"Anarchist Superstar" Brad Will in Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone's January 24, 2008 issue #1044, features a story titled The Martyrdom Of Brad Will about the life, struggles, and assassination of Brad. (On the cover it is called "Anarchist Superstar.")
Surprisingly, the story is pretty fuckin decent. Any mainstream article that name-drops Kropotkin, quotes Hakim Bey, and humorously explains the difference between anti-civ anarchy and social anarchy is, at least, on the right track. The story also accurately stands by Brad being assassinated by Mexican death squad military (rather than the bullshit the governments are throwing out there).
The best and probably most complex issue the article takes up is the role and effect Brad, as a White USAmerican, had in global struggle. His mere presence (and subsequent death) drew attention to struggles such as Oaxaca. However, at the same time, his death (being valued that much more due to his social standing) gave governments (Mexico and USA) an excuse to justify clamping down.
READ THE ARTICLE HERE
FRIENDS OF BRAD WILL
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Something the article got me thinking about was the historical and contemporary role of international fighters.
International or "foreign" combatants are something that have existed as long as solidarity and common cause have. One of the most well-known examples being the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War. Today, there is much talk of "foreign fighters" in places like Iraq.
The very nature of such a discussion assumes that we respect borders as set by our oppressors and that solidarity of struggle cannot righteously exist. We must not allow the oppressor, settler, crusader, and occupier to dictate our struggles.
posted by shane at 11:11 AM
4 Comments:
Thanks for noticing this, Shanedanger. One of the first long stories I wrote, about ten years ago (for an obscure journal called Pakn Treger), was about accompanying the surviving members of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade -- the mostly communist American division of the International Brigades -- back to Spain. They were to be made honorary citizens, but Spain's rightwing government pulled the plug on that plan at the last minute. As I recall, one of the old men dropped dead of a heart attack upon hearing the news. Wherever the rest went, they were celebrated by ordinary Spaniards and harassed by Spanish police. The conservative press denounced them in just the same terms the PRI in Mexico denounced people like Brad. Even some leftists denounce "foreigners," in what I think is a mistaken fetish for local purity. One of the myths about Brad was that he was just an adventurer who didn't know anything about the local scene. That wasn't true -- he wasn't terribly knowledgable about it, but he was a quick and respectful study.
Psst...wanna go to the Philippines?
Jeff,
I am very excited/flattered that you, the author of the story I was commenting on, found my blog and dug it. I almost didn't add the part about international fighters. I thought maybe it was too loosely connected or not connected enough at all. I am glad you intended (?) the connection on some level.
I checked out your blog and found some enjoyable reading. I also found that you are into comic books. That excited me as well. haha
-shane
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