Nachie
11th April 2007, 20:12
"IV. There is no single ideological monopoly in RAAN, only the collective adherence of all involved to the basic guidelines of the Principles & Direction. This should always be a conscious fact." - Seven Theses on the Orientation of RAAN
The Red and Anarchist Action Network formed as a collaboration between communists and anarchists. The writings of RAAN welcomed the creative liberties with our documents because its known that the basic spirit of the documents were in favor of an anti-authoritarian network that wasn't just another "Direct Action Network" and so our unique flavor is more important than broad appeal. RAAN's early writings were well done and we've continued to develop since. RAAN doesn't share a unified language of revolution, however RAANistas often work towards breaking down the boundaries of anarchist and anti-state communist jargon in our pursuit to express our ideas in action. This brief document is Columbus is Dead's collective agreement on the points of the Principles and Direction and is being submitted to the RAAN Hub as an attempt to further the dialog that defines RAAN.
This document is an affirmation of autonomy and unity. This document is not meant to break with the Principles and Direction of RAAN, but to affirm differences in interpretation of the P&D while maintaining loyal to the general ideas and practices of RAAN and its various affiliates. The P&D has been a burden to RAAN organizing in Columbus, Ohio for a some time. The projects of RAAN gain quick nods of approval but the P&D has always had marks against it for its length and heavy use of language unfamiliar to most. In the acceptance of RAAN the principles are shortened in practice to "don't you think that anti-authoritarians can work together?". The "Autonomous Activity Through Affiliation" section of the Principles of Action is easily explained as well as the relationship that affiliates have to the RAAN Hub, should they choose to use it. The laundry list of the original points though not unimportant, are more often than not an affirmation of general anarchist and anti-state communist principles with an emphasis on action. The strict adherence of the principles mentioned throughout the primary documents of RAAN were meant to ensure exclusion of authoritarian, primarily Leninist, elements when the network began. This general agreement in RAAN over the role of the P&D has been informally acknowledged from the beginning, but we've not made it a public event. We've pushed aside criticisms in favor of action, but to continue our practice without making public differences with the P&D could hinder our abilities to communicate RAAN to others.
Most documents that define themselves with more than with a few words will find individuals with small differences in interpretation and emphasis, especially over time. RAAN's documents are no different. Individuals come and go and they mark the organic structure of the community with their presence, individuals find other or more varying influences from abroad creating an array of knowledge to draw from, reciprocating that knowledge through their varying networks and perhaps growing more wise with time. RAAN's P&D is not RAAN's most important document, many other documents created during its foundation speak with equal if not more important weight. Other RAAN writing projects have expanded much further than these founding documents and we see RAAN's early documents as early achievements in united coherence rather than as the end point of unity in ideas.
The Red and Anarchist Action Network is a network of the moment, we all agree that we should apply our theory to practice and this is what the network emphasizes rather than what the future of action may bring or simply action for its own sake divided from radical critique. In this way, RAAN is a constantly evolving pluralist praxis network rather than just a graffiti network or a formal network with a united theory and strategy. RAAN's activities and publications reveal our similarities and provide a strong trajectory of what we are all about, more so than the P&D, which in practice is just another document rather than a central document. The P&D was given a fixed position with the various language offered throughout the founding documents, but the purpose was to make it easier for people to just read it, find agreement and join, rather than harder and in this capacity the P&D has not been successful.
General adherence to the principles is easy to achieve and Columbus is Dead's entry in RAAN is no different. With a deeper reading, the creative liberties taken do at times raise eyebrows. The conclusion of the P&D states "We are a loose organization of freethinking individuals. We have no intention of this pamphlet serving as a strict set of rules for this network to follow, but merely a guide for us on our path towards liberation. As the title states, these are merely our basic principles and the direction we seek to follow to obtain these ends." so we request those participants in RAAN to help us find another dialog towards a new P&D or the abolition of fixed principles and towards a focus on a general trajectory of united ideas, whatever that may mean. This is a draft that is meant to inspire a new dialog and is not meant to necessarily answer our critics (but it wouldn't hurt) or to destroy the coherence of RAAN. The RAAN Fraction continues to exist in its original capacity, as a tendency within Arawak City and we'd like to continue our participation within the network. We don't feel this is a big deal, but it will help our capacity in the network to reach a clarified understanding within the RAAN hub.
Originally posted here (http://www.redanarchist.org/boards/index.php?topic=39.0)
The Red and Anarchist Action Network formed as a collaboration between communists and anarchists. The writings of RAAN welcomed the creative liberties with our documents because its known that the basic spirit of the documents were in favor of an anti-authoritarian network that wasn't just another "Direct Action Network" and so our unique flavor is more important than broad appeal. RAAN's early writings were well done and we've continued to develop since. RAAN doesn't share a unified language of revolution, however RAANistas often work towards breaking down the boundaries of anarchist and anti-state communist jargon in our pursuit to express our ideas in action. This brief document is Columbus is Dead's collective agreement on the points of the Principles and Direction and is being submitted to the RAAN Hub as an attempt to further the dialog that defines RAAN.
This document is an affirmation of autonomy and unity. This document is not meant to break with the Principles and Direction of RAAN, but to affirm differences in interpretation of the P&D while maintaining loyal to the general ideas and practices of RAAN and its various affiliates. The P&D has been a burden to RAAN organizing in Columbus, Ohio for a some time. The projects of RAAN gain quick nods of approval but the P&D has always had marks against it for its length and heavy use of language unfamiliar to most. In the acceptance of RAAN the principles are shortened in practice to "don't you think that anti-authoritarians can work together?". The "Autonomous Activity Through Affiliation" section of the Principles of Action is easily explained as well as the relationship that affiliates have to the RAAN Hub, should they choose to use it. The laundry list of the original points though not unimportant, are more often than not an affirmation of general anarchist and anti-state communist principles with an emphasis on action. The strict adherence of the principles mentioned throughout the primary documents of RAAN were meant to ensure exclusion of authoritarian, primarily Leninist, elements when the network began. This general agreement in RAAN over the role of the P&D has been informally acknowledged from the beginning, but we've not made it a public event. We've pushed aside criticisms in favor of action, but to continue our practice without making public differences with the P&D could hinder our abilities to communicate RAAN to others.
Most documents that define themselves with more than with a few words will find individuals with small differences in interpretation and emphasis, especially over time. RAAN's documents are no different. Individuals come and go and they mark the organic structure of the community with their presence, individuals find other or more varying influences from abroad creating an array of knowledge to draw from, reciprocating that knowledge through their varying networks and perhaps growing more wise with time. RAAN's P&D is not RAAN's most important document, many other documents created during its foundation speak with equal if not more important weight. Other RAAN writing projects have expanded much further than these founding documents and we see RAAN's early documents as early achievements in united coherence rather than as the end point of unity in ideas.
The Red and Anarchist Action Network is a network of the moment, we all agree that we should apply our theory to practice and this is what the network emphasizes rather than what the future of action may bring or simply action for its own sake divided from radical critique. In this way, RAAN is a constantly evolving pluralist praxis network rather than just a graffiti network or a formal network with a united theory and strategy. RAAN's activities and publications reveal our similarities and provide a strong trajectory of what we are all about, more so than the P&D, which in practice is just another document rather than a central document. The P&D was given a fixed position with the various language offered throughout the founding documents, but the purpose was to make it easier for people to just read it, find agreement and join, rather than harder and in this capacity the P&D has not been successful.
General adherence to the principles is easy to achieve and Columbus is Dead's entry in RAAN is no different. With a deeper reading, the creative liberties taken do at times raise eyebrows. The conclusion of the P&D states "We are a loose organization of freethinking individuals. We have no intention of this pamphlet serving as a strict set of rules for this network to follow, but merely a guide for us on our path towards liberation. As the title states, these are merely our basic principles and the direction we seek to follow to obtain these ends." so we request those participants in RAAN to help us find another dialog towards a new P&D or the abolition of fixed principles and towards a focus on a general trajectory of united ideas, whatever that may mean. This is a draft that is meant to inspire a new dialog and is not meant to necessarily answer our critics (but it wouldn't hurt) or to destroy the coherence of RAAN. The RAAN Fraction continues to exist in its original capacity, as a tendency within Arawak City and we'd like to continue our participation within the network. We don't feel this is a big deal, but it will help our capacity in the network to reach a clarified understanding within the RAAN hub.
Originally posted here (http://www.redanarchist.org/boards/index.php?topic=39.0)