Notices by Trekhausen (she/her) (trekhausen@todon.eu), page 2

@theleftfist Really enjoyed this, the discussion around wrestling and anarchism was a particular highlight! Thanks for sharing this. Also, really great to find your music @Authenticdmckee - great sound!

That feeling when you feel like you've been poisoned and had someone put Adamantium into your body, weighing you down, but unlike Wolverine you don't heal! Similar to Wolverine in Logan then, I guess, if I carry on with my comparison.

#LongCovid #NotRecovered #ChronicallyIll #Wolverine #PEM #Spoons

I've been told many a time in my life that my views/values are "extreme", or something along those lines. It's an ironic word to use. Actually, extreme is having a series of digits that don't really mean anything - other than the power we have socially constructed them to have - to control whether you eat, drink and have shelter. Extreme is continuing to destroy the planet through extractivism and exploitation so a few rich people can obtain even more money and power. Extreme is furthering the notion the Covid pandemic is over and forgoing any protective measures like masks when in fact we still very much are in a mass disabling event. Extreme is having enough resources on the planet for everyone to have everything but having a system where very few people hoard and monopolise the resources.

#AntiCapitalism #Anarchism #AbolishMoney #AbolishTheState #CovidIsNotOver #Pandemic #EverythingForEveryone

Such a great quote from the Manifesto about state violence:

"Ultimately, the state is another concentration of powerful interests, with its hierarchy of institutions, armed forces, policing over its people, and often punitive welfare systems where, while elites hoard their immense wealth, people scramble for scraps of assistance to experience a life less miserable – assistance that can be withdrawn at the whims of a government whose politicians swap, switch, and change positions, portfolios, and policies in the corridors of power; policies that can remove support for swathes of people with the mere flick of a pen; no sword even needed to commit this kind of violence. And that’s exactly what it is."

More here: https://www.mediaactivist.com/manifesto/
By @MediaActivist

#Anarchism #AntiCapitalism #MediaActivism #MutualAid #AbolishTheState

This fantastic Manifesto by @MediaActivist does the difficult task of comprehensively and clearly outlining the systemic crises we face in late stage capitalism - including climate crisis, the ongoing pandemic, rise of right wing authoritarianism, hegemony of corporate capitalist companies etc. - but also at the same time making you still feel a sense of hope, resilience, to do something to fight back, together, through anarchistic praxis. Please visit, digest, share!

https://www.mediaactivist.com/manifesto/

#Anarchism #AntiCapitalism #MediaActivism #Fediverse #MutualAid #ClimateCrisis #Pandemic #CovidIsNotOver

@MediaActivist @rybson @antiaall3s @fr3nzin3 @kathimmel @noondlyt @ophiocephalic @miguelpergamon @BillySmith @bebopcello @onepict Thank you very much!

It's also about delegitimising systems, narratives and institutions that are central to maintaining the status quo and late stage capitalism. Turn that TV show normalising a fascist off (I'm an anarchist, get me out of here!). Stop putting all that energy into electoral politics. Leave that fascist social network platform. Also, importantly, silence is always a powerful reinforcer of the status quo. Then conversely, let's keep building/being part of the decentralised fediverse, or help create/support a Mutu network (more here: https://freedomnews.org.uk/2023/10/15/mutu-network-challenges-media-moguls/), join, support or help set up radical communal care groups (like this one @radicalcommunalcare and more here: https://pieceoplastic.com/2023/12/08/let-us-build-radical-communal-care-collectives/), be part of/support mutual aid, wear masks, etc. One of the greatest weapons of this system is trying to convince us we have no power and then using that to encourage people to punch down and at each other through divide and rule. Actually, people have a lot of power, together. The way things are - in terms of money, work, distribution of resources and marketisation of needs - is socially constructed; it is not fixed, inevitable or unstoppable.

#AntiCapitalism #Anarchism #MutualAid #RadicalCommunalCare #EverythingforEveryone

In the UK, we have increasing normalisation by institutions central to reinforcing the status quo, such as corporate media and the electoral system, of such horrific far right views and people that we have Nigel Farage on a reality TV show as Conservatives, including the Prime Minister, court Farage to join them as the Tories descend into attacking each other and resigning because the hate politics and policies - as typified by the vile slogan of "stop the boats" - aren't hateful enough. A Labour party/leader, the so called 'opposition', jumping onto this hateful right wing divide and rule politics, praising Thatcher. Let's stop wasting time building new political parties and trying to change things by tinkering with these institutions and systems of power set-up to reinforce the status quo. The way these views and voices are given such disproportionate space, it's easy to think this represents what most people believe. But it doesn't. It suits the status quo to claim the only way of change is by working in these rigged systems. It's not. There's so many people building new ways of organising, connecting, meeting each other's needs through an ethos of cooperation, interdependence, non-hierarchy, solidarity and care.

Talking about how #CovidIsNotOver and acting accordingly - such as wearing a mask - links into a broader political context of #solidarity, collective action, radical communal care, #intersectionality, and anti-hierarchy. Not doing these things contributes to a fear that many people - I'm very much one of them - rightly feel going into spaces dominated by an ideology tied to eugenics, health supremacy and ableism, and related practice. It also undermines movement for change, such as air filtration and safer workplaces alongside undermining #AntiCapitalist praxis in general, given pretending the pandemic is over is central to late stage capitalism and maintaining the status quo. It means that more people forget about us with #LongCovid, which means it gets easier for the state to keep minimising, gaslighting and ignoring us alongside go after us with sanctions and BS assessments. Covid awareness and safety alongside resistance to the normalisation of a mass disabling event should be central to radical praxis, but sadly it has been abandoned by so many on the left, which is depressing and isolating.

I recently noticed the government uses 'customer' when communicating with me regarding my social security. It is a good example of how central commodification and marketisation is to state power and the delivery of what are essential things everyone needs to live, such as food, shelter and water. We are instead atomised with the hegemonic social relations shaped by market, consumer, conditional and punitive concepts, when for our own and the planet's survival, and also to flourish, we need social relations based on unconditional care, our collective shared needs, collectivism, solidarity, interdependence, as typified by mutual aid.
#EverythingForEveryone #Anarchism #AbolishMoney #AbolishTheState #AntiCapitalism #MutualAid

"If you are worried by the news about benefit changes, please read this" by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC):

https://dpac.uk.net/2023/11/if-you-are-worried-by-the-news-about-benefit-changes-please-read-this/

We will fight this, together - you are not alone.

#DisabiltyJustice #Disability #AutumnStatement #DWP #Solidarity

Yet more ideological attacks on disabled people in today's UK government's autumn statement, which sadly creates so much anxiety and fear (I didn't sleep well last night because of it.) This shit is really hard. Solidarity with disabled comrades. Now, more than ever, we need to come together and be there for each other. Through solidarity, mutual aid and care.

#AutumnStatement #Disability #AntiAbleism #Ableism #MutualAid #RadicalCommunalCare #DisabilityRights

"Anarchism, solidarity, mutual aid, and collectivism are specifically named in the indictment to make people afraid of these ideas, when the only people who are actually afraid of these collective ways of organizing are the politicians, cops, and corporations who seek to preserve their absolute power over humanity...
Mutual aid is what we do & solidarity is how we relate.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Solidarity is our shield, anarchy is our sword."

More in "Anarchism must not be criminalized: Statement from 12 of the 61 people indicted on RICO charges in Atlanta":
https://anarchiststudies.org/anarchism-must-not-be-criminalized/

#Anarchism #Anarchists #StopCopCity #MutualAid #Solidarity

The DWP are quoted as saying the following in this article: https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/mps-say-cost-of-living-payments-to-disabled-people-should-have-been-higher/
“In the long term, the best way to secure financial security is through work, and thousands of work coaches in jobcentres across the country are on hand to help people find a job, enhance their skills, and reap the benefits of work.”

It's yet another example of how the state is saying fuck you to disabled people, especially if we can't work. The other day I saw an article on The Independent called "Does Jeremy Hunt want to work the disabled to death?" The DWP plans regarding Work Capability Assessment restrictions and eventual abolition is another example. It's' appropriate that the same week David Cameron - who spearheaded ideological austerity that resulted in harm, abuse and death of so many disabled people - returns to government, as Jeremy Hunt spouts bile about "benefit coasters". Meanwhile, bank profits are skyrocketing, and the Tories consider cutting social security to make it even harder to survive on whilst dreaming of cutting inheritance tax (stopped for now, it seems, by "Red Wall" Tories). This is eugenics. This is ableism. This is class war. This needs to be resisted and fought with all our collective might.

#AbolishTheState

"If ever there was a clear demonstration of why people should turn their backs on representative democracy and give anarchism a go – it’s this. We fund each others’ hormones through GoFundMe and benefit gigs. We fund each others’ top surgeries through GoFundMe and benefit gigs. We share knowledge on how to tuck and how to use binders. We write the documentation and zines and make the TikTok and reels that help our community survive in a hostile environment. The trans community is a living, breathing example of Mutual Aid."

https://freedomnews.org.uk/2023/11/06/to-kell-and-back-trans-defiance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=to-kell-and-back-trans-defiance

#TransRights #LGBTQ #MutualAid #Anarchism

This quote, from the fantastic "Fatigue Can Shatter a Person" article, is so good at summing up how hard #LongCovid and #MECFS can be:

"“One of the most insulting things people can say is ‘Fight your illness,’” Misko said. That would be much easier for her. “It takes so much self-control and strength to do less, to be less, to shrink your life down to one or two small things from which you try to extract joy in order to survive.” For her and many others, rest has become both a medical necessity and a radical act of defiance—one that, in itself, is exhausting."

Article link: https://archive.ph/yFpFc

#NotRecovered #Covid #CovidIsNotOver

The #RadicalCommunalCare group who led on the above letter aims to be a network - with it currently connecting people across Europe - for disabled, chronically ill people & their partners where communal care can be discussed from an anarchistic/feminist viewpoint, but also put into practice. We have a Signal chat for exchange of information & support in the day-to-day & we aim to meet every 2-4 weeks via Signal video - with pacing - for thematic discussions (for instance: #MutualAid #AbolishTheFamily) alongside support & solidarity. It is an #AntiAbleist #AntiCapitalist #AntiFascist & #Intersectional space.

Being part of this group has had such a positive impact on me in a very short time. Despite being very introverted & also struggling with intense social anxiety - made worse by my #LongCovid & #OCD - from the first moment I got involved I have felt at ease, safe, welcome & heard. I have seen my confidence increase, my ability to advocate for myself - especially in terms of the #pandemic & my Long-Covid - improve. It's a place of solidarity & comradeship, approached from an intersectional #anarchist perspective.

If this sounds like something you want to be part of, help co-create & grow as a group & space, please get in touch!

#CovidIsNotOver #Anarchism #Disability #DisabilityJustice

Please read and share this letter with your comrades alongside with groups, events and spaces you are part of. Many people and groups involved in radical organising have sadly surrendered to the capitalist, eugenics and ableist narrative - and thus practices - that pretends there isn't an ongoing pandemic, thus ignoring how Covid is still killing people alongside being a mass disabling event. This letter hopes to help change this and amplify voices and experiences that have sadly been marginalised and ignored, whilst giving practical advice regarding Covid safety for organising, spaces and events.

"We need to try and create the kind of events, spaces and groups that can serve as models for a future, better, world. This is what prefigurative praxis looks like. It is the work we need to do."

Read in full here:

https://rant.li/atlettertoourcomradesatrant-li/an-open-letter-to-our-anarchist-socialist-and-radical-leftist-comrades

Other links to this letter:

https://lettertoourcomrades.bearblog.dev

https://web.archive.org/web/20231102142409/https://rant.li/atlettertoourcomradesatrant-li/an-open-letter-to-our-anarchist-socialist-and-radical-leftist-comrades (Thanks to @maxi for this link)

#CovidIsNotOver #CovidisAirborne #Pandemic #Anarchism #RadicalCommunalCare #Covid #LongCovid #NotRecovered #Disability #DisabilityJustice #AntiAbleism #Intersectionality

The same states & state leaders who claim to care about people in/from #Ukraine support collective punishment of #Palestinians whilst being complicit in ethnic cleansing and genocide. Then the same states & state leaders who are critical of what is happening in #Gaza by the Israeli state and military forces, commit acts of atrocities against people in Ukraine, people in #Rojava, against people in their own country (as do all states), to name just a few examples. You then have push backs & beefing up of borders, especially by the #EU - #FortressEurope with #Frontext - like Italy that has passed laws to clamp down on ships like the @louisemichel doing rescue missions, the US (it hasn't stopped just because Trump went) & the UK with the Home Secretary Suella Braverman not content with prison ships, former military bases, & other punitive forms of detention, attacks the UN's Refugee Convention so she can intensify her attacks on people fleeing wars, persecution and climate catastrophe that the west is central to. After all, it is part of her "dream". We are often told the state has no money for things we need to survive, but there is always money to fund wars and sure up corporate profits whether through corrupt contracts e.g. PPE or for bank bailouts like in 2008.

"The fossil fuel giant posted profits of £5.1bn. This adds to its near £11.6bn already this year alone, taking its total to £16.7bn. Meanwhile, the company declared shareholder distributions of £4bn. Again, it builds on £9.3bn announced in the first half of 2023. It took its total shareholder pay-outs to over £13bn...Already, the average household energy bills between October and December will be 50% higher than in winter 2021/22."

More here: https://www.thecanary.co/uk/2023/11/02/shells-shareholder-pay-outs-could-cover-the-energy-bills-of-6-3-million-uk-households-in-fuel-poverty-and-then-some/

This is class war. Warm banks, like food banks, have become increasingly normalised as part of welfare and community, voluntary sector provision. The system isn't broken, it's working exactly as intended. Rich get richer, planet burns, whilst divide and rule tactics are deployed.

#ClassWar #ClimateCrisis #AntiCapitalism #Shell