General Assembly #8, July 21st, 2007
Judson Memorial Church, Washington Square Park
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MAJOR DECISIONS:
- Evan elected new Comms member, to replace Matthew.
- NYMAA will support NEAN and re-considering joining at the next GA
- Nuts and Bolts will hold meetings on the future structure on NYMAA and GAs.
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NOTES:
Discussion Question Breakouts
• not all scheduled discussion groups met
Secret word
Decision reached by consensus: "working group" will be the secret word
Mutual Aid and Barn-raising
All persons present introduced themselves and solicited aid for whatever they might need at the moment. No record was made of individuals' introductions or statements
Introduction to consensus
Facilitators gave a briefing on consensus, stack, hand-signals etc.
Individual Introductions
All persons present introduced themselves by name and group affiliations
Discussion group report-backs
Agenda discussion #1, Would an Anarchist society...
No discussion group formed
Agenda discussion #2, Introduction to Anarchism and NYMAA:
No report back recorded
Agenda discussion #3, Anarchism and spirituality:
The group decisively concluded there is a spiritual aspect to anarchism.
Agenda discussion #4, How do words influence the perception of our movement:
No report back recorded
Agenda discussion #5, Potential coalition/community work:
The general consensus was that NYMAA needs to engage in community work. But, weather to engage with, and offer support to, existing community based groups like The Movement for Justice in the Bario and Labor movements like the IWW versus starting our own community-based groups was debated with no general agreement among the proponents of these views as to which option should be adopted at this time.
Agenda discussion #6, Formulate a response to current events in Oaxaca:
No discussion group formed
A proposal to organize the PLAN/PNAC working group (ARRGH!)
Proposal was offered then deferred pending the scheduling of a meeting to discuss organizing said working group (ARRGH!) Meeting place and time to be determined, watch list-serve for announcement.
Allston-Brighton Collective for Popular Assemblies Report
Jake form Boston gave a report on his group's activity organizing community assemblies in an effort to raise popular opposition to the encroachment of area institutions into the Allston-Brighton neighborhood. The assemblies were successful in raising local awareness and influencing city planning board members. Jake mentioned a book an associate had written on organizing neighborhood movements, the title was not recorded. Jake can be contacted at trenchesfullofpoets_at_riseup.net
Working Group report-backs:
Rock Dove Collective
• A skills share is scheduled for Thursday August 2nd, this will be a hands-on workshop contact Danielle for location
• The collective needs referral sources, if you know any alternative or traditional health providers who might be sympathetic to Rock Dove's goals please bring them to the collective's attention.
• Rock Dove can make some referrals for services, so ask.
Radical Homosexual Agenda
• Perpetrated Parade Without a Permit, a constitutionally guaranteed assembly, in violation of NYPD rules
• Is succeeding in making opposition to said police rules a political issue in the Gay, Lesbian and Bi-sexual community
Anarchist Reading Group
• Holds meetings the last Thursday or Friday of the month, see NYMAA event calendar for specifics
• The August book is Ursula Le Guin's The Dispossessed
Props Crew
• Working on patches, stickers and a palm card
• Soliciting for artwork, contact corker_at_riseup.net
Signals Connective
• Facilitation training is available contact Sam or Danielle
Global Nets Working Group
• Has been working with various anarchist groups in the northeast to establish a Northeast Anarchist Network (NEAN). NEAN is envisioned an a horizontal network of local groups, assemblies and individuals committed to anti-authoritarian struggles.
• NEAN will hold a network-wide conference in New York on August 11th and 12th, see the NYMAA events calendar for more info
US Social Forum Report Back
• NYMAA was an officially registered and participating organization at the US Social Forum
• Several working groups presented workshops
RHA, workshop not recorded
Global Nets, Anarchy for the Future: Progressive Anti-Authoritarianism • Attended by about 200 people; became a general discussion about current and future trends in anarchist movements, was very hard to organize
!Ya Basta¡, Escalation Strategies in the Anti-War Movement
• Proposed expanding the definition of war to include all violence facilitated by elites to preserve their power
• Formation tactics training
Unattributed, Pool Liberation March
• Assorted impressions
Elliot; Many groups were doing their standard outreach / fliering more appropriate to a county fair, anarchist presence lent radical credibility
Carter; Experiences varied from person to person with negative experiences more common among marginalized groups
• General assessment
There is a place in the Social Forum for anarchist groups and propaganda if we exploit it.
Sacco & Vanzetti Announcement
The Libertarian book club is organizing two events to mark the 80th anniversary of the state murder of Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco
• a teach-in is scheduled for August 22
• a permitted demonstration is scheduled for the afternoon of August 23rd at the south end of Union Square
• an organizing meeting will be held at 7PM on Wednesday July 25 at the LBC/NYMAA office in the Muste building
• speakers, artists, musicians and sound equipment is needed
IWW Announcement
• The IWW IU 460/640 will be holding a large march through East Williamsburg and Bushwick on Saturday, August 25. The march will be to demand an end to the Slave-like pay and working conditions in the food distribution industry in the area. Time and location to be determined, but most likely it will be starting at around 10:30am. Watch the list-serve for more info.
• Workers in Action/Trabajadores en Acción, the worker's group close enough) of Make the Road by Walking, will be marching Sunday, July 29 in support of Bushwick workers. The march will begin at Make the Road's office, 301 Grove Street Brooklyn, at 12:30 free food will be served after the march.
Media Liaison Proposal Announcement
The suggestion of a media liaison was offered, discussion was tabled
Selection of new Comms member
Matthew was out-going comms member; Evan was selected as the new comms member. Comms is now Walter, Darcy and Evan. No discussion recorded.
Proposals
1. Should NYMAA join the North-East Anarchist Network
Decision reached by consensus: NYMAA will support NEAN and re-considering joining at the next GA, after NEAN's structure and operation are firmed-up during August's network-wide meeting. There were two stand-asides holding that NYMAA should focus on it's own activities in the Metro-area and that joining regional organizations will dilute NYMAA's efforts.
2. Re-considering the GA's current format and schedule
Decision reached by consensus: The Nuts and Bolts working group (AARGH!) will hold discussions to re-consider the current GA format and schedule. The top agenda item at the next GA will be to determine the format and schedule of future General Assemblies.
Reflection
A period of reflection was held, those still in the room commented about their impression of that day's meeting, reviews were mixed, many were tired.
Concluded at Seven o'clock in the evening.
