions going on in many anarchist circles, mainly coming down to the fundamental matter of how can we attack? It is beyond doubt that the paths enabling attack never end, never will encounter a final solution or a recipe to embrace and apply. Attack needs two fundamental things: it needs ideas and it needs means. Why do we fight against this society, where can we hit the structures and people of exploitation and dominion? And then, or rather, simultaneously, where do we find the means to realize these attacks? Not only material, technical and logistical means, but also in terms of constellations of autonomous attack groups based on affinity, of insurrectional projects which enable a path towards ever more destructive and meaningful blows, of refusal to transform attack into a commodity served on the market of opinions, where appearance takes the upper hand on the actual act, of breaking the enclosures of field of struggle, of an internationalist approach. And yes, for this, continuous debate is necessary, even if it is difficult, even if sometimes it might be painful. “We go forward, with passion, with strength, with pleasure, because we are aware that we have done everything and are ready to do everything for assuring we are going in the right direction. We take great care of study, we give it major attention, and we give our greatest energy to action.” Those were the words of an anarchist in 1908, encouraging his comrades to not be afraid for effort, both mental and physical.
As to close this editorial, we send our greetings to all the comrades out there, wherever they are, in whatever situation they might be.
July 2014
Table of content
4 – Brazil – Sleepless nights and starry skies
8 – Brazil – International call for sabotage against the World Cup
9 – Germany – Hamburg : a cage called city
11 – Ukrain – Some thoughts on the Ukrainian revolution
14 – Belgium – No television, no phone, no radio for the voters
16 – Greece – The question of dignity
21 – Spain – Some notes on the eviction of Can Vies and what followed
23 – Sweden – Social tension and anarchist intervention in Sweden
26 – Mexico – About the arrests of three anarchists in Mexico
28 – Mexico – About the repressive attack in Mexico
31 – Argentina – After the eviction of La Grieta & Los Libros de la Esquina
33 – Chile – The democratic inquistion: the Security Case
38 – Uruguay – Two more steps forwards comrades
40 – Syria – Who wants to kill the revolution in Syria?
42 – Syria – About the revolution in Syria
46 – Portugal – António Ferreira de Jesus : In remembrance of an indomitable
50 – Italy – Politics or ethics ?
