NCOR this weekend in DC

This weekend is the National Conference on Organized Resistance, still going strong after ten years. It's held at American University in Washington DC, I've been the last three years, and it's a really amazing experience. The conference attracts a wide variety of generally leftist types, with a large showing of anarchists, and a great number of hard-working activists ready to share tactics and stories. It's a learning environment, one that always inspires and educates me.

What are we resisting? Oppression, racism, sexism, capitalism, tendencies toward fascism, the commodification of everything, destruction of the planet, war... just to name a few.

Check out the workshop schedule here (pdf) and the film schedule here.
Basically the way the thing goes down is there are workshops all day long Saturday and Sunday, with films going on at the same time. The workshops range from academic lectures to group discussions to skillshares, the full gamut. Some are more inclusive/interactive, others are more just one knowledgeable person talking a lot. But there's always way too many I want to attend, which is not a terrible problem to have.

I'm most excited this year for the Radical Theory Track being offered by the Institute for Anarchist Studies. This is a rare opportunity to think and talk about anarchism in a really intellectual, academic setting. This is the second year IAS is doing this, and last year it was incredible to get so deep into theory with so many different, informed perspectives (40 or so people from different parts of the country, different levels of experience, etc.) in the room. See the link above for a preview of the workshops they're offering. Also, the NCOR site has descriptions of all the workshops here, which are good to look at beforehand so as to not be confused or overwhelmed when you get there.

So I guess that brings me to this: anyone want to go with me? Locals (Cville), we could carpool, others we could meet up there. The conference is only 12 bucks which includes lunch both days, and they offer a place to stay (but I know plenty of people up there too). Maybe we could find a show to go to Saturday night, too. If you're up for only one day, mention that, because there's other rides available and it might work out just right. Talk to me.

"Did somebody just get faint?"

For some reason, these are the two videos that have stuck with me from the slew of primary season youtubing.

The first is kinda weird, but is somehow endlessly amusing to me. It's just a compilation of recordings of Obama's responses to different people fainting in the crowd at his speeches. You get some strange sliver of his personality coming through that's kinda charming: "You probably didn't eat lunch--that's the problem." This is a man who eats lunch.



By the way, unless you're a glutton for punishment don't bother with the comments on the Youtube page. They range from idiotic racist stuff to weirdo conspiracy theory suggestions to fawning Obama-love. Sounds like a microcosm of our political system, now that I think of it.

The next one is more obviously comedic--it's a parody of the popular Obama "Yes We Can" video made by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. Someone re-did it using some of John McCain's most egregious statements, and it comes off pretty well.



I don't mean to come off as a cynic and surely don't think this situation is (only) laughable, but I don't go placing my hope for change in a politician either. I did vote, mind you, and for Obama (he eats lunch, after all), but I don't think real structural change (the kind we desperately need) will come from a president. I don't even think he's a good candidate, but I'm confident (hopeful?) our government would kill less people if he became president, and that matters a lot.

Now if you could make some space, I just need to drink a little water.