MIM NOTES 195	October 1, 1999

LETTERS

What is MIM's strategy to fight imperialism?

Dear MIM,

Greetings comrades! I'm sorry about the amount of time that it has 
taken me to acknowledge receipt of MIM Notes from March but I was 
on "disciplinary sanctions" that led to the confiscation of all 
property, except a Bible of course. I was placed on sanctions due 
to my part in supposedly organizing several other prisoners of war 
(i.e. Political Prisoners) to stop participating in the "program" 
here at the state's super-max prison and to take some correction 
officers hostage for use as tools for negotiating. None of the 
above was going down as they thought it was but of course the pigs 
panicked and the snitches began the process of creating 
information that is slop for the pigs that they love so much.

Regardless of guilt or innocence I had been too verbal for too 
long so I had to go down. Another lesson learned. Mastered. The 
politics of war as I understand them is that you definitely do not 
tell the enemy who has a loaded gun pointed at your head that you 
plan on shooting him in five minutes; if you also have a loaded 
gun you shut up plan, and keep your eyes fixed on opportunity or 
create an opportunity through subtle means.

Anyway, since I'm new at the education that you are giving I have 
some questions for you.

1. Is modern day imperialism parallel with fascism or does one 
make use of the other or do they work together? Or are they one 
and the same with different names?

2. There seems to be a great deal of focus on the material with 
your movement, (seeking material change) but doesn't this all 
begin with the consciousness of the masses? I mean "brain-dead" 
slaves don't go very far seeking "freedom." They wouldn't know 
freedom if it slapped them in the face ten times on separate days.

3. If an overthrow of the present world system is successful how 
do you stop the same from rising again? This, to my knowledge, has 
not been done with any success yet.

4. Don't be offended by this one. If your movement truly posed any 
type of threat, real threat, to the imperialist system then why 
are you still around? Why haven't they taken you down as they did 
the Black Panthers and others? What are you doing or not doing 
that is giving you operational security? (If you don't answer that 
one its understandable.)

5. How would you organize a militant section of the party, such as 
military and warfare tactics -- particularly guerilla warfare 
tactics? (I'm especially interested in that one as I don't have 
much time in the camps left.)

-- A prisoner in Connecticut, May 1999.

MIM responds:  First on the question of fascism: imperialist 
countries can be fascist but are not always fascist, the 
distinction is between different forms of government and 
government relationship to business under the stage of 
imperialism. We have responded to this question in the recent 
issues of MIM Notes. (Back issues are available for $2 each via 
mail or on our web site at www.prisoncensorship.info/archive/etext). We also 
encourage readers to read H.W. Edwards' "Labor Aristocracy: Mass 
Base for Social Democracy". In it, Edwards examines the connection 
between imperialism, colonies, the labor aristocracy and fascism. 
(Available from MIM Distributors for $10.) 

We agree with this writer that it is important to raise the 
consciousness of the masses if we hope for them to join the 
revolutionary struggle. This is why Maoist parties put a lot of 
resources into education. We know that conditions create 
consciousness but that it is important for the vanguard to be 
channeling this interest by exposing the root of imperialist 
exploitation and oppression and showing the masses a way to change 
the system.

The question regarding the restoration of capitalism is addressed 
by MIM's dividing line question on the Great Proletarian Cultural 
Revolution in China. An ongoing revolution that fights against 
capitalist culture and entrenched bourgeois ideology is essential 
to stave off capitalist restoration and keeping a socialist 
country on the correct path. This is one of the important reasons 
behind MIM's advocacy of Maoism as the only ideology that will 
lead to communism.

We're not offended by questions about why we have not been 
destroyed by the pigs. MIM regularly stresses Amerikan history of 
repression and the importance of careful security procedures and 
semi-underground organizing. MIM has implemented a number of 
practices to protect our organization as a result of the lessons 
we learned from the FBI's attacks on the Black Panther Party, the 
Young Lords and the American Indian Movement.

Finally, the question about organizing a militant section of the 
party is related to Amerika's attacks against revolutionaries and 
Amerika's general strength. We are yet at the stage within the 
u.$. to organize an armed organization. Instead, the MIM-led army 
within u.$. borders is PIRAO, the People's Internationalist Rear 
Area Organization, which focuses on financial battles at this 
time. We believe it would only be a set back to take up guns 
before we have the strength and support to sustain this battle. 
Focoist attacks on the state will do nothing but bring on greater 
repression. We refer readers to the essay in "What is MIM?" on 
focoism or the page six article in this issue of MIM Notes.