Re: strategies
Subject: Re: strategies
From: Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com>
Date: 5/2/11, 21:36
To: Clark Robinson <robinsonchicago@gmail.com>

Thanks, Clark. I agree with your assessment regarding what we've learned through Project PM (which I've lately been redirecting towards advanced investigation and the promotion of new methods of online activism as well as the constitution projects I've told you about; Jonathan Farley's brother is working on a sample draft, for instance, more on that later). I also agree with you that no organization is leaderless, which is one reason I'm trying to get Anons to establish small, cohesive groups organized along any lines they like; the mythology by which Anon has no leaders and no central direction is obviously a problem because it prevents anyone from sticking their head up and leading things in a particular direction even though anyone is obviously free to follow or not, and obviously I've taken a lot of heat from those who don't know the extent of my contributions and who probably don't realize that Chanology was itself put into place largely by the clandestine efforts of Gregg Housh. Forming groups that exist outside of Anonymous and which thus don't carry all of its misplaced baggage (not to mention attention from the authorities) is the best solution to this problem, as well as the other major problem whereby anyone can do some negative act and ascribe it to Anon.

The last line isn't a dig at IRC newbs; it's directed at IRC aficionados who hate freenode for various reasons, so actually the exact opposite of how you took it; but if it isn't clear, I'll change it up.

Not sure if this was included in the version I sent you; it's a list of great tools by which to organize efforts and information, etc. I'm trying to get others to learn them so that they'll be better equipped to carry out crowd-sourced, citizen-led investigations into state and corporate wrongdoing and work within the media structure to fight such things. http://pastebin.com/UYzydAKq

On Sun, May 1, 2011 at 7:31 PM, Clark Robinson <robinsonchicago@gmail.com> wrote:
Barrett, relevant to the pursuance document, here are two things I learned from my participation in Project PM (the old Project PM).


1.  Keep records

(Unless there is some powerful reason not to):
Save all communications (e-mails, chat logs), store them in a cloud
Given that your organization will be involved in controversy, the records will be valuable later to rebut mis-characterizations about things you said or to rebut allegations of wrongdoing
If accused of something, best defense is a complete record of everything you and others in the organization did, which will be possible to maintain using conventional digital tools
(Keep in mind that records are being created in any event by the systems you employ online, but those records may be used inimically to you due to the incomplete information recorded.)

Maintain and continually update a mailing list -- essential for communications unless your organization works entirely by meetings.  Do not share mailing list, out of respect for privacy of those on it.

If a roster of participants in your group is kept, do not share it without explicit consent from everyone whose identity is being shared.
Create structures where participants can share their own identity information, to the extent they want to

Maintaining records and lists is tedious work and there will be limited interest in doing this.


2.  Practice charismatic leadership

Leaders' ideas may not have such potency that people act on them spontaneously.
Leaders, to be effective, should continuously interact with participants, not rely on guidance given broadly or passed down a chain of command.

(Me: I don't believe any organizations are truly leaderless.)

-----------------------------
Two quibbles about tone:

1.  The following statement implies endorsement of a too-casual attitude toward law breaking:

"Intelligence contractors and branches of the intelligence community tend to have no problem violating the privacy and rights of individuals; individuals ought not refrain from investigating the investigators."
X is a lawbreaking asshole, so lose your inhibition and be a lawbreaker back at him.
[Theory of civil disobedience lecture circa 1966 omitted].
 
2.  Get rid of the insult to IRC newbies at end.




On Sat, Apr 30, 2011 at 12:06 AM, Barrett Brown <barriticus@gmail.com> wrote:
Would you mind taking a look at this and letting me know what tactics, methods, tools, etc should be added for those who wish to start groups like Project PM?





--
Regards,

Barrett Brown
512-560-2302