The Unsafe Space Policy

[p4r4d0x]

I completely thought this thread was about how close you let someone you don't know get to before ideas of different ways to judo flip them if they try to bust a move on you starts crossing your mind.

I am disappoint.

Sorry to derail.

 

[Margin Walker]

Thumbs down to nearly everything about this thread. Fuuuuuuck.

 

[Margin Walker]

How about this: wherever you may be, check your privilege, check your entitlement, check your behavior and language, be conscious of power dynamics, recognize the cultural and societal context in which you/we inhabit, and put your politics into practice.

How about not perpetuating idiotic macho bullshit and marginalization of already systemically subjugated people by "letting slip" queerphobic, racist, or misogynistic (etc.) epithets? Getting this defensive about being called out or ostracized for perpetuating social inequity and oppression and fumbling through witless arguments against political correctness instead of owning up to your short-comings is ignoble.

Don't attach yourself to anarchism or punk if you're gonna pose so hard. It's embarrassing. Try to be a little more consistent.

 

[Thrasymachus]

Most of the shit that anarchists do is about coming together as a group and being what they consider anarchists together. I hate capitalism, and the state, but I don't want to deal with anarchists as a group, because it is not useful. Could you get a non-anarchist to care about something like Anarchist News, which often has non-news about safe spaces in anarchist ghettos?
http://anarchistnews.org/
Or to listen to something like Free Radical Radio?
http://freeradicalradio.tumblr.com/

No. And I am not talking about a narrow appeal to populism. I mean that, unless you identify as an anarchist already, almost nothing anarchists do or talk about is for the most part very relevant. It is about as relevant to struggling against and understanding capitalism as belonging to the black metal scene, more or less(black metal music to me is a response to the alienation of a certain point capitalism development, a childish response with guttural vocals and brutish blast beets to reflect an equally bane contemporary existence, but a response nonetheless). And the same way that what is discussed in black metal zines is totally ignored by those outside of the subculture is the same way that the anarchist sub-culture is totally irrelevant in the world. To be an actual social movement it would have to alot more relevant, something that could actually draw non-anarchists in. Instead they seem to try as a group to repel others with their Dungeon and Dragons role-playing games full of arcane, useless rules and unhelpful stances.

This identity politics and safe-space mythology is just hilarious for everyone else. Only in the North American milieu will you hear nonsense guilt tripping about cis-gender privilege. Thus the anarchist sub-culture attracts alot of transgender people who I suspect are not really as interested in social struggle against the established order as they are about latching onto a place to promote their oddball sexual views.

 

[Kim Chee]

I'm not saying your points don't have merit, but I am saying they are off topic OP is here:

Comrades, I've been mulling an idea around with one of my comrades because of fundamental holes that we've seen in a lot of PC Anarchist cultures/collectives.
A safer space policy dedicated to non-violence is very hard to enforce and depends on those in the house/squat to step up when someone is out of line. Usually friends and allies get more leeway than newcomers. This is fundamentally hierarchical and wrong.
The Unsafe Space Policy goes a little like this:
1. We can't stop anything that comes out of your mouth.
2. We don't like racist, queerphobic or bigoted speech/action.
3. We will beat the shit out of you if we hear it.
No leeway, or remorse. We can't build a fair society by picking favorites
What do ya'll think?

 

[DesertRat]

For too many years I (basically) ran an Unsafe Space/Squat/whateveryouwannacallit, in my parents house, for the time that I was in high school.

We had our core group of 12-15 on a daily basis, and on party weekends/weeks the numbers often got upwards of about 100, but I knew the Lions Share of the attendees at the time.

The rules were simple, easily followed, and enforced by everyone. If a new person showed up, they learned the ropes quick enough. Dissension was dealt with decisively and swiftly.

We all had a good time, nobody got injured beyond what a bandage or a bottle of Pepto could take care of, nothing got broken or stolen.

We even had a cigarette box for those who ran out while there, as well as a condom box (for obvious reasons), and even a feminine hygiene box if it became necessary.

The cost? BYOB/D, Bring your own food, The House pays for nothing for and during the party.

TLR version: It's a simple, yet complex thing to operate an Unsafe Space. As long as most of the people assist in the successful operation of all phases, you're good to go.

Good grief I miss the 80's...