http://news.infoshop.org/article.php?story=20090527080938217

The Anarchist Buffalo Front is hosting their second Really Really Free Market, which will be held the first week of every month.

Location: Johnson Park, Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY, 14201 (One block
North of Chippewa Street in downtown Buffalo)
Date/Time: Saturday, June 6th from 12 pm to 5 pm (or later)
After the successful first attempt in having a Really Really Free
Market in Buffalo, the people who put it on are bringing this event on the first Saturday of every month. This one will not only include free goods, tangible or intangible, but free food and water!! Anarchists get free lunches!

Peace and Unity
-Chase

http://www.myspace.com/buffalorrfm

A very brief question and answer session:
Q:"Who's in charge here?"
A:"You? Me? both? Maybe everybody. Who knows, next question.

Q:"What is this Really REALLY Free Market you speak of?"
A:"I am delighted you asked! In short, the really REALLY Free Market
is a free flea market...a giant community pot luck if you will."

Q: "So, wait...I can just take whatever I want or need?"
A: "Yes indeedy."

Q: "Do I have to bring stuff to take stuff?"
A: "While this great idea would be better, and obviously needs goods
to thrive, there are no requirements. You can take what you need
whether or not you bring anything. We call this the gift economy."

Q: "I feel bad taking things but not giving anything. Are you sure you don't want any money?"
A: "Put that damn wallet away! Here's the deal, if you don't have any
goods to give, that is not the only thing needed to make this thrive.
We need services too so if you have a skill that can provide people
with a service, that is awesome! If you have something you can teach,
again, awesome!"

Q:"Wow this is an awesome idea! Who came up with it, how did it start?"
A:"I am delighted you are interested. We tend to think it is a lovely
idea as well! Here is a more in depth idea of what this is, where it
came from, and why we are doing this magical event.

Since the 2003 FTAA protests in Miami, Florida that none of us saw the Really REALLY Free Market has become a viable, and increasingly
visible alternative to the grossly hypocritically named capitalist
"free" market. What sets the two apart is that in a capitalist driven
economy (which is still dive-bombing for the who knows how many-eth
time since its inception...all relabeling aside...disaster capitalism, neo-liberalism etc...all failed) nothing is actually free. Not our time, not the food we eat, and I am pretty sure certain companies are trying to lobby for rights and trademarks on the air we breathe (GASP!)

Now imagine if you can (it's easy if you try...so what if I like John
Lennon?) a free flea market, or better yet--a giant potluck where
people bring more than just food. No sale, no barter, no
trade--everything is (REALLY) free! Bring what you can, take what you
need. We call this a gift economy. Why? because everybody wins when
people give gifts! You like getting gifts, I like getting gifts, and
it feels good to give, with absolutely no strings attached (not like
those shady bankers and creditors charging us interest) to people.

Surely you are a bit dizzy and saying "That just cant be! That is
crazy, people don't just give things away for free unless they are
broken or useless!" Ok, let me help you to a chair, get you some fresh air and some water, and explain this...lets see, how do I say
it...people...throw perfectly good and usable items, food, clothing,
computers, videos, tapes, and just about anything else you can think,
away everyday for no other reason than to make room for an updated
model, because they are bored with it (and surely suffering the
spenders guilt now...oh the irony!) or for some other ridiculous
reason. This garbage (the real garbage I dare say!) that people don't
throw away perfectly usable things, is plain and simple a lie, and a
myth...much like Santa Clause and the Easter Rabbit.

But it does not stop there! The Really REALLY Free Market works also
to build a much stronger community. a community where people interact
in reality, a community where people offer not just goods, but also
services they may be skilled in, to those in the community that need
said services. Crafts, cosmetology, auto repair, bicycle maintenance,
whatever skills one might have! The Really REALLY Free Market seeks to dispel that sorcery of labor specialization that keeps us all going back to "professionals" when somebody we may know (or might not sadly) in our own community!

So, now that we got that out of the way, lets give you a brief history of the Buffalo Really REALLY Free Market. Actually it can only be brief because there has only been one thus far but that is changing! Anyway, the first Buffalo Free Market was held Saturday, May 2nd and was a success. People brought food, clothes, furniture, books, magazines, CD's and DVD's, toys, bikes and more. Almost everything that was brought was taken home by someone. What was left was donated to local organizations like St. Vincent DePaul and Amvets. Someone brought tools to the market, fixed up busted bicycles that someone else brought and gave them away to kids in the neighborhood. Some people played music with instruments they brought. Someone offered to host a stencil-making workshop. Someone brought produce donated by a local grocery store. Fresh baked banana bread was shared. One person even did card and magic tricks! So what now? Well, there is no limit really! We would like to see more intangible stuff shared, things like dance or music performances, workshops teaching skills, services provided (like haircuts or bike repair) or group activities like games. The only limit really is imagination. If you have something of service that could benefit people, please join us each month in planting the proverbial seeds for a better world. It really does start in our own community.

If you would like more information on the Really REALLY Free Market in general, please visit:

http://www.crimethinc.com/texts/atoz/reallyreally.php

Information on the upcoming Market in Buffalo can be found below. Hope to see you there!

Saturday, June 6th

12 to 5pm (or later)

Johnson Park on S. Elmwood

Located 1 block North of Chippewa