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Going Down in Silence
by Sub-commandante X

To the archived articles"Arbeit Macht Frei" reads the Nazi slogan over the gate to the death camps. (And don't forget it.) "Work will make you free" is a literal translation. That's newspeak for "work makes you dead."

But the persecuted of yesterday are the Eichmans of tomorrow. Can't be too smug about it, though, we've all got our orders.

Being truly human, however, means expressing the sovereign spirit that we are. It's knowing when to say "fuck it, I'm not doing that." Or, rather, "I am doing that."

And then, taking personal responsibility for it. Ultimately, they can only take your life, but not your essence. Which is eternal, and can never be taken, bought, or stolen. When we understand that, then we will be free. And not before.

But, in the meantime, we need to look closely at what we blindly refer to as 'work' or 'labor'. What we call "employment" is simply domination of another for profit.

Basically, that's economics, capitalism, such as it is, at the moment. But a system of finance is only a human invention, and therefore modifiable, it's not sacrosanct. (Or, is it?)

Katha Pollitt writes a column for The Nation. She points out, that in 1995, when the Republicans gained control of Congress, they removed a painting from the hearing room of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

The 5x10 foot painting by primitive painter Ralph Fasanella, Lawrence, 1912 - The Great Strike, was purchased by a group of unions and donated to Congress a few years before.



The Education and Labor committee itself was renamed "Economic and Educational Opportunities". Taking a further page from George Orwell, the sub-committe on Labor and Management became Employer - Employee Relations.

Only the Boston Globe covered the paintings' removal when it happened.

So, you can see, it would be a mistake to equate silence with 'nothing going down at all.'

But try not to be too paranoid. At the De Pot, the sign on the wall suggests that hard work equates to having fun.

Be that as it may, personally, I prefer the honesty of "Arbeit Macht Frei."

It was so many years ago, now. It's kinda hard to believe, but once, underground newspapers were so abundant, radical (& cheap) once upon a time. But they were. Every city and every military base had at least one.

The times, back then, were going thru their changes, so to speak. A voice was needed. Since a vacuum abhors nature - The Berkley Barb, The Village Voice (now a mainstream commercial rag), the LA Other, et al., have long since blown away But at the time, they spread the word of the possibilities.

Now, we need to talk, that is, dialog. And it looks like the 'Net might be one place to get it done. The Zeitgeist isn't just transforming, it's metamorphosing, at breakneck speed, this go around.

So fasten your seat belt.

'News' isn't news anymore without the hint of scandal or tomfoolery (preferably of the sexual variety). It's fun to watch America get its rocks off guessing who gives the best blowjob. For fucking out loud, already, grow up. What's it to you?

The real scoop must be too involved, and too deep, for us to understand. So, we really don't want to know. (Anyway, that's what they keep telling us.)

The interests of those at the top of the food chain just might become upset. So the real story sits, while winds are blowing beyond any kinda control at all.

Still, I kinda wonder what's really going down in all this quiet. Y'know? Maybe we should talk about it...


Sub-X is a survivor of the radical '60s. These days he's attempting to get beyond the 'Them' and 'Us' duality of Conflict Consciousness. Trying to eliminate conflict from one's reality is a lot like dealing with alcohol. It's an on-going process. Currently, Sub-X seeks solutions and asks, "Why not more beauty, love, and joy?" We know we can do so much better. OK, so why not?