The following text was taken from the RANT Facebook page.
RANT is a new political movement inspired by the SHARP movement. The SHARP movement was started when a group of neo-nazi's were infiltrating the punk/oi scene with fascist politics. The SHARP's decided they weren't going to tolerate these white power bands having control of their subculture. They decided to create social change by any means necessary.
Since the SHARP's finally stomped the neo-nazi's out of the punk/oi movement they turned to goth/industrial/powernoise. We do not need to tolerate this. We are sick of seeing these douchebags at the shows we attend. We are sick of their hateful attacks against people who aren't a part of "their brotherhood" and their misuse of ancient symbols. Their thug mentality is not what industrial is about. This is not the mafia. This is music.
The neofolk bands with fascists beliefs have already been exposed and pushed underground. It is now the dark electro/powernoise bands with fascist politics that are causing problems within our scene. It is time to stomp these idiots out of once and for all.
RANT was founded by Rachel Haywire (Experiment Haywire | machineKUNT Records) in November of 2009 after she was violently attacked at a show and received threats against her life as a musician of Jewish ancestry. She has been slandered, harassed, and gangstalked for the purpose of keeping her silent but continues to speak out in the name of justice.
Mission:
-To promote a more tolerant subculture
-To put an end to racist/fascist/homophobic attacks against people in our scene
-To stop white power artists from dominating the genre
-To make this about the music once again
RANT is also looking to put out a musical compilation. Songs will be open for submission on January 1st. The songs do not have to be anti-nazi in nature but it definitely helps.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you and yours from Toronto SHARP!
Or if ska is more you bag, then this one is for you...
Safe and Happy New Year too!
Or if ska is more you bag, then this one is for you...
Safe and Happy New Year too!
Monday, December 21, 2009
Help save the Toronto Woman's Bookstore
A message from the Toronto Womans Bookstore:
Dear TWB community,
The Toronto Women's Bookstore is in crisis and we need your help!
Independent businesses and bookstores have been closing their doors this year, and after 36 years it is possible that we will have to do the same if we are not able to raise enough money to survive. TWB is one of the only remaining non-profit feminist bookstores in North America, but despite all of the events, courses, workshops, community resources and additional services we offer, the fact that we are a store means that we do not receive any outside funding and rely entirely on sales and the support of our customers to stay in business.
Over the past few years, our sales have not been enough to sustain us and this is why we are coming to you, our community, for help. If every one of you donated $10 we would raise enough to keep going for 3 months, $20 each would keep us in business for 6 months, and $30 each would be enough for us to keep our doors open, hopefully for good. All donations will go directly towards covering the bookstore's costs, and are a part of a larger plan of action and structural change to make the business sustainable in the current economy.
In the past, when feminist bookstores were closing down all across North America, the support of the community is what kept TWB alive. You are the reason that we are still here today, and we believe that with your help we can once again work together to save this organization where so many of us as readers, writers, feminists, artists, and activists have found a home.
You can make donations over the phone, on our website www.womensbookstore.com (paypal link available soon), or in person at the store. As a non-profit store we are not eligible for charitable status and cannot offer tax receipts, but we are hoping to be able to offer tax receipts for donations over $100 in collaboration with a non-profit charity who shares our mandate, and we will have that information available on our
website and in store as soon as possible.
You can also help by spreading the word to your friends and community, contacting us if you know of any funding we might be eligible for, promoting this fundraising drive in your paper or on your blog, website or radio show, organizing your own save the bookstore fundraisers or just passing the hat at your holiday parties, giving a TWB donation as a gift, and of course, coming in and bringing all your friends to the store for some holiday shopping!
Thank you all for your support,
The Toronto Women's Bookstore Board, Staff & Volunteers
Dear TWB community,
The Toronto Women's Bookstore is in crisis and we need your help!
Independent businesses and bookstores have been closing their doors this year, and after 36 years it is possible that we will have to do the same if we are not able to raise enough money to survive. TWB is one of the only remaining non-profit feminist bookstores in North America, but despite all of the events, courses, workshops, community resources and additional services we offer, the fact that we are a store means that we do not receive any outside funding and rely entirely on sales and the support of our customers to stay in business.
Over the past few years, our sales have not been enough to sustain us and this is why we are coming to you, our community, for help. If every one of you donated $10 we would raise enough to keep going for 3 months, $20 each would keep us in business for 6 months, and $30 each would be enough for us to keep our doors open, hopefully for good. All donations will go directly towards covering the bookstore's costs, and are a part of a larger plan of action and structural change to make the business sustainable in the current economy.
In the past, when feminist bookstores were closing down all across North America, the support of the community is what kept TWB alive. You are the reason that we are still here today, and we believe that with your help we can once again work together to save this organization where so many of us as readers, writers, feminists, artists, and activists have found a home.
You can make donations over the phone, on our website www.womensbookstore.com (paypal link available soon), or in person at the store. As a non-profit store we are not eligible for charitable status and cannot offer tax receipts, but we are hoping to be able to offer tax receipts for donations over $100 in collaboration with a non-profit charity who shares our mandate, and we will have that information available on our
website and in store as soon as possible.
You can also help by spreading the word to your friends and community, contacting us if you know of any funding we might be eligible for, promoting this fundraising drive in your paper or on your blog, website or radio show, organizing your own save the bookstore fundraisers or just passing the hat at your holiday parties, giving a TWB donation as a gift, and of course, coming in and bringing all your friends to the store for some holiday shopping!
Thank you all for your support,
The Toronto Women's Bookstore Board, Staff & Volunteers
Dayglo Abortions!
DAYGLO ABORTIONS
LAST EVER TWO NIGHT SPECIAL @ KATHEDRAL!
Friday, Jan 8 - Licensed All Ages
Want Tickets for this ALL AGES event? Click HERE
Saturday, Jan 9 - 19+
Want tickets for the 19+ event? Click HERE
Support bands TBA
GOING TO BOTH EVENTS? GET DISCOUNTED TICKETS Going to BOTH events? Get your discounted tickets HERE!
* must be 19 years of age or older
DISCOUNT TICKETS ARE LIMITED!! This ticket will get you into both events @ a discount rate! Just remember, you MUST be 19 years of age or older to purchase this ticket! The 2nd event is a 19+ event!! This is only offered through TICKETSCENE!
The Big Bop (Kathedral, Reverb & Holy Joes) will lock their doors forever Jan 31st 2010... this will be your last chance to witness a Dayglo double feature!!
Sunday, December 20, 2009
OI POLLOI with DELINQUINTS, Murder Squad T.O., and Legion 666
Life's a Riot presents:
Scottish Anarcho Oi/Punk Legends
OI POLLOI
with:
DELINQUINTS
Murder Squad T.O.
Legion 666
12$ at door ALL AGES
THIS IS ONE OF LAST PUNK SHOWS AT KATHEDRAL!!! DON'T MISS THIS!!!
Scottish Anarcho Oi/Punk Legends
OI POLLOI
with:
DELINQUINTS
Murder Squad T.O.
Legion 666
12$ at door ALL AGES
THIS IS ONE OF LAST PUNK SHOWS AT KATHEDRAL!!! DON'T MISS THIS!!!
EQUALITY Party!
From the 'Blackface' incident at a U of T Halloween party to the firebombing of anti-racist activists in Calgary, with racial prejudice on the rise in Canada we need to band together and let people know we won't let the racists win!
That's why we're having an awesome dance party in support of racial equality and unity! We want people to be able to come to get their groove on and at the same time learn a little bit about the Toronto anti-racist movement!
Toronto Young Communist League and Toronto Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice Present...
Peace, Love, Unity,
EQUALITY Party!
9pm Saturday January 30th at 290 Danforth (West of Chester Station)
Featuring hot Ska, Reggae, Soul mixes by Toronto DJ El Machetero!
Cheap Booze!
Rudies, Skins, Dreads, and Everyone Else Welcome! (Yes, Even you Hippies!)
$5 Donation Goes Toward Helping Our Toronto Delegation Get to the 2010 World Festival of Youth and Students
For More Info Call (443) 957-1384
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Documentary on Anti fascist Action from the early 90s.
AFA (Anti-Fascist Action) and SHARP (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice) are very different groups. While SHARP is non political, AFA tends to be left wing and militant anti-racist.
Here is a documentary called "Fighting Talk", all about the AFA in the early 1990's. It's an interesting little watch, and shows a slice of the battle between racists and anti-racists, and how hate can lead to violence and worse.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Here is a documentary called "Fighting Talk", all about the AFA in the early 1990's. It's an interesting little watch, and shows a slice of the battle between racists and anti-racists, and how hate can lead to violence and worse.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Sunday, December 13, 2009
A letter from Anonymous
We found this letter in the blogspot e-mail account, and decided to publish it on here. It's from an anonymous woman, and is her story:
I don’t know if I am doing this for my own disclosure on the incidents or because I believe that other people should learn from my story, but either way, this is something I must tell you about.
Growing up in a small town I had no idea about racism, as backwards to stereotypes as that is. Small things that happened to me that could be seen as racist I just shrugged off and just thought that teacher, or person, was stupid; after all this was elementary school time. As I aged out of this town, I left with a thick skin for crude native jokes and a low sense of pride that comes with being the only punk in town.
It wasn’t until my second time living in a major city that my world really opened up to all the evils in this world, but we have to start at the beginning. While living in my first major city I turned 18 and met the Skinhead culture. Now remember, Punks think the whole world is a stage dive and are incredibly resistant to change when they want to be; I was a punk from the ripe age of 13. However these Skins and their working class pride struck a chord deep within me. I was always raised with a very strong work ethic, something punk rock lacked and left a hole within me. The transition wasn’t instant but it was coming.
My second major city wasn’t pleasant in the beginning. Coming from a place of comfort to hardships and homelessness is never pleasant, but my family needed me. At last the homelessness ended and things were becoming stable. Time to start looking around, and when I did, I found myself in the punk family of that city which at the time was a blessing. Fast forward a year; I became a hybrid, 14 hole docs and my ‘security blanket’ of punk attire. I went to college for a short while. The very first nazi I met was a homeless meth addict, who followed me for awhile and ‘chatted’ with me (I’m an avid people watcher). It wasn’t until well into conversation that he showed me his swastika jail tattoo. I got out of there quickly. A week later I heard that a squeegee punk took care of him, or that he ran to Montreal.
My next few encounters with Nazis were are at local shows (usually forced to leave) and in the streets. However one caught me off guard. It was during one of the more harder times at home where I wasn’t getting along with my parental units and I felt as if moving out was the only solution. I had been talking to a traditional skinhead who I met through a common interest website. We got along great and met several times before I decided that his city would be a good place to live. Vulnerable? You bet. It wasn’t until I was living with him for awhile that things became strange. He would disappear for days, snort coke, get invited to parties I wasn’t allowed to attend, get violent when drunk all on top of some emotional abuse. Being the highly independent woman I am, I started to plan my leave with the help of some co workers. It was when he found out my plans that ‘shit hit the fan’. Suddenly, I was a rabbit in a trap, it all became clear the moment his fist hit my face. I was a SHARP, a half breed, alone and blind, he knew it all along, and he was a white supremacist. I was a pawn in their game to help him earn a ‘rank’. Without getting into detail, as it’s still painful to remember, it took 7 months and several police reports for all the attempts on my life, and threats on my family’s lives and my friend’s lives to crease. 8 months for the stalking to end. I had been accepted to college whilst this happened and decided to stay in the city. Nearly at the end of my academia I still am dealing with residual happenings. I see him and them in the streets; still get hassled by his family and friends and I hear through the grape vine of them talking about me. I guess I left a lasting impression.
I rebuilt my life from the rock bottom with the aid of close friend, who I will forever be thankful for. I rebuilt myself so well that I show no scars of the past and have a great extrovert love for life. I’m still SHARP, alive, and continue my work against the racists.
I don’t know if I am doing this for my own disclosure on the incidents or because I believe that other people should learn from my story, but either way, this is something I must tell you about.
Growing up in a small town I had no idea about racism, as backwards to stereotypes as that is. Small things that happened to me that could be seen as racist I just shrugged off and just thought that teacher, or person, was stupid; after all this was elementary school time. As I aged out of this town, I left with a thick skin for crude native jokes and a low sense of pride that comes with being the only punk in town.
It wasn’t until my second time living in a major city that my world really opened up to all the evils in this world, but we have to start at the beginning. While living in my first major city I turned 18 and met the Skinhead culture. Now remember, Punks think the whole world is a stage dive and are incredibly resistant to change when they want to be; I was a punk from the ripe age of 13. However these Skins and their working class pride struck a chord deep within me. I was always raised with a very strong work ethic, something punk rock lacked and left a hole within me. The transition wasn’t instant but it was coming.
My second major city wasn’t pleasant in the beginning. Coming from a place of comfort to hardships and homelessness is never pleasant, but my family needed me. At last the homelessness ended and things were becoming stable. Time to start looking around, and when I did, I found myself in the punk family of that city which at the time was a blessing. Fast forward a year; I became a hybrid, 14 hole docs and my ‘security blanket’ of punk attire. I went to college for a short while. The very first nazi I met was a homeless meth addict, who followed me for awhile and ‘chatted’ with me (I’m an avid people watcher). It wasn’t until well into conversation that he showed me his swastika jail tattoo. I got out of there quickly. A week later I heard that a squeegee punk took care of him, or that he ran to Montreal.
My next few encounters with Nazis were are at local shows (usually forced to leave) and in the streets. However one caught me off guard. It was during one of the more harder times at home where I wasn’t getting along with my parental units and I felt as if moving out was the only solution. I had been talking to a traditional skinhead who I met through a common interest website. We got along great and met several times before I decided that his city would be a good place to live. Vulnerable? You bet. It wasn’t until I was living with him for awhile that things became strange. He would disappear for days, snort coke, get invited to parties I wasn’t allowed to attend, get violent when drunk all on top of some emotional abuse. Being the highly independent woman I am, I started to plan my leave with the help of some co workers. It was when he found out my plans that ‘shit hit the fan’. Suddenly, I was a rabbit in a trap, it all became clear the moment his fist hit my face. I was a SHARP, a half breed, alone and blind, he knew it all along, and he was a white supremacist. I was a pawn in their game to help him earn a ‘rank’. Without getting into detail, as it’s still painful to remember, it took 7 months and several police reports for all the attempts on my life, and threats on my family’s lives and my friend’s lives to crease. 8 months for the stalking to end. I had been accepted to college whilst this happened and decided to stay in the city. Nearly at the end of my academia I still am dealing with residual happenings. I see him and them in the streets; still get hassled by his family and friends and I hear through the grape vine of them talking about me. I guess I left a lasting impression.
I rebuilt my life from the rock bottom with the aid of close friend, who I will forever be thankful for. I rebuilt myself so well that I show no scars of the past and have a great extrovert love for life. I’m still SHARP, alive, and continue my work against the racists.
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