Anarchists seek to 'demystify' their belief in public forum

SANTA CRUZ – Feeling misunderstood after police blamed anarchists for the May 1 riot downtown, a group of anti-establishment thinkers hosted a free forum Thursday to “demystify” what defines their beliefs.

The speakers said doing away with government, police, military, capitalism and other institutions of power would help to eliminate class structures, reduce racism and foster collective ways of addressing poverty. They acknowledged their views as radical and diverse, saying anarchy has room for a range of ideas about how to foster individual liberty.

“For me, anarchy means living free and working cooperatively,” said John Malkin, a preschool teacher who hosts a weekly program on Radio Free Santa Cruz called “Non-violence, Spiritual Growth, and Anarchism.” “Collectively, we have power to design how our lives look.”

A crowd of more than 100 at the Louden Nelson Community Center listened to anarchists identify their core principles as personal responsibility, respect for others and autonomy. To reduce distractions, the group asked that no one record or photograph the event.

Read the full article: Anarchists seek to ‘demystify’ their belief in public forum – San Jose Mercury News.