Thread: From the other side. Isn't that why they call it anarchy.LOL

Hey all. Nice work yesterday.

I just wanted to come and be honest about one of the things that
bothered
me about yesterday. I feel like Second Line (the 10 piece brass band
that
showed up for us) was really marginalized.

First of all, they should have been at the front of the march, instead
the
angry punk kids just took off leaving most of us in the dust. Then they
marched way too fast for a marching band to possibly keep up.

Then nobody even acknowledged Second Line at the end of the march
instead
we just rushed back to the microphone to all say the same things that
had
been said before, all the while pushing the names and agendas of our
specific organizations. To me, this is not what May Day is about.

It wouldn't have killed us all to stand around the band and at least
clap
for them if we didn't feel comfortable dancing (though i would
encourage
everybody to resist the thinking/observer culture that stops us from
dancing/being/celebrating as a community in public places).

Then to top it all off, i didn't see one person walk over to the band
and
say "thank you for coming and playing for us. Happy May Day." It is a
holiday after all. It would have been nice to be more celebratory. That
was why I invited the brass band, because they have a long standing
tradition of playing in the streets for the people, as they don't
require
stages or amplification.

[Another thing, I found interesting was that one Eastern European man
on
the street saw all the flags and people yelling in black and red and he
said he was having flashbacks to when the communists came through his
town
and took over. Do we want to keep role playing with history or do we
want
to adjust to this world, this public and not cover our faces and tote
colors that are synonymous with the devil in this country? I formally
propose that the anarchists change our colors to Purple, or how about
flags with big suns on them? or Brendan suggested a light blue flag
with a
nice green tree on it, if we have to have any stupid flags at all. Can
we
all just take a moment to acknowledge the giant soviet flag that was in
our midst yesterday? To those of you who aren't anarchists on this
list, I
apologize for the rant. For those of you who are, let's think about the
way we appear and how it might seem alienating to a lot of people.]

What I'm really asking for in this email is for people to please please
please write an email to John Bell asking him to forward your thanks on
to
the rest of the band (The Second Line and Social Aid Pleasure Society
Brass Band). PLEASE PLEASE do this for me. John Bell was my teacher and
mentor and I was horribly embarrassed by our behavior yesterday. his
email
is john.bell.puppeteer@gmail.com.

I don't mean to negate all the energy and great work that went on at
the
bandstand prior to the march. All you people rock and I love you.

with love and rage,
maryann

Then to top it all off, i didn't see one person walk over to the band
and
say "thank you for coming and playing for us. Happy May Day." It is a
holiday after all.

May Day, Law Day, Immigration Day.....I'm confused...a holiday or a political march? Brass bands or Mexican bands? Pagen, political....I'm so confused...... March or a picnic in the park with vendors and balloons? Then to think the world is confused as well........offended too.,,,no one knows what's going on anymore!

Another thing, I found interesting was that one Eastern European man
on
the street saw all the flags and people yelling in black and red and he
said he was having flashbacks to when the communists came through his
town
and took over. Do we want to keep role playing with history or do we
want
to adjust to this world, this public and not cover our faces and tote
colors that are synonymous with the devil in this country?


YA THINK


I formally
propose that the anarchists change our colors to Purple, or how about
flags with big suns on them? or Brendan suggested a light blue flag
with a
nice green tree on it, if we have to have any stupid flags at all. Can
we
all just take a moment to acknowledge the giant soviet flag that was in
our midst yesterday?


Ya I'd like to see you do that.

one Eastern European man
on
the street saw all the flags and people yelling in black and red and he
said he was having flashbacks to when the communists came through his
town

One can find trouble if you look hard enough to find it.