Let’s be real, ‘pick your battles’ is great advice when you’re wondering whether to interrupt the twat being racist on the bus, or to debate your homophobic aunt, but the usefulness of that advice runs out when there are consequences to not picking a battle.
If you’re an antifascist, not picking a battle may mean that fascists are able to organize freely and make everyone else unsafe, and may be emboldened by that win. If you’re a collective resisting a nasty landlord, not picking a battle may mean that one of you has to accept living in a very nasty situation for now. If you’re being hit with trumped-up charges after a protest, you don’t have a choice but to fight that battle.
When you can’t pick your battle, pick your tactics. Look at all your options and consider which one would give the most result for the least amount of energy.
For example, doing a mass-mobilization to outnumber and stop a fascist event may me very effective but it is also very energy intense. Making a phone call to the venue and convincing the manager that fascists are highly dangerous people so the manager cancels the booking may work too. Or filling all the locks with bits of wire and glue a few hours before the event so that no one will be able to enter. Or setting up a fake e-mail address of a big company and making an elaborate fake booking for the whole venue so the manager rejects the fascists’ booking. Or hacking the fascist facebook page and announcing that the meeting is cancelled. Or.. or… or…
I am not telling you that you should do ANY of these things in particular. I am saying that if you lack the energy and dropping the battle isn’t an option, you need to consider new tactics and get creative.
(Without getting reckless, by the way. In the examples above, you better cover your tracks carefully or you’re going to be in more shit than you can use right then. Make sure the shortcut you’re taking is really a shortcut.)
QueerAnarchism 