Did you come here because of a flyer or handbill that made you curious about Anarchistic ideas? To learn more about what Anarchism is, why we want anarchy, and how we plan to get from our present State-dominated society to a free society without government, check out our guide for the Anarchy-Curious below.

Join us at the Anarchist Cafe!

The Las Vegas Anarchist Cafe meets Wednesdays, from 6:00—8:00pm, at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in Running Rebel Plaza (4550 S. Maryland Parkway). The A-Cafe is not a place, it's an event--a social experiment in urban anarchy, organized by the Southern Nevada Alliance of the Libertarian Left and a group of unaffiliated local anarchists. The A-Cafe is a forum for anarchists in the Las Vegas area to get to know each other, to hang out, to shoot the breeze, to talk some shop, to talk about the projects that we are working on, and to organize new projects. Anyone who's an anarchist, anti-statist, or just anarchy-curious is invited to join us.

Drop in any time — the gathering is informal, and based on chatting and sharing information. There isn't a fixed agenda. (But if you want to set up an organizing meeting for a particular project with a fixed agenda, A-Cafe is a great place to meet people to invite.) Feel free to drop in at any time and leave whenever you need to.

Bring yourself. Bring a friend. And bring anything — ideas you've had, projects you're working on, literature, zines, flyers, art, whatever — that you'd like to share with some like-minded people.

If you're interested but have questions, contact our local working group.

Las Vegas Anarchist Calendar

Anarchy-Curious?

Are you interested in learning more about the ideas of Anarchism, the kind of society that Anarchists would like to see, and how we hope to get from our current, State-dominated society in a free society without government? Did you recently get a pamphlet or handbill that piqued your interest about what Anarchism is and what Anarchists do? A-Cafe is a good place to meet local Anarchists to talk more about their views in an informal setting. The Las Vegas Alliance of the Libertarian Left also distributes a series of pamphlets and handbills, called Vegas Anarchy, which discuss anarchistic theory and practice in more detail. Here's some of what they have to say on the subject:

What is Anarchy?

Anarchy means lawlesness. It does not mean riot or chaos. The government schools and the corporate media have taught you to believe that Anarchy means disorder because they need you to believe that order and peace can only exist where they are imposed by government laws and enforced by government police. The elite few who pull the strings in the government and in the corporate media need you to believe that social order requires social control. After all, they intend to do the controlling. They expect you to surrender your freedom to their authority. In exchange they promise you peace, protection, security, and order. But what they deliver is fear, war, police brutality, and humiliating “security” checkpoints. Their “order” means taking orders. Their “protection” is a prison.

In Anarchy there is another way. Instead of a coercive order imposed by government, we believe in consensual order. Instead of “protection” from brutal government cops, we look to individual and neighborhood self-defense. Instead of “relief” from indifferent government welfare bureaucracies, we look to fighting unions, worker solidarity and cooperative community-based mutual aid. Instead of “order” imposed by obedience to government laws, we look to voluntary contracts and agreements between free people negotiating as equals.

We oppose all government prohibitions, government taxes, government borders, government police, and government wars, because we are for peace, freedom, and social harmony. These can only exist between people who come to agreements as equals, not between people who are forced to obey out of fear. It is government law that produces violence, riot, and disorder. Only in Anarchy can there be true order, real peace, individual freedom and social harmony.

Why Anarchy?

Well, look around. Consider the alternative.

Think about the last time you were at the airport. Think about what it feels like to go through a government “security” checkpoint. The endless lines. The searches. The arbitrary orders about laptops and shoes and liquids and gels. Did the harassment and humiliation make you feel safer? Or did you feel something else?

Think about the feeling that you get in the pit of your stomach when you see a cop's patrol car in your rear-view mirror. Do you feel safer when you see the government at work? Or do you feel something else?

Think about how you felt when you watched the video of police beating Rodney King.

Think about how you feel when you see a letter from the IRS in the mail. Think about how you feel every Spring as you slog through preparing and filing your taxes.

Think about the billions of dollars that are being spent, and the thousands of lives that are being lost, in an endless, hopeless, deadly, and fundamentally wrong war in Iraq.

Now, think about the fact that every one of these government programs is funded by tax dollars. That you are forced to financially support them, against your will, no matter how foolish or appalling you think they are.

Think about how that makes you feel.

Then, think about your favorite government program. It could be schools, NASA, Social Security, food stamps. Ask yourself, “Would I be willing to give up that program – to give up those services or get them through voluntary grassroots neighborhood groups – if it meant I would never have to feel this way, or make anybody else feel this way, ever again?”

Government is not constructive. It is not charitable. It is not peaceful. It is, always, an instrument of force. It is the employer of cops, of soldiers, of jailers, of hangmen. It operates through authority, fear, and violence. Whatever promises it makes, whatever services it claims to offer, what it delivers is misery, humiliation, and terror.

In Anarchy there is another way. Instead of a coercive order imposed by government, we believe in consensual order. Instead of “protection” from brutal government cops, we look to individual and neighborhood self-defense. Instead of “relief” from indifferent government welfare bureaucracies, we look to fighting unions, worker solidarity and cooperative community-based mutual aid. Instead of “order” imposed by obedience to government laws, we look to voluntary contracts and agreements between free people negotiating as equals.Only in Anarchy can there be true social harmony, individual freedom, and real peace.

If you are interested in learning more about these ideas, or meeting other people in Las Vegas who are working to make them a reality, join us at the Anarchist Cafe for discussion, networking, and strategizing.

More about Anarchism