Voltairine de Cleyre - Acción directa (ES)

“Direct Action” was written in response to the lies spread about anarchist practices and the term “direct action” during the trial of the McNamara brothers, in the context of the Mexican Revolution, who were accused of being “anarchist dynamiters.” In reality, they were Catholics and conservative union members. While they denied the charges, they were widely supported, but to escape the death penalty, they confessed, losing almost all support. Only anarchists and a few individuals remained by their side.

These lines show how everyone, in a moment of conflict, has made use of “direct action” without ever considering whether it was a crime. The immediate need to resolve a problem without intermediaries draws people to the practice of “direct action,” often unknowingly. Therefore, if we pause for a moment, condemning it is tantamount to condemning ourselves at some point in our lives.