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Appeal from Naomi Klein, Arundhati Roy, Antonio Negri, Michael Hardt, and Michae

he International Support Campaign for the Workers of the Bauen Hotel | 13.11.2005 10:33 | Workers' Movements

The movements of worker-run businesses in Latin America are growing,
creating dignified democratic jobs in the rubble of neoliberalism’s
ruinous experiments on that continent.

They need our support

***PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!!!***

http://www.petitiononline.com/bauen/petition.html

Dear Friends,

The movements of worker-run businesses in Latin America are growing,
creating dignified democratic jobs in the rubble of neoliberalism’s
ruinous experiments on that continent.

In Caracas recently, the first pan-Latin meeting of recovered companies
was a tremendous success, with 600 workers from 263 companies in eight
countries taking the first steps to build an alternative trading network
that will deepen and broaden the power of these new social movements.

We are writing you today to ask you to help save one of the most
important sites in this emerging network: the Bauen Hotel in Buenos Aires.

The Bauen is a five star hotel that was abandoned to bankruptcy by its
owners, and has been recovered and is now operated by a cooperative of
its workers. It is also the informal living room/meeting place of the
movement in Argentina, and as such has been targeted by right wing
politicians in the city legislature of Buenos Aires for eviction.

The hotel is now on emergency footing, with eviction possible within days.

At the request of the workers, we’re asking you to sign the petition at

http://www.petitiononline.com/bauen/petition.html

Naomi Klein, Arundhati Roy, Michael Hardt, Antonio Negri, Michael
Albert, and Avi Lewis have already signed.

You can also send emails to President Nestor Kirchner at

privada@presidencia.gov.ar

and Anibal Fernandez, the Minister of the Interior at:

anibalfernandez@infovia.com.ar.

Below is a sample email in Spanish and English.

Please forward widely and help Save the Bauen Hotel!

Many thanks,

The International Support Campaign for the Workers of the Bauen Hotel

-----------------------
Señor Presidente Néstor Kirchner (o Señor Ministro del Interior Aníbal
Fernandez),

Exigimos que en forma urgente disponga las medidas necesarias para que
cese el ataque a los trabajadores que recuperaron el Hotel Bauen y se
apruebe una ley definitiva y permanente que los consagre como lo que
son: sus legítimos dueños.

Saluda atentamente,
Tu nombre

----
Dear President Nestor Kirchner (or Minister of the Interior Anibal
Fernandez),

We demand that you immediately take all necessary measures to stop the
attack on the workers who have recovered the Bauen Hotel and pass a
definitive and permanent law that recognizes them for what they are: the
rightful owners.

Sincerely,
Your name

------------------------------------------------------

Queridos amigos,

En Latinoamérica, los movimientos de empresas gestionadas por sus trabajadores están creciendo, creando puestos de trabajo digno y democrático en medio de los escombros de los ruinosos experimentos del neoliberalismo en ese continente.

En Caracas, el primer encuentro latinoamericano de empresas recuperadas, llevado a cabo recientemente, fue un éxito fabuloso, con 600 trabajadores de 263 empresas en ocho países dando los primeros pasos para construir una red de comercio alternativo que profundice y amplíe el poder de estos nuevos movimientos sociales.

Hoy les escribimos para pedirles su ayuda para salvar a uno de los sitios más importantes de esta red naciente: el Hotel Bauen, en Buenos Aires.

El Bauen es un hotel cinco estrellas que fue abandonado en bancarrota por sus dueños, y fue recuperado y que ahora está siendo gestionado por una cooperativa de sus trabajadores. También es el lugar de encuentro informal del movimiento en Argentina, y como tal ha sido atacado por políticos de la derecha en la legislatura de la ciudad de Buenos Aires para que sea desalojado.

El hotel está ahora en estado de emergencia, con la posibilidad de ser desalojado en cuestión de días.

A pedido de los trabajadores, estamos pidiéndoles que firmen este petitorio:

Naomi Klein, Arundhati Roy, Michael Hardt, Antonio Negri, Michael Albert y Avi Lewis ya lo han firmado.

También pueden enviar correos electrónicos al Presidente Néstor Kirchner a:

y al Ministro del Interior Aníbal Fernández a:

Abajo encontrarán una carta modelo.

Por favor circular a todos sus contactos para ayudar a ¡Salvar al Hotel Bauen!

Muchas gracias,

Campaña Internacional de Apoyo a los Trabajadores del Hotel Bauen

------------------------------

Señor Presidente Néstor Kirchner (o Señor Ministro del Interior Aníbal Fernandez),

Exigimos que en forma urgente disponga las medidas necesarias para que cese el ataque a los trabajadores que recuperaron el Hotel Bauen y se apruebe una ley definitiva y permanente que los consagre como lo que son: sus legítimos dueños.

Saluda atentamente,
Tu nombre

he International Support Campaign for the Workers of the Bauen Hotel

Comments

Hide the following 6 comments

Compadres!

13.11.2005 16:04

I've not followed these issues closely, but as I've understood things, a lot of these workers are inspired by (anarcho-)syndicalistic ideas. Am I correct?

Being strongly opposed to the elitism and centralism of the marxist-leninist concept, I'd like to draw attention to the great achievements of the catalan anarcho syndicalist workers back in the thirties.
The era ranging from the workers overtaking of Catalonia (where Barcelona, one of the most important "motors" of spanish economy is situated) till the moment of marxist-leninist and later on fascist subjugation of the brave catalan anarcosyndicalists, constitute - I would say - the greatest triumph in the history of anarchism so far.
One of the intellectuals reporting from anarcho syndicalist Barcelona was Eric Blair alias George Orwell. He was amazed by how smoothly the catalan workers had overtaken each and every part of the catalan economy.
Other reporters, including several ones from conservative and liberal papers, concluded that the lack of any major negative effect stemming from the shift of power, bore testimony to the intelligence and organising ability of the catalan worker.

For the whole of my life since the age of 13, I've battled the deranged marxist-leninist idea that a bourgoise government has to be replaced by the dictatorship of the intelligentsia in order of to thoroughly transform society.
This marxist-leninist "scientific" truth/hypothesis is falsified by (among other facts) the achievements of the catalan workers in the first half of the former century.
What worthless contributions to mankind the systems of the Soviet Union, North Korea and Cuba are!
A guy named Cicero said: "Errare human est, sed in errore perseverare turpe est", meaning - more or less - "Making mistakes is only human, but persisting in being a sad pathetic wanker is a really silly way of living one's life".
Make totalitarian communism history!

"The slumber of reason produce monsters" (Goya)

They are inspired by Socialism

13.11.2005 17:13

It might have been more useful if you'd battled against Capitalism and the ruling class since you 13. There are facts out there; why dont you look for them and break out of the conditioning of which you are a victim - a willing victim by your comment.

Marxism is the science of society. You cant battle against it, just as you cannot battle deny the forces of nature.

Marxism explains how class struggle arises out of the motive forces of history and society. These class forces are visible in South America; they are at the concious level; they cannot be denied.

Verdante

Land and Freedom

13.11.2005 21:37

For a very compelling story of anarchist betrayal by communists during the Spanish Civil War I suggest seeing Land and Freedom by Ken Loach

Tom MacGowan
mail e-mail: goldfish1967@hotmail.com

Let's talk science

13.11.2005 22:32

I oppose the concept of the capitalist state as well as the concept of the marxist-leninist state.

"Where there is power, there is no freedom" (Krapotkin)

I could've used my own words here, but Krapotkin has summed up the central belief of us anarchists once and for all in such a clear and unambigious way that I need not to.

Characteristic for quasi-scientific doctrines like marxist-leninism, astrology and all kinds of new age prophesies, are that they adopt reality to their predictions instead of doing the other way around.
If marxist leninists had a genuine "scientific" outlook they would've said something like:

"- Hey, over 85 years of totalitarian socialist experimenting, the catastrophies of Russia, eastern Europe, China, North Korea, Cuba and Mocambique and so on has taught us a lesson, freedom can't be achieved through totalitarianism."

They haven't, because once in a position of power no marxist-leninist, believing himself/herself to be god, would deliberately part with that power.

I hope that you, some day, sooner or later in your life, will understand this:
Totalitarianism breeds toatlitarianism and not freedom.

The catalan workers have proved to the world that marxist leninism was outdated already in the 1930's.
THAT is a scientific fact!!

-howcome?

- BECAUSE THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The slumber of reason produces monsters (Goya)

Talk Reality

16.11.2005 09:33

Creating ones own concepts, ideas and fantasies out of abstract ideas of the state, and abstract ideas about power, is common, is practically useless - and has little to do with reality. However, it does reinforce the fantasies of bourgeoisie thinking, and adds to the collective nonsense and confusion of ideas and their development.

Again I would say, there is a reality out there - engage in it.

Orwell’s "Homage to Catalonia" is a great novel and Ken Loach´s "Land and Freedom" is a great film. They both give a political view - how could they not - which I would mostly agree with. But they are both works of fiction. They are great because they attempt to tell the truth about the lives of people, and how the conditions of war and revolution affected lives.

They do not make abstract conclusions like: Anarchism is better than Communism, or Trotskyism is better than Anarchism. Of course they don’t, they are not fools. They deal with the lives of men and women and try to show the reality of their lives.

Their histories are tragic. However, they are optimistic too. For both Orwell and Loach, I believe, conclude that they feel confident that socialism is possible - that another world is possible. Orwell does and states it several times in his book. Loach is a political activist as well as an artist, and publicly campaigns for socialism.

Their work inspires without resorting to propaganda, lies and fantasies. It is honest and truthful. They are both great artists who give us hope and inspiration.

Verdante

from art to action

16.11.2005 13:47

'Homage to Catalonia' isn't a work of fiction though it is a work of art, the same as 'Down and Out in Paris and London'. And the conclusions he draws don't really vindicate socialism though they do show the betrayal of the anarchist and socialist militias by the Stalinists in the face of the fascist insurrection. Loach and Orwells art reflects many aspects of their own lives, but the primary quality it shows is their humanism, they're care for other peoples subjectation. Which is a common quality between anarchism and socialism, and I would suggest are qualities embodied in the authors of this appeal.

Has anyone been able to help these folk out someway practical yet beyond the petition or are we all just navel-gazing ?

Danny

UK Indymedia