The other America - MP3 tales from the south, mid-west and west coast

international | anti-capitalism | feature Thursday May 22, 2008 22:53 by Andrew

'If you're broke enough for the bus you might just join the army'

Back in March I published a compilation of the first half dozen interviews I had conducted with anarchists in the North Eastern USA. Here I present another 11 such interviews recorded with 20 anarchists during a vast n of a journey that started in Miami, moved North to Cleveland, west to Bellingham and then began the long descent south to LA.

The democratic primary continued to be the backdrop as the months and thousands of miles passed by both in terms of my closing question and the conversations on dozens of Greyhound trips. But I passed through more besides, from counter-spying on Burger King HQ in Miami, to attending a Winter Soldier hearing in Gainesville. From witnessing the destruction of Detroit to speaking in the heart of Chicago. From a mini riot in Olympia on Mayday to journeys end in the vastness of LA.

Related Links: Speaking tour details Previous Interviews

All the interviews were recorded as I conducted the last half of what had become a 45 city speaking tour of North America - see http://www.anarkismo.net/newswire.php?story_id=8456 A tour through a country at war, something I was reminded of by the wrapper around every Greyhound ticket which might as well have read 'If you broke or desperate enough to travel with us you might just join the army'. A country at war abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan, at war at home with its own population, excluding the political ones I witnessed at least half a dozen different sets of arrests on my tour. I heard of schools taking students in shifts each morning because of the lack of buses, I saw bridges that had collapsed due to under funding, heard of the mass layoffs in state after state and in the rust belt saw the destroyed industries and homes of a previous generations dreams. Some of these stories are told in the 4.5 hours of interview below and the 3 hours of interview already collated at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/86822 others will slowly fade from my memory. A handful more I blogged while travelling at http://anarchism.pageabode.com/blogs/andrewnflood

The interviews

Miami - Early April
In Miami I interviewed Patrick of the Black Mangrove Collective about struggles in that city and the political background. The interview covers everything from the difficulties of operating in a city where right wing Cuban exiles dominate the political landscape to community struggle for housing and organising in trailer parks.
20 minutes, 2.34 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/miami.mp3

Ashanti Alston - Sarasota - early April
Ashanti Alston Omowali is an anarchist activist, speaker, and writer, and former member of the Black Panther Party. He was a Black Liberation Army political prisoner for over 12 years, Last night while at the All Power to the Imagination conference in Sarasota, Florida I recorded his speech
40 minutes, 4.34 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/ashanti.mp3

Gainsville CMC - early April
An interview with James Schmidt of the Civic Media Center infoshop in Gainsville, central Florida. Interview covers student town, recession, CMC origins, IWW, homelessness, organic farms and farmwork and the elections
26 minutes 2.98 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/james.mp3

The Atlanta CTC - early April
Interview with 3 members of the Capital Terminus Collective in Atlanta, Georgia. Interview covers hospital privitizations, housing, police corruption, segregation of the working class and ends with the usual question about the US election
40 minutes, 4.96mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/ctc.mp3

Pittsburgh - Mid April
An interview with two anarchists in Pittsburgh, issues covered include the anarchist history of the city, transport cuts, current anarchist and left activity and of course their take on the US elections
12 minutes, 1.39 Mb - http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/pittsburgh.mp3

Detroit - mid April
An interview with Chris and Mike that looks at the radical history of Detroit and current anarchist activity in the city. Covers the period from the CIO upsurge and the mass migration to Detroit from the south, Black liberation movement and influence of maxism leninism to the formation of Anti-Racist Action (ARA). They also talk about issues in the city today and the formation of the new group Solidarity and Defence
40 minutes 5.59 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/detroitinte...w.mp3

Minneapolis - late April
An interview with Kieran in Minneapolis. He talks about employment in the 'twin cities' the loss of union jobs, the 1934 strike and Bloody Friday, the co-op movement in 60's and 70's, the American Indian Movement and Wounded Knee/Pine Ridge, influence of british anarchist groups and the formation of Love and Rage, Profane Existance and the punk scene and organising against the Republican National Convention and of course the elections
18 minutes, mp3 2.16 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/minneapolis.mp3

Seattle - late April
n Seattle I interviewed Rogue across a range of topics that included the legend of seattle, gentrification and public housing, prison abolition, left bank books, hoping freight trains, homeless at 15, punk v nazi fights in North carolina, IWW struggle to unionize Austin co-op, Class Action Alliance and Environmental activism, ACT-UP and condoms in prisons
40 minutes 4.65 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/apr2008/rogue.mp3

Olympia - Early May
Interview with Class Action Alliance member and sex worker activist Christa. She talks about work in Olympia, homelessness, the port blockades of war equipment, ICE raids/ sanctuary city, local anarchist activity, the Utopian Design Collective and primitivism, sex workers in Seattle, going to the DNC and RNC mobilizations
14 minutes 1.71 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/may2008/christa.mp3

Eugene - Early May
Interview with IWW members Mark, Kate, Nathan in Eugene, Oregan. issues covered include local industry, gentrification of downtown, decline of radical organising, what remains, anarchism in Eugene today, the decline of primitivism, the IWW, organising hippie bussinessess,
14 minutes 1.78 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/may2008/eugene.mp3

San Jose - mid May
An interview with 4 members of Amanecer in San Jose. They talk about tech jobs and the service sector, history of police brutality, poor being pushed out of the city, referendum to abolish rent control, cop watch and De Bug, the flea market, left in San Jose, the furious 5, formation of Amanecer, work in social movements
26 minutes 3.6 Mb at http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/may2008/sanjose.mp3

The other dozen interviews are at http://www.indymedia.ie/article/86822