Squattin' in the USA
Aug 15 2005
I have been squatting for the first time this last year in the US. Until a few years ago I thought it was impossible to do it in this country because the housing laws are so right wing. But it happens all the time and not just Philadelphia and NYC.
My first squat didn't even feel like it cause it had all the utilities and wasn't
under immediate threat of eviction by the cops. The new landlord didn't want us there and we weren't paying rent but made the mistake of engaging the residents in a (lengthy) lawsuit to try and evict. This has been going on since January. For the US I'd say that alone makes it a 5 star squat but I hear that there is even better in Europe....
My second squat is typical US squatting-a night squat. Hop the fence at night, enter into abandoned house with no utilities. Listen to music with the help of batteries or get to know your fellow housemates really well by candlelight.
My third squat was the same but has black fucking mold which I'm very allergic to and had to leave even after trying to clean out a room with a respirator mask, goggles and plastic gloves.
Now it looks like I'm headed to my fourth squat-a punk-circus-activist -hobospace that was recently evicted. It has working toilet and shower, light coming in the building since it isn't all boarded up, and the only neighbors are involved in green capitalism so hopefully they'll appreciate my low impact living if they see me coming in and out.
Aug 15 2005
#2
What is your point in this post?
Quote:
My first squat didn't even feel like it cause it had all the utilities and wasn'tunder immediate threat of eviction by the cops.
Wasn't hardcore enough for you then man? Damn you better find yourself a more dangerous squat so you can call it a "proper" one 
Aug 15 2005
#3
woundedhobo wrote:
It has working toilet and shower, light coming in the building since it isn't all boarded up, and the only neighbors are involved in green capitalism so hopefully they'll appreciate my low impact living if they see me coming in and out.
Says it all.
Aug 15 2005
#4
Everyone's replies so far have been very aggressive 
Questionauthority wrote:
Wasn't hardcore enough for you then man? Damn you better find yourself a more dangerous squat so you can call it a "proper" one
I didn't think woundedhobo was suggesting he left the first squat in search of somewhere more "hardcore", but maybe I'm reading it wrong...
Aug 15 2005
#5
You guys, it sounds like you are assuming the worst about me: someone that thinks living in the dark illegally is cool and that's why I do it.
I'm 31 years old. I have severe arthritis and it hurts to stand up for more than a minute. I'm not a blind quadroplegic so I don't qualify for social security income from the government. I can count the punk bands I like on 1 hand. Really I do it because I have the ability now that I'm not relying on ice packs to control my chronic pain, and wage labor is absolutely brutal here, especially with the decline of the labor movement. I would love to live in one of the castle squats, or entire village squats I've heard about in Spain. Anyways, it might be kind of difficult, but I would appreciate it if some of you that have replied would show some respect for me and apologize.
Aug 15 2005
#6
Well to be honest the way you came off in that original post sounded rather odd to me and hence my reply to it. Sorry for coming off as aggressive just even with your reply now, seems a little odd. But hey best of luck in your new place then.
Aug 16 2005
#7
Thora wrote:
Everyone's replies so far have been very aggressiveQuestionauthority wrote:
Wasn't hardcore enough for you then man? Damn you better find yourself a more dangerous squat so you can call it a "proper" oneI didn't think woundedhobo was suggesting he left the first squat in search of somewhere more "hardcore", but maybe I'm reading it wrong...
im with Thora on this.
the first post read to me like he was pleasently surprised after needing to squat and finding a gaff with a working bog.
which is always a bonus
Aug 19 2005
#8
Everybody's gone squattin'
Squattin' U.S.A.
Nov 6 2008
#9
I left the first squat because I was asked to leave by one of my housemates. It was a consensus group and if you are a guest that offends one of the people in the ruling collective then you have to go even if everyone else is okay with you. And it was messed up that I was "a guest" for six months without equal rights, kind of like being a guest worker in the Middle East, except that all the rulers hang out at the local anarchist Infoshop....I posted this article because I thought European squatters might find it interesting.
Nov 6 2008
#10
3yrs later
what did you do? sexpest someone?
Nov 6 2008
#11
woundedhobo wrote:
I left the first squat because I was asked to leave by one of my housemates. It was a consensus group and if you are a guest that offends one of the people in the ruling collective then you have to go even if everyone else is okay with you. And it was messed up that I was "a guest" for six months without equal rights, kind of like being a guest worker in the Middle East, except that all the rulers hang out at the local anarchist Infoshop....I posted this article because I thought European squatters might find it interesting.
Why did you think european squatters would see it here? We all work in heavy industry and own lovely houses. Your rich parents emailed me and said its time you settled down.
Nov 8 2008
#12
Writing piffle for the tabloids is heavy industry now?
I think woundedhobo wants squat.net. Across the channel and take a left.
Nov 8 2008
#13
David in Atlanta wrote:
I think woundedhobo wants squat.net. Across the channel and take a left.
Or perhaps a place in the £6 million "artists'" squat in London's Mayfair, where - according to last night's free papers - the neighbours are so entranced by these daubers ability to repair some leaky pipes that they've taken to bringing them over hot food and allowing them access to their wi-fi internet connections.
Must be some sort of residual bohemian hangover from the days when Bonnington Square became an acceptable address for all those health and social work professionals who used to "go home" to the countryside at weekends... No G4 thugs turning up at 3am to turf them out I bet.
Nov 8 2008
#14
David in Atlanta wrote:
Writing piffle for the tabloids is heavy industry now?
It could be 
Nov 8 2008
#15
weeler wrote:
David in Atlanta wrote:
Writing piffle for the tabloids is heavy industry now?It could be :(
I'm not questioning your proletariat status, mate, but you're not exactly in an auto plant or building site, now are you?
Nov 8 2008
#16
David in Atlanta wrote:
weeler wrote:
David in Atlanta wrote:
Writing piffle for the tabloids is heavy industry now?It could be :(
I'm not questioning your proletariat status, mate, but you're not exactly in an auto plant or building site, now are you?
Weeler buys consumer goods and does not wear overalls. He's not working class.
Nov 8 2008
#17
A working class person, earlier today:
Nov 8 2008
#18
Udo_Bukowski wrote:
David in Atlanta wrote:
I think woundedhobo wants squat.net. Across the channel and take a left.Or perhaps a place in the £6 million "artists'" squat in London's Mayfair, where - according to last night's free papers - the neighbours are so entranced by these daubers ability to repair some leaky pipes that they've taken to bringing them over hot food and allowing them access to their wi-fi internet connections.
Must be some sort of residual bohemian hangover from the days when Bonnington Square became an acceptable address for all those health and social work professionals who used to "go home" to the countryside at weekends... No G4 thugs turning up at 3am to turf them out I bet.
Now that's pretty spiffy, good for them!
Whatever criticisms of punk squatters we may have, those kids have cast iron guts.
I can't find them now, but i've seen photos of Brazilian squats like that, fancy homes in expensive neighborhoods. Anarchist groups working with homeless families took them and intended to keep them.
Nov 8 2008
#19
woundedhobo wrote:
I left the first squat because I was asked to leave by one of my housemates. It was a consensus group and if you are a guest that offends one of the people in the ruling collective then you have to go even if everyone else is okay with you. And it was messed up that I was "a guest" for six months without equal rights, kind of like being a guest worker in the Middle East, except that all the rulers hang out at the local anarchist Infoshop.
this blows, both practically and theoretically
Nov 9 2008
#20
woundedhobo is a sex pest, no doubt
Nov 9 2008
#21
weeler wrote:
woundedhobo is a sex pest, no doubt
You just don't understand working class sexuality.
Nov 9 2008
#22
jef costello wrote:
David in Atlanta wrote:
weeler wrote:
David in Atlanta wrote:
Writing piffle for the tabloids is heavy industry now?It could be :(
I'm not questioning your proletariat status, mate, but you're not exactly in an auto plant or building site, now are you?
Weeler buys consumer goods and does not wear overalls. He's not working class.
Non- management journalists = working class. journalism ≠ heavy industry.
When I was on building sites I bought consumer goods and wouldn't have been caught dead in overalls.
Nov 9 2008
#23
David in Atlanta wrote:
jef costello wrote:
David in Atlanta wrote:
weeler wrote:
David in Atlanta wrote:
Writing piffle for the tabloids is heavy industry now?It could be :(
I'm not questioning your proletariat status, mate, but you're not exactly in an auto plant or building site, now are you?
Weeler buys consumer goods and does not wear overalls. He's not working class.
Non- management journalists = working class. journalism ≠ heavy industry.
When I was on building sites I bought consumer goods and wouldn't have been caught dead in overalls.
Did you buy any chance wear a top hat and tails? If so you were probably a boss.
Nov 9 2008
#24
Wouldn't really be practical on a building site would it? No, i wore jeans and a tshirt like a sensible lad, the bosses on major construction jobs usually wear slacks and a golf shirt.
Having managed to threadjack this without really meaning to, should we discuss squatting and it's relationship to working class politics?
Nov 9 2008
#25
working class politics.
Nov 9 2008
#26
a member of the working class, earlier today. yum.
Nov 9 2008
#27
Did you exploit her? 
Nov 9 2008
#28
i would happily extract her surplus value
Nov 11 2008
#29
claim her means of production.
or just penetrate it.
Nov 11 2008
#30
after marriage, yeh?
Christ, that's fucking disgusting.