The Final Straw Radio

May Day 2016 with Peter Linebaugh (repodcast) We're happy to share another past episode, this time from May Day 2016, about 4 months before the start of our rss feed for our podcast. I feel it’s notable that this show approaches it’s 13th birthday on the May 9th of this year. Transcript PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) In this show, you'll hear an interview with autonomous Marxist historian, Peter Linebaugh on essay collection The Incomplete, True, Authentic and Wonderful History of May Day plus some music we curated at the time. To friends we've met, and to those we have yet to meet, I'd like to wish everyone a happy May Day. As we'll hear in the following hour, this day has a long celebrated history. From its many European pagan roots as a celebration of fertility as the fruits of the spring planting season began to... uh, spring forth. Then on to the repressive winter that fell early on May 3rd and 4th of 1886 in Illinois with, first, the killing of workers striking for an 8 hour work day at the McCormick Works and then the repression of anarchist and socialist workers and organizers following the bombing at Haymarket Square in Chicago of that same year. From there to the taking up of May 1st as International Workers Day by struggling groups around the world and the U.S. adoption of a sanctioned Labor Day in September of the year. To divide an international working class, The U.S. government, oppressors of that May Day 1886 sanctioned a Labor Day to be celebrated in September, declared the first of May both Law Day (an obvious testament to Irony in respect to the Haymarket 8, all jailed and 4 executed) and, for some, it's celebration as Americanism Day. Whatever that means. In 2006 & 2007, immigrants rights marches were seen on and around May Days that, for many, re-sparked the importance of this day. The protests and festivals swelled to numbers nearly unmatched in the history of protest on Turtle Island, and were accompanied by school and work walkouts and boycott days. Whether you're out there today taking direct action, in repose from the horrors of wage slavery, resisting the carceral state, gardening, dancing around a May Pole or otherwise celebrating the possibilities of this year to come when, hell, we might as well end this system of exclusion and extraction: We wish you a fire on your tongue, love in your heart and free land beneath you. .. ... . .. Featured Tracks: The International by Ani DiFranco & Utah Philips The Earth Is Our Mother by Oi Polloi from Fuaim Catha Surrounded by Matador from Taken I Wish That They'd Sack Me by Chumbawamba from The Boy Bands Have Won Addio a Lugano by Pietro Gori (performed by Gruppo Z on Canti Anarchici Italiani) IO Pan by Spiral Bound from Leap Your Lazy Bounds 9-5ers Anthem by Aesop Rock from Labor Days

This week, we’re sharing an interview with 2 contributors an amazing history of anti-racist organizing in the late 1980’s through the mid 1990’s in Portland, Oregon, and with ripples across the so-called USA & beyond. In 2020 KBOO radio released a serialized podcast which became the basis for the book. A brief intro to the book can be found below... Transcript PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) It Did Happen Here: Podcast Book Instagram Mic Crenshaw: website twitter facebook instagram bandcamp Moe Bowstern Instagram The A-Zone People Mic mentioned who were attacked for being white anti-racists in Pdx: June “T-Rex” Knightly https://heavy.com/news/june-knightly/ Michael Reinhol: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/michael-reinoehl-antifa-killing-deputies-wont-be-charged-1230943/ Mic Crenshaw was born and raised in Chicago and Minneapolis and currently resides in Portland, Oregon. Crenshaw is an independent hip hop artist, respected emcee, poet, educator, and activist. Crenshaw is the lead US organizer for the Afrikan Hiphop Caravan and uses cultural activism as a means to develop international solidarity related to human rights and justice through hip hop and popular education. Crenshaw was a founding member of the Minneapolis Baldies and Anti Racist Action. He was a coproducer and narrator of the podcast version of It Did Happen Here. Moe Bowstern is a alum of the anarchist space in Chiacgo known as the @-zone that lasted from 1993 to 2003. She’s also a writer, laborer, Fisher Poet, and DIY social practice artist. Moe is the longtime editor of many publications, including the commercial fishing zine Xtra Tuf. She contributed to the writing of the book version of It Did Happen Here and lives in Portland, OR. For the hour, we talk about the book and podcast, the reach, the resonance to anti-racist struggle today in Portland and beyond. We also talk about the toll of the violence faced and engaged by folks pushing back the organized white supremacy of the day, police and institutional violence and other, related topics. If you would like people featured in this book to come and speak at your institution, you can reach them at ItDidHappenHerePodcast at gmail dot com, through PM Press, or via the IDHH instagram. This book was published by PM Press as a part of the Working Class History series. Another featured title in that series that was recently released was a similar documentary history with a really good narrative on the history of Anti-Racist Action in the 1990’s and early 2000’s throughout the midwest of Turtle Island, both in so-called Canada and the USA, and bits of other areas. Hopefully we’ll feature a chat with one of the contributors to that book entitled We Go Where They Go: The Story of Anti-Racist Action soon on this show. . ... . .. Featured Tracks: Doom Town by The Wipers from Over The Edge The Movement by Mic Crenshaw from Earthbound John Wayne Was A Nazi (Hip Hop Remix) by Audio Assault, MDC, scott crow, Sole, Mic Crenshaw, Sima Lee  

This week, we’re sharing two portions. Transcript of SFLARC PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) South Florida Anti-Repression Committee [00:05:37 - 00:54:07] First up, a chat with two members of the South Florida Anti-Repression Committee doing solidarity for the 4 queer activists facing up to 12 years in Federal prison on charges related to graffiti at a Pregnancy Crisis Center, aka a building funded by church and state to dissuade people from getting abortions. The Department of Justice is charging them under the FACE Act, a criminal law passed in the 1990’s to stop threats, violence and blockades against health clinics that offered like abortions, screenings, contraception and other services under attack by religious extremists in the USA. There are also Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation, known also as a SLAPP suits being brought by a Miami-based Christian anti-abortion Crisis Pregnancy Center called Heartbeat of Miami as well as the state of Florida against the accused apparently intended to have a chilling effect and minimize their ability to defend themselves against the Federal indictments. Oso and Hunter of SFLARC talk about the arrests, about the defendants and the rising tide of gender fascism and war on bodily autonomy in DeSantis’ Florida and around the country. https://reprolegaldefensefund.org/ https://bit.ly/supportourfighters https://secure.actblue.com/donate/fllegaldefense Link Tree Anti-Fascist March in Bulgaria [00:56:35 - 01:02:18] Following this, we’re sharing audio from the February 2023 episode of Bad News, a monthly English-language podcast from the A-Radio Network. In this segment, you’ll hear comrades from Crna Luknja show on Radio Študent speakin with an activist in Sofia, Bulgaria about the antifascist mobilization known as Anti-lukovmarsh, which will take place on 25th February under the slogan “No Nazis On Our Streets” – This is a manifestation against one of the biggest international neo-nazi gatherings (Lukov March). You can find more info at: http://antifa-bulgaria.org. Announcements Support Parole for Sundiata Jawanza Political prisoner and activist Sundiata Jawanza in South Carolina has an upcoming parole and is looking for support. You can learn more about his case at https://www.sundiatajawanza.com/ Alfredo Cospito Ends Hunger Strike As you'll hear in Sean Swain's segment, Alfredo Cospito continues to languish in 41bis close custody. After Sean recorded this segment, Alfredo ended his hunger strike of roughly 5 months. You can learn more at AbolitionMediaWorldwide. You can hear our interview last year on the conditions of 41bis with anarchists in Italy here: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2022/10/30/solidarity-with-prisoner-resistance-from-alabama-to-italy/ . ... . .. Featured Tracks: Gentleman by Fela Kuti from Gentleman Yes All Cops by Worriers from Imaginary Life

Here’s a chat we just had with 4 radicals in France. Rather than introduce them, I’ll let them do that themselves. We talk about the recent protests and riots in France concerning reforms to the pension system that would push back the age of retirement and increase the amount of years someone has to work in order to retire, the legal manipulation by Macron’s neoliberal government to get it passed, the composition of the demos, the recent ecological demonstrations violently repressed in Sainte-Soline, police violence more widely,  Darmanin's upcoming immigration and asylum law, antifascists in Lyon, work and austerity. Transcript PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) The conversation is a bit informal and though we cover a lot there is so much more to talk about. For folks who want to learn more, I suggest checking out recent articles on the protests by crimethinc and a recent video from Unicorn Riot and a transcript will be available soon. You can find our past interview with David Campbell here . … . .. Featured Track: La Retraite by Les Vulves Assassines

This week, we’re sharing part of our April 26th, 2020 interview with Barry Pateman. Barry, born in the early 1950’s, grew up in a working class coal mining town of Doncaster in the UK and became an anarchist in the 1960’s in London. He is a longstanding member of the Kate Sharpley Library which covers histories of little-known anarchists and events in history. Barry has also contributed to and edited numerous books including “Chomsky on Anarchism”, a two book document collection with Candace Falk and many more titles, many on AK Press. We talk about anarchist history, community, repression, defeat, insularity, popular front with authoritarian Marxists, class analysis and how to beat back capitalism. Find Kate Sharpley Library at KateSharpleyLibrary.Net Transcript PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) . ... . .. Featured Track: Traditions by Los Hooligans from Traditions I Never Gave Up (Rondo Remix) by Chumbawamba from the I Never Gave Up single

We’re happy to share this chat with Leah and Payton, directors of the upcoming documentary series “The Elements of Mutual Aid”. You can find previews of the film on their social media and links to those and more in our show notes at our website. The series is about to enter post-production once they’ve gotten JUST a little more footage to add to their 5 years of work. For the hour, we talk about the series, their concepts of mutual aid, the process of radically respectful film making and some of their inspirations. Transcript PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) Filmmakers links: Fundraiser: https://seedandspark.com/fund/elements-of-mutual-aid#story Website: https://theelementsofmutualaid.com/ Mastodon: https://kolektiva.social/@Elememts_of_MA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJsVukfZB-L_mM4-MsU7cAQ PeerTube: https://kolektiva.media/c/elementsofmutualaid/videos?s=1 Film Projects they mentioned: Juan Carlos: https://simulacrosdeliberacion.com/ CineMovilNYC: https://medium.com/@cinemovil/manifesto-1-we-are-practitioners-of-guerrilla-cinema-585ff2369863 Radical Film Network: https://radicalfilmnetwork.com/ . ... . .. Featured Tracks: Foot On Necks by Sault from 5 It's Nice To Be Disliked (Annoy a Nazi) by Brittlestar

This week, we’re sharing an interview with Leo, an anarchist and eco-feminist from Russia who has temporary relocated to Europe after facing political repressions. Leo is a co-organizer with the Feminist Anti-War Resistance movement (Facebook in English, Telegram in Russian, LinkTr.Ee), a network of activists in and outside of Russia involved in struggling against the war in Ukraine and the Putin regime. Transcript PDF (Unimposed) – pending Zine (Imposed PDF) – pending For the hour we speak about Russians facing repression for speaking out against the war inside the country, supporting anti-war initiatives such as sabotage and counter-recruitment, Imperialism and anti-Imperialism, forefronting the voices and experiences of Ukrainians experiencing the invasion, Ukrainians who’ve been forcibly re-settled into Russia and supporting Ukrainians resisting the Russian military within their own country, growing hetero-patriarchy within Russia and more. Past Eps on the war include: Interview with BOAK about sabotage in Russia & a journal in Ukraine about life during war Russian anarchist from Autonomous Action against the war A Russian anarchist living in Ukraine against the war Ukrainian punk & member of Kyiv ABC about organizing to survive the invasion We have quite a few interviews with Russian anarchists, antifascists, queer folks and ecological activists over the years of increasing repression by Putin's regime at our website as well. Initiatives that you can support with donations or with reposts (from Leo): Ukraine: • Колективи Солідарності (Solidarity Collectives) – anti-authoritarian volunteer network from Ukraine – https://www.solidaritycollectives.org/en/main-page-english/ Russia: Зона Солидарности (Solidarity Zone) - Russian activist project providing help for political prisoners in Russia. https://www.instagram.com/solidarity.zone/ Вывожук (Vivozhuk) – grassroot initiative helping with emergency evacuation to Russian activists in danger and political prisoners https://t.me/vyvozhuk/48 Золотой Ключик (Golden Key) – grassroot intiative providing help to Russian anti-war activists who is in current danger https://zolotoykluchik.org/ Идите Лесом (Go by the forest) – initiative that helps russian citizens escape mobilization and conscription https://iditelesom.org/en/ International: • Квiр Свiт (Queer Svit) – a black queer-run independent team of volunteers from all over the world helping LGBTQ+ and BAME (Black, Asian & Minority Ethnicity) people affected by the war in Ukraine and/or political repressions get to safety by providing consultations, purchasing tickets, finding free accommodation and providing humanitarian aid. https://queersvit.taplink.ws/ From Us: Ukraine Episodes Russian Episodes Avtonom.Org is an online portal in a few languages (including English) with participation of various antifascist and anarchist groups from Russia (many now in diaspora) and it’s a great way to find information on prisoners in Russia (via Moscow ABC). [The content in Russian is pretty easily translated these days by copying the URL address, visiting google and pasting it into the google search bar. Then you just click the “translate this page” link.] There is a Russian language podcast from Belarusian anarchists in exile in Warsaw that you may want to share with Russian-speaking folks called Dogma. Uncomfortable talks about war. From the producers: “This podcast presents conversations with anarchists from across Europe about the war in Ukraine. We will discuss uncomfortable issues of unreflected coloniality, imperialist sentiments, lack of solidarity in the international anarchist movement, as well as the weakness of anarchist theory and practice in the face of the war.” Telegram: https://t.me/ostanovivagonyy Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bel-anarchist Announcements South Florida Anti-Repression Committee Launches Solidarity Campaign In an unprecedented use of the FACE Act (a law intended to protect abortion access and abortion clinics), two pro-choice community activists in Florida have been charged under the FACE Act. In addition to the two charged, community members across Florida have been the target of FBI harassment that has included showing up at people’s places of employment, approaching family members, and even executing a “No Knock Warrant,” with armed agents raiding the home of a family with children in the home. The FACE Act has been used to prosecute individuals who murdered abortion providers, physically threatened or attacked those seeking reproductive healthcare, barricaded abortion clinic entrances, and other anti-choice actions that have served to limit lawful access to abortion and other reproductive health care. Prosecuting two community activists for alleged graffiti is a shameful and disgusting use of the law.  In response, community members have formed the South Florida Anti-Repression Committee (SFLARC) and are launching a solidarity campaign and defense fundraiser. The funds raised will go to support those facing state repression, both those charged and those who experience harassment by law enforcement. More info on this and how to support at sflarc.blogspot.com Call for International Solidarity with Jorge from Mexico City Anarchist Black Cross Jorge "Yorch" Esquivel is a beloved compañero of the punk community, and a long-time participant of the Okupa Che Guevara. He was arrested on December 8, 2022 by plainclothes police as he was leaving the campus of the Ciudad Universitaria (of the UNAM university) in Mexico City as part of a campaign of criminalization against the Okupa. He was framed up on drug charges in 2016 and Jorge was re-arrested on in a related case in 2022. CNA-DF is fundraising to cover his needs inside the cartel run prison he’s housed in as well as his legal fees. Go Fund Me Atlanta Forest / Stop Cop City Fundraising The struggle to support folks facing ridiculous domestic terrorism charges in Atlanta in a clear situation of state over-reach continues to escalate and they need support. One easy way to kick in is with a donation to the Atlanta Solidarity Fund. You can learn more at ATLSolidarity.Org Four Comrades in Greece Finally, there is a fundraiser online to support four anarchists accused by the Greek state of participation in a terrorist group the state is calling “comrades”, a case which has stretched out for nearly 3 years now, and they’re still in pre-trial. Learn more about how to support them at Firefund.net/4pretrial . ... . .. Featured Tracks: Human Being by Erik Truffaz and Murcoff on Being Human Being П​о​д п​р​и​ц​е​л​о​м by JESUS SISTER from М​е​с​т​о д​л​я в​с​я​к​о​г​о г​а​д​к​о​г​о Т​о​л​п​а е​б​а​н​ы​х м​у​ж​и​к​о​в by Позоры  from Д​е​в​и​ч​ь​е Г​о​р​е

This week: a chat with Pip, a defendant in, and Grace, a supporter of, the Aston Park Defendants case which led to the arrest of 16 people, including 2 journalists for the Asheville Blade, many facing various charges of felony littering and conspiracy to felony litter. You can read some background to this in the words fo the Sanctuary Park defendants at AVLSolidarity.NoBlogs.Org by clicking the “Our Story” link and there’s a bunch more there, including how to support the defendants monetarily. We spend the hour talking about gentrification, police repression, mutual aid and resistance in this small, “progressive” mountain town in the US south. Trials begin April 10, 2023. Other ASP and adjacent links: Substack ASP Venmo ASP CashApp: $Streets1de Instagram Facebook Defendant Support T-shirt designs Some past shows that touch on this week's topic include: Mutual Aid and the Asheville Water Crisis (Jan 2023) Mutual Aid Repression Started (May 2022) Protests Against Homeless Sweeps in Asheville (Dec 2021) Asheville Survival Program (Oct 2021) Asheville's "Policing Crisis" (Aug 2021) Harm Reduction Repression Continues (Apr 2020) Housing Protests in Asheville (Apr 2020) Repression of Harm Reduction (Aug 2018) Next Week... Later this week, I’ll be speaking with members of Feminist Anti-War Resistance (Telegram in Russian, more at their LinkTr.Ee), a Russian network mostly in exile, about their protests against the Russian state’s war on the people of Ukraine and their organizing in the diaspora. I’ll try to get that out early next week for patrons. . ... . .. Featured Track: Unreleased Instrumental #1 by Muggs x Doom from Deathwish Auntie Fuh (feat. Nad Chestbutt) by Swamp Ape

This week on the show, we’re sharing an interview with Mixael Laufer of the 4 Thieves Vinegar Collective about the the group, building scientific competency, biohacking, authority, intellectual property... oh boy there’s a lot there. Mixael also speaks about some of the projects that 4 Thieves has on offer, including a do it yourself AED setup for defribulation, misoprostol-soaked business cards for self-inducing abortions, instructions for laboratory tools, finding other applications for existing drugs, long covid and more. We’ll be stating this a few times during this episode, but Mixael Laufer is not licensed to offer medical advice and his opinions are his own. Also, be aware (if you want to be) that laws in different jurisdictions may differ. For instance, pressing your own pills has recently been criminalized in WA state in the so-called USA. Transcript PDF (Unimposed) Zine (Imposed PDF) We hope you enjoy this interview and you can check out the project at FourThievesVinegar.org, where you can find a growing collection of introductory videos about their work. Four Thieves Vinegar socials: Twitter, Facebook, Youtube & Instagram Mixael on socials: Twitter & Mastodon A few projects mentioned include: Sci-Hub Open Insulin Project Open Artificial Pancreas Project . ... . .. Featured Tracks: Killing In The Name Of (8-Bit Version) by Rage Against The Machine Toast To The Dead by Immortal Technique from The Martyr

This week, I spoke with Dr. Alexander Dunlap about a range of topics, such as Degrowth, green anarchism, the violence of extractivism, questions of the conception of renewable energy and resistance to ecocide. We covered a lot in this discussion and he’s written a lot on a range of related topics. Check out his ResearchGate where many pdfs are available or searching his name on AnarchistLibrary.Net. If there's something at ResearchGate that isn't available for download, you can email Alexander and request access. Transcript PDF (Unimposed) – pending Zine (Imposed PDF) – pending Our past interviews on resisting infrastructure projects can be found by checking out posts tagged "Environment" or "Earth and Animal Liberation" Other accounts for Dr. Dunlap: https://www.sum.uio.no/english/people/aca/xander/index.html http://v-u.academia.edu/AlexanderDunlap Suggested links: “The Coconut Revolution” documentary Environmental Justice Atlas Mining Watch (London) Exalt initiative Books Dunlap A and Brock A. (2022) Enforcing Ecocide: Power, Police and Planetary Militarization, Cham: Palgrave Dunlap A and Jakobsen J. (2019) The Violent Technologies of Extraction: Political Ecology, Critical Agrarian Studies and the Capitalist Worldeater. Dunlap, A. (2019) Renewing Destruction: Wind Energy Development, Conflict and Resistance in a Latin American Context. Articles  Dunlap A and Riquito M. (2023). Social warfare for lithium extraction? Open-pit lithium mining, counterinsurgency tactics and enforcing green extractivism in northern Portugal. Energy Research & Social Science 95(1): 1-21. Dunlap A. (2023) The Green Economy as Counterinsurgency, or the Ontological Foundations for Permanent Ecological Catastrophe. Environmental Policy and Science: 39-50. Kallianos Y, Dunlap A and Dalakoglou D. 2022. Introducing Infrastructural Harm: Rethinking moral entanglements, spatio-temporal modalities, and resistance(s). Globalizations: 1-20. Dunlap A and Laratte L. (2022) European Green Deal necropolitics: Exploring ‘green’ energy transition, degrowth & infrastructural colonization. Political Geography 97: 1-17. Dunlap A and Marin D. (2022) Comparing coal and ‘transition materials’? Overlooking complexity, flattening reality and ignoring capitalism. Energy research & social science 89: 1-9. Dunlap A and Correa-Arce M. (2022) ‘Murderous Energy’ in Oaxaca, Mexico: Wind Factories, Territorial Struggle and Social Warfare. Journal of Peasant Studies 49(2): 455-480. Next Week... Next week, we hope to bring you a conversation with Michael Laufer of the anarchist biohacking crew, the Four Thieves Vinegar Collective talking about do it yourself medical infrastructures. . ... . .. Featured Tracks: Fucked Up State by Icons of Filth Sekasortoa by Kaaos Marionett I Kedjor by Moderat Likvidation