Occupy Toronto: We (Aren’t) The 99%!

I expect a bit more from Anarchists than what has been demonstrated in recent years. Anarchism in the Emma Goodman tradition was about creating capacity for local self management and economic autonomy. This requires Anarchists to become much more engaged in real social economy development through the CED network.

Anarchists also need to be much more systematic in documenting and challenging the abuse of state power in matters of dehumanization of people by such things as police intimidation. I would be much more encouraged by the potential of Anarchism if it was willing to devote some attention to specific cases as the crushing of democratic control as in the case of the police interference in the Handicapped Housing Society of Alberta in the late 1990s. The record shows that egregious abuse of constitutional rights occurred in this case, and Anarchists could help with restoring basic rights of people who have had their lives damaged by this anti-democratic abuse, but to date Anarchists have not taken serious interest in this kind of situation.

Only by citizens’ banding together and getting a commitment by police to understand and defend the essential constitutional rights of all persons, and to have police contracts based on this principle, will we have a real civilized society.