I’m in a small-ish org. There are about 60 members total, but only 10 are actually active in any way. There are another 15-20 or so who are semi-regulars, or who will sometimes attend meetings, or sometimes attend demonstrations or actions etc with us.

It’s gotten really bad over the past few years as people have sort of started fading away. People are flaky, and it routinely takes several weeks to get an answer or an update from some members for even trivial things.

Several of us have tried doing social activities of all kinds, but they always end up the same.

This gets really embarrassing when we try to do things with other groups and can’t muster the numbers to be effective.

We’ve tried to do outreach to members to see what’s going on, and we just get the same explanation - I’m busy.

Has anyone here faced something similar? Any tips to get us out of this rut?

  • TheLastHero [none/use name]
    ·
    1 year ago

    I'm about 80% sure they were an actual fed. You're right that they obviously didn't come down and show me and everyone else their badge so I can't say confirmed. But in retrospect I noticed many different clues that have since given me strong suspicions.

    Probably the biggest ones were the fact they had no local connections besides other people in the org and suddenly moved out of town "for work" about a week before the org was dismantled. I don't want to give too many details for opsec but they basically got rid of all their lefty stuff, sent the whole org a message that they were moving across the country, then disappeared despite having a major leadership role in the org. They also gave the org tens of thousands of dollars over the years, so it would be quite an investment for just an asshole. Plus they always were taking notes, wanted to be sure we always recorded our meetings (and posted them online "for publicity"). They did all the new member interviews and I shudder to think how much information they collected over the years in that notebook of theirs.

    Also probably the biggest thing was the fact that this person was one of the most consistently available and competent members we had. It's no wonder they became a leader because they were always involving themselves in everything and even doing a good job as well. They were knowledgeable, inclusive, got along well socially with everyone. They didn't act like an asshole at all honestly. But now I think that was suspicious in itself; organizing in this country is hard, its normal for people to get busy or get stressed. But they were always putting the org first and at all the events, almost like it was their job to be there.

    And it's a favorite tactic of the FBI too, they were infiltrating everybody during the cold war, even the damn ACLU. Even though the USSR is gone, the FBI is still very much alive. So I don't think it's particularly unlikely. It was a fairly seizable org too, so it would have likely gotten some fed attention.

    • AssortedBiscuits [they/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Also probably the biggest thing was the fact that this person was one of the most consistently available and competent members we had. It's no wonder they became a leader because they were always involving themselves in everything and even doing a good job as well. They were knowledgeable, inclusive, got along well socially with everyone. They didn't act like an asshole at all honestly. But now I think that was suspicious in itself; organizing in this country is hard, its normal for people to get busy or get stressed. But they were always putting the org first and at all the events, almost like it was their job to be there.

      It does not bode well that one sign of being a fed is the fact that you're noticeably more competent than everyone else.

      • charlie
        ·
        1 year ago

        I don’t think so. A fed has the full backing of the US government for training and material conditions. They don’t have to worry about normal concerns (food, missing a day of work, rent, etc), the government takes care of that. They are an infiltrating fed. More than likely, their entire job is working this organization.

        Compared to a leftist with a day job that’s disillusioned with the system (usually because they’ve been oppressed by it), who has a whole life outside of the org to worry about. For most, the org comes second by necessity. They don’t have the same privilege that the government confers upon the pigs. So, I think it’s no wonder at all they’re able to outperform the typical member.

        It should be the expected outcome that the fed is able to be a more effective member, and that should be planned against. I don’t think that should diminish from the efforts of others in the org, and I don’t think it bodes one way or another, it’s another obstacle we can analyze and overcome.

      • Gosplan14_the_Third [none/use name]
        ·
        1 year ago

        I suppose there's less attachment to the cause. If you see the org failing around you as a fed, it's because you're doing your job correctly