1

THE

GREY BOOKVersion 0.786

(The present is prologue)Created Collaboratively by the Organization

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T SINTRODUCTION 2THE MOVEMENT OF THE ORGANIZATION 3WHY WE FIGHT 5NOT A PARTY, JUST THE LIFE THEREOF 8TEN POINT PROGRAM 12STRUCTURE 16FIVE TENETS 18THREE POINT STRATEGY 20CHAPTER STARTUP SUGGESTIONS 22TWELVE DIVISIONS 24COMMUNITY SURVIVAL PROGRAMS 30PEOPLE’S DEFENSE FORCE 35MEMBERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS 39MULTIFORM 41AFTERWORD 42CONTACT 43

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Introduction

The Organization will not stop fighting until all people on this Earth are free.

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created equal; that they are endowed by themselves with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and institute a new social structure, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing in such form as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown that human kind are most disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the form to which they are accustomed.

But, when a long chain of abuses in usurpation, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

All power to the people.

Contact

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ORGANIZATION CHAPTER:

NEW YORK, NY: SouthManhattan@theOrganization.cc

WHITE PLAINS, NY: SUNYPurchase@theOrganization.cc

BOSTON, MA: Boston@theOrganization.cc

SARATOGA, NY: Saratoga@theOrganization.cc

ELIZABETH, NJ: Elizabeth@theOrganization.cc

MADISON, WI: Madison@theOrganization.cc

L E A R N M O R E A TW W W. T H E O RG A N I Z AT I O N . C C

42 31 hegemony: domination of one group or state over others.

The Movement of the Organization

It is apparent to anyone with an open mind that this system is flawed. The oppression that exists in the world today is not only systemic but the direct result of the cultural mentality of apathy and consumerism that it has created. For those of us that have become aware, the stark realities of American society clearly demand action. So, our movement is based upon necessity. We have all been witness to the systemic poverty, injustice and inequality. We have seen the shackles that bind us, and we will break free of them.

Seeing and knowing this, many have chosen to do nothing. So we have taken it upon ourselves to create a better society today, and send a message—a message that such injustice will not be tolerated. A call for change amidst the deafening silence of apathy. We are told we are free. Free to consume and free to question as long as our questions do not become dangerous to those who hold power. Our mission is to create a body capable of providing a versatile solution to American oppression; a group of revolutionaries ready to unite across ethnicity, class, and ideology to bring about a new kind of society.

The Organization was founded in Tel Aviv in the summer of 2001. A group without a name was formed to launch a movement without a color. The original objective was the resolution of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. It was believed that through the creation of a united front among the peoples of the region, a solution could be achieved that might serve as a springboard for a world-wide revolution against American hegemony1, and the cultural mentality it perpetuates.

That September forever changed the nature of our struggle. Our enemy was not America itself, but instead the American mentality; and so an emigration was made, and soon the first chapter of the Organization was opened in New York City.

You have now read our Grey Book. You know our cause, our methods, and our objective. It is now time for you to make a decision. In your hands you hold a tool that can be used to build a better society. Should you join our struggle, expect a lifetime of work. To join us means you are ready to fight the injustices of this system. We fight for radical social change through individual self-empowerment. We fight for freedom. It is up to us to shake the foundations of this society, fighting tyranny and oppression in all its forms. Apathy and acquiescence will be the death of our freedom unless we become ready to resist. Be for us or against us, but do not close your eyes to the struggle that is unfolding.

The Organization will not stop fightinguntil all people on this Earth are free.

Afterword

L E A R N M O R E A TW W W. T H E O RG A N I Z AT I O N . C C

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The principle on which this group was founded was that we are in fact not an organization, but rather individuals becoming organized. The Organization serves as a network through which different people can unite under common revolutionary goals.

We work to spark a consciousness among the people conducive to upholding the natural rights of each individual, regardless of background or belief. The oppression we all perceive must be fought on numerous fronts, and in numerous ways. We must embrace all potential solutions, and all methods of achieving them, in order to ensure that the solution produced is an effective one for all people, not just those charged with creating it.

Even if there is one perfect revolutionary solution, we do not claim to have it. Rather, we come together to find it. As such, the Grey Book has been structured as a constantly evolving document. It is the cumulative product of an ongoing dialogue between our members, the culmination of many different viewpoints. Today, the Organization is composed of autonomous chapters across the Northeast, and we are expanding rapidly. As we fight, build, study and educate, our struggle continues.

The color grey symbolizes the nature of the Organization: neither black nor white, but rather accommodating infinite shades of grey to show unity amidst diversity. We strongly encourage members to wear some form of grey while at Organization events. A multiform can be as simple as a grey bandana or as complex as a head-to-toe grey outfit. It is important to display individuality as well as unity to present a vision of organization and discipline at events. We are a collective voice of independent thinkers. The multiform is important because it gives us presence and identity, but is not mandatory.

Multiform

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Why We Fight

We fight because we have begun to recognize the injustices of our society and have become aware of our ability to create change. Our movement relies on the support and strength of the masses. There is no vanguard party2 or movement of individuals that will succeed without the aid of the everyday person. Therefore we ask you, why are you reading this? Are you attempting to come to terms with the nature of your society? Are you an activist ready to become more radical? Do you experience oppression firsthand? Are you a revolutionary prepared to inspire a movement? Once more, why do you fight?

We cross the line between apathy and action when we decide that it is not only our aim but also our duty to question the integrity of a system that embraces wealth a status symbol; a system that breeds self-indulgence, rewards greed, and has repeatedly taught us that the meek shall not inherit the Earth.

The battle is at home. In our schools, and in our streets. Despite this, domestic crises have been made to appear insignificant in the light of mounting international conflict. America has always required a negative external force to distract the people from their domestic plights.

Our government would have us believe that the front line is somewhere in the Middle East; that the fight for freedom is being fought and won in Afghanistan and Iraq. The front line is here. What of the political prisoners in the prison-industrial complex? What of the dictatorships we protect and arm to support our economic interests? What of the suffering in the ghettos and the collective poverty of the American conscience?

Children in the South Bronx are being hospitalized for asthma because the government will not provide them with proper housing. Talk show hosts such as Jerry Springer are paid more than the people who educate our children.

2 vanguard party: a political body claiming to be at the forefront of the movement or revolu-tion, often seeking to create a single-party state.

It is not the job of the finance coordinator to hound members for contributions, it is up to the member to be responsible and pay on time. We will never turn a person away for lack of contributions. If they choose to pay one penny, that is what they can afford.

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The government spends significantly more on defense than on social programs.3 We have 6% of the world’s population yet produce 30% of the world’s pollution.4 CEOs make 475x the salary of their base employees.5 Two thirds of our armies are overseas and away from their families. Our constitutional rights have been stripped by the USA PATRIOT Act. We have the largest prisoner/civilian ratio of any country in the world.6 Does this uphold the promise of freedom and democracy? Is this the world we envisioned?

The American Republic is not a democracy. One must differentiate between a democracy and a republic, and furthermore between a republic and a corporate oligarchy, a governing body of the ruthless corporate elite who dominate the crumbling institutions of our supposed democracy, including the media and the one American political party with two faces. The 2004 presidential election’s two major candidates were both pro-war, white, male, Christian, middle-aged Yale graduates, from wealthy families. Third parties are considered nonviable options whose candidates undermine their more moderate republican or democrat counterparts.

We do not discount the power of independent community leaders, yet the real political power remains in the hands of the corporate oligarchy. The separation of powers does not provide checks and balances that protect the American people. Supreme Court members rule for life as their views become increasingly antiquated and archaic. Congress is dominated by quarreling Republicrats, and those with enough financial backing to do so easily usurp the presidency. Under the American Electoral College citizens do not vote for the president, but rather they vote for someone who may or may not vote for the candidate they elected. The people have become too complacent, all too willing to let others decide our fate.

3 Budget of the United States, FY 2005, February 2, 20044 “Gaia Atlas of Planet Management,” ed. Norman Myers5 Business Week, April 17, 20006 The Sentencing Project

Membership

Becoming a member of a revolutionary organization is a serious decision not to be taken lightly. Many romanticize our work and struggle but do not fully grasp the commitment such a struggle involves. The Organization is a group of individuals ready to devote our lives to change. Every member has proven their dedication to our mission with full comprehension of the society we seek to create.

Since each chapter is autonomous, each defines contributions and membership. However, every member should believe in the Ten Point Program and Five Tenets. We recommend that chapters define membership based on attendance to meetings, active participation as a coordinator, cooperation, and self-discipline. Membership entails the ability to participate in consensus and create or block proposals. We encourage only those with the long-term objective of change through revolution to become members of the Organization.

Contributions

Everything from printing new editions of the Grey Book to starting community survival programs is paid for out of the pockets of our members and donations from fundraising. Once an individual is a member it is encouraged that they contribute once a month. But, since each chapter is autonomous, a member’s contribution time is set by their chapter’s schedule, which is agreed upon by consensus.

An individual sets their rate of contribution in accordance with their ability to obtain money, their chapter’s needs, and the member’s level of involvement. There is no maximum or minimum level of contribution. A member can pay more or less than their set contribution rate if specified by their chapter’s current conditions. Contributions are given anonymously to the finance coordinator and are put into a chapter’s treasury.

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It is in the name of freedom that we are asked to conform and submit. Unable to control our destiny, or exert control over the political apparatus, our lives are left in the hands of those who cannot be said to have our interests in mind. Americans have been reduced to stagnant apathy and fail to comprehend the origin of this paralysis. We are an incredibly unique society in the sense that we not only buffer the upper class with the middle, but also cruelly provide all citizens with a universal American Dream in which upper class wealth is theoretically obtainable. This false promise of opportunity has been given to the people as a substitute for political empowerment and true social mobility.

This country was founded on the principle that when the government or ruling authority ceases to insure the natural rights of the individual, it is the duty of the people to rebel.

What we must strive for is a true democracy: a rule by the people, not by those who falsely represent them. Our slogan is all power to the people and this is our objective. We fight because burning inside every person is the desire for a better world. We fight because if we do not, our government will carry out genocide and exploitation in our name. We fight because as Americans we are accountable for what our government does. It is not only our right, but also our duty to fight. If we do nothing, we enable the American political machine to carry out imperialism7 and cross-continental violence.

7 imperialism: an entity’s policy of aggressive extension of authority, in order to serve its interests.

2. We do not initiate hostilities.

Members of the PDF adhere to the concepts of non-violent resistance, but will not hesitate to defend themselves and others from aggression. Never will a PDF squad engage in offensive action designed to preemptively engage the enemy.

3. We do not engage in property destruction.

Members of the PDF do not carry out acts of political vandalism. The overall goal of the PDF remains defensive. Property destruction will always provoke hostilities and is an illegal action. If the PDF is to be viewed as a self defense force, such action will undermine our credibility.

4. We engage in at least three months of regular training before deployment.

Discipline is encouraged among PDF members. We hold weekly trainings in martial arts, formation tactics, action medic skills, and the ideologies of nonviolence and self defense. Groups without the required training are incapable of defending anyone, and will not be admitted to the force.

5. We do not carry arms.

Members of the PDF do not use firearms or any offensive weaponry.

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Not a Party, Just the Life Thereof

The capitalist system functions on power relationships. Men controlling their families. Bosses controlling their workers. The government controlling its people. In attempting to establish a new society, we must not replicate these power relationships within our own movement. It is an established fact that if a person or group of people is given power, and that power connotes privilege, that power will be abused. That stated, we must analyze the merits of organizing around Party lines. Political parties have always proclaimed that they represent the interests of the people. From the Communists to the Democrats, any time a party has taken power it reimpliments its power relationship over the people, not to them. A party may in fact start out with the interests of the people in mind. It may seek to implement radical reconstruction of some of the most basic elements of a given society. In the end, as long as top-down decision-making occurs, the people at the bottom will never be empowered to assert their will upon the given political apparatus. History has shown that any time a hierarchy is established, those in power seek to make that authority absolute, usurping the power of the people while claiming to defend it.

The Russian and Chinese revolutions perfectly illustrate this example. Under a so-called dictatorship of the proletariat,8 the Communist parties of Lenin and Mao retained the same authoritarian9 relationship with the people. The czar was replaced by Bolshevik10 dictatorship and the emperor was replaced with a chairman. Genocide, totalitarianism, and suppression of dissent became staple items perhaps even more than under the previous regimes. In the end, the promises of revolution were broken.

8 dictatorship of the proletariat: use of state power by the working class against its enemies during the passage from capitalism to communism. (Marx)

9 authoritarian: any person or group exerting power over another; hindering individual freedom.

10 Bolshevik: the socialist party in Russia that took power following the revolution of 1917.

Cop watch, organized by the PDF, consists of teams patrolling our communities to monitor police activity. Teams should mobilize to inform their communities about their constitutional rights. The secondary role of cop watch is to record police misconduct as it occurs and advise arrestees. This crucial responsibility serves several purposes. First, officers are less likely to brutalize our communities if they are being recorded on film. Second, any abuses being recorded can and will be entered as evidence in legal proceedings.

Structure

The People’s Defense Force is organized along the lines of the non-authoritarian CNT-FAI25 Spanish Civil War model. There are no fixed officers, hierarchy, or central leadership. Each squad democratically elects a leader at the start of active deployment. The position of squad leader is not one of power—it is a temporary position that can be changed on a situational basis. PDF squads should be made up of people you trust and have trained with.

Principles

PDF squads adhere to the principles set down to unify our actions. These principles are strictly upheld; any group or individual in violation is a risk to everyone involved, and will be expelled from the squad immediately.

1. We defend any group of people that suffers brutality at the hands of the state.

Members of the PDF are champions of the people, defending all groups or individuals that come under attack, either from the state or those acting with its mentality. We will challenge the police if they target communities of the poor. We will defend demonstrators from violence. We will defend individuals from abuse.

25 CNT-FAI: the anarchist union that organized a militia to oppose fascists in Catalonia (Spain) in 1936.

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Authoritarian power relationships are contrary to the ideals of an egalitarian society. Decentralized, horizontal leadership11 is essential if we are to build revolutionary organizations that address the errors of past movements. One cannot expect a revolution to change the structure of society if the organizations waging revolutionary struggle still adhere to concepts of hierarchy and leader-worship around which the current system revolves. One of the greatest lies we have been told is that we are incapable of leading ourselves, reflecting the ambient belief that a strong, centralized government is necessary to preserve order. We are taught that power must be consolidated and wielded by the few (the Party) in the name of the many (the People). This lie is everything we, the revolutionaries, stand against.

The Organization is not a political party. We encourage participation rather than an idle membership. We are not claiming to have the ideal revolutionary solution, and what form it will take is, ultimately, not up to us alone. With every new member that joins, the strategy of the group evolves accordingly. Unless the struggle is dynamic and open to critique, progress will stagnate. The Grey Book is similarly fluid, adapting to the beliefs and ideals of each new member.

The great progressive thinkers were not attempting to stagnate the movement; they were trying to expand it. We must follow in their footsteps, not try to wear their shoes.

The Organization believes in collective empowerment. Every member of the group has equal say in its decision making process regardless of tenure. Those coordinating a chapter have no more power than a new member. They are empowered by their chapter to take charge of specific tasks, but they do not gain anything through their role. We do not deny that some people have leadership qualities but it is not our practice to reward them.

11 decentralized, horizontal leadership: equal distribution of decision-making power.

Self defense, in itself, is not a violent act. It is preparation for self-preservation for both our communities and our organization. Turning the other cheek can get you killed. Peaceful protest is consistently met with brutal repression and the color of your skin is enough to warrant added abuse. We are committed to nonviolence, but this does not mean we will not defend ourselves. We must be trained, we must be disciplined, and we must form a People’s Defense Force (PDF).

Functions

While our overall goal is self defense, there are two specific areas of work that the PDF should engage in immediately:

The first function is security. Movement conferences and large meetings are often raided or infiltrated by the police, and political events attract counter-protesters that threaten and attack people at the event.. A security force is a necessity when operating amongst well-trained infiltrators. To contend with the police we need a highly skilled and well-trained force of revolutionaries.

The security force serves as a lookout and acts as an early warning for people inside these events. The security force will give the people a sense of safety as well as present a formidable obstacle in the event of a raid. They should be fully prepared to make use of and be highly vocal with knowledge of the law and the Constitution to hinder any efforts of law enforcement to disrupt our activities.

The second function is cop watch. All over the country, our communities must deal with the brutality of the police. Beatings, harassment, and murder are not unknown tactics to the police force, and under the PATRIOT act, racial profiling has become state policy. Our system brutalizes the poor both with its police force and its justice system. This can be prevented through effective and coordinated cop watch.

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The Organization is structured so that no person or group of people could take control of it. Every chapter is an autonomous12 entity, bound only to the ideals of the Grey Book. Everything from its community survival projects to local ten-point programs, from its discussions to its literature, are decided upon by the people that make up that chapter.

There are several reasons for this structure. The first is that it empowers individuals to think for themselves and contribute to the development of the Organization. It allows for new ideas to be generated and new tactics to be employed. If our mentality always remains that a contribution from one is a contribution to all, we will always stay moving on the road to freedom.

A group or Party that tells one how to think is in no way revolutionary. It is not the role of a political organization to tell its members what to believe in. You do not fight for the Party; you fight for Freedom. A person shouldn’t conform to anything that does not promote their personal values. We may have very different visions of the means and ends of the struggle, but our disagreements will only strengthen our argument’s substance.

To blindly follow a Party line does not get anyone closer to the revolution. All it does is prevent people from thinking for themselves, not unlike what our government is already doing.

The second reason for this structure is that it makes us harder to destroy. A Party can be eliminated by killing off its leadership cadre. With top-down decision making, the so-called rank and file13 are not fully equipped to continue the struggle. The Organization has no rank and file.

Within the structure of the Organization, every chapter can function independently and every participant can make decisions without complicated Party bureaucracy. Further, if any part of the Organization is compromised, the larger network can continue to function.

12 autonomous: independent, as in a self-directing entity.13 rank and file: those who form the majority of a group, excluding the leadership.

People’s Defense Force

Let’s make this clear. In America you can say and do whatever you want, as long as it does not arouse the people to action. You can criticize the state and ridicule politicians; you can denounce US foreign policy and speak out against war. None of these things are a problem because none of these things are perceived as a threat. However, once an individual or group creates a feeling of genuine dissent among the people, the state will stop at nothing to destroy them. Revolution is a serious line of work and in the pursuit of freedom we must be prepared to face the violent reaction of the state.

Violence is the government’s oldest tool. It will infiltratepolitical organizations, disrupt meetings, arrest members, and murder leaders. While wrapped in the blanket of liberal democracy, the American government has perpetrated evils imaginable only under totalitarian oppression. Those who argue that the system will let us be need only to study the histories of groups like the Industrial Workers of the World and the Black Panther Party to arrive at the fact that our government is not only capable of repression, but very willing to use it.

The Organization needs to reflect the real needs of the people, and during the process of revolution, we need to maintain our ability to organize. Our communities are already under attack from the system’s police. We organize to stop real violence and defend the movement we are building.

Self defense is a natural right. When a group of people or a government threatens us with force and persecution, it is our duty to take the necessary measures to prevent future aggression. Those who embrace pacifism must not allow themselves to be victimized.

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The third reason for this structure is that it embodies the ideals of the revolution. We recognize that revolution is a process, not an event. As we become empowered through internal revolution, we hope to manifest that change outside of ourselves. We are a living representation of the society we seek to create. Freedom fighters resist dictatorship—of the bourgeoisie14 or the proletariat15—and totalitarianism16 in all its forms.

Rather than tell you what to think, we came to ask you what you think. We will never tell you to mold your political beliefs to our own. If you can stand behind the Ten Point Program, you can help us make it a reality.

14 bourgeosie: the class that owns a society’s means of production (Marx), i.e. corporate shareholders.

15 proletariat: the class that works to produce capital for those who own the means of production; opposed to the bourgeosie in class struggle. (Marx)

16 totalitarian: imposing a form of political authority that exercises absolute control over all aspects of life.

Survival Not Politics

These programs are not designed to bring an ideological message to our communities. The politics of the Organization are not necessarily those of the neighborhoods we work in. While we may share similar ideas pertaining to the long-term goals of the revolution, each community has its own struggles and methods to achieve change.

With that in mind, it is imperative that the goal of these programs is one of survival and not the pushing of a political agenda. It is not our place to provide the answer to our community—all we wish to do is empower individuals to create autonomous solutions for survival. The act of communities collaborating for mutual survival is revolutionary in itself and need not be coupled with an ideology.

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Ten Point Program

To every one of us the revolution means something different. To some, it is the creation of a society based on mutual aid. To some it means an end to injustice and poverty. To some it is an end to war. To others it means a job and a living wage.

The Ten Point Program is our list of demands of the present society and a stepping stone to the future one we seek to create. We cannot predict the form this society will take, but as long as that society upholds the ideals set down in the Ten Point Program, the Organization will fight for its existence.

The ten points are always evolving. They are the ten primary causes we fight for, the fundamentals of our revolution.

1. An end to self-interested war, conquest and imperialism.

We believe that any use of force that has the purpose of acquiring territory, expanding hegemony, making economic gains, or the imposition of culture upon another region or people is against the ideal of freedom. Not only do we stand against military conflict, we are equally devoted to the right of any and all people to practice their religion, culture, or creed without fear of forced submission by another power.

2. A universal free and equal health care system.

We believe that every person is entitled to free healthcare and that healthcare is a human right. We believe that access to medicine, sanitary hospitals, and capable doctors must be available to any person who is in need. It must be ensured that every person can seek reliable medical aid without exception.

These programs directly served the people and allowed them to survive beyond their poverty, gave credibility to the ideas of revolution, and enabled the oppressed masses to participate in the political structure, since their basic human demands were more easily met. They failed, however to become self-sufficient. When the Panthers were shut down, these programs disappeared along with them.

Programs We Plan to Offer

Community survival programs are set up relative to each chapter’s area of operations. While forging links between communities, our needs will become clear. The initial programs fall into several concentrations, with others likely to be added as time goes by.

Educational Programs: The acts of both teaching and learning are paramount to social mobility and radicalization. At the same time, through education, anyone can more easily realize the nature of the exploited and subordinate position he or she is in. Educational programs can take the form of organized classes and workshops, student mentoring and tutoring, the production of educational literature, and many other learning tools for our communities.

Sustenance Programs: There are people in America that are starving. The object of these programs is to provide free meals to our communities by serving at sites or distributing packages. Sustenance programs are designed to meet one of the most basic human necessities—we all have to eat.

Further Possibilities: Once these basic programs have been started there are still many ways to assist our communities in providing for themselves. Other possibilities include:

- Free clothing programs

- Free clinics- Free busing to prisons- Free housing

- Free ambulance services

- Free paralegal services- Free childcare

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3. A universal free and equal educational system.

We believe that education is a solution to many of the world’s problems. A liberating education is an essential tool to abolish poverty, end discrimination, and promote equality. Through the establishment of a free education system, everyone is set on an even footing, which creates opportunity for all, regardless of their economic or social background.

4. Drastic re-evaluation of the current judicial system, and the establishment of a community-controlled alternative based on human rights and racial and economic justice.

It is the right of every community to build consensus on how to deal with deviant behavior. Our communities should strive not to punish, especially not through the death penalty, but to address root causes of crime.

5. The end of the drug war.

The war on drugs has caused a great deal of suffering and has done nothing to address the root causes of substance abuse. We believe that all drug conduct issues will be made in accordance to popular consensus. In addition, amnesty will be granted for all drug offenders.

6. Abolition of foreign or domestic labor exploitation regardless of industry.

We believe that an economic system motivated by the constant pursuit of profit can only result in exploitation. We believe that it is completely unacceptable for any industry or business to exploit their workers. We define exploitation as any economic arrangement where workers do not enjoy adequate and fair benefits or compensation for their labor and do not democratically control their workplace.

Instead, these programs are an attempt to collaborate on lasting solution for the communities most in need, including our own. We cannot bring about a revolution on behalf of the people—we must instead come together in solidarity as the people, and find the tools to bring about that revolution considering the needs of all individuals involved.

When we are forced to live in a constant struggle just to survive, it is difficult to realize the source of our oppression and how to prevent it. Our hope is that through these programs’ successes, our communities will gain the time, knowledge, and self-empowerment needed for us to liberate ourselves and others from the destructive cycles into which we have all been thrust. Having existing solutions already in place, independent of the former government, will smooth the revolutionary transition process.

Past Programming

In order to ascertain the effectiveness of community survival, and its potential problems, we should look to history. The social programs offered by the Black Panther Party, for example, were extensive. By 1968 they had instituted a free breakfast program in each of their chapters. More than anything, those services showed the community that the Panthers intended to provide for the people.

In a way, community survival programs such as these proved two key points. First, that poverty existed in the overdeveloped world and there wasn’t a serious attempt made by the government to rectify it. Second, as revolutionaries they could directly show that working alternatives were possible. A tremendous growing momentum of popularity and support alarmed a terrified Red Scare government. While numerous groups were expounding socialism, the Panthers were making social alternatives work.

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7. Adequate and sanitary housing, water and food for all people at all times.

We believe that the means to live comfortably are natural human rights for any and all people. In today’s society, these items are commodities that are only available to those who are able to pay for them. We have adequate means of producing and providing these necessities for all people. As these three things are indispensable to the very existence of life, it is completely unjust that anyone should feel the unnecessary burden of being without any of them.

8. An end to discrimination based on any personal attribute, so as to work toward the ultimate goal of equality.

We believe that society should grant equal opportunity to individuals regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ideology, ethnicity, personal belief, place of origin or any other aspect of their person.

9. The pursuit of educated, improved and sustainable environmental practices and lifestyles.

We believe that to adequately coexist with our environment, we must be informed of the impact of human life on the planet Earth. Further, sustainable solutions must be employed through the use of renewable resources and healthy long-term environmental planning. Society as it exists today has little incentive to protect the Earth. We must work to ensure that no further damage is done and to improve the health of our world.

The first and most pressing concern is that of alleviating poverty. To fight capitalism effectively, we must demonstrate revolutionary alternatives that are viable. If the public education system is inadequate, we must form our own schools. If families cannot afford to eat, we must find means to distribute food and grow our own. If people cannot afford to go to the hospital, we must run our own clinics. By creating our own resources we accomplish two major things: first, we demonstrate our commitment to the people; second, we render the government irrelevant.

This brings us to the second major need for programs. We are entirely capable of generating our own society in the shadow of this one—a permanent adversarial culture23 with its own social programs and systems of defense. By setting up our own institutions, we pick up the slack of capitalism, right before it collapses. In collaborating on holistic24 solutions, we provide an alternative to our reliance on the government. As our communities become entirely self-sufficient, we will prove the potential of revolution in the now.

The Goals of Community Survival Programs

Community survival programs are not charity. Our actions do not stem from an elevated position of “haves” bestowing pity on “have-nots”. In the end, these programs should not just remove the symptoms of oppression that many of us experience, but also empower us to remedy the underlying causes.

Our vision is rooted in a deep belief in each and every human being. Providing a limited charity would only temporarily alleviate a long-term problem.

23 permanent adversarial culture: self-sufficiency; the idea of preemptively building the infrastructure we envision to exist, thereby marginalizing the power of the government in our lives.

24 holistic: considered from all perspectives.

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10. The establishment of a society in which all people are continuously empowered and inspired to become active members of their communities and agents of change.

We believe that participatory democracy can only be achieved when everyone actively takes steps to decide the terms on which they wish to live. People must have the right to communicate dissent and struggle collectively or individually to improve the system in which they live and assert themselves upon the political apparatus. Never should dissent be deemed counterrevolutionary or detrimental to society.

Community Survival Programs

On the top of our society sits a small and powerful minority that controls the means of production and the distribution of the society’s wealth. Every day, people unnecessarily go hungry as tons of food are thrown away; it is absurd to think that these conditions exist because of an insufficient supply. These circumstances have not arisen as a result of a lack of resources; they have arisen because of economic and societal inequalities. For this reason, if only on the most basic human-to-human level of communal decency, we cannot let this pattern continue.

One fifth of the American people live below the official poverty line. Although society claims it is trying to relieve this problem, we have seen no great changes. Through the establishment of simple programs, those of us suffering in abject poverty might gain the means to become more active in our communities and involved in political struggle.

Resources like health care, education, food, and housing – these things are human rights, not privileges. The mere fact that our society denies citizens’ access to these things is a testament to the discrepancies within the system. The poor of our society have been abandoned. Some point a finger at a so-called “vibrant middle class” so that they may quell suburban white guilt about the possibility of wide-scale poverty.

Why They Are Necessary to the Revolution

The Organization believes in popular revolution. Our objective is to involve every community directly in our drive to create a better society. To do this, we build a relationship between communities through programs based around our mutual needs and interests. To help our communities become self-sufficient is to begin the process of revolution, today.

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Structure

Fragile fingers combine into a powerful fist.

The Organization is not an organization in the traditional sense of the word, but rather a means for people to get organized and involved in progressive revolutionary struggle. The Organization exists to engage our communities in seeking options for improving our situation while interacting with the national movement. Through simple principles of decentralization, a complex and beautiful network arises to allow for a progressive movement towards the common goals we all believe in and unanimously agree upon.

While chapters are able to create community-specific resistance through autonomous organizing, the Organization works to promote egalitarian cooperation. It serves as an ever-evolving avenue of positive resistance through changing times. By focusing on a system of ideal interactions, the structure allows each chapter to pursue programs that aid their specific community’s needs while building a larger society based on collective mutual ideals. Again, the purpose of decentralized structure is to guard against authoritarianism and exploitation of any kind. The structure is designed to support both a set of general principles and close community-building and therefore is adaptive and effective in any situation.

Along with the contribution of developing new methods of community survival, the network helps support chapters through many types of assistance from all elements of the Organization. We define the network as the collective progress of the chapters.

Each chapter operates progressively to meet the needs of the communities in which it is located. However, the combined efforts of the chapters are absolutely necessary for the progress of the movement. While each chapter independently develops new ideas and techniques, the network comes together regularly for collaboration.

Treasury Section Coordinates bookkeeping, collects contributions, and physically manages moneyAllocation Section Coordinates smartest ways to allocate chapter funds

Think Tank Division:

This division is the theoretical branch of the chapter that studies in depth political theory to arrive at new ideological concepts for the Organization and develop our political ideas. Think Tank is the combined efforts of members that want to do more research into political science.

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Such collaborations occur during national advances, which should be attended by all members from the chapters, and summits, meetings between delegates from each chapter. Advances occur twice a year, and summits can be called as needed. Each year is divided into four (seasonal) quarters, and coordinators should share divisional reports with the network at the end of each quarter.

Through an autonomous and decentralized network, the Organization builds off each success collectively, and

lessons learned can be learned by all.

Intelligence Section Coordinates intelligence gathering and reconnaissanceMedia Rep Section Arranges interviews and press conferences, and makes live statements to the mediaPress Release Section Writes and issues releases on events and actionsSecurity Section Coordinates methods for maintaining security culture

Action Division:

The Action Division plans political actions falling into four primary categories: subversion, street theatre, civil disobedience, and direct action.

It is their specific function coordinate and advise actions that use creative audacity to work outside the protest pens and mass marches, bringing attention to the causes we fight for.

Subversion Section Coordinates and plans unconventional methods to spread messages to the public such as wheat pasting, stenciling, dropping banners, and culture jamming22

Street Theatre Section Coordinates and plans street theatre where members use puppets, costumes, and acting to show scenes reflecting political issuesCivil Disobedience Section Coordinates and plans non-violent willful non-compliance violations of minor laws with the interest of disrupting the social system and sending a messageDirect Action Section Coordinates and plans nonviolent shut downs of political or economic activity

Finance Division:

This division handles the financial transactions of a chapter. These coordinators are responsible for making and managing money as well as bookkeeping. The finance coordinators must be trustworthy enough to handle cash and use monetary funds wisely.

22 culture jamming: introduction of a radical idea using corporate resources to replicate itself; i.e. altering billboards or logos.

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Culture Division:

This division deals with promoting cultural activity and events within the chapter. Culture coordinators plan cultural events and fundraisers for the chapter. The Culture Division also should know about cultural events going on in a chapter’s area of operation and get our people out to them. This includes art shows, poetry readings, film screenings, clubs, plays, and other cultural events.

Events Section Coordinates cultural events for the chapterActivities Section Informs the chapter about cultural events in the area of operation

Publication and Distribution Division:

This division deals with writing, publishing, and distributing any organizational literature. Its coordinators create flyers for events; does newspaper planning, such as finding means for printing and distribution, and handles Grey Book layout, design, and printing.

Editorial Section Coordinates and collects writingArtistic Section Coordinates and collects artPrinting Section Coordinates printing of literatureDistribution Section Gets publications out to the public

Information Division:

The Information Division is the intelligence-gathering arm of the chapter. They handle descriptions on other political groups and internal security, and gather data about proposed action targets. This division also maintains security culture discipline within the chapter.

Five Tenets

Becoming involved in the struggle is not simply adhering to a belief system or a set of social values. To act on one’s words and accept the idea that half-measures get us nowhere is to be truly revolutionary. These five tenets are guidelines to maintain the integrity of our objectives and our means for accomplishing them. They are as follows:

1. We believe in and practice Mutual Aid. Membersembrace a combination of efforts and solidarity of action.

To develop an egalitarian17 culture, we should strive to practice mutual aid in our interactions not only within the Organization but throughout our daily lives. Mutual Aid is the ideal that advocates a system of cooperative group assistance and combination of resources for the overall benefit of all involved, equally and adequately.18

2. We believe in and practice mutual respect andunderstanding. Members do not let ethnicity, religion, gender, or any personal attribute prevent cooperation.

There is one human race, composed of six billion unique individuals. The system we are struggling against uses arbitrary labels and promotes prejudice among the people in order to divide and subjugate any movement that may rise against it—and a divided movement is an ineffective movement. Therefore, we not only work toward a unification of all people, within the Organization and without, but also actively embrace the differences between us as individuals.

17 egalitarian: equal social, political, economic and civil rights for all people.18 Kropotkin, “Mutual Aid: A Factor in Evolution”

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3. We believe in and practice nonviolence. Members do notengage in physical confrontation, except in the necessity of self defense.

In attempting to liberate ourselves, we should not replicate the violent tactics of the oppressive power structure. However, we understand that the appropriate act of self defense from aggressors or impeding forces may sometimes be necessary, keeping in mind our goal of achieving a society where violence is never necessary. Any use of force in self defense would serve to defuse, not to escalate, a violent situation.

4. We believe in and practice revolutionary ethics. Membersdefine their own ethics, but consider the collective well-being before any political action.

Revolutionary ethics is the theory that all actions which may be interpreted as political must be considered in terms of their influence on future efforts. The criteria of such decisions should be self-defined, and one’s perception of the best actions will be left to one’s own judgment. Before taking any political action, consent from chapter members is highly encouraged for the sake of the continued effectiveness of the group.

5. We believe in and practice people’s power. Our politicalactions and focus seek to benefit our communities and the people as a whole.

As people who fight for freedom, our behavior and work should benefit our community and create a better world for all people. We consider local problems in the context of global struggle. When organizing, our actions empower us and serve our objective:

All Power to the People!

Training Division:

This division sets up trainings for members of a chapter. It is responsible for running the People’s Defense Force trainings (see PDF section) as well as enlisting outside expertise to teach skills and tactics to the chapter. Training coordinators are broken down into areas of concentration.

Self Defense Training Section Coordinates training in defensive martial arts Divisional Training Section Coordinates training in the responsibilities of each divisionInformational Training Section Coordinates training in areas of tactical knowledge and information-gatheringProvisions Section Insures that the necessary materials needed for training and PDF actions have been obtained and are properly stored

Defense Division:

It is up to the Defense Division to organize all members engaging in direct action within the framework of the PDF. The defense coordinators plan operations, from cop watch to security at rallies. Anyone to serve as a defense coordinator must have a good deal of experience with projects similar to the ones that this division plans. A thorough knowledge of street tactics, personal defense, and the ability to perform under pressure is essential.

Tactical Section Coordinates and and advises members engaging in armored bloc or other protest tacticsPatrol Section Coordinates and advises cop watch programsMedical Section Coordinates action medics assigned to a chapter and during actions

20 2521 shake and bake: chapter startup initiative focused on street recruiting in new communities.

The Three Point Strategy is of equal value to the Tenets. While Tenets are guidelines for our conduct, these points become more of a stratagem for resistance. We have adopted an old radical labor slogan and applied it to the Organization. The strategy breaks down into:

Agitate, Educate, and Organize.

Agitate: You don’t have to be a radical or an academic to know things are terribly wrong. When you were young you didn’t respect authority. When you go to work you resent your boss. It is on the tip of everyone’s tongue and one day you meet someone else who argrees, and not just agrees, but wants to do something about it. Agitate means we go back to our communities and let people know they are far from being alone. People need to be motivated in order to act on their discontent. To agitate is to generate passion and foster resistance.

Educate: So now you have their attention. Having gained the will to act, emphasis should be placed on producing a well-informed group of dissenters. It is important to critically examine the information we’ve been given to determine its level of accuracy, since we have either been systematically lied to or left in the dark. The strongest asset we have is to fully understand our oppression and, therefore be able to effectively work to elimintate it. At this stage we start to mobilize, as we begin to comprehend the issues and the ideas pertinent to our circumstance. In essence, we strengthen our reasons and means for organization.

Three Point Strategy Recrution Division:

This division handles the recruiting of new members. There are no sections in the Recrution Division. Individual recruiting coordinators conduct shake and bake21 trips, serve as mobile delegates, and follow up with the people they bring in. Recruiters table for the chapter, give soap box speeches, and promote our work to the local community.

Community Survival Division:

This division deals with all community survival programs. Everything from clothing drives, to free tutoring services, to free breakfast programs need to be coordinated by this division. The object is not to set up new community survival institutions right away; the initial goal is to strengthen existing ones and learn to make them more effective. Eventually, when we have the resources, we may want to set up new institutions to serve areas that present ones do not cover. It is the job of the Community Survival Division to sign up members for existing programs and to keep records of where they worked. As a general guideline every member should be engaged in Community Survival on a regular basis. This division is responsible for motivating the members to do so.

Education Section Coordinates free mentoring programsSustenance Section Coordinates free food programsSanitation Section Coordinates neighborhood clean upsClinical Section Coordinates free medical services

Each chapter in the Organization can structure itself in any appropriate way its members decide. Divisions and specializations have been very effective in the past, although alternatives are being tried. The following is a working suggestion based on how some chapters operate.

As of today, twelve divisions have emphasized the specific efforts of the chapters. Each division has its own coordinators and purpose. Each division would have one coordinator foreach section. Each coordinator would be charged with the duty of organizing the workings of their associated division, however, they should always keep in mind that this would not elevate them above their fellow members, since their position would exist only as a reflection of the will of the chapter. Any person present should constantly be encouraged to analyze, critique, and advise. The following is a short description of an active form of structure for organizing divisions. Although we recognize and embrace the infinite options and potential experimentations of organization, the divisions are currently suggested to be best prioritized in this order when building a chapter.

Education Division:

It is the job of this division to ensure that our members receive instructive and critical political education. This is one of the most critical divisions responsible for the readings, discussions, and screenings that happen at the weekly chapter meetings. In addition, this division is responsible for planning educational activities like speak-outs19, guest lecturers, and teach-ins20.

Discussion Section Coordinates weekly meeting discussionsReadings Section Coordinates selected readings for the chapter

19 speak-out: public gathering where people relate their experience or opinions about a topic or concern.

20 teach-in: session for informal workshops, discussions and skillshares.

Twelve Divisions

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Organize: We knew there was a problem. We analyzed the problem and came up with a plan. We were told the state holds all the cards and you just can’t beat the house. And after waking up, linking up, reading up, and devising a plan; we realized anything and everything can be done through the proper process of organization. In order to affect change, we need to be mobilized into a coordinated body so that we present a substantial challenge to the power structure. There is no power greater than the power of the people organized for resistance and ready for revolution. We realize that united, they simply cannot stop us.

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IT’S TIME TO GET ORGANIZED.

Where will the next chapter be?WWW.THEORGANIZATION.CC

Chapter Startup Suggestions

Chapters form around collective belief in our goals and practice of our methods.

Individuals ready to agitate, educate and organize in their communities should seek the help of people they know and trust before larger recruiting efforts. If you choose to use the division method of chapter organization, we have found it best to fill essential positions like Education, Community Survival, Training and Action coordinators first. The network practices mutual aid and will provide any possible assistance (skillshares, literature, mobile recruiters, temporary training coordinators) that you cannot find in your own community. Staying in contact with the network is also suggested, for the strongest possible combination of efforts. Remember that chapters are autonomous and free to make their own decisions within the guidelines laid down in the Grey Book, but that our continued evolution depends on the collaboration of all chapters. Your vision of revolution is as important as anyone’s, and we welcome new ideas into our

collective vision.

MANHATTAN, NY

WHITE PLAINS, NY

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY

BOSTON, MA

ELIZABETH, NJ

MADISON, WI

READY FOR REVOLUTION?