emma_goldman
1st September 2006, 21:36
http://www.gateway. ualberta. ca/view.php? aid=6269
Bookfair cooks up awareness
Jessica Warren
Anarchist Bookfair
1-3 September
Queen Alexandra Hall
The next time you see hastily-scrawled "anarchism" graffiti
staring at you from the other side of a bathroom stall, know
this: it's just trying to educate you.
"A big part of the anarchist political philosophy is
education," remarks Sean Boomer, an anarchist and organizer
for the fourth Edmonton Anarchist Bookfair. "The bookfair is
meant to be open to everyone. A big part of the reason we do
it is to show people that anarchists aren't scary people.
We'd like to dispel some misconceptions. "
Boomer is the antithesis of the stereotypical "radical" on
the political left. Softspoken and polite, he has an
understanding of what his politics might look like to those
on the outside, and is eager to explain the theory of
anarchism, in which very little has anything to do with our
cultured image of punks and criminals following the mantra
of "anarchy in the UK." There are anarchists who refuse to
vote because they consider it to be a validation of an
inherently corrupt system, and there are anarchists, like
Boomer, who vote in order to make the best of a bad situation.
"The funny thing about anarchism is it's a very disperse
political philosophy," Boomer explains. "People who attend
the Bookfair will be presented with a wide variety of
different people, different workshops and presenters, and
different ideas. Plus, it's a great place to meet
contacts--especiall y if you're new--you'll be able to see
what kinds of anarchist and anarchist-friendly organizations
are in the city."
And Edmonton, as it turns out, isn't really a bad place for
an anarchist to live, despite the stereotypes held about
"conservative" Alberta. In his five years of organizing
various events, which includes four Bookfairs, Boomer says
there hasn't been a backlash against it. In fact, there has
been an unexpected amount of support--support from corners
we might not usually identify as anarchist-friendly.
"The Edmonton Sun actually had quite a sympathetic article
on us last year," Boomer recalls. "The Edmonton Journal,
too. I think people overestimate the conservativeness of
Albertans. We have a long-established Conservative
government here, but if you talk to Albertans as
individuals, we're all over the political spectrum. If you
talk to people who are Conservative, they're not really too
Conservative. They vote for the party for all sorts of
different reasons."
Pure conservatism, it seems, like pure anarchism, doesn't
exist. However, there's always room for people to improve
upon their political knowledge.
The Anarchist Bookfair carries books on environmentalism,
political philosophies and other subjects not related to the
defamation of public property or shocking old grannies with
spike-ridden jackets and unconventional hair colors. Boomer
likes to emphasize the event as being a place for the open
exchange of ideas, rather than as the direct preaching from
those who know to those who are there to learn.
"The Bookfair has a festival sense to it, and when you're at
that kind of event, you'll be more likely to pick up
something you might not normally pick up," Boomer says.
"It's important for activists, as well as other people, to
pick up a book of general literature, say, to improve their
writing or their ability to relate to other people. One of
the things you'll find is that most vendors are--how should
I put it? They're very friendly, off-the-wall people. Most
of us are just really interested in talking about these ideas."
Wanna respond? Send your feedback to
mailto:[email protected] ualberta. ca
----------------------
Wasn't sure whether to put this in theory or events. I think it has enough extra to be theory though. ;)
Bookfair cooks up awareness
Jessica Warren
Anarchist Bookfair
1-3 September
Queen Alexandra Hall
The next time you see hastily-scrawled "anarchism" graffiti
staring at you from the other side of a bathroom stall, know
this: it's just trying to educate you.
"A big part of the anarchist political philosophy is
education," remarks Sean Boomer, an anarchist and organizer
for the fourth Edmonton Anarchist Bookfair. "The bookfair is
meant to be open to everyone. A big part of the reason we do
it is to show people that anarchists aren't scary people.
We'd like to dispel some misconceptions. "
Boomer is the antithesis of the stereotypical "radical" on
the political left. Softspoken and polite, he has an
understanding of what his politics might look like to those
on the outside, and is eager to explain the theory of
anarchism, in which very little has anything to do with our
cultured image of punks and criminals following the mantra
of "anarchy in the UK." There are anarchists who refuse to
vote because they consider it to be a validation of an
inherently corrupt system, and there are anarchists, like
Boomer, who vote in order to make the best of a bad situation.
"The funny thing about anarchism is it's a very disperse
political philosophy," Boomer explains. "People who attend
the Bookfair will be presented with a wide variety of
different people, different workshops and presenters, and
different ideas. Plus, it's a great place to meet
contacts--especiall y if you're new--you'll be able to see
what kinds of anarchist and anarchist-friendly organizations
are in the city."
And Edmonton, as it turns out, isn't really a bad place for
an anarchist to live, despite the stereotypes held about
"conservative" Alberta. In his five years of organizing
various events, which includes four Bookfairs, Boomer says
there hasn't been a backlash against it. In fact, there has
been an unexpected amount of support--support from corners
we might not usually identify as anarchist-friendly.
"The Edmonton Sun actually had quite a sympathetic article
on us last year," Boomer recalls. "The Edmonton Journal,
too. I think people overestimate the conservativeness of
Albertans. We have a long-established Conservative
government here, but if you talk to Albertans as
individuals, we're all over the political spectrum. If you
talk to people who are Conservative, they're not really too
Conservative. They vote for the party for all sorts of
different reasons."
Pure conservatism, it seems, like pure anarchism, doesn't
exist. However, there's always room for people to improve
upon their political knowledge.
The Anarchist Bookfair carries books on environmentalism,
political philosophies and other subjects not related to the
defamation of public property or shocking old grannies with
spike-ridden jackets and unconventional hair colors. Boomer
likes to emphasize the event as being a place for the open
exchange of ideas, rather than as the direct preaching from
those who know to those who are there to learn.
"The Bookfair has a festival sense to it, and when you're at
that kind of event, you'll be more likely to pick up
something you might not normally pick up," Boomer says.
"It's important for activists, as well as other people, to
pick up a book of general literature, say, to improve their
writing or their ability to relate to other people. One of
the things you'll find is that most vendors are--how should
I put it? They're very friendly, off-the-wall people. Most
of us are just really interested in talking about these ideas."
Wanna respond? Send your feedback to
mailto:[email protected] ualberta. ca
----------------------
Wasn't sure whether to put this in theory or events. I think it has enough extra to be theory though. ;)