Maia Ramnath - Decolonizing Anarchism.pdf - Libcom

Puma Swaraj I 253
of any given flag in a particular context is also layered
with other complicated meanings and associations. We
need to pay attention to the messages being communicated.
Where is it shorthand fo r "freedom;' "revolution:'
or "self-determination:' and where is it read as an icon of
state power ?
Yeah, about that idea: your principle about respecting
other people:, self determination raises more questiom and
not just about states. What are the limits within which you
can say, "This isn't my business; they can organize themselves
as they want to," and beyond which you have to say, "This is
abhorrent to my principles; I cannot stand with this struggle"?
Look, we all know that the enemies of our enemies
aren't always our friends. Especially given the emphasis we
place on the importance of means and process as a prefigurative
path to the desired outcome, anarchists engaged in
solidarity-based resistance can't postpone the problem or
write it off as tactical. So one clue is whether someone else
who's opposing a particular empire-the United States, let's
say-is categorically anti-imperialist, or if they're just pulling
for a rival power to get the advantage, supporting some
unsavory character simply because they're anti-American.
There are a lot of false binaries presented to us.
Well then, let's be more concrete. If you can't separate
means and ends, the negative and positive fights, how can
you support uncritically a group oJpeople who are-oh, I
don't know-reactionary, misogynistic, authoritarian, anti­
Semitic, chauvinistic, or super religious?