We’d like to warmly welcome you back, even if only in the form of the written word, to Minnesota, home of 10,000 nefarious conspiracies (allegedly).
We “are” CRASS (Community RNC Arrestee Support Structure). We say that with a bit of a wink and a nod, since the bulk of this writing has been done, of necessity, by a handful of individuals. There’s something more than a bit ridiculous about claiming to speak for the literally dozens and dozens of amazing folks who have comprised a non-hierarchical, autonomous organization.
Technically, we are the CRASS Zine Project Working Group: hate mail should be directed to us, letters of glowing praise to our comrades. We’ve been committed from the start, however, to achieving the greatest levels of consensus and collaboration possible with anyone still involved with CRASS and who we can reach with drafts of this thing. Here’s hoping it ultimately reflects more than the narrow perspectives of the working group members.
The idea for this zine came about way back in the initial days of forming CRASS, and it was borne out of a sincere need to reflect on our efforts and share our successes and failures with the movement at large to help strengthen it. This zine is intended both as a critical examination for ourselves and other interested parties (no, not you, officer; feel free to put this zine down now), and as a how-to guide for communities gearing up for a large mobilization in their neck of the woods. There are things we did really well, about which most of us remain proud and that we tend to think you could benefit from replicating. There are things we did poorly, and we hope you don’t fuck up in the same ways. There are things we wish we’d done, or thought of, or did better, and maybe they can be implemented down the road by someone more prepared…someone like you.
Finally, a shout-out to everyone involved in any way with the struggles against state repression that marked the Twin Cities in September, 2008 and their (ongoing) aftermath: Thank you for your dedication, inspiration, and willingness to fight back against the fuckers. You are all so beautiful.
The representatives of state power who call themselves “Republicans,” along with their hired guns and hangmen and corporate sponsors, thought they could hold their self-congratulatory, taxpayer-funded party in our cities without incident. They were wrong. They thought they could divide activist communities as they have done so many times before. They were wrong about that too.
And they thought they could steamroll everyone in court, forcing everyone into plea agreements or winning convictions at trial without the slightest evidence and without just cause. While they successfully pressured people into taking pleas and got some convictions, our solidarity and resistance put pressure on them and ensured they had a force to reckon with, even if we weren't able to defeat them entirely (but who really thought it would be that easy?)
We suffered some losses and lost some battles, for sure. And not all the battles are over, even at the time of this writing (more than a year and a half after the RNC). But we have all gained so much more than we've lost since the RNC. We've provided each other with much needed political and emotional support as we've faced our enemies in the courts and in the streets. That's solidarity. And we've taken care of those who needed help returning to town to fight their charges and resist state repression. That's mutual aid.
These are things the state cannot understand, and thus cannot destroy. These are things that strengthen us and our communities, helping us to be stronger for the next time we come face to face with our oppressors.
Solidarity for fucking ever. Thanks for reading our zine.
xoxo,
The CRASS Zine Project Working Group
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