Episode 30: “A Life Cult” ft. Demand Utopia

**This week’s episode is dedicated to the memory of the martyrs who’ve fought and died to defend Rojava** In this week’s edition of Coffee with Comrades, we sit down with Reed from Demand Utopia to discuss social ecology, international solidarity, and militant creativity. But, first, here’s some info on the F.L.O.W.E.R. Anti-Racist Mobilization in Stone Mountain Park, GA on February 2nd, 2019. F.L.O.W.E.R. Website F.L.O.W.E.R. Twitter Atlanta Solidarity Network Bail Fund In this episode, Reed and Pearson discuss the founding of Demand Utopia, a libertarian socialist organization focused on social ecology and revolutionary action. We explore radical imagination, the evolution of revolutionary culture, and chat about Demand Utopia’s inspirations. The discussion also covers social ecology, the feminist revolution in Northern Syria more popularly known as Rojava, and how we can cultivate militant creativity. We close with a meditation on the foolish necessity of hope. Visit Demand Utopia’s website. Check out Demand Utopia on Twitter. Follow Reed on Twitter. Pick up a copy of Make Rojava Green Again. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network, an anarchist confederation of podcasts and radio shows. This is an entirely D.I.Y. show run by workers, for workers. If you like what you hear, you can follow us on Twitter. Check out our website and be sure to subscribe to the show on your podcasting platform of choice–iTunes, Spotify, the Google Play store, or wherever you go to listen to your leftist propaganda. While you’re there smashing that subscribe button, it’d also really help us out if you Rate & Review the show to help increase our reach. If you have feedback, criticism, or you’d just like to get in-touch with us, you can give us a shout-out on Twitter or email us at coffeewithcomrades@gmail.com. – Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie – Interlude: “Rap Battle Against Oblivion” by Sole – Clips: “When the Walls Fall” by Anti-Flag // “Rojava” by David Rovics – Outro: “We Still Believe” by Stick to Your Guns

Episode 29: “Seize the Means of (Re)Production”

CW: Brief, general discussions of abuse. In this week’s edition of Coffee with Comrades, Pearson sits down with Meg, a community organizer and activist in Orlando, to talk about Marxist feminism and reproductive justice. Pearson and Meg cover a host of topics: the limits of women’s studies at neoliberal universities, Planned Parenthood, liberal feminism, Christian Evangelicals, bodily autonomy, Roe v. Wade, studying to struggle, and how we can make our organizing spaces safer for comrades of all genders. So pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy Episode 29: “Seize the Means of (Re)Production.” Check out Orlando Workers League on Twitter and Facebook. Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World Anymore” by Woody Guthrie Interlude: “Pro Life?” by War on Women Outro: “Clever Girl” by Sharptooth PS. Stick around ’till the very end for some bloopers!

Episode 28: “The Promise of Parables”

In the second episode of our two-part special on Christianity and anarchism, Gaven Morgan joins us once again to explore the topics of anarchism, Christian mysticism, and the Eastern Orthodox church. In this section of the discussion, we chat about duality, dialectics, religion as an opiate, anti-fascist monks, liberation theology, the Beatitudes, the utility of storytelling, why Jesus spoke in parables, service and self-sacrifice, building proletarian power, and why the left needs to get off the internet and out of the ivory tower and start meeting working-class people in their communities.  Oh, also, Pearson defends the Harry Potter saga. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Pt. I of our conversation with Gaven in Episode 27: “The Theology of the Unknown.” We hope you enjoy the second half of our conversation. Follow Gaven on Twitter and Instagram. All out against the KKK in Stone Mountain Park, GA! Recommendations: The Orthodox Way and The Orthodox Church by Kallistos Ware Anything by Thomas Merton American Fascists by Chris Hedges On Wealth and Poverty by St John Chrysostom Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World Anymore” by Woody Guthrie Interlude: “Some People” by the Homeless Gospel Choir Outro: “Death’s Great Black Wing Scrapes the Air” by Being As An Ocean  

Episode 27: “The Theology of the Unknown”

In the first episode of a two-part Coffee with Comrades special, Gaven Morgan drops in to talk about anarchism, Christian mysticism, and the Eastern Orthodox church with Pearson. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss Gaven’s background in the church, Gaven’s propensity for “criminal anarchy,” the process of radicalization, how the Eastern Orthodox church is organized, spiritual ritual, early Church history, saintly stories, the nature of authority, and power vs. domination. We also nerd out over Dungeons and Dragons way too much. Episode 27 is more of an introduction to the topics at hand so folks who are unfamiliar with the ideas of Christian mysticism or Orthodoxy can follow along. Episode 28 builds upon these conversations and explores the nuances of political, economic, and social relations within the Eastern Orthodox church. No matter what your politics or religious views, we hope you get a lot out of this dialogue. Tune in next week for Pt. II of our conversation with Gaven. Until then, pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy. **Note** It was actually Sinclair Lewis whose quote Pearson borrows about American fascism, not Upton Sinclair. Follow Gaven on Twitter and Instagram. All out against the KKK in Stone Mountain Park, GA! Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World Anymore” by Woody Guthrie Interlude: “Means to Believe” by Oh, Sleeper Outro: “Jesus, Jesus” by Noah Gundersen

Episode 26: “Behind Every Lone Wolf There’s a Wolf Pack” feat. Shane Burley

In this week’s episode of Coffee with Comrades, Pearson sits down with Shane Burley, author of Fascism Today: What It Is and How to End It. Shane is a film-maker and journalist based out of Portland, OR. His work has appeared in numerous outlets including Jacobin, Alternet, TruthOut, Salon, ThinkProgress, Waging Nonviolence, and many more. Shane’s recent article from Commune magazine, A History of Violence, provides a historical context for the trial of James Alex Fields, the white nationalist who murdered Heather Heyer and injured dozens of others at Unite the Right in Charlottesville, VA back in 2017. We discuss the current state of the Alt-Right, the monsters of the past and present, the fascist creep, mainstream white supremacy vs. full-fledged white nationalism, the perverse psychological self-image of racists as both victim and conqueror simultaneously, and how we can defend ourselves and our communities from future lone wolf attacks. Read Shane’s article, A History of Violence. Buy Shane’s book, Fascism Today: What it Is and How to End It. Follow Shane on Twitter.  Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie Interlude: “All You Fascists Bound to Lose” Outro: “Goodnight, Alt-Right” by Stray From the Path