Tryin' To Cope

Alot of people are reeling badly during this tsunamic period
of economic and social immiseration. The government, ordered
about by the banks, is foreclosing our future. Stepped up
repression, arrest, brutality on the streets, the increase of the
rounding up of “illegals” the gutting of safety nets for the sick,
disabled and poor - you name it, every facet of contrived society
is going straight to hell in a hand basket! Many have suffered
through beatings and brutal incarceration, usually both.

Isaw i the paper this momning that researchers have
concluded that spanking hinders a child's develop and even
lowers his or her 1Q! This is intrinsic and obvious - if the
population is not otherwise conditioned to believe that
brutalizing children is a good idea. There's a lot of psychological
damage done through beatings, verbal and physical abuse, the
abuse of systemic poverty, and many other factors that have
disturbed and often ruined, people's opinion of themselves and

‘The subject of how to cope in the insanely cartoonish
madness of today's society, is fearfully never broached. For, it's
a “joke” - see? Well, a lot of people knew what this government
and economic system s all about - most all poor people, anyway.
Many new people are learning the nasty truth of the situation,
yet often still cling to an unshakable belief in the veracity of
government, no matter how corrupt and brutal. Government is
Syria - brute force if lying, incarcerating and bullying aren't
enough.

The country finally gets a “minority” guy in the White House
and he steps up everything bad - genocidal wars, repression and
economic warfare on the residents at home, facilitates the
consolidation of the big banker's controlled international
enslavement. People can't believe all of this is happening and
cant figure out what it means, how it can be dealt with, Who to
turn to, what to do, where to go - whatever. It's like we're all
seeing each other swirling through the dangerous and poisohous
waters of New Orleans, blamed on Hurricane Katrina, but really
caused by ractst, ruting-class policy.
=

Even people still with jobs are having their duties
significantly increased, with lowered pay, more taxes and
payments for health care, and other types of insurance, gas,
utilities, rent or mortgages - everything! Plus, the one with the
job now has to support all those who don't have one. Uncle Sam
s using our tax money to fight wars and militarize the police,
gut needed programs and make not getting arrested and
incarcerated more and more difficult. This is, even while states
are being told by courts or whatever, to reduce the grossly
overcrowded prisons. It's more and more an untenable situation.
Homes foreclosed everywhere. The “Miami Model” of brutal
street repression used to shut down any and all street protests
they deem at all a “threat” or even a nuisance. |saw where
“Reporters Without Borders” were rating the countries for “free
speech.” The U.S. Came in 47th! Obviously, they didn't bother
to look behind the razor wire...

So, how does one cope? Everyone is damaged and many are
preoccupying their minds, and thus, behavior to unproductive,
even counter-productive, addictive, avoiding or otherwise not
helpful to themselves activities and mindsets. This goes for
‘many things we all do, due to our coping mechanism, confusion,
lack of helpful education, surroundings, ack of money, nor a
place to stay, people to be able to rely upon, when needed.

Depression is a serious problem. So is violent self-abuse or
abuse of others. | remember being so depressed, | was
catatonic! | thought I'd never get out of it! But, what's the
“alternative?” Death! A lot of people opted for psychological
death, but not the physical. They've drunk the Kool-Aid and
rationalize doing nothing, ‘cuz “You can't!” The problem with
that is, it's only a poor excuse for doing nothing, not actualizing
your life or even helping anybody, including yourself. So, to get
mentally healthy, you have to be pro-active about learning about
it and finding real people to help you deal with it. Getting bitter
and angry, bottling it up and maybe, going off on somebody, is a
bad modus operandi and could lead to prison, reprisals,
whatever. It's not cool, or hip - just bad. It could set you back
for many years!

1 kept hope alive that one day I would snap out of ft, >
straighten up and fly right! Well, | never intended to “fly right.”
1 would always endeavor to be a fierce, Free Thinker! | did
slowly come out of it and begin the struggle to gain my love of
life and ability to positively interact with others. That's what
makes life satisfying - the effort along the way of striving to be
clear-minded about your most closely held beliefs and how what
you actually accomplish, reflects those beliefs. What makes it
rewarding is seeing one’s efforts positively affect others.

‘Wanting to be lucky enough to be in such a position, does not
make it possible. It's more frustrating than anything. And
almost all people who have the means to be in such a position,
don't use their opportunity their life presents for them. On
average, people watch five hours of television, every single,
bleary-eyed, miserable night! Can you imagine what everybody
could do - if they put their minds to something productive? But,
what is it?

Its the quest for a personal resolve and an understanding of
‘why things are the way they are and an ability to reconcile your
life amidst a world of such suffering, brutality, tyranny and
beyond Orwellian, lying!

‘The gnawing self-doubt, the frustrations and disappointments
with people and events, the inability to acquire the resources
necessary to work on projects... The hardscrabble streets, the
drug-filled social settings and endless surveillance, cops, laws,
rules, courts, judges... Got to see my parole officer. | smoked
pot, what am I going to do? My test will be “dirty.” Il skip
town. Before long, you're arrested somewhere else and have to
pay the piper twice - or ten times!

People at work are getting fired, suspended. Grievances
mount up and are ignored. It like you'e in prison! Co-workers
are pitted against each other. The boss wannabe snitches
someone out. “Summer temps” are forced to confess being
harassed with their jobs hanging over their head. They came in
at a low wage-scale. Friction is constant. Drama and stress
ruler the roost, every single, exhausting day. And you're just
treading water - or going “under water!” But, they tell you, “Be
thankful you have a Job. You could be under a viaduct!”
Yeah, thanks a lot for that! Vote for the “lesser of two evis,
t00 - right?” What do those types of bastards care? They make
money, not by actually working, but by shuffling money around
electronically. They do the day-to-day thieving that has
cascaded trillions from poor to rich in the last 3 - 4 years! Like
o, pretty soon, there won't be anything left for the “Poor.” Itll
be like Living outside of Mexico City, only without the
longstanding cooperation among people.

50, a clear understanding of the class offensive being waged
by government and business is a fundamental necessity for
personal as well as psychological health, safety and welfare.

Our various phobias, anieties and mental pain won' really
vanish just because we're getting smarter about things. Along
with better knowledge should come a greater care and
sensitivity to our our longings and needs. We need to focus our
own innate humanity and “looking out for” judgment on every
aspect of our own selves. Look closely at every aspect of your
life and find ways to improve it! Sometimes, it's fun and easy,
like when you figure out better ways to streamline and
accomplish certain tasks. Or, you can develop rationales that
help compel you to do things no one really wants to do - like
basic cleaning, or whatever. Try mind over matter, rather than
procrastinating, whining and wasting time.

It reminds me of the lady with terminal, and very painful,
cancer. Once she started smoking some good weed, she said
that the pain and suffering didn't go away, but the pot helped
her not to care about it so much, which helped make living more
bearable.

Alot of people get sucked into using pills or drinking, smoking
cigarettes, shooting junk up - whatever. Those are detrimental
coping mechanisms. As well, the whole pharmaceutical industry
is making their billions drugging the country to death for real
and imagined “mental illnesses” and physical ones, too! Just
remember to sign-up for the Walgreen's drug plan - blah, blah,
blah. Soon, you too will be a sleep-walking zombie with a fannie
pac full of pills. Sheesh! Lots of those drugs, especially to
actual psychological patients, forcibly addicted to powerful
psychotropic and horrifying drugs, like Haldol, Stelazine,
Thorazine, etc. chemically react to the poisons in tobacco
smoke, leaving them extra and hopelessly addicted to (usually)
cigarette smoking, leading to a shortened life.
1 don't like driving in traffic and | don't like being in crowds. |
don't like being on a Tilt-0-Whirl and | don't like unsafe heights.
1 don't like having to rely on somebody else for my personal
safety, like when they are driving! | get anxious, displeased and
angry, sometimes. Sometimes, fm not that nice to people! Il
over-react to something and have to apologize later. Sometimes
1 don't like somebody &/or they don't like me. We can't expect
to be perfect, but we can think about these things and always
try to improve our behavior. Like anything else, practice can be
helpful if approached in a way that is open for it being helpful.
You shouldn't do anything without a purpose.

I used to get extremely frustrated because | wanted to try to
be a part of something I could feel | helped make happen and
that it had a positive, hopefully lasting, effect on others. This
was 50 hard to do! Everyone else also has their own lives and
complicated bundle of nerves, coping mechanisms, angle of
approach, take on things, other activities, etc. In this smart
phone, instant access to information age, getting folks to work
on long-term projects is like trying to hold water in your hand.
What doesn't slip through your fingers, will soon evaporate,
anyway! So, self-reliance is a big key to lessen anxiety - at least
it has been for me. | have myself to rely upon!

After failing to satisfyingly glom onto others' projects, |
decided to develop my own. After failing to interest others in
my project, | started to be more selective. | had to figure out a
way not to get frustrated and apathetic, due to the lack of
interest in others. | had to accept the fact that people are so
beat down, they can't connect with other people productively,
even though they know it would do them a world of good. So, |
redoubled my efforts to make my project more succinct and
useful and meaningful for those | was trying to interest it with. |
had to learn and become more sensitive and so | stumble-
bummed my way to better approaches and clearer solutions.

fm actually thinking about my zine distro at the moment, but
| was fortunate to have gone through a similar experience, with
STAND. This is the anti-airport group | co-founded in 1998. It
took a few years for things to get really going and for people to
realize and appreciate my contribution to the whole thing. |
figured the zine distro - focusing on prisoner issues - would take
even longer to catch on. There's such an isolating reality about
each and every prison. Add the intense censorship and danger
posed if a prisoner gets involved, say as a writer, artist, 4
organizer or all three, and you have endless interruption in this
work and the ability to connect with people. Plus, they move
guys around like chess pieces, particularly the ones they feel
“threatened” by, i.. - those courageous and brotherly enough to
challenge the system.

Let's not forget women are prisoners, too, and in fact,
asrethe fastest growing group of inmates. But men (and boys)
comprise 94% of America’s 2.3 million legal slaves/prisoners.

Prisoners see “support groups” come and go. So often they
write and don't even get a response. Mail call is their life blood
connection to the outside world. It's pretty much our only
‘opportunity to communicate and have human relations with
those being held captive by the state. Visits are difficult and
expensive. Phone calls are rare and costly. Even the rare email
s impersonal and heavily monitored. It really behooves us to
write letters to these Mothers and Fathers, Sisters and Brothers
who languish behind walls.

It's important for our own psychological health! Who is going
to help pick us up when we're down, if not a prisoner who is
sensitive to our needs? Who is going to genuinely understand
and care about what we are thinking and doing? Our own
families are off on their own tangents, strivings for meaning,
acceptance - enjoyment in life, while having the same daily
challenges to cope with.

Where's the money going to come from and what'll | have to
do to get it? Since | must sell my very life, my time and my
effort to procure this money, how am I going to find time to
accomplish something actually meaningful and important?

It takes a wiltingness to calculate, that it will happen, in time
i the effort s put in, in full, all the way down the tine, every
single day. It takes an overriding resolve that will continuously
compel you to stay on task, every single day, or close to it. Once
people see the consistency of the effort, you will have the i
apprehensive cloud of suspicion and suspended judgment of
doubt replaced by critical respect. Consistency s very
important. Serious things need a lot of time and consistent
effort to be fully covered. Even if disagreements occur, and they
are inevitable, the consistency can always be agreed to and
respected.
How do you get to a point where you can develop yourself,
practice and work up your talents and interests soasto
positively affect the world, gaining loving comrades and
insightful mentors along the way? Well, you have to have your
basic requirements met. You need a base, you need loving
relations, you need psychological and physical health. Failing to
get all we need, we still have to cope and try to be productive,
with what little we have and can get. You need to be
resourceful. You need to think outside the system. Use what is
free. Seek out the discarded and reuse. Settle for less. Pool
Your resources with others. The more you unplug yourself from
the consumerist toxic waste dump of popular culture, the better
off you are going to bel Entertain yourself and those around
you. Read aloud to others. Write, sing, play - live! Challenge
bullies wherever they threaten people. Be the voice of reason
and courage. Stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the oppressed!

I can't really tell anyone anything about how they should tive
their lives. | can only speak for myself. But, | have found a rapt
audience and many comrades who respect my efforts and value
my opinions, so | must be doing something right. Do | have an
ego? Yeah, well, who doesn't? Whether you want to seriously
ponder what | have previously said, or am saying in this piece, is
of course, entirely up to youl For those who are interested in
what | have to say, | feel I should try to be as forthwith and
honest as | can be. | claim to be a guy who champions the
“brutal truth” so | should give continuous examples of my
attempts at conveying it. Thanks for any and all interest and
feedback!

Lastly, | would like to introduce a new project | am working
on with Lorenzo Komboa Ervin, who wants to start a solidarity-
‘minded partnership with ABC - Anarchist Black Cross and Black
Autonomy. Lorenzo is an expert in both these areas, as he
practically single-handedly brought both up to snuff with his
ground-breaking book: Anarchism and the Black Revolution.

We are looking for Afrikan anarchists, whether in prison or in
the hoods, who want to work with us on this. We will develop a
serious journal in order to help launch Black Autonomy
organizations throughout Babylon - inside and out. We want to
add to such movements as the Black Panthers, APOC (Anarchist
People of Color) and try to bring a more direct connection by
and for our anarchist Brothers and Sisters, who are mast

targeted by this system.
Anarchism is meant most importantly for the enslaved, the
tumpen, the criminalized and marginatized. Who would know
what suffering humanity is going through, other than the
articulate and courageous voices in their very midst?

ABC can, should and will go shoulder-to-shoulder with these
comrades! We believe people need their own collectives, driven
by their own history and present reality. We can show solidarity
and mutual aid. We can have each other's back! Anarchist Black
Autonomy. Now we're talkin' Yol Lucy Parsons! We hear you!

“Black Autonomy" takes the word Black in its anarchist sense.
Black is the color of the anarchist flag. It signifies all
inclusiveness. Al colors together make black. Oppressive:
society uses “Black” to distinguish “Black” from “White.”
Neither types of people actually exist! It's a semantic bone,
from the term “Negro.” It's a contrived construct to keep people
apart and at each other's throats, instead of dealing with
common problems and understanding and acting upon class
distinctions. True, America fs uniquely “racialized” due to an
ongoing history of Constitutional human slavery. Everything
needs to be up front and out there on the table for all to see.

Meanwhile, while the “Civil Rights Movement” allegedly
ended discrimination - the mass incarceration of these
“tiberated” Blacks has become the new slave system, the “New
Jim Crow” that Michelle Alexander has recently analyzed.

Anyways, here's a clench-fist salute! To your health!

It's time that genuine peoples’ coalitions are forged and the
desperate work of helping people cope is creatively and
practically implemented. Autonomy! Black Autonomy!

~ @nthony Rayson

Lorenzo Komboa Ervin
P. O. Box 16382
Memphis, TN 38186-0382

South Chicago ABC Zine Distro
P.0. Box 721
Homewood, IL 60430