Thread by @ZosiaBrom

I signed up as organiser with @dontpayuk, because I want to help as much as I can in my local community while #CostOfGreedCrisis is looming over us all.

Meanwhile, some leftists spread, frankly, hilarious statements about Don't Pay UK. A 🧵. 1/14

One of the common themes in these complaints is something like: it looks too professional, surely it can't be genuine grassroots! To these people, I say: you sound like you would not be able to organise your own bday party. People have jobs and skills and brains. 2/14

Activists organised and continue organising things big and small, often without being paid and with, literally, no budgets. Many work their arses off after their day jobs just because they believe in something. If you are unaware of it, then the joke is on you. Be better. 3/14

Another theme I saw: Don't Pay has an agenda! It must be an op! To these people I say: yes, people who involve themselves in campaigns and generally in politics have agendas. What else do you want us to do, wander around aimlessly and without a plan or a thought? Seriously? 4/14

Another one: Who is paying for all this? To those I say: for what exactly? Flyers? A website? In which world do you live, because surely it is not the internet age AD 2022. If you apparently are unaware how much flyers cost, maybe you stop acting as an expert in organising? 5/14

Another one: we demand to know who the organisers are! To these people, I say: why? And do you know you sound like bullies? Do you have any actual evidence of any dodginess that is not pulled straight out of your own arse? I thought so. 6/14

Another one: you are putting people at risk by asking them to do something without providing legal support etc. This one is more serious ofc, but the truth is that people can make their own choices on the risk they are willing to take. Also, as far as I gathered, 7/14

this is a beginning of a developing campaign that is aiming, among others, at forming localised support networks. This is a good start in order to make it less risky for the individuals that will be willing to participate. 8/14

Also, fyi, the way grassroots campaigns work is that people contribute to them. So may I suggest you stop doing backseat driving and actually contribute something? Or do you need everything handed over to you by others? 9/14

Another complaint: Don't Pay is gaining popularity too quick! This is suspicious! Well. FYI, in the digital age. things sometimes get viral and spread really fast. Especially if they are of interest or concern to large parts of the population. Get over it. 10/14

There are a few more that I do not really want to go to as they are boring or bonkers or otherwise not worth anyone's time imho. So I will leave it here. 11/14

And, the anarchists, please consider the following: 12/14

"Anarchists do not stand aside from popular struggle, nor do they attempt to dominate it. They seek to contribute to it practically whatever they can, and also to assist within it the highest possible levels both of individual self-development and of group solidarity" 13/14

As said by one of our greats, Stuart Christie (theanarchistlibrary.org/library/owen-a…)

Be like Stuart.

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