NYC is a lovable shithole that drives people crazy.
I just did a whirlwind tour of the town, from the best of it (the food!) to the worst (the wingnuts), all in the context of the NYC @ book fair. This year went by so fast that its hard to believe that I am already back with a day of work under my belt before another trip.
Here are some highlights…
- NYC Bookfair: Probably the most intense bookfair with a very packed room and a very sophisticated audience. While our “west coast” vibe isn’t that popular over here it seems to finally be making some cracks in the autonomous-academic-leftoid axis.
- Reverend Billy: I hear that one of the organizers of the NYC book fair invited this fool to the event but they were misguided. Anarchists don’t give a fuck about his “life after shopping” church and to the extent to which there is a postmodern tongue-in-cheek statement to be made about the book fair itself it is definitely lost in the one man megaphone show that is Reverend Billy. Chaos ensued and a drenched and battery-less RB left the event dejected and ejected.
- APOC gone wild: I don’t know the context outside of seeing it happen a million times before but I saw this… philly APOC bullying the fuck out of some clueless white kid ending their articulate chest thumping (and jacket throwing) conversation with spittle in the poor kids face. Then they turned on anyone who would look at them cross-eyed… This shit is officially ridiculous
- Non-violent children: The Greeks gave a presentation on much of the theoretical orientation of the Assemblies and the Greek Insurrection. They did it in front of a non-violent activist whose child more or less controlled the entire event. Quote from her “I can’t control him, but you are welcome to.” Pacifism for the WIN!
- Autonomedia: I made my journey to the warehouse on Monday and like usual it was a pleasant and enjoyable time. I was there with people from all over the globe and was reminded of how much I want a space like this of my very own.
- Curly’s: I am a simple person. I ate the vegan Cubano + mango shake twice. I am very lucky that I get to do such things.
Philly APOC are -still- at it? How exactly did a bunch of nationalist pricks waltz up into an anarchist book fair, bully people, and then (apparently) get away with it? If the redness of my face is any indication, I might have been compelled to do something stupid.
Anyways… nationalists and lame activist troupes; the eccentricity and drama alone sound very stimulating! Perhaps I will show up to one or two of these in my lifetime.
Also, how do you come up with the resources to go on all these trips, man? You remind me of one of my aunts; always going on short, cheapo vacations to get away from the drudgery of our little city.
=P
In retrospect, you didn’t know the context of the confrontation and so I don’t either.
But Philly APOC (as in, the groupuscule) don’t seem right.