Friday 17 May 2013

Christian anarchy is too important to be left to Christian anarchists


Dutch author Albert Helman - an anarchist, by the way - once wrote that the reviewer of books is an idiot who gets more money for his writing about your book than you as an author will get for the entire book. I know, I had the strange pleasure of being reviewed in a way that made me wonder whether I had swallowed something unknowingly. "That's how it goes," my publisher told me, although he still was rather surprised by being called a fascist Mussolini-style because of a book of his about media impact.

Yes, that is how it goes.
Through the page of Alex Christoyannopoulos on his Christian anarchism I came across a review that once again gave me the feeling I had smoked something I have not touched in ages. If you know the book you will see what I mean.

Yet this piece of good old commie-nonsense reminded me that quite a lot of action taking people I have come to know through the Catholic Worker and a group loosely associated with it, the Nevada Desert Experience, will not call themselves Christian anarchists. They would not dismiss the title but they will not use it for themselves.
Which brought me to the quotation that anarchy is too important to be left to anarchists only. The same of course applies to Christian anarchy.
Above you can see a video interview with sr. Megan Rice, until recently associated with and living on the compound of the Nevada Desert Experience. Now probably destined to spend the rest of her life behind bars.
And here an email about another cleric I met throught the NDE, Steve Kelly SJ.
Just two active persons working for the (Christian) anarchy without taking the epithet.

Dear Friends,

On March 29th, Good Friday, Steve Kelly was picked up by the police
while demonstrating at the Lockheed Martin missile plant in Santa
Clara, CA.

In keeping with his spirit of ‘non cooperation’ an arrest warrant was
floating around with his name on it for not reporting to the probation
office after his release from SeaTac in June 2012.
This current incarceration has him once again at the SeaTac Detention
Center outside of Seattle.

If you want to be in touch with him, his address is:

Steve Kelly, SJ #00816-111
FDC SeaTac
P.O. BOX 13900
SEATTLE, WA 98198

Steve will be going to Federal Court in Tacoma on Monday, May 20th at
11:30 AM – at that time a judge will determine if he is to serve
additional time for non cooperation with his June release conditions.

At 10:30, an hour before his court date, there will be a support vigil
in front of the court house; all who can attend are encouraged to do
so. Following the vigil, at 11:15, you are invited to sit in the court
room with Steve.

On Sunday, May 19th, there will be a vigil in front of the SeaTac
Detention Center. As in the past, when Steve was there for 15 months,
our presence, and message was very helpful to him. Anyone leaving from
Tacoma and desiring carpool information can call me at {xx}.
We will be gathering in front of the Tacoma Catholic Worker at 11:45
and leaving at Noon for SeaTac. Hope you can make it.

Wishing you well,
[signature]