I do not think it is a good idea to try to distance ourselves from the anarchist as such. Most of the people who participate in protests as anarchists are young people who nearly by definition are rebels. While I certainly do not think peace organizations and activist should condone or participate in property damage tactics, I also do not think we should feed into the idea that these actions are unreasonable and terroristic. Most of us understand why there is a violent resistance in occupied lands. We seem to be able to explain that violence easily. Certainly we can understand and explain youthful exuberance and how youth sometime choose to express themselves. These are not excuses for property damage, but let us put it in perspective and look at how these incidents are used to divide us and diminish our message.
Almost every year college age youth riot as a result of getting drunk over spring break or winning a National Sport’s Championship. They turnover cars and trashcans, set things on fire and participate in other forms of property damage. See the link below of a 2004 CNN article that talks about some of the historical and psychological reasons behind student rioting. One line from the piece reads, “Some experts think rioting is just the latest wacky behavior to spread through the higher education circuit.”
These mini rampages are reported, but never framed as security threats in the same way as the anarchist who are usually less violent and certainly less random in their targeting.
CNNhttp://www.cnn.com/2004/EDUCATION/02/26/life.rioting.reut/index.html
An example of this sport’s rioting which while not condoned; the youth are not demonized, happened last October when Penn State defeated Ohio State 13-6. Here is a link to a news account and a video to give an idea of the magnitude and temperament of the rioters.
News Article http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1148300/penn_state_riot_follows_huge_win_at.html?cat=14
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOO3f4tDSxU
I think it is interesting that these riots come and go with little commentary and like the news article said, “will quickly be forgotten…” but youth making a political statement and acting on their beliefs are labeled as criminals and a large police presences is assembled and used to intimidate them and activist like me into submission. The anarchist are resisting many of the same things activist like me are working to end and I find myself in conversations with activist like me discussing the anarchist and their "bad behavior" rather than developing ways to connect with them and uplift our similar messages.
As a veteran of the military when I look at these young people committing property damage I can see that their activities are almost harmless. I am not aware of any deaths as a result of their property damage. The damage cost money, yet it is a fraction of the cost spent by the cities to bring thousands of cops to town as a show of force which escalates the tensions between the anarchist who want to defy authority and the system that wants to assert its authority. Both have some responsibility in the riotous outcome. However, as a vet, most obvious is the violent activity of war fighting the same authority figures would ask these young men and women anarchist to participate in to “serve their country.” When I was the age of the average young person running around Pittsburgh at the G-20 with a bandana covering their face, I was running around the woods with camouflage on my face, holding a M16A1 rifle and training to kill people. Many members of VFP were either in the jungles of Vietnam, the cities of Iraq or the mountains and wadis of Afghanistan killing people. The property damage I contributed to in the 1
st Gulf War and the lives I helped take are OK to this system that tells the citizens of Pittsburgh to fear the anarchist youth. It is hard for me to be mad at the youth or distance myself from them politically after having committed my sins.
They beat the Blacks and I did not speak out because I am not Black.
They beat the Gays and I did not speak out because I am not Gay.
They beat the pro-choice activist and I did not speak out because I am not a woman.
They beat the youth and I did not speak out because I am not an anarchist.
They beat the peace activist and I did not speak out because I could not. They broke my jaw, punctured my lung, bashed my head and I can speak no more.
