[IMC-Process] Re: [Imc-finance] IMC West-Vlaanderen on Imc-Finance and TMF - english.

[. .:.:cburn:.:. .]

Greetings,

I would like to quickly respond to Charles' valid points
in reference to the Ford Foundation and the necessity of
activists to be aware of their historic exploitation on
behalf of US imperial aims.

>In addition to the "IMC Process" and "Strings-Attached" issues which >were 
>addressed by SF-IMC, Italy and Argentina, there is another >important 
>dynamic which has not been raised for discussion on the imc->process 
>mailing list.  Namely, the issues involved with Indymedia >lending "radical 
>credibility" to the Ford Foundation.

I dont believe the Ford Foundation, or their CIA counterparts, is interested 
in "radical credibility" whatsoever. If anything, I believe they are 
interested in destabilization, nuetralization, and control of any media 
system outside the doctrinal patterns desired by foriegn policy analyists.

In my opinion, it is their objective, based on their historic behavior with 
other media outlets, to erode the principles of indymedia (i.e. autonomy, 
decentralization, independence, etc) using money as a tool. By slowly 
introducing money, and the concomitant social relationships of power 
associated with money, then over time, it would be much easier to erode 
indymedia as an independent doctrinal system.

Having said that, and in the context of our discussion about money, this 
problem exists for any currency introduced into indymedia, whether it is 
from malevolant sources such as Ford, or friendly ones such as Chumbawamba. 
That is why if we take the argument to the extreme, we shouldn't accept 
money issued from any states whatsoever, because it has the potential to 
erode our principles. But in reality, and at this stage of our development, 
i don't think we will only accept currencies from non-exploitative based 
labor systems.

What i think is of primary importance is to understand how we deal with this 
contradiction and how we internally develop principles and criteria for 
dealing with money that will act as a barrier against behavioural patterns 
(i.e. hiearchy, greed, dishonesty, etc) usually associated with currencies 
based on systems of violent exploitation.

In my opinion, Ford is not interested in "flaunting" their patronage. If 
that is all it was, I really couldn't care less, as long as there are no 
strings attached to funds. I would suggest that their motives, based upon 
the information submitted by argentina and others, are far more 
destabalizing and rely upon the recipients relationships to money, and their 
reaction to the social engineering that money creates.

That is why my main point has always been that the distinction between Ford 
vs. Chumbawamba, or capitalist vs. non-capitalist, or good vs. bad money is 
irrelevant to what is fundamentally important; namely, our relationship to 
currency *in general.* Currency that is introduced into our indymedia 
"system" is the issue, and how we choose to deal with it is the issue. Once 
introduced into indymedia, the source of every US Dollar, for example, is 
indistinguishable.

I agree with Charles et al about the need to be aware of Ford and its close 
history with US Imperial aims. But, if we are to be consistent, we have to 
recognize that even to participate within an economic system that has built 
its wealth on slavery and genocide is itself problematic, contradictory, 
and, yes, hypocritical. I am well aware that the counter argument to this is 
that we are *forced* to participate in this system. There are many that 
would argue otherwise.
I would be suprised to find even a handful of indymedia activists who have 
truly extricated themselves from participation in the capitalist system (via 
consumption, labor, selling, etc.)

I think it is incumbent on all indymedia activists, north or south, east or 
west, that participate in any capitalist economic system, for whatever 
reason, to find ways to work with others to build barriers against the 
social behaviour that money was designed to introduce, regardless of the 
messengers that deliver it.

In solidarity,
Chris
LA IMC




>From: cpaul@telemetrybox.org
>To: ". .:.:cburn:.:. ." <agitkid@hotmail.com>
>CC: evan@protest.net, bart@indymedia.org, imc-process@indymedia.org,   
>imc-finance@lists.indymedia.org
>Subject: Re: [IMC-Process] Re: [Imc-finance] IMC West-Vlaanderen on 
>Imc-Finance and TMF - english.
>Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 14:42:55 -1000
>
>On Fri, Feb 07, 2003 at 01:40:44AM +0000, . .:.:cburn:.:. . wrote:
> >
> > Since there isn't an officially designated Los Angeles liason at this
> > time, I will write as an individual from this local IMC.
> > If we are talking about taking currency issued from community
> > based labor markets (like Berkeley's BREAD), then we should be
> > distinguishing between exploitative based money systems and non-
> > exploitative based money systems. Since we are NOT talking about
> > this, I would like to suggest that we focus on the criteria for
> > donors to accept when giving money to indymedia.
>
>[Traduccion En Espanol Viene Pronto]
>
>Aloha,
>
>I would like to note that, while I am the Hawaiian liason to the 
>imc-process list, this email does not represent the Hawai`i collective as a 
>whole. (*footnote)
>
>Regarding Ford Foundation Money
>
>In addition to the "IMC Process" and "Strings-Attached" issues which were 
>addressed by SF-IMC, Italy and Argentina, there is another important 
>dynamic which has not been raised for discussion on the imc-process mailing 
>list.  Namely, the issues involved with Indymedia lending "radical 
>credibility" to the Ford Foundation.
>
>This issue is chilling for me, particularly within the context of my 
>continuing research into the American empire's brutal repression of the 
>Filipino people during the latter part of the last century.
>
>We must be aware that the Ford Foundation will, with a high probability, 
>"flaunt" their patronage of Indymedia as a tactic to create "radical 
>credibility" with the movement groups around the world who are 
>diametrically opposed to the American capitalist empire.
>
>American activists living in the "belly of the beast" have a responsibility 
>to be conscious of the long-term strategies employed by established 
>Imperialist stooge groups, like Ford, in destablizing the legitimate 
>people's movements outside of our borders.
>
>
>Mahalo,
>Charles
>
>
>(*footnote)
>There is a dialogue about the Ford Foundation/Tactical Media Fund within 
>the Hawai`i IMC, and this discussion has expanded out into the larger 
>radical activist community of Hawai`i.  While this email does not represent 
>the position of IndyHawaii, it is representative of the opinions held by at 
>least one IMC member, and a significant segment of the 
>radical/communist/anarchist community on the Island of Oahu.
>
><< attach3 >>


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