Burning Down the World: Anarchy, Veganism, and Total Liberation

Direct action is at the heart of anarchy as a ‘lived experience’, rather than a mere theory in a book. It is 'anarchy in motion', with every non-human animal who refuses to be caged, every weed that cracks the foundation of a paved road. Successful or unsuccessful, it is a source of inspiration.

IDIOTEQ: Born in 2013, WARZONE DISTRO free zine project, stands at the intersection of nihilist, anti-civilization anarchy, and total liberation, bridging gaps between veganism, straight edge, and insurrectionary thought. WARZONE DISTRO is dedicated to challenge the very foundations of oppression, wherever it festers, and in whatever form.

In the interview below, we delve into the radical philosophy driving WARZONE DISTRO, exploring how they blend anarchist and vegan ideals to craft a vision of true total liberation. We talk about the unique challenges they face in a world where even within anarchist circles, ideas like veganism and straight edge are sometimes sidelined, and how they navigate these contradictions with a relentless spirit.

We also uncover the rich intersections between human, earth, and animal liberation—showing how these struggles are not only connected but are in fact inseparable in the fight against the colonial and industrial systems of domination…

Your commitment to veganism is a cornerstone of your philosophy. How did your interest in veganism start, and how has it influenced your approach to anarchism and total liberation?

Warzone Distro: Personally, I was a very vague anti-capitalist and anti-statist prior to being vegan. But I became a vegan activist before I was active with anarchy. This experience allowed me to see both the limitations of liberal veganism, as well as the surprisingly large non-vegan, anthropocentrism in the anarchist circles that I associated with. I began Warzone Distro with the purpose of providing free reading material that bridged veganism and anarchy. Since this was not very common where I was, I felt like it was especially necessary and important. I was also able to see the hostility that existed between liberal vegans and anti-vegan anarchists and to be honest, I found it fucking absurd haha. Here are two movements who are both passionate against the imprisonment and domination of life, but somehow could not meet halfway due to what I felt was a misunderstanding of capitalism and the state. So advocating total liberation became my primary focus online and in the streets.

Given the holistic nature of total liberation, what strategies and themes do you explore in your zines related to veganism and straight edge? How do these align with your broader political philosophy?

Warzone Distro: At one point what I was most interested in was veganism and straight edge from marginalized perspectives. As a queer of color I found it frustrating to hear activists on all sides ranting about how “veganism is a white boycott diet” or how straight edge was for macho tough guys. Much of this shit was online, but sometimes it even spilled into local shows or events. I also came to realize right away that maple who claimed to be speaking in solidarity with marginalized voices, only supported marginalized voices who they agreed with. The moment I began discussing veganism or straight edge, my “marginalized voice” status was revoked haha. So I took it upon myself to connect with other vegan and straight edge anarchists of color and share their stories in these zines. Everything from Indigenous vegans (because yes, not all Indigenous people support hunting traditionally or culturally), to black and brown vegan perspectives, and straight edge perspectives from living in poverty and watching drugs destroy friends and families.

In the end total liberation doesn’t exclusively belong to any one race, gender or identity marker. Total Liberation is a reclaiming of ones’ mind and body from the colonial, industrial world that attempts to control and dominate each and every individual.

The intersection of different liberation movements is a complex topic. Can you elaborate on the connections you see between animal liberation, earth liberation, and human liberation? How do these intersections inform your work?

Warzone Distro: The intersections are as vast as there are social constructs invented to categorize, stratify and ultimately control us. Over the years I have met many different people in these movements, and I am always grateful to listen to their experiences and learn how they arrived at the conclusions they did. It is especially fun speaking with other vegan straight edge green anarchists because there are always underlying commonalities that can be observed in how we got to where we are. But there are also vast differences in experiences as well, which informs me that despite the identity-based categorization we’ve each been assigned, there is no monolith. At the core we are all individuals, unique and powerful. Just as there are intersections in those who we would also consider our enemies (black police officers, Indigenous fascists and so on). These intersections are a reminder that while mass mobilizations or groups can be powerful, the individual maintains a level of power too – like the individual who helps build the prison. Because without powerful individuals, industrial society, capitalism, the police force etc could not exist, let alone function. It is really just a matter of who we are as individuals, and what choices we decide to make with the power we each individually have.

Direct action is often seen as a powerful tool in activism. How do you view the role of direct action in achieving the goals of total liberation? Can you share some examples of successful direct actions that have inspired you?

Warzone Distro: It would be unfair to single out any particular successful (or unsuccessful) direct action as a source of inspiration. I am inspired by them all! Each and every direct action takes a level of courage that the State is designed to discourage. I feel direct action can mean alot of things to alot of people. And in my opinion, that is a reflection of how unique each individual is. I feel direct action is more than just powerful – it is the heart of anarchy in motion with every non-human animal who refuses to be caged, every weed that cracks the foundation of a paved road… direct action is anarchy as a lived experience rather than a mere theory in a book. SOURCE…

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