Identity, nationalism and xenophobia at Freedom

from Anarchist Communist Group

March 7, 2022

We cannot leave the recent comment pieces in Freedom uncommented on. The first piece, “Fuck Leftist Westplaining” by Freedom editor, Zosia Brom (4th March), contained much that we politically and intellectually, disagreed with. While we have every sympathy for where it was coming from emotionally, unfortunately, any point that needed to be addressed was drowned out because it had been so heavily framed in identity politics.

However, when this was compounded by the actual nationalism and xenophobia of the piece, A Thousand Red Flags by Darya Rustamova (7th March), a polite veil could no longer be drawn over the matter.

We have long warned that the danger of identity politics was that it was leading the unwary into right wing territory. And now we have evidence in the comment section of Freedom.

The ACG has condemned Putin and his invasion of Ukraine. We have done so from a class perspective. Freedom, on the other hand, has published the sentiment “it is truly understandable that many people hate Russia and Russians and anything to do with Russia, and more power to them”. Let us repeat that: more power to people who hate Russians. It is unthinkable that Freedom should publish that sentiment.

The article proclaims that, “It also isn’t anti-left to be Russophobic”. We don’t know if it’s anti-left, but it is xenophobic and it is non-anarchist. As is arguing that “nationalism or patriotism (or however we feel most comfortable defining it in English) can be empowering and important for people who are under threat of imperialist invasion”.

We cannot agree that nationalism is “important” in these or any circumstances. Nationalism is neither necessary nor desirable in order to condemn the invasion, to oppose the invasion, nor to support those suffering because of the invasion. It is not a desirable part of solidarity towards those in Ukraine, nor is it a desirable condition for their self-defence.

It has always been the position of anarchists in these circumstances to emphasise, boost and support the self-liberation of the working-class. For Freedom to now be actively promoting nationalism, xenophobia and hatred of a nationality because of the actions of their government is unbelievable, unacceptable and hopefully a passing aberration in a moment of stress.

Postscript:

Since posting this, the Freedom site has now edited the Thousand Red Flags article removing the points we most took issue with. So, for continuity, here are the relevant excerpts from the original (the bold is ours):

“We can’t risk assuming the same logic applies when Ukraine and the UK are incomparable. While the latter is literally an imperialist force, nationalism or patriotism (or however we feel most comfortable defining it in English) can be empowering and important for people who are under threat of imperialist invasion. Around the world, the fights for citizenship, autonomy, and self-determination come alongside asserting certain flags, languages, religions, and cultures. This isn’t the same as far-right, neo-nazi groups who do it on behalf of somewhere like England. Fascism punches down, resistance is not the same. From Ukraine to Scotland to Western Sahara to Palestine to Tatarstan, we stand with the people resisting imperialism.

“Bad-faith accusations of Russophobia are corrupting our ability to properly criticise how pointless it is to arbitrarily ban everything Russian. I get that Russian people often get tied closely to the actions of the state and it makes sense, Russians have famously played a big part in the formation and destruction of governments. Russians and Russian things are often seen as political even if they’re not. Everything is pushed through some ideological prism and used for endless manipulations of the political spectrum. And while it is truly understandable that many people hate Russia and Russians and anything to do with Russia, and more power to them, part of the narrative Putin is giving to Russians is that he is the only person on their side. “It’s us against them”. He says the rest of the world hates us, watch how they treat us. He says Ukrainians are Russophobes (imagine). The insular, exceptional nationalism which Putin has been carefully nurturing and weaponising will only become more effective if the rest of the world turns its back on Russian people.

It also isn’t anti-left to be Russophobic, but taking Russian bands off festival line-ups also isn’t going to help anyone.”

There are 19 Comments

where i'm from, some bars are no longer serving moscow mules or white russians

apparently a lot of mothers dropped or shook their babies around here

smoke some more nationalist crack you jackasses!

here's the anarchist federation (who either split from the anarchist communist group or who the anarchist communist group split from, idk) reply: https://nitter.net/AnarchistFed/status/1501500741357350914

the only thing of note in this amdram theatre production is the refrain 'put felllow anarchists at risk' in the anarchist federation response that i keep hearing over and over this last year or so. it's the ultimate deflect: criticise me and you're putting me at risk.

they are indeed put at existential risk as anarchists, for if these lefties critique their inconsistencies, they might cease to be anarchists after all

A famous young Russian piano prodigy just got cancelled by the Montreal Symphonic Orchestra, upon pressure by the Ukrainia disapora, on the sole basis of being Russian. The guy openly voiced his opposition to the Russian invasion but that wasn't enough... just being Russian is bad for these fanatics. Lotsa closet racism among Ukranians, and those Left-leaning people supporting Ukraine might be in for another rude awakening at some point.

The ACG remarks seem legit
The Anarchist Federation had a spilt and some of the old skool became the Anarchist Communist Group.
Looking at the nitter mentioned above it seems it's not only Zosia who is raging out of control.
Search through the @AnarchistFed twitter over the last 3 years, you will see they have a tendency to 'correct' other anarchists political positions so to conform to their dogma. To say it got non-AFed backs up would be an understatement. Stalinist pariahs.
As for existential risk the word is they're struggling to get their acts together since Covid started but is it possible Zosia is running their nitter because that's simply off the wall?

> is it possible Zosia is running their nitter because that's simply off the wall?

it's one of her friends. the AF & freedom clique is a dozen people at the most. ACG are half a dozen people who split off from them over something or nothing.

> you will see they have a tendency to 'correct' other anarchists political positions so to conform to their dogma

this is all AF (and ACG) have ever done. lacking any kind of courage for action of their own, they instead position themselves as judge and jury of anarchy in the UK and beyond. remember this? https://libcom.org/library/anarchist-federation-statement-kneecapping-nu...

There were over a dozen, not a half dozen, who left the AF to set up the ACG. Since then it's quadrupled but don't let that info interfere with your misinformed comments. An anonymous commentator who criticises others for lack of action and does nothing themselves and adopts an insurrectionist pose. Action? What action? Blowing up a sub station? Trasing a public bus shelter/ Fuck off.

So there are, at max, 48 members? Since February 2018 ACG has attracted 48 people? There is nothing impressive about attracting 48 people, at most, in four and a half years to the traditionalist ACG. I can't tell if you're kidding or not? If not, y'all might want to change your approach to attracting people to the group.

I'd say drop this conservativist-anarcho-communism weirdo dogmatic horseshit approach ACG and AFed gots going on. It's clear this traditionalist anarchist crap is just not working out. It's the 21st century.

It's funny that the 48 members of ACG and 53 members of AFed condemn some anarchists for sending a bomb to some bossman, but at the same time shitpost rightist riot porn all over their twitter account.

Can you tell us what this "rightist riot porn" is. Perhaps if you spoke in clearer language it would be easier to understand.

So the fact that it's no longer 1999 makes a difference. All this, "it's the 21st century" lark is bullshit, used to justify all sorts of horrors.
Anarchist communism is not conservative nor "traditionalist" , it is the only solution to the appalling social problems we face.

The ACG should concern themselves more with finding a way to make what they claim to be about relevant to the larger world of collective direct action among those who must sell their labor power for wages and have nothing to lose but their pains. The ACG might as well be a society of UFO Conspiracy theorists, for all the difference they are making now.

And you are making a difference yourself?

At this moment neither group are having any relevance. ACG are tiny but consistent. To see them raise concerns regarding Freedom Paper is uncharacteristic and non-inflammatory in style so I'm inclined to take their remarks in good faith. AFed are younger, less resilient and struggling to regroup. The monthly Dalston Cafe seems to be the only thing they have going.
Back to Freedom Paper. One of their people was interviewed on the most recent edition of Final Straw Radio at the weekend. He's a former member of Class War who themselves seem to have fizzled out a few years ago.
https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2022/03/06/monarchy-in-the-uk/

This yawnathon reads like a Guardian columnist who's had one too many to drink. Why's he so obsessed with the comings and goings of parliament? Is there really nothing more to say other than 'I see those clowns in government have done it again! What a bunch of clowns!' over and over and over again?

To single out John Bigger without reference to the show he was on is strange. The Final Straw has done some fine work but is increasingly coma-inducing.
Bursts reached out to https://thisishell.com/ recently. He wants to get involved with them.

ANews brought into sharp relief how much of anarchist media and in particular Freedom Paper is such a basket case. Zosia reacts to current issues with little or no knowledge of the topic she locks on to, but if there was any real talent in the London area she would never have been accepted for the position.
I also miss Aragorn! He was such a breath of fresh air.

Yes, you're right, Zosia was accepted by the Freedom group a few years back because there was no one of any talent to fill the post. SInce then she's turned Freedom into a cheerleader for war and for NATO. Anyone who disagrees is vilified and cancelled. But then who does the Freedom paper collective represent? No one apart from themselves. (Meanwhile the Freedom Bookshop provides a decent service but those who work there don't necessarily agree with the viewpoints of Zosia Brom)

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