Modesto Anarcho #5 Out Now! PDF Download!

Welcome to the fifth issue of Modesto Anarcho, which also makes this our one year anniversary issue. One year down and five issues finished gives us time to pause and reflect on what it has accomplished and in what ways we have yet to see this project through. Over all, things are getting better for this free/cheap, quarterly, and very localized publication. We think that the content, the writing, and the design all have improved since the first issue. Now we only hope to get Modesto Anarcho in the hands of anyone who wants to read it, even if they haven’t heard of it yet. We hope that students can pass it across the room while the teacher isn’t looking, co-workers can read over it during extra long bathroom breaks, and fellow prisoners can talk over the articles while they pass the time. In short, we hope that this publication means as much to you as it does to us, dear reader. For us, in these times of so much misery, of seemingly endless war, economic downturn, foreclosure, boredom, incarceration, surveillance, repression, racism, and ecological disaster, our little journal of resistance, of people hitting back, people refusing, is still cause for continued joy and excitement.

To add to that joy, this issue has extensive news on direct action in the central valley. Unfortunately, not all the news is good, we also have a large news section on repressive measures that the state, the police, and the bosses are cooking up for us. We hope that this aids people in fermenting ideas about how to best hit back and recreate their lives. As a eulogy of sorts we have prepared a piece on “Eddie” Flores who died this summer while shoplifting from WinCo. His family and friends are looking for answers and justice, our short text hopefully aids in this department. Next, we take on the foreclosure housing crisis that we all have been hearing so much about. Some people have said ‘regular’ folks aren’t up to the task of taking back their homes - we’d like to prove them wrong. Repressive police surveillance technology is the topic of the next article - as are those who would seek to create a dialog with the pigs who we are fighting. Lastly, we have a new feature, our poetry section, as well as an interview with local anarchist punk band, A Struggle in Vain.

We hope that in the end, you the reader just don’t find this publication entertaining or just interesting - we hope that you find it useful. We hope that included within these pages are some ideas about how you and those who you associate and have a sense of loyalty with can possibly fight back and resist the daily injustices that are hurled at you. We’d love to talk with you over email or snail mail - or better yet in person. Check out our distro on our webpage for listings of other anarchist literature, magazines, and publications. If you are a GI, prisoner, or simply a poor student or worker, hit us up, we’ll send something your way. We hope to meet you soon, either at an upcoming event or on the front lines of the latest struggle for freedom. Until we live our dreams and defeat our nightmares - cheers!