MIM Notes No. 200      December 15, 1999

LETTERS

Prisoner discovers and struggles with MIM Notes

Now, how did I learn of MIM? There is this brother that lives next 
door to me, who I've always thought was a psychiatric patient. But 
one day I gave him a USA news paper and he gave me a book on 
"MIM's Theory". Thus I had an occasion to speak to him. And to my 
surprise, the brother turned out to be an intellectual political 
diplomat. We discuss various issues, including the goal and aim of 
MIM's movement.

While I agree with the majority of MIM's concepts, I dissent on 
others. Mainly on what is said to be the sole ingredient, which 
will in time, constitute "true peace and stability." MIM advocates 
an arm struggle to achieve the above desired objectives. I don't 
know! This is a wonder!

OK, lets say the proletariats are successful in seizing power in 
socialist revolution, and turn the tide on the imperialists. 
Thereby, establishing themselves as rulers over their former 
oppressors. Furthermore, the proletariats are given a free 
opportunity to decide on independent nationalism. Now, tell me, is 
this accomplishment sufficient to guarantee international peace 
and stability?

I understand fully that, pro-imperialists will not give up their 
dictatorship and exploitation of the poors, without the shedding 
of blood! But, is that the way to attain peace? Notwithstanding, I 
also know that this world is a pulpit upon which man preaches 
about peace, and there is no end to this talk. For millions of 
years man has been speaking about peace, but he has not come 
forward to find peace within himself.

My brothers and sisters, how can someone give something he doesn't 
have?! How can one without love, peace, unity, and justice give 
these things to others? Can true peace, not peace through fear, be 
achieved through war?! Know not that our whole entire human 
history is drenched with our blood?! Still, we have no peace, only 
wars and poverty!

My brothers and sisters, my point is this. There should not only 
be a vehicle to restore external socialism, but also, one to 
restore internal socialism as well. We can talk from now till the 
heavens collapse, but there will never be any real peace and 
stability, so long as, we the people continue to shout at the top 
of our lungs "I" "you" "mine" "yours".

Without giving up our differences of race, religion, languages, 
etc. How can we ever hope to bring true peace to the world?! We 
must give up these senseless labels, and unite in a common cause 
for the embetterment of all oppressed people. Despite their race, 
religion, language, etc. Hypocrisy, envy, jealousy, hatred, 
selfishness, pride, separations, theft, greed, intoxicants, 
attachments, murder, and falsehood are a cancerous disease to true 
peace and true socialism.

...

I fully understand that something needs to be done! Because the 
underprivileged can not go on living under these cruel and 
degraded conditions. Yet still, man must find peace, tranquility, 
happiness, unity, love, and every good quality within his own 
live, within his own innermost heart. Only a person who does that 
can understand the difficulties, the pain, and the misery of 
others. A man of wisdom will know this, understand this, and 
rectify his own mistakes. Then he can help others. We must think 
about this. May God help us all. Amen.

-- a prisoner in Florida May, 1999



MIM responds: 

We frequently get this question of how can the proletariat succeed 
in ending violence through armed revolution. Usually we agree with 
those asking the question, like this prisoner, in the end goal of 
peace and justice for all people. But MIM differs from these 
pacifists in that we approach the struggle with a materialist 
analysis. We can see that our enemies, the imperialists, will not 
put down their guns without a fight.

A materialist analysis of history teaches us that the battle to 
bring true peace to the world must proceed in stages. We can not 
have everything at once. First we must seize state power for the 
people. As this writer points out, this will not ensure a peaceful 
and just society, but we see this as only the first step. With 
state power in hand the proletariat can set about the task of 
transforming society.

This second stage, the transformation of society, is the socialist 
period where we are building a communist society. We will need to 
teach people about unity and justice and materialism because these 
things are not taught in capitalist culture. We will have to 
counter years of capitalist training in greed and selfishness. And 
we will have to keep the old bourgeoisie from taking power back.

This second stage of the struggle can not be accomplished without 
state power. Communists are honest about this and we call the 
period of socialism the dictatorship of the proletariat. It is a 
dictatorship but it is of the majority (the proletariat and 
peasantry) over the minority (the bourgeoisie and their allies). 

While we consider these debates over revolutionary strategy of 
tremendous importance because they relate to the correct path out 
of this cesspool of capitalist misery, we work with many people, 
including pacifists, who share our anti-imperialist goals. We 
invite all of our readers to struggle with us over this and other 
important topics while working with us to expose and fight the 
imperialist system.