Things agitators MUST have

[Ele'ill]

With no exceptions (yeah this is bold- I mean if at all possible organizers should have these things. I'm sure there are exceptions etc..)

Internet Access At Your Apartment/House- Yeah its expensive and I don't have it right now but it's important to be able to tune in. It's important to know what's going on minute to minute. Library computers and wifi at cafes is romantic and useful at times but it's not enough. You need to be able to recieve certain things in email and then print them off or pass them along- minute by minute. There is a very small window of opportunity at times and being able to have access to information and the means to interact with it at all hours is key.

Laptop- Cafes and Library wifi as backup. Especially during mass mobilizations it's important to be able to interact at all times and a phone with internet isn't enough.

Pamphlets/fliers and Printing- Templates already made up so you can copy paste- drag and drop. Know your resources ahead of time- you can't afford to spend a day searching for a way to efficiently and economically print. (along the idea of 'templates'- create a system for doing things that you can replicate when necessary- no reinventing the wheel. Regarding knowing your resources- banner material, public announcement systems, etc..

Rather than a week of figuring out- take half a day.


I'm in a rush right now and will update this or delete it later. I've had a lot of coffee so none of this may make sense.

[ellipsis]

I'll add contacts, for mobilizing, for back up, for everything.

[Smyg]

A bit of law knowledge could always be great. I for one have The laws of street politics - judicial guide for political activists (Swedish), a book published by the syndicalists. Has proven very... useful. I highly recommend getting something similar, adapted for your country's specific laws.

[MarxSchmarx]

Internet Access At Your Apartment/House- Yeah its expensive and I don't have it right now but it's important to be able to tune in. It's important to know what's going on minute to minute. Library computers and wifi at cafes is romantic and useful at times but it's not enough. You need to be able to recieve certain things in email and then print them off or pass them along- minute by minute. There is a very small window of opportunity at times and being able to have access to information and the means to interact with it at all hours is key.

Laptop- Cafes and Library wifi as backup. Especially during mass mobilizations it's important to be able to interact at all times and a phone with internet isn't enough.


Really? There seems to be plenty of amazing agitation being done in a huge chunk of the globe where they barely have electricity, much less cafes with wifi.

These things could be helpful in certain urban areas during certain stages of the struggle, but bear in mind that all of these things are controlled by the capitalists more than the radio or the telephone lines ever were.

[Binh]

Above all else: an independent mind. Unfortunately, you cannot buy one in a store. You have to grow one by using it. Sometimes this can be painful but it pays off in the end.

[Sentinel]

Even in this hightech age a pen, a notebook and calender are invaluable. A communist without pen and paper is like a sailor without a knife -- useless.

[ellipsis]

but bear in mind that all of these things are controlled by the capitalists more than the radio or the telephone lines ever were.

The capitalists have more control over the internet and SMS than they did over phones and radio? Could you clarify what you meant by that statement?

Anyone can publish to YouTube but this is less democratic than media conglomerates having near total control of is broadcast on tv and internet?

[Ocean Seal]

Just out of curiosity, why is the laptop important or necessarily better than a smart-phone which has a 3-G or 4-G network unless the laptop has internet independent of wifi.

[tachosomoza]

1.) Internet
2.) Ability to effectively communicate with people affected, either directly or indirectly
3.) Ability to maintain networks with people that will be of assistance
4.) Knowledge regarding procurement of resources to meet one's needs, by any means necessary.
5.) Knowledge of the laws and rights.

[The Idler]

Practical Security Handbook (http://www.activistsecurity.org/)

[MarxSchmarx]

The capitalists have more control over the internet and SMS than they did over phones and radio? Could you clarify what you meant by that statement?

Anyone can publish to YouTube but this is less democratic than media conglomerates having near total control of is broadcast on tv and internet?

Well, my concern is that who feeds your internet connection? Who owns youtube? These are throughout the globe the immensely powerful multinational cooperations (google among them). It was always possible to have your own guerilla radio frequency (these were analog instruments). Telephones also, one could dial a public telephone and connect anonymously much easier than internet, as written email records add a whole new level of complexity that merely spoken words cannot expect to match.