When is it appropriate to show solidarity, to whom to should anarchists and anti-authoritarians show solidarity to and in what forms is it meaningful to theirs and our struggle against domination and expoloitation?

"So we have a choice, we can run and hide or fight back. If we give the state an inch, it will certainly take a mile, therefore we must stand firm in the face of repression. Repression is being meted out precisely because the social situation is becoming more precarious and because the types of actions for which the defendants are accused are dangerous to the state. So solidarity is not simply raising money for legal defense and pleading to the state for leniency. Instead it is an attack on power, and choosing to attack is not only refusing to bow down, but also contributing to the wider atmosphere of social combativity. In many countries a simple slogan abounds: solidarity is a weapon. Let us put it into practice."

from a murder of crows issue one "solidarity is a weapon:on the recent wave of repression"
http://www.geocities.com/amurderofcrows1/issue1/solidarity.htm

I don't think there is ever really a time where solidarity should not be shown, even if the only appropriate form is the most minor, or legal, method available. Our solidarity should be extended to our brothers and sisters under attack from capital; immigrants, workers, the unemployed, homeless individuals, victims of the police or state injustice, prisoners and many others. There are, I think, few instances where we shouldn't be engaging in solidarity struggles in addition to our own struggles against control. I think this struggle is important because it shows those under attack that there are some willing to stand strong with them and not allow the state to simply steamroll over them in defense of it, and capital's, interests.

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The Spectacle wished to make us appear dreadful. We intend to be much worse.

Maybe more of what I was thinking of was not when, but who. Where do we draw the line in who we are supporting and what do we prioritize?

I would only draw the line on those who have fundamentally different objectives than ourselves: the bourgeois, fascists, etc. All victims of capital should, I think, be supported.

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The Spectacle wished to make us appear dreadful. We intend to be much worse.

One could make the argument that all people are victims of capitalism and hierarchy. I think maybe a better place to draw the line of say it would be to support those who don't seek to perpetuate, but fight against domination.

"The working class and the employing class have nothing in common" Although my union's statement may be a bit cliched and outre, if the lines between ourselves and the boss classes are redrawn to reflect on say, workers who have nominal management responsibilities but still answer to a higher-up. Of course, this is not as simple as merely dividing folks into workers and bosses but it's one possible method.

Although I say it with hesitation, it's important to accept that, given our numbers and social and political climate that our community has relatively limited resources (though i must say i think we do a better job living our politic and making our voice heard than any other idealogical faction i can think of.

That being said, as far as political solidarity goes, i think it's important to support any and every repressed individual or group who is in urgent need of it, the zapatistas, Iraq, prisoners, etc. We are still on the losing side of these struggles so instead of outsourcing the little we have, i think we should mass it in to one enormous thorn in the side of the state. The destabalization of one major power structure could fuck a ton of shit up for those on top, and i think focusing on the opposite would probably cause alot of infighting and potentially make the situation worse for everyone.

On the note of personal solidarity, i think it's important that we as individuals who want to see healthy and happy communities set an example for such by living our "utopia"* as much as possible. Anytime I notice a friend or loved one who's in a crisis i try to assertively and pro-actively discuss it with them, something I think many people are afraid of or maybe just to lazy to do. Through my assertiveness I feel like there have been times where i've offered advice that has been taken and seriously helped the situation. I think it's really important to stand up for those we care about when they are in need and call eachother out on our shit when we need to. That is solidarity.

*This extremely loaded word makes me laugh almost every time i type it in, because it suggests the impossible. When people argue against the society i'd like to see, they seem to suggest that it's better to live in despair than simply work to resolve it, an idea so miserable I almost have to laugh.

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"Faith is believing something you know ain't true."
-- Mark Twain