Activist trauma
Dear Subcomandauntie, Although always a radical at heart, it was the Iraq war that finally prised me from my armchair and into a rapid upward spiral of political activism. Alas, my overwhelming experience throughout has been one of repression - mental and physical - from state, police, capital and those authoritarians within our own movement. Demoralised and depressed, the last thing I can face right now is the prospect of robocops running riot against me and fellow demonstrators in Scotland this July. But this cowardice racks me with guilt and I desperately don't want to feel this way. Can you help? Burned Out of Birmingham
Dear Burned Out,
A few decades back, during Auntie's armed insurrectionary days, she'd have been tempted to horsewhip you at dawn amidst a stream of obscenities for such talk. These days Auntie never swears and has become more appreciative of the psychological slings and arrows the revolutionary must endure and overcome.
You are not alone. Thousands of comrades are suffering from mental exhaustion and depression, burnt out from taking on too much and getting too little support back from fellow activists in harder times.
Thankfully, there is growing support out there. Your first port of call is your NHS GP - if you've still got one, that is. While you're off your arse, check out the local community counselling scene and established bodies like Mind and the NHS Mental Health Trust.
But there's really no substitute for experience and it warms Auntie's heart to see that a cadre of UK activists who have been hit hard themselves over the years are setting up a network of support and information for compañeros and compañeras in need. Calling themselves Activist Trauma, the group are holding a series of training and gathering awaydays to help people learn how to deal with burn out, depression, post-traumatic stress, and much more.
I hope this helps. Now, where's my f#@king horsewhip.
An ‘excess of democracy’: what two generations of radicals can learn from each other The philosophy and experience of 1960s/70s radical movements are in several ways complementary to the ideas of the direct action movements of today. Hilary Wainwright examines the possibility of forging a new kind of political economy by learning from the best of both
Organise! City cleaners fight for a living wage Michael Pooler reports on the struggle of cleaners in the heart of London's financial district
Why now? What’s next? Naomi Klein on Occupy Naomi Klein in discussion with Occupy Wall Street activist Yotam Marom
The crack pipe of peace Dear Auntie
_ War, famine, economic depression and global warming - the idea that 'another world is possible' seems remoter than ever. Will we ever have a just and peaceful world?
_ Desperate for peace, Preston
Learning by number Dear Auntie
_ At one of the Gaza protests in London, Stop the War put the number of protesters at around 100,000 but the police insisted it was only 20,000. Can Auntie reassure me that the Met has a scientific methodology for estimating crowd numbers?
_ Numberless in London
No hope Dear Auntie,
All my left-wing friends seem to be overjoyed about Obama winning the US election, holding real hope that he will bring change, that he'll stop the wars, and that he'll somehow make America all cuddly and nice. But haven't we been here before? I'm getting flashbacks to the expectations people had of politicians like Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, and how quickly they betrayed us. Is it terrible that I think Obama will be just more of the same?
Hopeless, London
An ‘excess of democracy’: what two generations of radicals can learn from each other The philosophy and experience of 1960s/70s radical movements are in several ways complementary to the ideas of the direct action movements of today. Hilary Wainwright examines the possibility of forging a new kind of political economy by learning from the best of both
N30 and after: was that it? A debate on the public sector strikes Gregor Gall analyses the 30 November strikes. With a response by Heather Wakefield
Audio: Rebellious Media Conference Exclusive podcast with Dan Hind, James Curran, Zahera Harb
Leanne Wood: Why I’m standing for the Plaid Cymru leadership Leanne Wood AM sets out a socialist vision for Wales.
After Durban: All talked out? The UN climate talks in Durban followed a familiar script of inaction. Oscar Reyes asks if activists should still be focusing attention on them
Red Pepper is a magazine of political rebellion and dissent, influenced by socialism, feminism and green politics. more »
Get a free sample copy of Red Pepper
The UK's leading supplier of Fair Trade products
Get our email newsletter, with news, offers, updates and competitions.Become a Friend of Red Pepper
Help keep Red Pepper afloat with a regular donation
Watch films online
See free trailers and support Red Pepper by streaming the full films:
Cocaine Unwrapped
The War You Don't See
44-48 Shepherdess Walk, London N1 7JP
+44 (0)20 7324 5068
office[at]redpepper.org.uk