Snitching and Abuse isn't "Interpersonal" Get the Fuck Out

more info can be found: http://snitchwire.blogspot.com/2010/01/nyc-tells-snitch-dennis-burke-to-pack.html




The Love and Resistance collective in New York City has asked us to circulate the following statement about Dennis Burke aka Thadeus D. Umpster, a fixture of NYC's anarchist scene since 1999.
------------------------------
Thadeaus D. Umpster, persona non grata

Dennis Burke (otherwise known as Thadeus) has officially been dismissed from the anarchist community in New York City and everywhere else.


Dennis Burke (otherwise known as Thadeus) has officially been dismissed from the anarchist community in New York City and everywhere else.


Today the Love and Resistance collective, NYC Anarchist Black Cross (ABCF-NYC), Support NY, Bitches Roll Deep Anarcha-feminist collective, Aftershock Action Alliance, the New School in Exile, Students Creating Radical Change (NYU), and other individuals active in the anarchist and revolutionary scenes in New York City find ourselves in the position of issuing the following statement:

Dennis Burke aka Thadeaus D. Umpster has been around anarchist groups in NYC since 1999, residing in a well-known anarchist house in Brooklyn, NY and part of the largely defunct group A New World in Our Hearts.

While initially considered a comrade by some of us, Thadeaus’ erratic, disruptive, abusive and otherwise troubling behavior caused almost everyone in NYC to disavow him. Thadeaus has been called out multiple times for abusive behavior, by both ex-partners and other women who have come in contact with him, and by survivor support groups. Those of us who have been involved in political projects with Thadeaus have seen his dominating, manipulative and stubborn behavior destroy groups and drive dozens of people away.

Until now some of us have held our tongues on the subject (in retrospect for way too long), but recent events have made it impossible to do this any longer. In the past year Thadeaus has become more isolated, as well as violent and bizarre in his behavior. He has forcibly entered into rooms of other people in the collective house he lives in, and has repeatedly called the police on roommates who confront him about this behavior. Thadeaus recently threatened a roommate who has a pending legal case, with contacting the district attorney's office, and volunteering to testify as a character witness against them. In short, Thadeaus will not hesitate to use the police or the threat of the police to hold power over others.

Weeks ago, residents of the house unanimously decided that they did not want Thadeaus to live there anymore. This was communicated him and he has refused to move out. On December 10, a new resident was moving into a room at the collective house, Thadeaus attempted to physically block their entrance, called the police reporting a “home invasion” in front of several witnesses and began throwing the new resident’s belongings out a second-story window. Thadeaus met the police at the gate, and despite the efforts of another resident present, invited the cops into the house. Thadeaus lied to the cops, claiming that a non-existent roommate was being forcibly evicted, in an attempt to get at least one of his roommates arrested. A long debate ensued, in the presence of the police, resulting in the cops telling everyone present that if they were called again that night, everyone (including Thadeaus) would be arrested.

Four days later, on December 16, he once again called the cops after changing the locks of a housemate's room.

On January 5, 2010, an inevitable confrontation occurred after two roommates (1 & 2) walked in on Thadeaus and two of his associates inside roommate 1's room going through the individual's personal belongings. When confronted, Thadeaus pulled out a video camera and became confrontational. In the ensuing melee, police were called by both parties and they in turn arrested roommates 1 and 2, both people of color. Unlike previous attempts to have comrades and roommates arrested, this call played on the pervasive racism of the NYPD and both of them were jailed facing serious charges.

When another resident returned to the house from the precinct, this resident and another person went to secure one of the arrested roommate's belongings. Thadeaus attempted to physically prevent them from doing so, and then promptly called the NYPD again. After about an hour-long conversation with the police, no arrests were made.

On January 6th, the day after putting our friends in jail, Thadeaus once again called the NYPD to the house on yet another made-up claim.

It pains us that we have to spend our time dealing with a destructive individual like Thadeaus who has been a plague to our scenes for years, instead of using our time and energies to fight for liberation and against capitalism. It is clear that Thadeaus is not a comrade and is instead the kind of violent, abusive individual who will not hesitate to use the police against comrades. Members of the anarchist community have spent months attempting to address his inter-personal abuse history through an accountability process. However, because of his attempts to evade accountability, continuing abuse and now snitching, Thadeaus has effectively removed himself from this community thereby precluding the continuation of that process.

Finally, it should be noted that Thadeaus is persistently manipulative, and will likely try to rationalize, deny or minimize the events described herein. As an example of such, below is a quote taken from a widely seen email, where he was called out for contacting the police years ago in a non-threatening aftermath of an infoshop property dispute:

“I have never called the cops in my life...people are throwing personal insults and insinuating that I am a snitch. That is bullshit and I hope that people take note of who is leveling these allegations.” (Thadeaus, 10/4/09)

Please forward this widely, and fight against snitches, snitching and individuals who prey on radical social scenes. The strength of our movements depends on it. This statement serves as a notification to all that Thadeaus is a persona non grata in NYC and should not be welcomed elsewhere. He is a dangerous, manipulative person and should not be trusted nor tolerated within any social or political communities.

-ex members of the new world in our hearts collective,
January 7th, 2010, New York City
--------------------------------
SnitchWire endorses this outing of Dennis Burke after reviewing the information presented by the aforementioned organizations. Anyone calling themselves an anarchist should never call the police to resolve a personal dispute, especially when doing so could land comrades into the clutches of the State. In the future, individuals with abusive histories should continue to be held accountable and watched closely, especially in collective housing situations.

Make no mistake, Burke is a snitch. Using the authorities multiple times to his advantage over the span of a few years is inexcusable, and negates any revolutionary potential Burke may have had. Going through the posessions of somebody else is also a huge no-no, and it would be of interest to SnitchWire to find out who his "associates" in this situation could have been. Wherever he goes, SnitchWire would advise that Burke is shunned from working any further on anarchist projects or campaigns and definitely turned away from any kind of collective living situation. He is a hazard to the radical community and a dangerous liability as a collaborator to the State.

DO NOT call the police. This means YOU.

HAHAHAHAHA

oh yeah I have a radio show now. I play punk songs, and deliver radical news that catches my eye that week. check it out by going here http://deptorg.knox.edu/wvkc/
and clicking the off-campus listening link. i'm on tuesdays at 2:30-4:00 pm mid west time.

Native Groups Protest Land-Selling (um stealing) Law

From Inter Press Service News Agency

Native Groups Protest Laws Facilitating Sales of Land

Milagros Salazar

LIMA, Aug 19 (IPS) - Defending the state of emergency declared in three provinces in Peru to crack down on protests by indigenous communities against a law facilitating the sale of their community-owned lands, Prime Minister Jorge del Castillo said the government was safeguarding "the rights of the great majority of Peruvians."

Since Aug. 9, indigenous demonstrators have been demanding the repeal of two decree laws that promote private investment in their territory, and the reestablishment of a clause from the 1979 constitution -- which was replaced by the new constitution in 1993 -- which stated that communally owned land in indigenous territory could not be sold or embargoed.

They are also demanding that the government and Peruvian legislation comply with International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention 169 (which was ratified by Peru), that makes it obligatory to consult with indigenous communities prior to any project or works undertaken in their territory.

Over the past 10 days, protesters in several provinces have blocked roads and oil and gas installations and reportedly took police officers hostage.

The 30 day state of emergency declared Monday in parts of the northern Amazon jungle provinces of Amazonas and Loreto and in Cusco in the south bans public gatherings and suspends free transit. In addition, the army can be sent in to break up protests.

In a late Monday press conference, Prime Minister del Castillo responded to criticism of the decision to declare a state of emergency. "We are not provoking native communities but safeguarding areas that are of strategic importance for the country," he said, referring to a gas pipeline in northern Peru and the Camisea gas project.

After talks between the administration of Alan García and protesters stalled on Friday, the government announced that it would not engage in dialogue again until the protests were called off. But native leaders said Monday that the demonstrations would continue.

"The government has declared open war on indigenous people and the demonstrators will stay there until the problem is solved. They prefer to die there, they aren’t afraid," said the president of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP), Alberto Pizango, accompanied by several "apus", or indigenous chiefs.

Environment Minister Antonio Brack alleged that the indigenous protesters were being manipulated by an "international movement" that he said is inciting Aguaruna Indians in Peru and Ecuador to try to form their own independent territory.

"They are being stage-managed by a group of lawyers who are deliberately misinforming them," said Brack, who was sent to Loreto for talks with native leaders on Friday, but failed to secure results.

Pizango said his association is urging Congress to revoke the decree laws that were approved by the executive branch under special powers granted by the legislature for the implementation of the free trade agreement signed with the United States.

Under one of the decrees, a mechanism created in the 1990s, which allowed indigenous communities to sell or lease collectively-owned land to third parties if approved by two-thirds of the members of a community assembly, was modified to permit sales with the votes of just 50 percent plus one of the assembly members.

Roger Nájar, the new chairman of the parliamentary committee on Andean and Amazon peoples and the environment, told IPS that on Tuesday, in the first session of the new legislature, lawmakers would study two draft laws aimed at overruling the decrees in question.

"We want to provide a solution to the fair demands of these communities, because the government continues to act arrogantly, without any ability to dialogue," said the legislator.

Nájar said he had received no response to two letters he sent to the Council of Ministers asking that the indigenous peoples’ demands be addressed.

Pizango, meanwhile, said that if Congress showed a willingness to take up the issue, the groups would study the possibility of calling off the protests.

On Sunday, an Aguaruna Indian and a police officer were seriously injured in clashes between protesters and the police at the Aramango Hydroelectric Plant in the province of Amazonas, according to the local La República correspondent. Other press reports mentioned 12 people injured -- eight police officers and four demonstrators.

"The underlying problem is that the government is attempting to portray indigenous people as just another group of poor people, without admitting that they have a different way of life, a different cultural viewpoint," anthropologist Oscar Espinosa at the Pontificia Catholic University of Peru told IPS.

"The authorities think they can calm the demands of indigenous people by building schools or medical clinics, but the pending debt to the indigenous population is much more complex than that," he added.

"They should not be seen as inferior because of their attempt to block the influx of private investment into their territories," said Espinosa. "The problem is that Peru has a hard time seeing cultural differences as something positive, as part of the country’s wealth. Peruvian society sees them instead as an obstacle."

Vice President Luis Giampietri argued that "some non-governmental organisations that are active in these issues are inciting people to do these kinds of things, which in the end are subversive activities, because they are undermining the foundations of democracy.

"How have they achieved the miracle of being able to bring together, in one place at the same time, communities so widely dispersed as the jungle peoples? That will have to be investigated," said Giampietri.

But the protests did not come out of nowhere. Indigenous communities have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the two decree laws.

And while the two decrees are the main irritant, indigenous associations have a list of 38 laws and provisions that they would like to see repealed on the argument that they undermine indigenous rights.

"Peru, which in past decades (in the 1970s) was in the vanguard with respect to indigenous issues, is now in last place on the list," said Espinosa.

In the professor’s view, the country has been backsliding on the question of indigenous rights, to the point that there isn’t even a specific law on the issue, only one 1978 provision on native communities that should incorporate, for example, the latest international instruments safeguarding indigenous peoples’ rights.

Nor is there any strong state institution that represents them, he added.

The National Institute for the Development of Andean, Amazon and Afro-Peruvian Peoples (INDEPA), which would normally be in charge of indigenous affairs, has been partially dismantled and is still in the midst of a process of "reorganisation" by the government, two years into García’s term.

"These protests might end in dialogue, but the problem will continue, because there are no government policies that value and respect indigenous people," said Espinosa.

The government ordered military overflights of the protest zones and deployed some 1,500 army troops to Bagua. (END/2008)

And another article on BBC

Why Protest the DNC?

Denver Spends 50 Million (of tax money) on DNC


Instead of that money going to social services to better the Denver community.
Instead of fighting against the free trade economic system that is economically and ecologically NOT sustainble, energy is wasted on a candidate that supports this very system.
Instead of fighting against xenophobia and racism, 'equality and progress' is seen as voting for a candidate that supports building a 700 mile long wall between the US and Mexico (and the has the audacity to ask for the Latino vote).

Because "compromise" means hierarchally determining who's rights we should sacrifice, and who should assimilate into the racistheterosexistcapitalistpatriarchy
Because liberation is far from happening when millions of people CAN'T vote
Because I refuse to accept any leader, especially one endorsed by prison guards (New York City’s Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association)
Because I stand in solidarity with people in New Orleans and oppose 'reform plans' that involve police expansions
Because we are smarter than that, and know that the current system in place will not bring real sustainable change
Because we won't be duped into supporting the state that oppresses us.

HAHAHAHA

Ex-Cop Kills Himself While trying to Shoot a Turtle

“From the upward trajectory of the bullet, it doesn't appear that this
was anything other than a truly sad accident,” said Bucks County Coroner
Joseph Campbell. “It looks like he was trying to shoot at the turtle,
when he slipped on some logs and accidentally shot himself in the chest.”





heee heee hee.

Hipsters Suck, BUT I/You Do Too.

Cool article about why hipsters are the dead end of western civilization
agreed, they pretty much are a bunch of white rich kid cultural appropriators whose entire subculture is founded on consumerism and some industry produced idea of cool.

BUT, disagree with the authors glamourizing of punk and hip-hop. both have prettty political origins, and I fucking insist, no matter what any bullshit punk-rock royalty warped tour asshole says, (ahem Nekromantix, lower class brats, etc *cough*) that punk IS political in origin and at heart. like the very act of reclaiming music as something you can do yourself and with your friends and not just rockstar corporate major label crap IS political. Pride in working class is political, there is a side being taken. that's not to say that every punk song's gotta be about politics or everyone's gotta believe the same shit, but like the ideals of being against authority, doing shit yourself, being proud and rejecting (not assimilating into ) mainstream crap , in itself is political.
anyway, got off on a tangent....lik yeah pre-hipster youth cultures have existed as a way to rebel against the mainstream. BUT both punk and hip hop, like hipster [suedo culture, have become mass produced and stand for fucking nothing nowadays.

like the author can't tell me the self-identified punk at hot topic that paid 30 dollars for a studded belt is resisting consumerism. or that G-unit is a way of suverting the dominant paradigim.
nowadays, punk and hip hop by and large are not political, so why does the end of western civilization end with hipsters?

I think 'the end' started as far back as Elvis and Hippies and also ends with Warped Tour and Hot 97.

WHAT THE FUCK

Apparently, if you shoo bears away, that means you are harrassing hunters

In a decision released today, the Appellate Division affirmed prior
rulings in Vernon Municipal Court and Superior Court in Newton that the
activists, Angela Metler, Albert Kazemian and Janet Piszar, had harassed
hunters, one of whom was an undercover police officer, by encircling
them and hooting and hollering to keep bears away.


The appeal argued their conduct did not constitute physical interference
with hunting and was free speech; that a defense of entrapment was
improperly barred in municipal court; and that the officer and hunters
should not have been viewed by the court as credible witnesses due to
their pro-hunting views. A three-judge appellate panel affirmed the
convictions.

The incident occurred in Wawayanda State Park in Vernon on Dec. 7, 2005,
when an undercover state park police officer was in the woods with two
hunters. There, they encountered five activists; Metler, Kazemian,
Piszar and Theresa Fritzges, and another unidentified woman who got away.

The activists were found guilty in Vernon Municipal Court in 2006 of
disorderly-persons offenses.