There was no time to say goodbye
You can’t exist it the middle of an embryonic revolutionary movement and expect to live trouble-free indefinitely. We around here never did. At present if the System decided upon one, big midnight raid on all known Movement members, he’d probably make his bag with little difficulty and that is because we are nowhere nearly enough prepared defensively. But then neither are we properly prepared offensively and so Big Brother is not likely to be contemplating such a strike.
I’m speaking instead of the kind of situation where there exists the immediate threat of arrest and/or jail for a so-called “criminal violation” which on the surface would appear, legally and otherwise, to have no political connection. That, as all of you should be aware, remains our #1 threat individually as it has been for twenty years.
What would you do this minute if you were made aware that an arrest might be imminent? Not the kind of arrest that could be seen as the System vs. the Movement, but merely as the police against you. Would you, could you, leave your home, your family, immediately? Do you have dependable transportation readily available? Do you have safe accommodations nearby which you can depend on without notice? Do you have safe accommodations out of state which are likewise dependable without advance notice?
How about out of the country if necessary? Do you have lines of communication back home which can act as your eyes and ears in your absence? Do you know which foreign governments—and how to approach them—might offer aid and sanctuary should you have to depart permanently? Could you and would you go if you had to? Or would you be caught flat-footed, paralyzed by terror and indecision, without instant recourse?
If your answer to any one of these questions, except the last one, is “no” then I suggest that you take steps to correct the situation while you still can. Your liberty may depend on it. Forget a glorified, dramatized guerrilla war in which hundreds or thousands are involved. In more or less “normal” times, could you, on a one-to-one basis, evade the damned police if you had to? Just pick up and go on a few, precious moments’ notice??
If not, you’re living under a deadly disadvantage and possibly fatal handicap. We were suddenly faced with this very thing here and managed to pass the test. Our lines of communication discovered afterward—once we were out of reach and safe—that the situation was one which could be controlled or at least looked to be a decent enough gamble and not a one-way ticket to Who-Knows-Where. We’re back in the saddle now and making our moves.
Whatever the outcome of that, it afforded a priceless and 100% realistic “dry run” for what can happen in life under a police state, in life in the reality of revolution, and not the fantasy of books. I urge all of you to think about it. Then act.
Vol. X, #6 – June, 1981
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Why we are reproducing articles from Siege can be surmised: here.