Used this way, "direct action" is a misleading term.
Most organizing action isn't bricks through windows. It's long, tedious, unglamorous work. Think weekends spent calling people about an upcoming union vote, or putting together digestible political education pamphlets, or maintaining community food pantries. Moreso, it's action that can be taken by anyone; it's not the exclusive domain of self-avowed anarchists or MLs.
Protests and confrontation, when they do happen, are flash points. Opportunites to challenge the status quo but not ends in themselves. And hell, even those need a lot of less-visible organization to be effective: police watchers, jail support, mashalls, medics, march guards, etc.
Used this way, "direct action" is a misleading term.
Most organizing action isn't bricks through windows. It's long, tedious, unglamorous work. Think weekends spent calling people about an upcoming union vote, or putting together digestible political education pamphlets, or maintaining community food pantries. Moreso, it's action that can be taken by anyone; it's not the exclusive domain of self-avowed anarchists or MLs.
Protests and confrontation, when they do happen, are flash points. Opportunites to challenge the status quo but not ends in themselves. And hell, even those need a lot of less-visible organization to be effective: police watchers, jail support, mashalls, medics, march guards, etc.
Based on my experience with anarchist types in my area, this is probably the kind of the stuff that OP is referring to? Not just smashing shit lol
Maybe lol. I wasn't sober when I typed this out so it's possible I interpreted OP's comment in a less gracious light than they intended.
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