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<tt><font face="arial" size=4>Love for Our People: David Gilbert's
"No Surrender"<br><br>
A book review by Chris Crass<br><br>
"No Surrender: writings from an anti-imperialist political
prisoner" By David Gilbert published by Abraham Guillen Press/Arm
the Spirit Available from AK Press & The Freedom Archives, 283 pages,
$15.00<br><br>
I cry quite often at movement events these days. In political marches,
looking out at the delegations and contingents of people from churches,
unions, community groups and schools. At conferences, when people speak
about how much they love their community and organizations. When I saw
the first person jump over the fence to protest against the School of the
Americas at Fort Benning, the tears ran down my face as I held hands with
the Unitarian Universalist activists I was with. I cry because as I get
older, my appreciation for the dedication, hardship, necessity and beauty
of left/radical struggle in the world has deepened tremendously. I cry
because as more and more of my comrades have children, the next
generation whose futures we fight for are real people with names and
personalities rather then a rhetorical concept. I cry because as I begin
to say good-bye to loved ones of the older generation who are passing, I
realize just how much they have done for us and how much we have to live
up to.<br><br>
Preparing this review of David Gilbert's new book, No Surrender: writings
from an anti-imperialist political prisoner, I thought about my place in
a multigeneration movement and my relationship to the older generation of
left/radicals. Three community events stand out for in preparing this
review: sitting in the Castro Theatre years ago, at the premiere of
"Out: the Making of a Revolutionary" about Laura Whitehorn; the
release of Marilyn Buck's poetry across prison walls CD "Wild
Poppies"; and the book release party for No Surrender. All three
events for these white anti-imperialist political prisoners drew large
multigenerational crowds of left/radicals that felt like reunions, even
though I didn't know most of the people. For me, as a younger generation
white left/radical committed to anti-imperialism and feminism, there is
something spiritual about these events as I recognize I am part of
this legacy. These political prisoners are among my many leaders. As a
white male struggling to negotiate what it means to fight with love for
all people, challenge privilege and develop an affirming and healthy
identity, David Gilbert holds a special place in my heart -- not because
I uncritically see him as a role model, but because of his commitment to
liberation and ability to openly evaluate his work.<br><br>
Gilbert came of age politically during the Civil Rights movement, which
he explains, "showed me more of a sense of humanity and nobility of
purpose than I found in the white suburbs where I had grown up." In
1962, he joined CORE, the Congress of Racial Equality, and in 1965
started up the Committee Against the War in Vietnam at Columbia
University. He <br>
co-founded Columbia's Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapter,
wrote an influential national pamphlet for SDS on U.S. imperialism, and
participated in the 1968 Columbia strike against the war. He was one of a
small number of men who responded pro-actively to the emerging Women's
liberation movement and continued to act in solidarity with the Black
freedom movement.<br><br>
In the early 70's he helped form the Weather Underground Organization
(WUO) that took up arms against the US government. According to Gilbert,
they formed "in response to the murderous government assault on the
Black Liberation Movement and the unending, massive bombing of
Vietnam." He spent 10 years in underground resistance and he was
arrested on October 20, 1981, when a unit of the Black Liberation Army
and allied white revolutionaries attempted to take money from a Brinks
truck. There was a terrible shoot-out that left a guard and two police
officers dead. A member of the BLA later shot and killed. Many others
were arrested and given long sentences. David Gilbert is over 20 years
into his 75-to-life sentencing. His earliest parole eligibility is 2056.
"No Surrender" is a collection of Gilbert's writings over the
past 20 years.<br><br>
Gilbert's writing are based in his experience as a committed left/radical
who has taken significant and controversial positions about strategy --
particularly regarding armed struggle. He has put his positions into
practice and has helped make movement history over the past 40+ years.
What is most noteworthy about Gilbert is his open and honest evaluation
<br>
of himself, the organizations he was part of, the mistakes he and they
made, and the lessons identified for organizing today.<br><br>
Maria Poblet, a queer Latina tenant organizer in San Francisco,
emphasizes this point, "David Gilbert's book and life are flares in
the darkness - they can help guide our generation towards the vision and
commitment we need for the revolutionary transformation of our world. His
insights into imperialism and white supremacy and his personal example of
solidarity agitate and inspire me in my community organizing and movement
building efforts."<br><br>
"No Surrender" brings together essays, extensive book reviews,
short stories about his son Chesa Boudin, and interviews. For anyone who
hasn't read Gilbert's essays, there are some really exciting pieces.
"Looking at the White Working Class Historically" asks hard
questions about the roles of white working class people in the
development of capitalism and white<br>
supremacy. While recognizing that white supremacy has consistently led
working class white people to identify as superior to people of color,
Black people in particular, he identifies ways that white working class
people have participated and will participate in anti-racist, multiracial
efforts to win justice for all people. "Coming of Age Politically at
Columbia" and his short essays on SDS and WUO are excellent examples
of the kind of reflection that is needed. They give us insight into how
he and the organizations he was part of made their assessments of what to
do next. How did they understand their circumstances historically and
politically? What were the possibilities and opportunities that they
identified? This is followed, most importantly, with critical evaluation
looking back for insights and lessons. The interviews assembled
throughout the book are key reflections on past work guided by the goal
of presenting lessons in the clearest way possible.<br><br>
The book is organized into themes. The section "Lessons to Liberate
the Future" is a solid collection of his reflections and lessons. He
speaks to activists today about what he believes needs to be done. He
argues, "Our job is to keep alive a vibrant voice and a clear
opposition, in both our politics and our lives, to all forms of
oppression; and a deep sense of history of the protracted nature of the
struggle ahead." In other sections, he uses book reviews to break
down the core information and analysis of the books and present his own
thinking. Over and over again, these reviews offer insightful reflection
and sharp analysis about challenging male supremacy, imperialism, AIDS,
popular social movements and ending white supremacy.<br><br>
Overall, Gilbert is at his best when giving frank responses to questions
about his past activism and lessons for today. A primary example is his
expressed regret and sadness about the killing of the security guard, the
two police officers, and his comrade in October of '81. His critiques of
the Leninist model of organization, male supremacy, egotism, and
sectarianism in the Weather Underground are crucial for thinking about
activism today. He also models an honest and balanced approach to
critique, speaking about successes and genuine achievements that need to
be remembered as well.<br><br>
Heidi Reijm, a member of the white anti-racist affinity group Ruby in New
York City, highlights this aspect of Gilbert's work. She writes:
"David Gilbert is an incredibly giving, compassionate person, and
this book represents his life-long dedication to the struggle for social
justice. His life is an inspiration and resource to us who continue
anti-racist work today. Gilbert also teaches us about the seriousness of
the choices we make. We learn important lessons from his activities that
cost people's lives and cost the movement the good that David could have
done on the outside."<br><br>
While there are important lessons in it and much to like about the book,
the fact that it is mostly book reviews written for the general reader
meant that it often didn't go deep enough. I wanted more autobiography
and more discussion of what led him to make the decisions he did: how did
people decide to move to armed struggle? How did they conceptualize
and<br>
actualize their strategy day-to-day? And how did they see themselves in
relationship to the broader movement? For younger generation white
anti-racists it is critical to get a serious evaluation of how white
guilt and class guilt played out in WUO and what concrete impacts it had
on strategy. How did it get to the point where WUO advanced the
slogan "Fight<br>
the People" (meaning white people) and actually gave initial support
to the Manson Family? Because the Weather Underground championed white
anti-racist work and they have significant influence, serious examination
of the political conditions and strategic assumptions is critical.
Nevertheless, it is a good sign when one wants more from an
author.<br><br>
I also agree with a review Michael Novick of Turning the Tide wrote that
it would be useful for Gilbert to engage more with the anarchist,
anti-authoritarian politics that have become central to many younger
generation activists. His perspectives on imperialism and national
liberation would be very helpful in developing anarchist politics. I also
think anarchist politics would help develop his critiques of hierarchical
organizing and present new models to contemplate. As younger generation
left/ radicals, like Maria Poblet, Heidi Reijm, myself and tens of
thousands of others, continue to develop new syntheses of different
political traditions, we need insights, lessons and contributions from
our mentors. Additionally, we bring our own experiences, reflections and
analysis to these efforts.<br><br>
Gilbert's writings are important for younger generation activists in
general and in particular to white activists. If you haven't read much
about the Civil Rights movement, the Women's Liberation movement and
other broad-based movements, I strongly encourage you to dig in and
commit to serious study. The movements of the 50's, 60's and 70's
advanced liberation on a wide range of fronts. The more that younger
generation left/radicals study and engage the history and the people,
like Gilbert, who made it, the more we will be able to bring about the
revolutionary changes that live in our hearts and grow in our
organizations and communities. In his Haiku "Our Politics in 17
Syllables", Gilbert explains, "love for our people / means
nonstop struggle against / imperialism". It is this love that makes
me cry at movement events and it is his love that makes him such an
important leader for today.<br><br>
For further study: "Enemies of the State: Interviews with Marilyn
Buck, David Gilbert and Laura Whitehorn" by Resistance in Brooklyn,
74 pages. Available from AK Press "David Gilbert: A Lifetime of
Struggle." <br><br>
28-minute video interview with David Gilbert in prison. Produced and
distributed by Freedom Archives,
<a href="http://us.f308.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=info@freedomarchives.org&YY=21195&order=down&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b">info@freedomarchives.org</a><br><br>
Special thanks to the editorial team on this review: Clare Bayard, Chris
Dixon, Jeff Giaquinto, and Sharon Martinas.<br><br>
Chris Crass is the coordinator of the Catalyst Project, a center for
political education and movement building. They focus on anti-racist work
with mostly white sections of the global justice and anti-war movements
with the goal of deepening radical commitment in white communities and
building multiracial left movements for liberation.<br><br>
Chris Crass is a featured contributer to Infoshop.org. More of his essays
can be found on this website at: <br>
</font><a href="http://www.infoshop.org/rants/crass.html">http://www.infoshop.org/rants/crass.html</a><br><br>
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