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Considerations of the Anarkismo network about the accusations against ... 23 comments Comunicato di Anarkismo sulle accuse di AK Press contro Michael Schmid... 0 comments Statement from Anarkismo on the AK Press accusations against Michael S... 24 comments Recent Articles about International Anarchist movementAnarchists in Rojava: Revolution is a struggle in itself Oct 04 23 An Attempted Marxist-Anarchist Dialogue Oct 03 23 A Guide to Anarcho-Syndicalism and Libertarian Socialism Aug 03 23 Anarchism, Ethics and Justice: The Michael Schmidt Case
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Thursday June 22, 2017 23:55 by Anarkismo Network
Anarkismo network framework for international Ethics Commission and statement on convening it
When we have to deal with disagreements, conflicts and faults, these problems must be solved with a justice that is based on our libertarian ethical values. What does this concretely mean? That we have to hear all the parties involved and make sure to provide physical and psychological protection too all, especially if someone has – at least presumably – been hurt. In cases of sexual violence – for instance – we should not reproduce the bias of bourgeois patriarchal so-called “justice” that too frequently isolates (female) survivors and dismisses their feelings and words. It means that we have to establish means to examine the different positions and eliminate any doubts. That we have to have democratic and collective processes to deal with that and to take decisions and make recommendations. And, mainly, that we must first try to reeducate people instead of punishing or isolating them. Not that in some cases punishment or isolation couldn’t be the only solution, but, at least, we have to make (re)education a priority over punishment and isolation, which should be last resorts.
To deal with these problems within our movement instances of ethical justice that aim to resolve major disagreements, conflicts and faults are necessary. These instance, such as an “ethics commission” for example, could be convened and articulated whenever one or more militants within our movement or organizations identify a problem of this kind and ask formally for the establishment of a commission. The establishment of a commission (or the denial) would be the result of a collective decision made by the deliberative and decision-making bodies of the respective organizations. If a commission is established, then a certain number of militants not involved with the case could be mandated to constitute the commission and be given a deadline to listen to the different parties involved, to develop positions, eliminate doubts and then to produce a written document with a position and recommendations to the respective organization.
ANARCHISM, ETHICS AND JUSTICE: THE MICHAEL SCHMIDT CASE |
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[Português] [Castellano] Create a Strong People Apr 25 3 comments To begin the discussion on popular power it is important to return to the idea of a strategy of social transformation, since our political practice, as anarchists, is what could point toward this transformation. Anarchism, Power, Class and Social Change Feb 17 0 comments The theoretical elements and historical experiences discussed undergird the theses developed throughout this article. Anarchists have a conception of power and a general project around it that forms their conception of class, understood in relation to a certain type of power (domination), and constitutes the foundation of their notion of social change, which is characterized by: their belief in the capacity for action of the subjects that are part of the distinct oppressed classes, their implication in the transformation of that capacity into social force, their commitment to permanent growth of this force, and their defense of a revolutionary process that allows for overcoming enemy forces and replacing the power of domination over society by a self-managing power. more >>International Anarchist Statement for the First of May, 2022 May 03 15 comments 1st of May, 1886! 136 years ago today, the American working class created a priceless experience for the upcoming struggles of the working classes of the whole world by saying “this fight is our last fight!”. It remains a victory till our time. The demand of “8 hours for work, 8 hours for sleep, 8 hours for whatever we want” to replace the 16 hours of work and the assaults of capitalism which targeted the lives of the working classes then in the 19th century turned into a general strike in America. General strike has been one of the most significant weapons of the anarchist action as an earning to the history of the class struggle. For anarchists, the struggle for 8 hours has never been seen as a simple request for reform. Anarchists fought to replace it with a social revolution, with the claim that “Regardless of our working time, whether it be 2 hours or 8 hours, it is slavery if we work for bosses”. [Castellano] 65 years of the FAU Oct 29 0 comments We recognise the FAU's contributions to the libertarian movement and the sacrifice of comrades past and present. We send our congratulations on the 65th anniversary of the FAU. In solidarity with the struggle for freedom and socialism, the undersigned Anarchist-Communist groups of Oceania. Recent publications and new editions from Zabalaza Books Jun 20 0 comments Over the past 18 months Zabalaza Books has published over two dozen new publications or new editions of previous publications, all of which can be read online or downloaded in PDF format from the Zabalaza Books website. Read the full list of titles and overviews of their contents, with links to the full texts, below. Launch statement of the Latin American Anarchist Coordination (CALA) Dec 17 CALA 0 comments After a series of meetings and instances, anarchist political organizations in Latin America have decided to relaunch the Latin American Anarchist Coordination (CALA), within the framework of this complex political and social context that our continent is living through. We, anarchists and libertarian communists in the class struggle in capitalist Europe Dec 11 AL/FdCA-AL-CGA-LSF-OSL-WSM 1 comments The European organizations which are part of the Anarkismo network met on the 18th and 19th of November in Genoa. We discussed and exchanged, thought and reflected together, attempting as a network to plan a strategy for forward movement.
Delegations from Wales, France, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland - with a warm solidarity statement from our Catalan comrades of Embat - expressed the need to clarify and deepen our common work. |
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Kommentare (39 de 39)
Spring zu Komment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39l would like to ask the Anarkismo network to stop making provocations by using terms like "renovated" lnternational Workers Association. There is no such thing, despite some people's fantasies.
Written totally in personal capacity,
The essence of what I wrote on my FB page.
Those organizations the network is seeking to have on a commission reflect a certain political view, making it subject to a certain non-objectivity. Also the implication that anyone not affiliated with the listed organizations,are marginal or hostile. I am not offended that the organization I belong to is not invited to participate, for I would vote against our participation.
The anarkismo network, many of you who I have liked and have worked should really have the fortitude to sit in judgement on your own former member. Now its suggested that others own what really is an internal network matter in some ways. MS is not the property of the movement, was never a "leader" or elected spokesperson in your tendency (other than a then respected author).
Perhaps there are greater things here that I am missing. But MS made grave and serious errors, fooled people, harmed his co-author's reputation, embarrassed your international tendency and the local organization specifically and somehow a commission of a selected portion of the movement will now act to protect the reputation of the tendency and, basically, validating what the Institute for Anarchist Theory and History (ITHA-IATH) has already laid out and, essentially, endorsed by the network.
Ethics are pretty simple: You don't lie, you don't fool your comrades and act in ways harmful to the organization and the movement.
In spite of my own political disagreements with the views of some in your network,I am sorry that your tendency has had to endure the negativity that a former tendency
member and noted author brought upon it. Sadly, no tendency or organization is immune from the possibilities of a member or members going astray and into some verboten
areas. In this regard, no one should say its because of any ideological deficiencies of your tendency. But it is also a shame that your tendency has to find cover behind the findings of others rather than endorse the findings or develop your own parallel the findings of the Institute for Anarchist Theory and History (ITHA-IATH).
I suspect this will not be well received and expect incoming fire. It is said from someone who understands the frustrations of rogue members. Of having your principles questioned.
But sometimes ya just gotta say what ya feel and let the chips fall where they may.
I think, that it is absolutely necessary for the commission or at least for zwo or three members of the commission (if the commission wants to be a serious commission) to travel to South Africa and to question and to talk with Michael and all available witnesses personally.
Furthermore the members of the commission need to have a special knowledge: at least a basic knowledge of psychology and even of forensic psychology.
The main question, I think, is: Did Michael really change? Did he really abjured outwardly (and on all the main social platforms) and inwardly all that nazi-shit? Does he really remains “a committed revolutionary anarchist, and as such a firm anti-fascist and anti-racist”?
__________
And / but / don't you think:
"Ethics are pretty simple: You don't lie, you don't fool your comrades and act in ways harmful to the organization and the movement." Mike Harris ( - with some other important points)
__________
And by the way :-) For all with nazi-tattoos: How to Remove a Permanent Tattoo:
http://www.fashionlady.in/how-to-remove-a-permanent-tat...24700
Within the past two years it has been near impossible to convince some people and organizations of the blindingly obvious fascism, racism, sexism, homophobia etc etc etc displayed by Michael Schmidt in his personas as strandwolf, karelianblue, ardent vinlander, feyd saif'ulisaan and francois le sueur. Those trying desperately to point out the obvious have been verbally/digitally attacked and threatened personally and professionally, when there are mountains of evidence that goes well beyond just the Ross-Stephens articles.
Outside of these clique groups (mostly platformist), some of which are forming this commission, there's no controversy. Arts Everywhere pulled Schmidt's article that was oh-so-sad about "the rise of right-populism and neo-fascism" as soon as they saw the blatant fascism, racism, years of lies and deceit -
https://web.archive.org/web/20170421031109/http://artse...ness/
Others it seems are trying to salvage Black Flame Part 2 which Schmidt promises to write alone as his coauthor (and former online defender as alias redblackwritings) Lucien Vanderwalt has finally denounced him publicly and even leaked Schmidt's admittance of far-right politics.
What more is there to say?
If this comission keeps alive the fact that Schmidt is a racist bigot and keeps his trangressions in the public eye, or at least in left circles, then that's good. So I applaud it for that reason, so that other groups like Arts Everywhere don't accidently fall in with a far-right racist infiltrator [an admitted one!]
Anarkismo must eventually face its own disgusting coverup and damage control for Schmidt. They should start by admitting that they have been censoring all comment sections in Anarkismo.net if you are too critical of Schmidt in the "wrong direction" for the "objective" network. Plenty of evidence of that in the web archive.org or archive.is and in libcom threads.
Worse, don't even try to criticize the ZACF statement that blamed the people who outed Schmidt and not Schmidt himself. Can't wait to see the new ZACF statement on the statement of the comission in 2020 or so, probably ghostwritten by Lucien Vanderwalt under a new alias that's not so obvious as redblackwritings.
Well anyway maybe Schmidt will try and put a stop to this commision, which I again applaud because it will put the spotlight back on his fascist activities [which continue? we need a few good people willing to delve into the deep shit of Stormfront again and see if Schmidt's hand is caught in the Boer white-nationalist cookie jar again]. Schmidt must recognize that the more statements like this come out the worse he will look even if his defenders are really really trying to defend his future tome Black Flame 2, the solo edition.
Schmidt's currently in pretty serious isolation and he's been kicked out of all orgs hes associated with [and most of the groups he's founded are dissolved]. His resume/blog is a current joke with all the *former asterisks by former comrades he's lied to, hurt, embarrassed.
All of this isolation is seemingly fostering Schmidts move into streamofconsciousness writing and remixing of all his creative output, even drawings and photos and paintings. Maybe like past fascist sympathizers during the rise of the Third Reich we can try to appreciate him for the tortured soul expressed through his art.
Schmidt has promised half a dozen books this year alone so who knows what will happen with his output, but any person or group treating him like an accepted anarchist historian [let alone backing Black Flame part II] should raise alarm bells.
He's done. Get over it and don't waste our time. His defenders should muster up the courage for apologies if you can get past your egos. Those that cant will waste time on this commission I guess.
I am already starting to see a disturbing trend resurface, where the very people who exposed the bigotry of Michael "Strandwolf" Schmidt are being criticized as racists, seemingly because they didn't do an in-depth analysis of the ZACF and interview every member. We'll see if there's any similar standard here with this commission, but I bet they won't even interview Schmidt, which is crucial if they're serious about the methods they purport above (an insane waste of energy, as it were).
I'm reminded of my comments from last year, when Schmidt's public exposure as a white nationalist organizer was already nearly a year old. Those who knew about him privately holding these beliefs and engaging in these activities, for perhaps a decade, are what concern me. Substitute Anarkismo for ZACF if you'd like, below.
https://anarkismo.net/article/29047
Also I am now backing up this comment since there has definitely been Anarkismo censorship of comments in the past.
are there legal precedents? can we learn from past cases?
First, if an investigation is ever to be done, it should be done in a timely manner. The long wait and some antics in-between (like LVdW troll account to support MS) has lead a lot of people to suspect this was something that people did not want to deal with or that some people were in denial and too afraid to stake their reputations on the line.
What needs to be done, is to make a close examination of where racist and even fascist ideas can be smuggled past anarchists and to learn from this.
Another thing which we all need is more reflection on how various problematic ideas and behaviour is enabled in the anarchist movement by tendencies to put the problem on those pointing it out, rather than confronting it head-on. Needless to say, people in positions of some "authority" are usually not held to the standards they should be.
I agree with the sentiments of Mike Harris above and you would do well to heed his advice. You won't.
You lost control of this whole thing and this is an attempt to make others clean your mess, perhaps "rehabilitate" Strandwolf Karelianblue Schmidt. This is damage control of the worse kind and I can say neither me or the Wobblies I know won't be helping you out.
At worst it looks like you may be trying to out the anonymous sources. Who the fuck cares who they are, you have the evidence. There should be ZERO trust that Anarkismo will keep source identity confidential, especially given past leaked statements and the general dysfunction. Thats before I mention that LVdW just leaked the ITHA-IATH letter where Schmidt confesses to his love affair with fascism, or that LVdW went undercover in the dumbest way possible in Reddit and Libcom forums to defend his buddy and was exposed.
Anarkismo only even began to take up this issue again in the past few months with your weak statements because of the action of outside people and groups. That coincided with the snail's pace of your action nicely,, of course, and correlates well with the years of ZACF inaction over Schmidt and the notorious "blacks better follow white orders" memo and meetings.
If anything has been learned from this "case" or "affair" it's that platformists are worse than a cartoon pastiche when confronted with a minor problem. Everyone will say "don't knock platformists over this" but that is the tendency that tells everyone else that they know how to act and act well, betetr than all those "amateurs and little a anarchists" with all kinds of supposedly better strategies and protocols. Worse, platformists spend considerable time and energy scrutinizing the success or failure of other movements, analyzing and reanalyzing in the most verbose and tedious manner, ideologically categorizing them, and even rating them on their merit, proselytizing their success, or lamenting the damage they caused to "the historical Anarchist movement". Of course this is reflected on the history Black Flame and I can only assume this new sequel that "let's necklace the kaffirs" Schmidt is working on alone.
Yet, one covert fash in the mix and the whole thing is a embarrassing ordeal and an insurmountable task for "the platform" to boot him the fuck out. Cue thousands and thousands of words in statements that circle around the real issues and gloss over the actual content of the "case" (has there been a single piece of the actual evidence against Schmidt such as the Karelianblue posts discussed on/by Anarkismo network??)
I wish it was all a joke but it doesn't make me laugh. As Mike Harris warns above, many will share my anger.
All this "commission" will prove is that you can't take decisive action even when others have given you avenues to put this "case" behind you by already making clear and concise statements and presenting the evidence. Even if you crybabies don't appreciate the way it was presented and want to use this 'commission report" to take one last jab at ARR/JS and AK Press.
But let's not scrutinize platformists. Or Anarkismo, the largest and most well known modern network of them. No. Verboten.
there is more about the story of this shameful affair but here is the primary evidence that exposed Michael Schmidt as anarcho-fascist
ZACF memo -
http://www.pdf-archive.com/2015/10/12/schmidt-memo/schm...o.pdf
Stormfront posts 1 -
https://www.pdf-archive.com/2017/06/28/michael-schmidt-...0.pdf
Stormfront posts 2 -
https://www.pdf-archive.com/2017/06/28/michael-schmidt-...1.pdf
Black Battlefront blog -
https://www.pdf-archive.com/2016/01/26/michael-schmidt-...t.pdf
Creed full text updated w/ new links -
https://pastebin.com/0LdDFNkr
Backups of the Stormfront posts available on Riseup.net temporarily since they keep being taken down due to the fact that they are neo Nazi wretched vomit
https://share.riseup.net/#xonUVXXOyyXFfVVId0tfiA
https://share.riseup.net/#d3382j435qzkUdN1PJySYQ
right, glad to see these screenshots up again which had disappeared from the Net. Disgusting stuff. There's no doubt Schmidt was clearly white nationalist after reading it. This discussion has gotten so far from the evidence that we need to again focus on it.
Notable is his discussion of pride in his Nazi tattoo as important part of his heritage. A description of the other tatts along similar lines.
Something not often mentioned -- Schmidt was clearly trying to date and pick up neo-nazi women.
A few new screenshots in the collection as well, stuff not in the Ross-Stephens pieces.
i will assume anarkismo has contact info that is current or networks through Van der Walt, ZACF, IATH.
if not, here's information that is publicly available and promoted by ProJourn on their twitter
https://twitter.com/search?f=tweets&q=projourn%20michae...hmidt
michael.schmidt@riseup.net 0823346665
director@iaj.org.za 0114841765
hotrodvampire@live.com
p.s. --
https://twitter.com/ProJourn/status/707908451083685889
I know it's not popular to point this out in Anarkismo forums but the simplest explanation here suffices. All these anointed 7 need do is read the evidence.. if they tell me MS isn't deeply invested in White Power, I know a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell them.
If you asked experienced antifa organizers to weigh in they'd tell you the difference between actual undercover work in nazi circles and MS White Power antics. Wait, some of them did! And bashed for "judging"! Conveniently excluded from polite Anarkismo.
Use some common sense. MS responses in past two years are more convoluted than the worst 9/11 conspiracies. He muddied the waters, buries excuses in long resumes, admitted to some of it so he doesn't have to admit to all of it and hides behind vague and mercurial health diagnoses. The man is obviously trying to salvage a career.. while he writes the next, cough, definitive anarchist history, you go find 7 fools to waste time on transformative justice.
these guys are smarter than everyone else and have disdain for the common man. ask anyone who has had personal interaction with them or any substantive conversation.
now these guys will pick seven other guys to be smarter than everyone else too so that it looks like democracy. cool!
Currently, in my city, we are in the middle of a farce of a government commission, which bears some things in common with this idea and can be pointed out as a warning to people. The government commission here has a "social council" which is meant to convince people that everything has been consulted with social activists. This council was appointed by the decision of the commission in such a way that they included politicians from their own party (including the chairman of the council) and mainly people who are not critical or somehow in a pact with that party. ln order to ensure that other people would not be delegated to this "social council", the organizations that these members supposedly represent were (with only one exception) not informed about the choices of members from their organizations and the chosen members were told not to tell anybody. Further, they have signed confidentiality clauses, meaning they cannot discuss their work and decisions with the organizations they represent. So yesterday one woman from one of those organizations came to our protest and was yelling at a member of the council from her organization (that nobody had delegated) to leave the said commission.
ln my opinion, those from this network are also using other organizations instrumentally, to try to legitimize their own inability to effectively deal with the situation. Having probably chosen organizations they have sympathizers in, or members, there is no indication that the actual organizations themselves would have to delegate members and approve the conclusions of their delegates. And, in fact, it would be rather unlikely that any organization with thousands of members would in fact do that, especially given the fact that some have weak tendencies in terms of their abilities to control delegated people.
This is therefore partly dishonest because instead of just soliciting individuals, the inclusion of named organizations will be manipulated in the revisionists' history to incline people to believe that this matter was dealt with by the "broad movement" when in fact, they propose it be decided by 7 individuals.
The way to deal with this in an organizational way would be for those who may or may not want to support such a commission to petition their organization (if it has been named), for a collective response, rather than an individual one. Then, if anybody does decide to participate, then at least it is with the approval and hopefully mandate of the organization and hopefully the conclusions will be subject to larger approval. The same if these organizations do not want to participate as such, then they should clearly indicate this to their membership, indicating that whatever people do in personal capacity remains as such.
Yes, Mousekitty, that is absolutely correct: "If you asked experienced antifa organizers to weigh in they'd tell you the difference between actual undercover work in nazi circles and MS White Power antics ... "
For sure MS was a NAZI - WE PROOFED IT. POINT! My theory is that he became a NAZI a long time before Karelian-Strandwolf - and Karelian-Strandwolf was just the point or phase of culmination (but that would be too much here).
So again: The main question NOW, I think, is: Did Michael really change? Did he really abjured outwardly (and on all the main social platforms) and inwardly all that NAZI-shit? Did he send honest excuses to the affected comrades and organizations? Does he really remains “a committed revolutionary anarchist, and as such a firm anti-fascist and anti-racist”?
And again: The commission have to meet MS and all the witnesses personally - otherwise it is NOT a commission!
AND: The commission should publish an e-mail address because me, and I am sure also other comrades, would like to send some confidential proposals regarding the procedure of the commission.
I forgot to say: A COMMISSION IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED - for both sides - and the sooner the better. Without a serious commission and a judgement some people could justly always - inter alia - say: Well, still word against word.
And if a judgement will be passed by the commission without a personal hearing of MS and the witnesses (which takes for sure some days or even two or three weeks) ... oh, boy ... I don't want to think about the consequences and the angry commentaries.
As usual, Laure Akai brings sensible critiques to the table which will of course be roundly ignored.
This proposed commission, though some involved I'm sure have good intentions, is a triumph of bureaucratic process over ethical action (at best) and PR stunt, damage control, spreading out guilt (at worst). Mix in criticism of those who exposed Schmidt and some whining about the way they went about it.
Don't pretend Anarkismo speaks for a movement or drag anyone else into this. You could have put this whole thing behind you and gotten back to the real work at least a year ago, if not two.
To some, this whole affair will always be "word against word", there's no getting around it. Just make a strong principled statement reaffirming the IATH-ITHA statement and pull Schmidt's articles, like other groups have done.
Better yet, make sure to say that you don't endorse Schmidt's histories of anarchism, ask that others have a critical lens when reading them with Schmidt's duplicity in mind, and denounce "Wildfire" (the long proposed sequel to Black Flame known as "Global Fire - Counter Power part 2" for a long time). The actions of Schmidt, before and after being outed as white nationalist, certainly posit him as the wrong author for a sweeping international history of anarchism. I really hope everyone at Anarkismo can at least agree on that.
Anarkismo's reputation has been hurt, by the actions of both Black Flame authors. Lucien has apologized and made clear statements, two or three times now (though there is some clever dodging of fact and blurring of the timeline in those apologies). Anarkismo needs to lick its wounds and move on, but also not pretend that those wounds aren't real, or that there weren't a series of mistakes made (ratehr like a train wreck in veeeery slow motion).
mschmidt@frayintermedia.com
michael.schmidt@riseup.net
Mobile: +27(0)82-334-6665
Twitter: @ProJourn
Skype: chernoznamentsi
Street: Ground Floor, 1 Richmond Forum, Cedar Street, Richmond, Johannesburg Post: PO Box 2544 Houghton, South Africa, 2041
Tel: +27(0)11-482-4990/1/2/3
Fax: +27(0)11-482-8216
Mobile: +27(0)82-334-6665
Twitter: @ProJourn
Skype: chernoznamentsi
Web: http://projourn.yolasite.com
So, regardless of whether there is a commission or not, MS will seemingly still publish on anarchism and related subjects.
I suspect there will be no anarchist publishers publishing their stuff, perhaps academic or commercial. Seeing the topics
they are writing on, there will probably be a market for them. A question will always be, how to deal with this new publishing
in the name of anarchism? Ultimately this is one of the real shames and pities of his traveling into and landing on the
verboten planet. A skilled and talented writer who manipulated others, who lied directly to his comrades, will tarnish
all of his reputation and good writings skills. Pity. But that's the card game he chose to play.
In reply to Mike Harris, I think Schmidt will get multiple anarchist histories published and translated, since he's been able to keep publishers in his camp. His output speed and range of his work, in multiple styles and mediums, impresses people and is good for business.
HSRC/Best Red is Schmidt's main publisher and they have a close relationship with ProJourn, where he is the Admin Secretary, and PEN South Africa, where Schmidt is a member and article contributor (showcasing his own work and activities).
These three groups have a lot invested in Schmidt and have stood by him after multiple people were directly contacted with the "Schmidt affair" statements, articles, and evidence. Even though his academic contacts at Duke University denounced him after finding out about Strandwolf/Karelianblue, it seems Schmidt may still be one of the ProJourn members traveling to their media conference in August, and he regularly represents journalists and refugees at other conferences and speaking events and on South African radio shows. And then there are video, music, and art projects Schmidt is a part of, usually with an anti-racist or even explicitly socialist or anarchist theme.
Schmidt just won ANFASA grant money for his "Death Flight" book. I assume it will be published on HSRC/Best Red.
His books sell well for them and are favorably reviewed, though they contain Boer-nationalist romanticism. "Bitter Almonds" was reviewed in The Sunday Times, South Africa's largest paper, with four-out-of-five stars. Deon Maas is translating "Bitter Almonds" into Afrikaans. Again I assume for HSRC/Best Red.
On "Black Flame", "Wildfire" (Global Fire/Black Flame 2), translations....
Schmidt: "With Black Flame already published in English and German and with Spanish and French in the pipeline, and Cartography already published in French and English, there are more translations on the horizon: discussions have been held over the translation of Black Flame into Chinese and Greek, with offers for Polish and Serbo-Croat received and debate about a possible Arabic edition; preparations are under way for the translation of Cartography into Spanish and Arabic, with offers for Portuguese, Farsi and Amazigh (Berber) received, and discussions begun on a possible Japanese edition; and meanwhile, I am looking at getting Drinking With Ghosts and A Taste of Bitter Almonds translated into Afrikaans and possibly Zulu or Tswana. So stay tuned to this blog for more news in the new year!"
Schmidt initially claimed that Lux Editeur had supported his version(s) of events, but then had to retract the statement.
Schmidt: "I've been asked to clarify that my Canadian publishers, Lux Editeur, have not taken a position for me and against my accusers, but have rather decided, after examining all the evidence on both sides, that although they have concerns about my past actions, they will not involve themselves in the debate, but will continue to distribute the French-language edition of Cartography of Revolutionary Anarchism. I apologise for misinterpreting their position. Meanwhile, I have just completed the extensive rewrite of Cartography (longer by 11,000 words) with the aim being its publication in Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic."
Curiously, his work has been spread by nationalist/Zionist groups like the SAJBD, who have been contacted multiple times about his anti-semitism/fascism, with no response.
Also: Hi, Michael Schmidt! I know you're following this thread, as in the past. There are activists who have not forgotten or forgiven you. We see you hiding your bigotry behind a "gritty journalist" persona.
I neglected to mention that Black Flame is now only in print as Schwarze Flamme, published by Edition Nautilus. It remains to be seen if the planned French translation for Lux Editeur will surface.
The pre-WWII Vietnamese Anarchist Movement
An extract from my forthcoming thousand-plus-page book, Wildfire: Global Anarchist Ideological and Organisational Lineages.
double game
Mike Harris: "A question will always be, how to deal with this new publishing in the name of anarchism?"
MS is in quarantine now until we have a judgement of a commission. Is MS still a NAZI or not?, is he paying a double game or not? - until we don't have answers for these questions we can't read or buy anything of MS. We just can tell every publisher, organization and comrade that: MS is in quarantine now and that there is a pending "legal proceeding".
Sh... Correction: ... is he PLAYING a double game or not? ...
you guys want to 'reeducate' him.. what a farce. fool me once..
Dear Anarkismo!
Could you PLEASE choose a (provisional) spokesperson who can communicate with us and answer our questions and let us know from time to time what is going on with the commission?!
Thank you very much!
Commission is about closed door discussion for spin. How can we save our asses and our rep. How can we pretend we followed process. What the hell do we do with one of our prolific writers and his books. Etc.
attorney -- don't expect a spokesperson and input from the outside. if their reading this comments section they think we're all asshole trolls not worth listening.
The reference to Azef Affair is appropriate. Worth remembering that the people Azef fooled later described him as having a monstrous appearance, as a way for his comrades to somewhat absolve them of guilt ("I always knew he was bad apple" and so on). This commission report will serve a similar purpose? Perhaps a ineffective Court of Honor is a good idea here as well, allowing accused to escape.
I think that there are a lot of nice guys at Anarkismo.
But they have not only a transparency problem, IANAL, they have also (in general) a serious communication problem.
But the biggest mistake would be: not to call for proposals regarding the procedure of the commission - which can not be shared with the public. There are lot of experienced and wise comrades out there - and not asking for their opinions and advices would be ignorant and negligent.
Mr. Attorney,
lt is clear that when there are problems in some organization, there might have to be a commission of sorts to investigate and having been seen how this can work, you are correct, there should be a process (which should be transparent). I would suggest that the nice guys from Anarkismo network actually think about what this process could be, in the unfortunate case more of their nice people or associates turn out to be flirting with fascists or involved in other unspeakable behaviour.
However in this case, l personally do not think any commission is necessary. Everybody knows, by this time, what this guy was up to. In terms of “ethics” it seems that the most ethical thing would be to just let people decide what conclusions they want to draw from it, or how they would like to treat Mr. Schmidt.
Obviously, we could talk a lot about concepts of anarchist justice, but we could also talk about taking clear stands to distance ourselves from certain behaviour. It seems to me that a lot of folks think he has crossed a line and have no interest in the character. Anarkismo network should just decide for itself and take responsibility for its decisions, instead of looking for people who will help them to justify something.
What I suspect the worst thing about the whole matter is that this is not just some guy who was part of some group, but a person who wants to be one of the major historians, presenting a collective history to the world and being recognized as one of its spokespersons. Already, this activity was criticized by many different anarchists, for example, for its attempts to put various nationalists and so on into the anarchist history, but remove others which are not to the liking of this strain of anarchist. It seems to me that one of the main purposes of the attempts at rehabilitation are aimed at the continued project of revising anarchist history in the direction desired by this network.
Aka writes
Yes, this is something I earlier hinted at.
Unless there is really compelling stuff that has not come forward, MS, the former comrade to many, is just that, a former comrade. By him going into areas of known verboten activities, by him putting his comrades at jeopardy, he has forfeited any claims he may have once had. Like I said, unless there is something immediately compelling that can be placed before the world community, the best we can do is boycott his future printed works and make statements condemning his verboten activities.
The said, MS will rub his publishing in our faces until such time as he is totally clean or totally discredited, with or without a commission. I think many people, myself included, gave him the benefit of the doubt, but his own explanation and weird intervals of punishing inter-racial photos, etc (s for show) have convinced some of us that something really sour happened to the milk.
Mrs. Clara B. Attorney (ABC Hamburg), Mrs. Akai!
so what will we do about it? we need to go back to our networks at least and ask for fresh statements, denouncement of author and BF part 2.
https://attackthesystem.com/2011/06/28/a-reply-to-matth...logy/
a warning:
https://attackthesystem.com/2015/10/22/upcoming-appeara...tics/
https://www.pdf-archive.com/2017/07/10/2014-01-22-namib...ront/
The comment titled "ZACF member original interview for commission" published under the name of "ZACF" was removed at the request of the comrade who wrote the text. He never gave permission for it to be posted publicly (although it would have been made available to the commission without whoever posted it at Anarkismo.net having done so without consulting the author), as it contains many personal and painful details about his life. Also, it was posted by someone misrepresenting themselves as the ZACF, and not by, or mandated by, the ZACF. These actions are abuses of the forum, and sadly, not new. Lastly, posting material that contains names, places and personal details could create a serious security risk for people in repressive environments.