Randy Lowens / Don Jennings / Prole Cat


Don Hamilton Jennings

Randy Lowens

"Prole Cat"

May 2, 1960 - March 8, 2012

Don Jennings passed away March 8, 2012, in Richmond, Kentucky. He is best known to many of us by his pen name, Randy "Prole Cat" Lowens. In lieu of flowers the Family request contributions to any public library in Don’s memory.

Don was a former Workers Solidarity Alliance member, a founding member of Atlanta's Capital Terminus Collective and a supporter of Common Struggle Libertarian Communist Federation.

From our mutual friend and comrade Shafik: "Very sad to hear the news of our comrade Don Jennings recent death. Don was a steadfast fighter for justice, a prolific writer, a founding member of Atlanta's Capital Terminus Collective, a student of life, adventurer, philosopher, loyal friend and companion to many and a true mensch. May his memory remain to encourage us in our struggles to create a better, more beautiful world. RIP dear comrade."

North Eastern Anarchist #15 2011 published his interview with bell hooks: "How Do You Practice Intersectionalism?"

For anarkismo.net he wrote this manifesto for his homeland: "An Anarchist Communist Strategy for Rural, Southern Appalachia" about opposing Mountain Top Removal coal mining.

He also wrote:

As "prole cat" he wrote:

His sto­ries have been fea­tured in "Wrong Tree Review", "A-Minor", "Dew on the Kudzu" and else­where. More of Randy's writing can also be found at http://todaysdeepsouth.blogspot.com/search?q=Randy+Lowens and http://oaknpine.blogspot.com/2011/02/randy-lowens-greatest-hits-compilation.html

Randy was reared in the north Georgia hills where he worked as welder, machinist and air conditioning repairman. Enraged by the abuses of employers, he began writing for leftist journals. He resided in eastern Kentucky, home schooled his daughter, cooked gourmet meals and composed fiction informed by all these experiences.

Randy received the Tacenda Literary Award for the Best Short Story of 2007, illuminating social injustice. His writing has been featured in JMWW (literary fiction); Fifth Estate (a counter cultural/anarchist journal); Clockwise Cat, Wanderings and Blue Collar Review (poetry); Cherry Bleeds (transgressive fiction); Thieves Jargon (drug lit); Pemmican (working class fiction); Unlikely Stories 2.0 (an insider's look at The Left); Dogmatica (Small Town Taboos Flagrantly Flouted); Word Riot and elsewhere. Most recently excerpts from a novel-in-progress appeared on Fried Chicken and Coffee and Dew on the Kudzu.

How Do You Practice Intersectionalism? An Interview with bell hooks


Illustration by Bree Johnson
Randy Lowens interviews bell hooks: "In June of 2009, bell hooks agreed to be interviewed. She generously waived the fee ordinarily charged from for-profit publications. We met at a local coffee shop and, over bagels and espresso drinks, discussed her books, politics and thoughts on recent events such as the economic downturn.

"I found her as forthright in person as on the page and with a subtle wit not always apparent (to me) in her writing. For example, after the interview we were approached by a local lawyer who was curious what publication she was being interviewed for. She cut her eyes at me and said, “Tell the man who the interview is for.” Upon learning I was anarchist, the lawyer mouthed familiar clichés about disorganization. hooks, a hint of a grin playing at the corners of her mouth, responded, “Yes, yes, it's all about license for the individual!”"

This interview was conducted by Randy Lowens, the pen name of Don Jennings, who passed away March 8, 2012, in Richmond, Kentucky. In lieu of flowers the Family request contributions to any public library in Don’s memory.

Things to Remember

The high independence of the rich only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which they this day rejoice are not enjoyed, in common. The rich's inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence: it's only shared in the rich society and not in the oppressed society.

Resources to Build Power / Show Power on May 1st!

Here is a list of resources for groups and individuals building towards showing our power on May 1st 2012:

Occupy May 1st Resources

From Occupy To Organize Trainings

Resources for the World Wide General Strike May 1st

Which Way Forward for the 99%?

Build Power & Show Power Through Mass Participatory Bold Action

There have been a wave of repressive attacks on, and evictions of, various Occupy camp sites throughout the country including where the movement started in Zucotti (Liberty) Park. But even before the evictions and repression escalated to the current levels, questions were being asked: what’s the way forward for the movement? Already there have been glimpses of organizing and action that are leading the way and shining a light for the rest of us to follow: the Oakland General Strike, Occupy Foreclosures, and other actions. These actions show that, fundamentally, all of the strategic questions revolve around the question of power. The power of the 99% vs. the power of the 1%.

¿Qué Podemos Hacer el 99% para Avanzar?

Construir y Ejercer poder a través de la acción participativa y masiva

Ha habido una oleada de ataques represivos y de desalojos contra varios campamentos Occupy a lo largo de todo el país, incluido aquel desde el que comenzó el movimiento en el parque Zucotti. Pero incluso antes de que los desalojos y la represión alcanzaran los niveles actuales había una pregunta en el aire: ¿de qué modo impulsar el movimiento? ya ha habido ejemplos de organización y de acción que marcan el camino y nos muestran respuestas: la huelga general de oakland y las acciones occupy contra los desalojos, entre otras. Estas acciones evidencian que, en lo fundamental, todas las cuestiones estratégicas giran en torno a la cuestión del poder. El poder del 99% contra el poder del 1%.

From Occupy to Organize Workshops


A series of Workshops, presented by long-time community organizers from a wide background, to give activists the skills we need to build a truly popular movement!

Part One
Saturday, February 18th
2-5pm

Part Two
Saturday, March 10th
2pm-5pm

Community Church of Boston
565 Boylston St.
Boston, MA
(Back Bay on the Orange line or Copley on the Green line)

Register here.

Freedom/Libertad #6

Inside:
Transit Funding Needs a Fix
Radical Potentials in Verizon Strike
Mumia Facing Life in Prison

En este numero
Pittsburgh Dice "Que Paguen los Ricos"
Posibilidades Radicales en la Huelga de Verizon
Mumia se Enfrenta a Cadena Perpetua

El proceso de construcción inicial del FEL

El Fel posee precedentes bastante lejanos en el tiempo, enclavados en las diversas experiencias de inserción social anarquista/libertaria en el movimiento estudiantil chileno, lo que en este documento no alcanzaremos a reseñar. Si nos detendremos eso sí, en los antecedentes inmediatos, siendo lo más relevante, la presencia alcanzada por diferentes grupos y colectivos de corte anarquista/libertario en el ciclo de luchas del movimiento universitario desde mediados de los años 90.

The Process of the Initial Construction of FEL (Libertarian Students Front - Chile)

The Process of the Initial Construction of FEL
[Translated from the original document.

Acronyms
ACES: Asamblea Coordinadora de Estudiantes Secundarios/Coordinating Assembly of High
School Students
ACL: Asamblea de Convergencia Libertaria/Libertarian Convergence Assembly
Bandera Negra/Black Flag
Confech: Confederación de Estudiantes de Chile/Chilean Student Confederation

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