A Personal Paper on the impacts of Punk Culture against Fascism and Neoliberal BULLSHIT

By Story

4/28/20 – 5/18/20

 

1: Reflections on the Past and  breaking intersectional normalities hold

“Why is that fear always wants us to go looking for more?

So when people are brown when people are smart?

Why hegemony? What’s the point in looking for this stark thing?!”

• Downtown Boys, Monstro 

 

In this day, the monster of conservative normativity holds fierce power as it has done for centuries due to the mass colonization, killing of natives, and call for a national Latinx identity [1] despite Panama (where an overwhelming majority of my family is from) being a historically diverse region [2] its conservative hold has been amplified now (since Panama elected a centrist president [3]) and is spreading throughout all of Latin and Central America [4]. I bring this up because punk rock specifically proto-punk [5] originated in Latin America [6] and has been a driving force for essays [7], books [8], music [9] [10] [11], and politics [12] which has influenced the rebels like me who pull an Onan [13] in spite of the systems that were systematically built to oppress them and kill them both metaphorically [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] and literally [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26].

 

This exclusion and metaphorical death are sadly very prominent in punk culture a lot [27] and a lot of bands in similar subcultures struggle with this same issue today [28] [29] [30] [31], I’ve seen this even in my own scene where I live (as I’ve seen scene alerts from local artists, had lovers, and comrades discuss our past histories of being used by people in scenes or areas and the overwhelming majority of ignorant privileged people in the scene [32] [32.1]). I must admit that while no scene is perfect, we can actively work with one another to embrace our full potential through the tools we have found within ourselves and each other [33]. 

 

When the next dreaded elections come [34] and when liberals repeat their loss of going for the establishment/status-quo [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] we need to fight back and educate while we have the chance! While I identify with absurdism, greek gods, catholicism, and animism I do believe that Christ was an anarchist [41] [42], Mother Mary was and is a radical badass who would definitely feed the poor regardless if fined by crooked cops [43] [44], believed in radical consent [45] and would DEFINITELY support abortion [45.1] [46]. I am well aware that catholic anarchism is a small minority within the religion that usually doesn’t intersect with other spiritual guides or politics, that being a pro-choice catholic who intersects with these different beliefs will most definitely seem alien and strange, as I believe Christ was a scientist [47] [48] [49], an anarcho-communist or anarcho-syndicalist [51] [52] [53], and an intersectional teacher [54] [55] [56] (FYI this is the most religious you will see me get…..yes my politics greatly impact my view of religion but, to me, Jesus was 4 main things: an intersectional anarchist, a scientist, a radical educator and a liberatory lover……any attempt that uses Jesus and his teachings to justify hierarchy and oppression….that isn’t catholicism or anarchism in ANY context). 

 

As of this moment, I don’t know what to feel. My mind feels empty and full simultaneously with thoughts and ideas, in world history class were still talking about communism and its definition of communism and its ideology is the following: “Communism is a far-left ideology whose followers believe that a better society would be structured around common ownership of the means of production and the absence of social classes, money, and the state.” [57] [57.1]. China as a nation is not communist because they have a state [58], class hierarchy [59], and a currency system [60]. By definition they are what Marx considered to be ‘Conspirators’ and are the exact opposite of communism and socialism [61] [62] [62.1], the same can be applied to Cuba [63], Vietnam [64], North Korea [65] [66], and any other pseudo-socialist/pseudo-communist regime.

 

All in all, if we want to build a better world then we have to learn and relearn [67] [68] [69] with each other through patience, love, and autonomy. 

 

2: Turn up the Pressure!

“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” – Mark Twain (source)

 

(Note from the author: this section will discuss sexual assault which can be triggering to certain viewers)

 

As of now, punk shows are (technically) closed due to COVID-19 and musicians are at the mercy of free-market capitalism [1] [2] and since then we’ve had to do what some of our boomer-lite parents (Gen X) and boomer grandparents feared: using the internet to get through life. Since this pandemic, we’ve had to due online shows [3] [4] (my favorite being Coping with Dystopia [5]) and plenty of artists have gone towards streaming [6] as their main source of revenue [7] which as of current writing on May 4th musicians have started a union [8]. This is a massive step forward to creating solidarity as certain workers are considered “essential” or “gig” in order for companies and bosses to avoid giving them proper treatment as human beings rather than slaves to the free-market [9] [10] (y’all attempted to privatize education [11] [12] [13] and look where that got you! [14] [15] [16] [17]). 

 

Fascism’s spirit is slowly being resurrected,  whether it be pipe bombs almost being brought to #ReOpen rallies [18], society normalizing white supremacy [19], demonizing Antifa [20] despite their death-count being at 0 [21] [22] [23] [24]. This rhetoric is being pushed by the far-right (as what we might consider far-right has become blurred [25] [26] [27]) for instance, take this 2018 memo from the official Department of Homeland Security website [28] it reads: “We Must Secure The Border And Build The Wall To Make America Safe Again” let’s compare this to the infamous 14 words by David Lane [29] which reads: We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” This was distributed by Stephen Miller’s fiance Katie Waldman [30] and they aren’t the only people to do things like this, we have Richard Spencer [31] [32] who amplified white supremacy in the White House and in Trump’s main base [33] [34] [35] [36] [37]. When taking this information into consideration we see that this is nothing new to america and it’s just bigots saying the quiet part out loud [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45]. 

 

Now, we are facing the 2020 election: a blue segregationist-sympathizer [46] [47], Iraq war supporter [48] [49], a liar regarding his civil-rights record and crimes committed in the Obama administration  [50] [51], and defunded prison education as a senator [52] [53] vs. An authoritarian [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] who supports a Nationalist label [59] [60] [61] [62] [63], and supports neo-fascism both directly and indirectly [64] [65] [66] [67].

 

On top of this, there are numerous sexual assault allegations [68] [69] [70] against both candidates [71] [72] [73] [74] yet, liberals will seemingly only support sexual assault allegations when it’s convenient to them [75] [76] [77] because when Christine Ford stood up against Brent Kavanaugh liberals flocked to her defense [78] [79] [80] yet when it’s against the nominee who they support to maintain their version of the status-quo (where there’s credible evidence [81]) they smear the accuser ranging from accusations that Reade is a “Russian Agent” [82] to making trending tags like “#IBelieveJoe” [83], this is hypocrisy because liberals will fight tooth and nail to prove Biden’s innocence and effectively throw the #metoo movement under the bus [84] [85] [86] [87] when they were the ones who preached to believe all survivors and that no person should be left silenced or unheard!

 

If we want to build a livable future we need to turn up the pressure on a system that will stop at NOTHING to destroy community, growth, education, and another chance at creating a more just and loving world [88] [89] [90] [91].

 

3: Against the Techno-State

 

Technology is something I use every day, whether it’s schoolwork [1], activism [2], social interaction [3] [4] [5], learning about myself, and history [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]. Technology is revolutionary but we must fight back against people who will use it to cause harm [11] [12] [13] and show no evidence of helping [14] cease the acceleration of crimes against minorities [15] [16]. This is normal in america/Amerika [17] [18] because the last time I checked the American police force was birthed from slave patrols [19] [20] [21] [22], political violence has become normalized within society [23] (although it’s been a part of america since its founding [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29]). On top of this capitalism has created a hyper-authoritarian tech culture where it’s being used to oppress [30] [31] rather than help people learn, grow, and learn to love one another [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38].

 

Technology, as a means of producing, working, educating, etc. is expected to become a massive part of our lives [39] (even though in a way it already is [40] [41] [42] [43]) yet, while being positive it has created a ripple effect of reactionary bigots [44] [45] [46], borderline Homonationalists [47] [48] [49], and historical erasing of liberating LGBTQ+ accomplishments [50] [51] [52], luckily there are people who fight back against said bigotry [53] [54] [55].

 

Gender and sexuality, are a lovely, slutty, fucked up mess to me and I fully embrace it! This is because my gender is not just affected by culture and trauma it’s affected by politics, love, and other messes that make me. Sandra Jepsen in Queering Heterosexuality [56] said the following: “liberation means this. it means we keep writing the narrative of our lives, our desires, our genders, our sexualities.” Labels are not necessary to have an identity same vice-versa and I think that’s a big reason why I love queer theory, I create and re-create identities that liberate me and fulfill me in complex ways and a lot of my comrades who have similar and different complex relationships with queerness make our own flags!

 

Here’s a personal example:

 

My Gender flag: Horny-Specefist-AnQueer-Enby-Syndicalism

 

Explanation: I have trouble perceiving my body….it’s abnormal since I have mild cerebral palsy, depression, anxiety, 5ft height, etc….some of these characteristics of my body have lead to the inability to orgasm (something I should be able to do by now and my inability to do so seems to stem from my mild cerebral palsy) which affects my gender in a sense of me questioning myself as to whether my body that I perceive as horrid and gross….would ANYONE find me desirable?

 

Specifism is important to me as politics is a massive reason why I can connect with my cultural makeup and I believe in popular power and non-hierarchical organization from below. I identify as a femmeby/feminine-non-binary because I was raised in both western and Latinx way of life….both of those cultures have a rigid gender binary which is closely followed the only difference being that one gives the illusion of freedom more than the other, and since I don’t fall neatly into either category of “male” or “female” I create and destroy my own identities that suit me at the moment and when they stop working….I take some pieces that will help me with my next complex identity! 

 

That, in turn, makes me unionize with others who are gender rebels or gender-fucks with love, rage, community, passion, accountability, education, and understanding.

My sexuality flag:

Absurd-Trans Radical-space void-Demisexual-Pan-Omniromantic-Nightmare-gender-uwu 

 

Philosophically speaking, I identify as an absurdist….which affects my view of the world and my life….we’re all beings that will inevitably cease to exist so, you might as well make your own meaning to life as you go along and embrace the absurd void, your irrational thoughts, and hyper human nostalgia (this also serves as a saying for my disabilities which I embrace as a piece of me MDD: The Absurd, GAD: The Irrational, ADD: The Human nostalgia). 

 

Transness is inherently radical to me (an example is trendercore) because when we go towards assimilationist politics we turn into our oppressors and become cogs in the normalcy machine, to be trans is to believe in one’s relative truths which can change and shift over time with autonomy, love, and understanding. Space-Void comes from void-punk respectively as I do not view myself as part of the rigid and normative category of ‘human’ (this does not mean that I am above anyone because if anything it feels like the opposite) I identify with this as I am viewed as a stranger to society for not fitting normative expectations, I am partially disabled waist-down due to mild cerebral palsy (my calves are tight so I can’t stretch my legs all the way) and I have a non-normative gender and sexuality. 

 

I am demisexual I cannot feel attracted to a person unless I know them and have some strong emotional bond and connections to said being, simultaneously I am panromantic as I view gender as non-existent yet I acknowledge a person’s gender identities which makes me omniromantic and have a beautiful contradiction that compliments one another.

 

I view myself as one of the many examples of the transgender nightmares that haunt Alex Jones, Donald Trump, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Kaitlyn Bennet, J.K Rowling, Sean Hannity, and all homo-nationalists (ex1,ex2,ex3,ex4,ex5), trans-strasserists/trans-fascists (ex1,ex2,ex3,ex4,ex5), Queer Fascists (ex1,ex2,ex3,ex4,ex5), Queer-Separatists (ex1,ex2,ex3,ex4,ex5).

 

Gender needs to be accelerated and put in its grave! I love the uwu emoticon as it displays all my complex emotions in 3 letters. I suggest that queers make liberating love and identities to destroy, burn, and dismantle heteronormativity!

 

As the second to last paragraph of Queering Heterosexuality says: “for me, to get to this openness, the queer and/or anarchist communities that i have encountered over the years have been crucial. crucial to who i am as a person, but more than that— crucial to revolutionary politics. the entire capitalist patriarchal white supremacy that structures our world unequally, and indeed preys on unequal relations of power, requires heteronormative relationships. break down those kinds of relationships, and we are also starting to break down patriarchy, white supremacy, and capitalism. As Jamie Heckert argues, breaking down micro-fascisms at the level of identities and intimate relationships is at the root of resistance to macro-fascisms at the level of institutions and structures of power.” 

 

4: Quest Failed Game Review

 

Recently, as a way to maintain my sanity, I have been playing this game (which I had been waiting to buy for a year) I bought this game from an independent creator called FrostWorks who made this really amazing dating-sim-storytelling-eroge game called Quest Failed. 

 

What stood out about this game was the very wholesome nature of the h-scenes where usually in these games they’re quite uncomfortable to watch, questionable, & traumatic QF gave a completely different feeling like all of these characters are flawed, adorable, horny, and relatable.

 

Strangely enough, this is the first time I encountered POC characters that I could relate to, as normally those who have darker skin complexions and deviant bodies are shoved into a box of Fetishism and harm Quest Failed showed me otherwise and displayed the radical idea that all bodies can be shown passion and love and that relationship anarchism is possible, anyone no matter how broken or insecure can have love from many doors find them, and that people regardless of their species, gender, or sexuality deserve respect and love as long as what they do harms nobody!

 

This game alongside the amazing voice actors, storytelling, music, and creativity shows what beautiful things can be made when we create what we are most passionate about!

 

5: Against Right-Libertarians and ALL Authoritarians

Recently, since 2016 the Libertarian Party membership has surged [1] [2] [3] and is a third-way party between Democrats & Republicans [4]. It’s very important to explain the difference between the united states’ definition of right-libertarianism [5] [6] and libertarian-socialism throughout the world [7] [8]. Right-Libertarians are well……an interesting group [9] [10] like paramilitary groups like The III%ers [11], or ¨anarcho¨-capitalists [12] (here’s a movie explaining an ancap society and a song) these ideologies have questionable positions [13] and are a living joke [14] [15] [16].

 

Anarchists, were the first people to stand up for queer and trans rights [17] [18], stood up for slaves when slavery was legalized [19] [20] [21], against police [22] [23] [24], they helped people during fires [25], came up with an explenation on why we help each other [26] [27], and your classmates and next-door neighbors [28] [29] [30] [31] to compare an ideology to people who justify racism [32] [33] [34], transphobia [35] [36] [37] [38], and literal fascism [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] is not just historically incorrect [46] [47] [48] but, disregards the fact that a center-right nation has created authoritarian figures [49] [50], that any genuine left-wing movement is unthinkable [51] [52],  the idea that the libertarian-left and authoritarian-left act as “buddies” to one another [53] [54] despite the fact that the authoritarian-left couldn’t live up to their ideas [55] [56] [57].

 

The same systems that we trust to protect us, are the same systems that create an endless loophole of violence [58], criminalize homelessness [59] and create a housing crisis [60] [61], then allow landlords to stalk tenants stimulus checks [62] [63], and sexually harass tenants [64] [65]. I’m pissed off that there are people who I don’t know are dying because we have systems engrained from colonialism and racism [64] [65] [66] something that will affect me and puts my life in danger [67] because, the alt-right doesn’t just attack Universities [68] and College Campuses [69] and now they go to highschools [70] [71]. 

 

Shutdown and dismantle the system to build something non-hierarchical, liberating, compassionate, and loving [72] [73] (here are some good videos on it!).

 

6: Avoiding a Feasible & Inevitable Death

 

 “In the last year, many governments used cyber-enabled disinformation campaigns to sow distrust in institutions and among nations, undermining domestic and international efforts to foster peace and protect the planet.” 

– Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, Closer Than Ever: It is 100 seconds to midnight 

(Page 4/20) [1]  

 

Governments and institutions that are painted to be trusted, have betrayed humanities trust since the beginning of time as colonization was mainly for the destruction of Natives by force [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] which includes the numerous wars (I’m discussing this in the sense of physical warfare and social warfare) examples include like the creation of patriarchy in which Hêlîn Asî writes: “Today, we are confronted with other mechanisms of oppression than the ones which prevailed 50, 100 or 500 years ago.” [7] this reinforcement of systems like capitalism which has a repeated cycle for generations is just a new mask [8] [9], like how my grandparents on my father’s side were born under British Colonial Rule [10] [11]. I mention this because my grandma was born in Ludhiana 1937 and went through at least a decade of colonialism and that despite it being at least 1-2 centuries later, these things still affect us [12] and continue to create micro-versions of oppression and show historical patterns [13] [14] because even during pandemics conspiracy theories will emerge as medical historian said recently on Democracy Now! [15] 

 

“It’s not true to say that pandemics all do the same things. There are some things that have been repeated again and again. During the bubonic plague, the Black Death, the first years of it, there was this horrible surge of anti-Semitism across Europe, in France, in the Rhineland, in northern Italy, elsewhere. And this was, in a way, the first Holocaust, when Jews were persecuted and put to death, not just in spontaneous ways by crowds, but the bureaucratic apparatuses of political authorities were used to torture Jews into submission, to confessing crimes that of course, they had never committed, and then they were judged and burned. The Holy Roman Empire did this, and local authorities and leaders of city-states. So this was a systematic purging and killing of Jews, who were thought to have — or so the case against them was that they were trying to put an end to Christendom and were poisoning the wells of Christians. And so, you have Jews tortured, broken on the wheel, burned alive, run through by the sword, and so on.”

 

Liberation is an adventure, not a race, it requires people to form communities based on love, empathy, compassion, and action if we want to survive and free then that means we have to stop bullshitting one another by understanding that we all have different mediums and practices of getting out of the system and dismantling it. That means fighting against misinformation and conspiracy theories [16] like QAnon [17] [18] or ‘5G causes COVID-19’ [19] [20]. Herd Immunity and science are necessary to maintain a sustainable world [21] especially when people are losing faith in science [22] due to conspiracies being pushed by government officials [23] [24] and the use of paywalls for academic and scientific research [25] [26] [27] [28] which in turn creates a vicious cycle of misinformation campaigns against science [29] [30], bigotry against minority groups [31] [32], and other horrendous bullshit that stops us from reaching our full potential outside the system.  

As Julian Langer says in Feral Consciousness [33] page 153 reads: “Wildness surrounds and is at the core of everything. It is anarchic freedom that is inescapable. Wildness is chaotic weather. It is an artistic endeavor. It is the passion of lovers. It is will and power. It is that traumatic, dangerous process that entails all suffering-but also, all authentic joy. Wildness is life.”