How do you know that's Jim? And why are you going out of your way to snipe at him? By the way, he is a father now -- and if he is dumping your anti-social and counter-productive tactics -- good for him! He has hope for his son's future.

It wasn't me. I'm sure I've not renounced anarchism or the movement, though it was an interesting comment that is worth at least a little discussion.

We need a movement more than ever whether it's of use or not - I'm not the utilitarian type.

Resistance is absolutely necessary now and always. Removed from the organizing for this because of the new child, I do feel a small sense of loss on not being able to help out with what looked like a dynamic organizing effort. I don't know how you all felt about it, whether it was empowering for you, but we can only hope and grow from that.

Criticism should always be welcome, and it looks like there will be plenty to go around, but one day I hope that all of us can overcome our own deficiencies (and you all know I have plenty) to be able to build coherent systems of support. All of the diversity of tactics, and what happens on the street, won't matter a lick if we don't grind it out and build community and support so that our actions are effective and sustainable. As I prepare to move to a distant area, I hope I have more patience for it than I have sometimes shown here (especially in the last couple of years), and less prone to bouts of depression, a better ability to role with the punches. I have fondness for so many of you (even those of you who don't particularly like each other); you all bring so much.

For what it's worth, I'm glad you all went to Georgetown. I don't think it helps to dismiss the very unfortunate incident with the woman in terms of the scale of wrongs elsewhere (however true, it's not relevant) and instead use it as an opportunity to talk about building greater trust within and among affinity groups who put themselves in different situations. It's a chance to talk about privilege, to own up, and to be better than that. Everything that happens on the streets is always an opportunity for deconstruction of hierarchies, however it plays out. If we get simply stuck in the us v. them, we won't see how we ourselves are part of hierarchies of oppression. We all must own up and then do better. That makes our critique stronger. And, yes, my privilege has made me tend to be preachy (the ills of being the son of a preacher man).

Even so, that's just a challenge for us; there's a lot you all should be happy about. There seems to be a lot of energy (negative or positive, it doesn't really matter), and so in energy is movement and therefore possibility for radical change. My life in preparing for my son, who is now thankfully here, has been an opportunity of sorts for me as well to be stronger and better in my own will to resist.

Let's hope we are all there for each other in doing that.

Cheers,
In solidarity with you all,
Jim