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View Full Version : revolutionary anarchist dog walking collective: a major success



Os Cangaceiros
18th June 2011, 08:40
http://www.anarchistnews.org/?q=node/14811

excerpts:



A meeting of anarchists, progressives, a self-described surly feminist and others on the far left of the political spectrum is underway. Theyre young and radical. Theyre organizing intently. The matter at hand could be oppression, or the police state, or revolution.

But its not. Its walking dogs.



In the beginning, when Stephens fielded the calls from Hill staffers, lawyers and bureaucrats who needed dog walkers, he would always take time to describe the collectives mission, how it was employee-owned and their generous benefits, he said.

Nine times out of ten, the answer I got back from people was, Can I come work for you? Stephens says. There is no better endorsement of anarchist politics than that.


An economy is an economy, says Stephens, who left Brighter Days two years ago to form another anarchist dog-walking collective.



The heat gives me more of a surly attitude, says Devin Miller, 29. Last summer was really hard.

Its harder still for Seager, because he wears black most of the time.
I need more white shirts, Seager says. I just so despise the concept of fashion.



Unfortunately, the classical anarchist texts dont address the dominance inherent in almost all human relationships with animals, Stevens says. Its only more recently that many animal-rights activists have started arguing that domestication is a self-serving form of oppression.

I dont necessarily think theyre wrong, but I also dont know that its my biggest concern right now, Stephens said. Im going to pick my battles, and thats just not one of them and I say that as a 17-year vegan.

discuss

Revy
18th June 2011, 09:52
What do you call a group of dog-walking anarchists?

Barkuninists.

Cleansing Conspiratorial Revolutionary Flame
18th June 2011, 11:13
:rolleyes: Barking towards democratized means of production

Thirsty Crow
18th June 2011, 11:32
I'd be interested in participating in such a collective once I get out of college. It sounds like a good break from the daily grinding that is "ordinary" wage labour.

But I'm opposed to discrimination based on the species of the animal. I'd be up for walking cats as well (many people in the city have problems with their cats due to them being locked up inside four walls, myself included), and other animals possibly.

That's an interesting idea. It's good to sea that it works. But I see another potential in "copying" the practice: here where I live, the practice of walking peoples' dogs is hardly established. More market share for revolutionary dog walking collective! :D

Revy
18th June 2011, 12:01
I'd be interested in participating in such a collective once I get out of college. It sounds like a good break from the daily grinding that is "ordinary" wage labour.

But I'm opposed to discrimination based on the species of the animal. I'd be up for walking cats as well (many people in the city have problems with their cats due to them being locked up inside four walls, myself included), and other animals possibly.

That's an interesting idea. It's good to sea that it works. But I see another potential in "copying" the practice: here where I live, the practice of walking peoples' dogs is hardly established. More market share for revolutionary dog walking collective! :D

well I think the idea of a cat being walked seems silly, I don't think they like that....

it's like when you try to give a cat a bath they freak out and go crazy, but a dog acts fine. Dogs don't like baths but they don't freak out, but to a cat it's absolute torture and scares the living shit out of them. Of course, cats don't need baths, but sometimes they do if they're that dirty or they have fleas or something, then you might do it....I've seen it personally, and it's frightening...

NoOneIsIllegal
18th June 2011, 16:03
Fuck.yes.

Riot dog would approve.

Angry Young Man
18th June 2011, 16:52
Don't tell me what I think, boyo

NoOneIsIllegal
18th June 2011, 17:09
Sorry, my liege. :(

Angry Young Man
18th June 2011, 17:18
Very good. Now bring me a marmite sandwich and tell Pirate to get his undercrackers off

Pirate Utopian
18th June 2011, 17:29
I dont know what that is

Angry Young Man
18th June 2011, 17:32
Underwear.

NoOneIsIllegal
18th June 2011, 17:35
My ex's friend tried sending me marmite in the mail months ago and it never arrived (I suspect UK mailmen had a nice lunch...)
I want to try it. I heard they banned it in Denmark (...wut?)

Angry Young Man
18th June 2011, 17:47
They say you either love it or you hate it. Until last week, I loathed the stuff. But then it was the only food product to half-inch off my mate, so I acquired the taste for it.

It looks like crude oil, mind. And Denmark probably banned it because it's foreign.