Saturday, September 18, 2010

Not That Kind of AK

If you stumble across a website called the "AK Press", let me warn you in advance - it isn't about AK-47's or other Kalashnikov variants. It isn't some helpful site discussing the differences between an AK-47 and an AK-74 or suggesting which mixture of wood stains to use to get the perfect plum color on your stocks. It isn't a forum like AK-47 Net or the AK Files or the AK Forum.

Now that I've said what it isn't, I'll let them tell you what they are:
AK Press is a worker-run collective that publishes and distributes radical books, visual and audio media, and other mind-altering material. We're small: a dozen people who work long hours for short money, because we believe in what we do. We're anarchists, which is reflected both in the books we provide and in the way we organize our business. Decisions at AK Press are made collectively, from what we publish, to what we distribute and how we structure our labor. All the work, from sweeping floors to answering phones, is shared. When the telemarketers call and ask, "who's in charge?" the answer is: everyone. Our goal isn't profit (although we do have to pay the rent). Our goal is supplying radical words and images to as many people as possible.
Ah, jeez, where do these people come from? Unfortunately, having seen what passes for scholarship in some of the nation's colleges and universities, I think I know the answer to this.

2 comments:

  1. AK Press is an excellent distributor of anti-authoritarian books and is simply named after the founder's mother.

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  2. AK-Press is a wonderful resource for Anarchist literature.

    Most Anarchists are also major proponents of gun rights, though for different reasons.....We dont give a shit about the second amendment, we just dont think anyone should have the authority to tell us what to do.

    Regardless of that fact, most often you shouldnt have any trouble striking up a conversation about weaponry. I have an AK. I love talking about firearms and military tactics. Give it a try sometime before narrowly pegging the next Anarchist you meet as a socialist who supports gun control. For the most part, we dont.

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