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Julian Ichim: On Community Support and Solidarity

Blog posts reflect the views of their authors.

On community support and solidarity

by Julian Ichim, May 19 2011

Sitting in court today, watching my fiancée Kelly Pflug Back, a community activist of many years, who is facing charges stemming from the g20, i was surprised to look around the court room and see that other than myself there was only one other person there for support. Being part of the activist community for about 15 years, i am used to seeing packed court rooms and all sorts of solidarity for people facing political charges.

During a smoke break with Kelly and her surety, i brought up this fact and she stated that she wasn’t surprised at all. Since her house arrest most of her “allies” have not visited, phoned or even emailed her. A group that she helped create, Sense of Security (SOS), split along class lines around the issue of supporting her and the issue of militancy. Many of her former comrades who have known her for a long time are now denouncing her and many of those who do “support” her don’t even have time to send her an email.

This experience is not something new to “street activism.” After i threw chocolate milk on Stockwell Day in 2000, people who assisted me in planning the action denounced me to the media, and when one caring individual tried to raise money for my legal defence, he was shut down by the activist community and i ended up having to use up my grandma’s college fund that she’d been saving for me since i was born (all $783), and plead guilty to get out of the situation.

Members of SOS, facing g20 related charges or drug charges as a result of the intensification of police attacks on the downtown communities in Kitchener and Guelph, show up to empty court rooms, with no jail visits and no support. It seems to me that, to “real anarchists” and “revolutionary Marxists,” poor people are expendable; good to use as an example to the media or to tokenize, but to be thrown aside when they become too much of a headache or left to fend for themselves when facing serious charges.

Although the above stated examples are the norm in our movement, there are examples of people in our community who recognize their privilege and are actively engaged in confronting it. Although these attempts may not be perfect and the outcomes may not seem to be what is ideal or what should exist in a perfect socialist society. It should be recognized that it is easier to sit on the side watching and critiquing than to actively engage and deal with problems as they are. 

In Kitchener, AW@L--an activist group that started out of Wilfrid Laurier University to oppose war, colonialism and imperialism, and the Spot Collective--an organization of street and gang youth that organize around the issues that they face politically, have attempted to create a social space to be used by both radical communities and street youth. A lot of positive things have come out of that initiative, yet it was not perfect. There were problems, contradictions and conflict.

As a result of real issues as well as external attacks, the KW Community Centre for Social Justice (KWCCSJ) recently shut down. As a result of this, people’s feelings have been hurt and real tensions have existed between AW@L and the Spot collective.

However, shortly after the KWCCSJ closed and it seemed that division between the two groups might be insurmountable, one of our more annoying street youths was arrested. We had no one to turn to so we called AW@L people to bail out this youth. Instead of a lecture on how horrible we are etc., I was asked “what can I do to help?” The next day at court, half of active AW@L members—half of the group is facing serious g20 related charges and their ability to function as part of the group has been drastically curtailed by severely restrictive bail conditions—were there and the rest of AW@L’s active membership provided real and meaningful support. There were more than a dozen people there.  Today, there are 5 members of the Spot Collective living with AW@Lers and this AW@L house is used by many downtown street youth as an emergency shelter.

No one in our movement is ever going to be perfect. We won’t necessarily all be perfect anti sexists or understand class issues and we won’t always get along with each other. But if we are to survive as a movement we need to move beyond our differences and have each other’s backs. This is the lesson I have learned from working with AW@L. Maybe if other activists took a page from this book, Kelly’s court room won’t be empty in the future.


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Comments

if you wouldn't pull stupid

if you wouldn't pull stupid shit like you have til now there would be much more support. if you would learn [like you were told] your rights, laws and how canada works then you wouldn't end up up the creek without a paddle. so, here ya go [again]: look up freeman on the land ... for the basics.

i'm so sorry this happened. I

i'm so sorry this happened. I know that everyone doing solidarity support is totally overwhelmed- i heard from several people that we were thinking of going to the bail hearing and i had an important thing that couldn't be rescheduled (partly dealing with activist personal fallout). 

I know that the Toronto anarchist community is absolutely overwhelmed by the demands of supporting g20 arrestees. For me personally it was a matter of doing court support or entirely dropping the activism I had been doing before- i've had to drop out significantly anyway and i simply can't manage anything more.

 think that we need to schedule better so that each individual person doesn't feel the need to go to every bail hearing  and we have have enough support for each person without burning out the supporters. Among my part of the communtity anyway no slight was intended and I had heard that several people were planning on going, but i guess that didn't happen. Anyway, very sorry that support didn't materialize. 

 

DWW

Julain you are my boy .... and I stand behind you 100%

You have always had the backs of the people ... Iam glad you are my comrad :)

 

julian you are a natural born

julian you are a natural born leader. all leaders lose members and support they previously had and go through a period of isolation. this is when you and Kelly's leadership will be put to the test. just stick to your original motives and fight the fight!

 

Just for interests sake i did

Just for interests sake i did a search for Julian and ran across a number of commentaries, one following being one of the best:
http://macleinn23.wordpress.com/2010/06/24/julian-ichim-everything-thats...
.. see comments section as well

This proves he doesn't know his rights, natural law, god's law, common law or any other kind of law besides law of being ignorant.
Do you want such a boy leading you around?

Just because someone is a

Just because someone is a communist and doesn't believe in the legitimacy of state law doesn't bean they are ignorant- seems like Julien is quite well educated in things that you don't seem to know exist, like marxist legal theory. And just because some random blog says he's a jerk? That's proof positive? I really don't think so.

Thank you for falling into my

Thank you for falling into my trap. I'm well aware of Julian's education, his personality, "marxist legal theory", Marxist western origins and reasons for it's inception, those behind it and the rest. Seems like you missed the part "number of commentaries" as well.

It is Julian's education that's failing in respect to history, laws, systems and respectful ways. If one is to implement a Just Loving Harmonious system then one is OBLIGATED to include Universal laws, Natural laws, those of Life AND Men and Women as the dominant thinking beings on Earth.

FYI Marxism is a western construct [west of Egypt] by Europeans who wanted to force rule upon a Free Sovereign population of Slavs in area now called Russia and everywhere.

Any control system that has come out of Europe has been unnatural, disrespectful of natural laws, free sovereign beings and life itself. It's the main reason why Europeans are called "Barbarians" by every indigenous tribe on Earth.

Most western schools think much of History is Myth and not relevant, yet those so called Myths ARE full basis in fact, in sciences, ALL laws and operations of this universe. They are explained in detail in 300 essential books hidden by King Solomon for reason of humanity [presumed dead / zombies] not using them as intended. Parts of these can be found in many cultures around the world. When you put them together they describe the true system of everything.

I suggest you start with http://www.sacred-texts.com , Maya, Dogon and the rest AND how they ALL fit together. Then work your way into present. When you can wrap your head around these facts and how they match up with today's infantile steps in sciences and systems then come back and we can have an intelligent discussion.

You have the greatest library of material know to man right in front of you ... it's called the internet. It is your task to put the pieces together and use the system given to you, known as Natural and Universal Laws.

BTW Julian has been warned numerous times to get with the program and learn, yet obviously refused to do so. I have told him myself and he failed to see any part besides his destructive ideas. Shame on him.

Main message of ancients is: learn, adapt and show respect or you will not be allowed into greater community of life in universe AND you can rot in that cesspool you have created til you die off. We will help you, but only if you get rid of your destructive ways.

Therefore, you and Julian are just kids when it comes to knowledge and what is needed to save everyone and this planet. You both are nothing but patsies for a corrupt system perpetrated for 1,000's of years due to programming by elites and subsequently your lack of knowledge and wisdom.

You want to learn in a fast track, respectful and open manner then say the word ... on here. I know where to find him. Otherwise don't try to spread such outright bullshit on unsuspecting public.

Notice: All Inalienable Natural Sovereign and Common Law Rights reserved.

Militant tactics ostricising

Militant tactics ostricising people and causing devision amoungst radical communities... 

who'da thunk it. 

for the person who wrote...thank you for falling into my trap!

Seriously, you are insane! I really hope you are not ever in a position of leadership or sorry to say this but i hope you pass on having kids too!...Your crazy! And you spurting all kinds of different cultural or societal or faith based (all over the place crazy person) facts and theories not tying anything together to try and destroy's someones profile. Go see a professional and spare us all!

 

By the way are you related to Kenneth Star!...Get help and stop posting crazy things about people!
 

re: Wed, 07/27/2011 - 23:49

Before you go off the deep end you might like to know whomever wrote "Just for interests sake ..." is right. There are a number of tapes floating around of Julian being stoned to outright plastered, acting like a jerk, falling on the road and almost being hit by cars, instigating, doing drugs with juveniles, soliciting juveniles to do his destruction and damages. I also hear there is a tape of Julian at Hanlon Creek Occupation but I have not seen it. From what I hear it's a whopper. Kitchener-Waterloo community is certainly not happy with him. My kid has told me of other instances which I'd rather not get into here. Let's just say, it's no way for an adult to conduct himself.

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