This is an archive of the former website of the Maoist Internationalist Movement, which was run by the now defunct Maoist Internationalist Party - Amerika. The MIM now consists of many independent cells, many of which have their own indendendent organs both online and off. MIM(Prisons) serves these documents as a service to and reference for the anti-imperialist movement worldwide.
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THE MAOIST INTERNATIONALIST MOVEMENT
MIM Notes 125 NOVEMBER 1, 1996
MIM Notes speaks to and from the viewpoint of the
world's oppressed majority, and against the
imperialist-patriarchy. Pick it up and wield it in
the service of the people. support it, struggle
with it and write for it.
IN THIS ISSUE:
1. DON'T VOTE -- ORGANIZE FOR REVOLUTION
2. LATINOS MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND RESIST
"IMMIGRANT"
BASHING
3. LETTERS
4. NATIONAL OPPRESSION AND FASCIST WHITE KIDS AT
BOSTON
LATIN
5. LONG LIVE THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION!
6. RAIL ORGANIZES FOR REVOLUTION IN ANTI-VOTE
CAMPAIGN
7. MASSES PROTEST DEDICATION OF COLUMBUS STATUE
8. INDONESIAN COMPRADORS BUY AMERIKAN PATRONAGE
9. ANTI-COLUMBUS WEEK STARTS WITH LESSONS FROM
PINE RIDGE
10. PROPERTY OWNERS CONTINUE TO RUN AMOK AGAINST
"FREE
SPEECH"
11. U.$. UNIONS WIN BIG
12. CARDINAL LAW: SERVE MORE GRAVY
13. MARK FUHRMAN GETS AWAY WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
14. GOVERNMENT TO EXPAND INTERNET TO REACH
AMERIKA'S YOUTH
15. ACLU FIGHTS DOC RUN-AROUND AND CENSORSHIP OF
MIM NOTES
16. PIGS IN FORD HEIGHTS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE
"DRUG WAR"
17. CRIMINAL INJUSTICE SYSTEM RESISTS CHALLENGES TO
ANTI-GANG
UNITS
18. PIG BRUTALITY PLEASES LAPD'S CHIEF WILLIAMS
19. NORML FIGHTS CRIMINAL INJUSTICE BUT STILL STUCK
IN AMERIKAN INDIVIDUALISM
20. SEND FUNDS FOR MAOIST LITERATURE TO PRISONERS
21. UNDER LOCK & KEY: NEWS FROM PRISONERS AND
PRISONS
* * *
WHAT IS MIM?
The Maoist Internationalist Movement (MIM) is a
revolutionary communist party that upholds Marxism-
Leninism-Maoism, comprising the collection of
existing or emerging Maoist internationalist
parties in the English-speaking imperialist
countries and their English-speaking internal semi-
colonies, as well as the existing or emerging
Spanish-speaking Maoist internationalist parties of
Aztlan, Puerto Rico and other territories of the
U.S. Empire. MIM Notes is the newspaper of MIM.
Notas Rojas is the newspaper of the Spanish-
speaking parties or emerging parties of MIM.
MIM is an internationalist organization that works
from the vantage point of the Third World
proletariat; thus, its members are not Amerikans,
but world citizens.
MIM struggles to end the oppression of all groups
over other groups: classes, genders, nations. MIM
knows this is only possible by building public
opinion to seize power through armed struggle.
Revolution is a reality for North America as the
military becomes over-extended in the government's
attempts to maintain world hegemony.
MIM differs from other communist parties on three
main questions: (1) MIM holds that after the
proletariat seizes power in socialist revolution,
the potential exists for capitalist restoration
under the leadership of a new bourgeoisie within
the communist party itself. In the case of the
USSR, the bourgeoisie seized power after the death
of Stalin in 1953; in China, it was after Mao's
death and the overthrow of the "Gang of Four" in
1976. (2) MIM upholds the Chinese Cultural
Revolution as the farthest advance of communism in
human history. (3) MIM believes the North American
white-working-class is primarily a non-
revolutionary worker-elite at this time; thus, it
is not the principal vehicle to advance Maoism in
this country.
MIM accepts people as members who agree on these
basic principles and accept democratic centralism,
the system of majority rule, on other questions of
party line.
"The theory of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin is
universally applicable. We should regard it not as
dogma, but as a guide to action. Studying it is not
merely a matter of learning terms and phrases, but
of learning Marxism-Leninism as the science of
revolution."
-- Mao Zedong, Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 208
* * *
DON'T VOTE -- ORGANIZE FOR REVOLUTION
HARTFORD, CT., 6 October -- A group of
organizations calling itself the Coalition for a
Real Debate held a rally in Hartford, outside the
Civic Center where Clinton and Dole held their
first presidential campaign debate. RAIL attended
the event, distributed literature and struggled
with the people present.
The organizations endorsing the event were mostly
community peace-and-justice groups, plus two
political parties -- the Connecticut Labor Party
and the Caucus of Connecticut Democrats. Although
the organizers stated that the event was not to
promote any political party and that speakers were
prohibited from endorsing any party, there were
large contingents with signs and banners from two
of the main "alternative" imperialist parties, the
Green Party and the Libertarian Party.
A succession of speakers at the microphone
delivered messages that ranged from strongly anti-
imperialist, opposing police, prisons and foreign
intervention, to blatantly pro-imperialist. In the
middle were many Amerikan-chauvinist single-issue
politicians, calling for various groups within
white Amerika to claim more power in the u.s.
government and Amerikan society.
RAIL found unity with many of the participants,
mostly youth who were not carrying party insignia.
Some youth were with a contingent from the
anarchist Food Not Bombs group who gave out free
food. RAIL's flyer's with the slogan "DON'T VOTE,
Organize for Revolution" prompted many serious
discussions with these youth. Many agreed with RAIL
that the u.s. government is illegitimate and we
should not support it by participating in its
elections.
LIBERTARIANS WANT MORE PROTECTION FOR INDIVIDUALS
A member of the Libertarian party suggested that
RAIL and the Libertarians could find unity in
"getting the government off our backs". When RAIL
inquired what that meant to the Libertarians, it
became clear there was no basis for unity. The
Libertarian wanted "less taxes on the middle
class", but more cops, more prisons, and more
military, "to protect my property". S/he stated
that there are some purposes for which a government
is needed, and named protection of person and
property from other individuals as first among
them.
Protection of the bourgeoisie's property is, in the
Libertarian view, the correct function of
government. Libertarians differ from the
Demopublicrat group in calling for less spending on
expensive window-dressing to hide that function.
GREEN PARTY WANTS MORE PROTECTION FOR MIDDLE CLASS
Members of the Green Party, supporting their
presidential candidate Ralph Nader, espoused a
random sampling of ecology and "social justice"
causes. All the Greens that RAIL talked to parted
ways with RAIL over the correctness of pursuing
power through elections. The Green Party
participates in electoralism because it agrees with
the imperialist practice.
Although the Green Party pamphlet cites "Grassroots
Democracy", "Global Responsibility" and "Post-
patriarchal values" as among the party's ten key
values, nowhere in the lengthy paragraphs titled
"Ecology" and "Social Justice" does it mention the
plight of the majority of the world's people who
are the source of Amerika's wealth, either the
Third World or the internal colonies.
The Green Party does not oppose imperialist
brutality either domestically in prisons and police
expansion, or internationally in wars and economic
exploitation. Nader quotes Thomas Jefferson as
saying "the function of representative government
is to 'counteract the excesses of the monied
interests.'" So the Greens and Nader, demanding a
better deal for the "middle class", line up
opposite the Libertarians who think the government
is already doing too much to counteract excesses.
RAIL disagrees with both because we oppose
imperialism and national oppression no matter what
face it puts on, no matter how broadly it spreads
its net of bribes to the bought-off public at home.
REFORMIST DEMANDS WITH REVOLUTIONARY STRATEGY
RAIL has unity with those speakers who demanded
winnable reforms that give some relief to the
oppressed without taking it away from other
oppressed people. Especially when struggles for
reforms expose the true nature and purpose of the
Amerikan state, the struggles help to build
revolutionary unity among the oppressed.
A list of "things to oppose" that was printed on
the rally flyer provides examples of both
progressive and reactionary reforms. Among those we
would agree with were opposition to "aggressive
u.s. foreign policies", "attacks on affirmative
action", and "undermining civil liberties under the
guise of fighting 'drugs' and 'terrorism'".
Another "thing to oppose" was health care cuts. It
is important to remember that most government money
going into health care is part of the standard of
living bribe paid out to the pro-imperialist white
working class in Amerika. Some of the money,
however, certainly does find its way down to the
truly oppressed. Agitation for redistribution of
health care money toward the really poor is a
reform effort that RAIL can endorse, although its
ability to be successful remains in question.
Usually reformists make demands on behalf of the
truly oppressed more winnable by attaching them to
demands on behalf of privileged people who are
demanding a bigger piece of the pie. Recall that in
the "great health care debate" of Clinton's first
term no one advocated simply shifting health care
spending to serve those who had none. Even a
"single-payer" plan, the nearest thing to such a
shift, with its promise of services available to
everyone was weighed down by the demands of the
already privileged that it bring them better
services also.
RAIL actively supports agitation for prisoners'
health care; it is a winnable struggle because it
can be posed as a "human rights" issue and used to
embarrass the state into living up to its own
humanitarian propaganda. As such it can help
alleviate some especially brutal oppression, and at
the same time exposes what is really going down --
mass murder because of inadequate medical care for
HIV infected prisoners is one example.
LABOR ARISTOCRACY NEEDS NO PROTECTION
RAIL will not support agitation for increased legal
protection of unions which was another point on the
rally flyer. 99% of unionist power in the u.s.
(AFL-CIO, etc.) is not a progressive force. While
there is a struggle within the imperialist ranks
between the white working class and the capitalist
bosses, revolutionaries do not need to expend
resources in taking sides.
The Amerikan unions are demanding a bigger piece of
the stolen imperialist pie, have no interest in
revolution or freeing the truly oppressed, and have
never been a worthwhile ally to those who suffer
under the yoke of imperialism. What needs exposing
is not the unions' disagreement with the bosses,
but rather their underlying alliance which the
"labor-business" conflict serves to conceal.
DEMOCRAT PARTY "SNEAKS" IN SPEAKER
Despite the rally organizers' stated rule that no
parties were to be endorsed from the podium, a
Democratic party activist held forth at length. At
first s/he disguised their message, running down a
litany of left issues and making stirring
statements about how the people have to take back
power.
It became clear who s/he meant by "the people" when
s/he launched into the usual Democratic Party
speech about how dangerous the Republicans are
("children will starve, homosexuals will burn",
etc.) and how "a vote for Clinton isn't a vote for
all his policies". The Democrat Party speaker
suggested that people can support Clinton with
conditions attached, and make deals during the
campaign to influence his policies.
When RAIL remarked that the speaker should be
inside the Civic Center, one of the rally
organizers agreed and began complaining loudly
behind the stage, saying that "there were supposed
to be no party endorsements!" They did not pull the
plug on the microphone, however, and so this
Democrat continued.
S/he used the standard good-cop/bad-cop
Demopublicrat trick: threaten people with the evil
deeds the Republicans will do if they don't elect
the Democrats. The purpose of this trick is to pull
into the Clinton camp those who are actually hurt
by Clinton's imperialist racist policies. It is a
stark reminder that for the oppressed, voting is
not an act of choice but of being thoroughly
coerced. It could be paraphrased: "Elect the
liberal or we'll starve these children".
The successful infiltration of the Democratic party
activist into this "alternatives agendas" rally
shows that there is only one answer to the question
posed on the rally flyer: "Are you fed up because
there is no REAL debate on issues of peace and
social justice?" RAIL gives the answer: DON'T
VOTE, ORGANIZE FOR REVOLUTION!
* * *
LATINOS MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND RESIST "IMMIGRANT"
BASHING
by a comrade
On October 12, more than 25,000 Latinos marched on
the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. The march coincided
with the Columbus Day weekend, and denounced the
anti-'immigrant' fervor among Amerikans.
Many attending the rally after the march had a
correct analysis and nationalist consciousness
which the organizers attempted to subvert. When
announced they should sing "our national anthem,"
young people with Puerto Rican flags draped over
their shoulders shouted "Of which nation?!?" and
started to sing a Puerto Rican song as the
Amerikkkan anthem blared over the speakers.
ORGANIZERS PROMOTE ELECTORALISM AND TRANQUILLITY
The message presented by the organizers was
integration, not self- determination. In an
interview on NPR a few days before the march, one
march organizer said they were encouraging
participants to carry Amerikan flags rather than
the flags of their own country.
He said they wanted to avoid what happened at the
Proposition 187 rallies in California -- implying
that the revolutionary nationalism of the masses at
these events was a disaster for the movement.
He also said that the principal aim of the rally
was to encourage people to participate in electoral
politics. As one woman speaking at the rally said
"vote, vote, vote...if you don't like someone in
office, vote them out of office."
This exposes electoralism for what it is: dead end
politics. If you don't like someone in office and
you don't like their opponent then what choice does
voting give you?
MIM does not think the revolutionary nationalism of
the proposition 187 rallies was a disaster, on the
contrary we stand with the many people who attended
this rally in Washington DC and were disappointed
by the reactionary capitulationist message of
electoralism and Amerikan patriotism.
When the first of the marchers arrived on the
Ellipse they were told to be patient and calm while
waiting for the program to officially begin.
Tranquillity was the message, not anger focused on
organizing for revolution. In the meantime, there
was Latino music and a sizable crowd for MIM and
RAIL to talk to about revolutionary nationalist
politics. MIM got there before the rally began but
the crowd was already oozing with sectarian groups.
MIM explained the differences between MIM and other
so-called communists. One distributor had many
conversations in Spanish about the labor
aristocracy in Amerika, and the masses in these
conversations thought that MIM's line on the
reactionary nature of the white working class was
correct.
PIGS FAIL IN STOPPING MIM AND RAIL
MIM and RAIL set up a table without a permit, and
were harassed by the Park Police. One pig came out
and said he thought we did have a first amendment
right to distribute literature, but not to have a
table. He blathered about littering and other
irrelevant issues, and then told us that if we
found a regulation march table that was not being
used, we could set up our literature and t-shirts
on that.
When MIM engaged the pigs in a debate about the
first amendment and their attempts to restrict our
supposed right to free speech, several people
gathered around to support us and encouraged us to
harass the pigs right back. These people got a
first hand lesson on how there are not really
rights under imperialism, only power struggles.
The cops also shut down the LaRouchites and other
sectarians for a short time, but the pigs
eventually gave up and ignored the tables. This
seemed to be a result of all the people who were
not willing to just leave quietly and who kept
setting their tables back up after the pigs walked
away. MIM was among those who did not leave quietly
and after we set up our stuff the second time the
pigs did not come back or give us any more trouble.
"WE DIDN'T CROSS THE BORDER, THE BORDER CROSSED US"
There were seven official demands of the march,
including a minimum wage of $7 per hour, free
education for all children, health care, and
amnesty for all undocumented or "illegal" workers.
Some of the masses held pro-Zapatista banners, and
chanted in Spanish "We didn't cross the border, the
border crossed us!" Others had t-shirts, buttons
and banners with messages like "I survived the
March on Washington -- I wasn't deported!" and "No
human being is illegal!"
The masses had a range of political views, but the
organizers' theme of the rally was integration and
acceptance by mainstream Amerika. One speaker said,
"We are Americans because we believe in the
Constitution, in equality and justice before the
law for everyone." There were cheers from the crowd
in response to that and "We are all Americans" from
other speakers.
Several people asked MIM if we were sponsoring this
rally. We responded that the organizers and the
purpose behind the rally were not things that we
could support and this rally did not represent an
event led by the proletariat.
MIM knows that Latinos, undocumented or not, will
continue to be targets of police harassment and
brutality. Latinos are not considered Amerikans by
the imperialist state; and voting for Latino and
liberal candidates, as many speakers were urging,
will not make them more Amerikan. Such reformist
strategies delay the inevitable victory of the
people and do a disservice to the struggle for
power for 'immigrants'.
MIM urges all its Latino readers to check out MIM
Notes, Notas Rojas and Maoist Sojourner to get the
revolutionary nationalist perspective on issues
like immigration, borders, and citizenship. Order
MIM Theory 1 ($3) and 10 ($6) for our position on
the labor aristocracy in Amerika. Order MIM Theory
7 ($6) on revolutionary nationalism.
Note: The Washington Post, 13 October 1996 p. 1
* * *
LETTERS
LETTER TO VILLAGE VOICE ON AGENT PROVOCATEUR QUISPE
Letters to the Editor
The Village Voice
36 Cooper Square
New York, NY 1000
voice@echonyc.com
October 6, 1996
Dear Editor,
In regard to Richard Gehr's Cyber column of August
27 ("The Flaming Path"):
Your column described the sinister role of the man
who goes by the name of Luis Quispe on the
Internet's Marxism List. You correctly explained
that his statements in that forum "may well have"
led to the arrest of Julian Calero, who is accused
by the Peruvian government of being a "Shining Path
terrorist," and is being threatened with
deportation from his isolation cell in New York to
the U.S.-Fujimori death-squad regime in Peru.
Quispe, who poses as a leading supporter of the
revolution in Peru, boastfully announced on the
Marxism List that one of his phony "MPP-USA"'s
supposed members was wanted by the Peruvian
authorities, and described the details of this
supposed "MPP-USA" member's case: the crime he was
charged with and the location in Peru from which he
came. When Calero was thereafter arrested and the
facts of his case became publicly known, it turned
out that the facts of his case matched precisely
those details previously announced by Quispe.
Currently, Quispe is fairly pathetically trying to
cover his tracks by exploiting the fact that he
didn't name a name when he fingered Calero.
Quispe's defense (reflected in your column) is
essentially that it wasn't Calero he was fingering;
he was fingering someone else!
Your article erred by treating Quispe's behavior as
an example of "loony leftism" and sectarianism
turned deadly. In fact, Quispe has a three-year
history of splitting and wrecking, intelligence-
gathering, forgery, double-dealing, snitch work,
political inconsistencies, and attacks on proven
defenders of the revolution in Peru. Quispe is no
leftist. He is clearly an agent provocateur.
Enclosed is evidence exposing Quispe's COINTELPRO-
style police plot, which we will make available to
your readers upon request.
In struggle,
MIM
(MIM Notes readers, send $1 to MIM for the in depth
look at Agent Quispe's tactics in June 1996 Maoist
Sojourner)
LAMPPOST FLYER DRAWS FIRE
Dear Sir/Madam:
I read your flyer on a light pole on North Charles
St., Baltimore. Although the statistics you
reference, as well as the overall tone of the
message are not novel I do have an interest in
reeling in the Federal Government which is totally
out of control. By the way, your spelling of
America as Amerika smacks of the jaded, self-
serving, hedonist masquerading as souls processing
a higher social consciousness crap that manifested
in the 1960s. In addition, before you go ga ga on
the Maoist Communists, I suggest you check out the
track record of the Shining Path. They had/have a
particularly unique form of political repression.
Specifically, if someone was suspected of "aiding"
the imperialist enemy (read U.S.) the entire
village was murdered. I think the term I am
searching for is genocide. By the way, I was there
so save your breath trying to say otherwise. With
that out of the way, and just so we understand each
other, i.e., your side also has some real shit bags
on it, I would like to request any additional
information you have with respect to the crushing
repression we are experiencing in this country.
Whether or not any given political system can
provide relief is doubtful at best, but I am
certainly interested in considering alternatives to
what I perceive as the inevitable crash of America
as it currently exists. In the meantime remember,
it is not what you say, but what you do.
Sincerely,
- A Baltimore lamppost reader July 25, 1996
MIM RESPONDS: We aren't sure which flyer you are
responding to, but recently RAIL and MIM did a
flyer series in Baltimore as part of the End the
Amerikkkan Lockdown campaign to expose the prison
and injustice systems, so it must have been one of
those. In between invective anti-communism, you
express a few vague views of your own: you are
interested in "reeling in" the government, and you
refer to the "crushing repression" in the country,
and your interest in "alternatives" to an
"inevitable crash."
You are no doubt aware that the Republikans and
Demo-rats all say they want to "reel in" the
government. The National Rifle Association says
"we" are experiencing "repression," and lots of
religious sects think there will be an "inevitable
crash." So, if you are this anti-communist, why
write to us instead of one of these groups? Anti-
communism runs so deep in some groups that even
people whose aspirations can only be fulfilled
through communist revolution often disclaim
themselves profusely. You may be in this category,
but you may not.
We use "Amerika" to point to the illegitimacy of
the Euro-Amerikan settler state. This is not "self-
serving" except insofar as it serves the oppressed,
whom true revolutionaries are sworn to serve
regardless of their personal origins. (If you think
this is "self-serving" in terms of profit, well,
all we can say is you've got to be kidding!).
We certainly have "check[ed] out the track record"
of the Communist Party of Peru (PCP, a.k.a. Shining
Path) and have worked to support the revolution
they lead for years. At present our principal task
in that effort is building public opinion for
revolution in North America and other English-
speaking areas. Crucial to that is our work to
influence the international communist movement so
that it can best support the revolution in Peru.
The charges of "genocide" and other such
fabrications against the PCP are commonplace and
have been dealt with extensively in the literature
of the PCP itself, as we have reported. You may
have "been there," but of course so have the PCP
comrades, the CIA, and so on. President Bush was
ambassador to China - he was "there" for years --
but that doesn't mean we believe him that Mao was
bad. This is a substitute for real facts and
analysis.
If you would like more information, as you say, we
suggest you order the latest issue of MIM Theory,
"Amerikkkan Prisons on Trial," and a literature
list. Special issues of MIM Theory that may
interest you include number 9, "The Anarchist Ideal
and Communist Revolution," and number 4, "The
Failure and Success of Communist Revolution."
Issues of MIM Theory are $6. You should also
subscribe to MIM Notes and get 26 issues for $20
per year. Order now and also get the quarterly RAIL
Notes included.
**Note: MIM has no official tie to the Communist
Party of Peru (PCP). MIM does not claim to follow
Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, Gonzalo Thought for the
imperialist countries, but MIM does support it for
Peru. Articles from MIM on Peru should be taken as
MIM's best attempt to print genuine articles in
support of the People's War in Peru.**
* * *
NATIONAL OPPRESSION AND FASCIST WHITE KIDS AT
BOSTON LATIN
by a RAIL comrade
Boston Latin Academy has been the subject of
controversy after Julie McLaughlin, a white girl
who had gone to a private elementary school, was
refused entry to this public exam school for 7-12th
graders.
Her father sued the school, accusing it of unfair
entry policies because her test scores were higher
than some of the Black and Latino students
admitted. Boston Latin, a public school which
requires an entrance exam, had a policy of
affirmative in place until a judge declared this
unconstitutional in September. The judge ruled that
Boston Latin must stop using racial quotas and must
allow Julie McLaughlin to attend.
This attack on affirmative action has followed
similar trends towards increased national
oppression across the country. In California,
during the months after the passage of proposition
187, hate crimes and large-scale fights against
immigrants increased significantly.
NATIONAL CHAUVINISM BREEDS FASCIST STUDENTS
WIELDING WEAPONS
The last week in September, a brawl broke out
between Black students from Latin and a white youth
from South Boston(Southie). Four Black senior
wimmin said that William Rae, a white Boston Latin
student from South Boston, went around school with
his friends asking "hey, you gonna be at the
rumble?" and laughing. The whites were building
support for a rumble with the Black students after
Rae and a Black student fought in school earlier in
the day.
Most of the 40 white youth were from local colleges
or other high schools who came to Latin in several
cars when school was getting out. They were armed
with chains, hockey sticks, metal poles, baseball
bats, and mace, according to a group of Black
senior girls.
One senior from Dorchester, a poor Black
neighborhood, said: "We've had fights in school,
but this wasn't a fight -- this was an all-out
war." The undercurrent of fascist ideology in this
fight was reflected by the fascist attitudes of
some of the white youth who showed up wearing
"Southie Rules" shirts. This slogan is a clear
statement of white supremacy and is recognized by
Boston residents for its racist implications
because South Boston is a mostly white community
where a significant number of fascist supporters
live.
The administrators of the school and the city of
Boston tried to deny that this brawl was motivated
by the atmosphere of tension and institutional
support for national oppression that exists in
Boston Latin and in the Amerikan school system in
general. Marcia Garcia-Aaronson, headmaster of
Boston Latin said "This wasn't a Latin Academy
incident." Yet the four central students in the
conflict were summoned to the assistant
headmaster's office that day. Superintendent Thomas
Payzant and Mayor Thomas Menino both said the fight
was not racially motivated.
We don't live in a "post-racist society" as Pete
Wilson has claimed. Conditions are still much worse
for Blacks and Latinos relative to whites. This
includes financial, cultural, and structural
oppression that means oppressed nation youth have a
much harder time getting a good education.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS THE LEAST THE OPPRESSOR CAN
DO
The set-asides (affirmative action quotas) are what
allow many Blacks and Latinos to get a step up
after having been pushed down so many steps by
society. Most whites at Boston Latin are from
private schools. For these whites, money allowed
them to get into this good school. Blacks and
Latinos don't tend to have this kind of money not
to mention the other societal factors working in
favor of whites and against oppressed nationals.
An acceptance policy that is race-blind would end
up being just a free ride for the wealthy whites --
merely a publicly funded private school similar to
those that exist in wealthy neighborhoods across
the country.
Affirmative action is part of Amerika's neo-
colonial way of minimizing the threat of rising
national liberation struggles among Amerika's
internal colonies. It allows small numbers of
people of oppressed nationalities to "integrate"
more easily with their national oppressors, while
the majority in the internal colonies remain
colonized.
However, allowing small numbers of oppressed
nations to receive an education that they may use
against their oppressive is a positive thing. Along
such lines, RAIL supports the defense of
affirmative action.
RAIL supports the anger of the Black students who
took part in the fight against the Southie whites.
This was not an isolated incident and this anger
needs to be turned into systematic organizing to
fight against the wealth and power of a school
system and a whole society that has been built on
the oppression of nations both inside and outside
of us borders.
NOTE: Boston Globe, 27 September, 1996. p.A1.
* * *
LONG LIVE THE PHILIPPINE REVOLUTION!
by RAIL comrades
October 1, 1996 -- RAIL and MIM co-sponsored a
showing and discussion of "A Rustling of Leaves:
Inside the Philippine Revolution" on a central
Californian campus together with a local mass
organization, ASIAN! (Asian Sisters for Ideas In
Action Now!). This event was part of the campaign
to promote solidarity for the ongoing Maoist-led
Filipino revolution.
The Canadian-produced film provided a general
overview of the political situation in the
Philippines circa the Aquino regime and the MIM-led
discussion brought the situation up to date.
The filmmakers deftly expose how Aquino's political
ascendancy was firmly rooted in military might
rather than "people power" as she espoused. RAIL
adds that real people power lies in arming the
masses with M-L-M theory and practice, and
overthrowing imperialism.
The anti-Communist death squads roving the
countryside in Mindinao -- Alsa Masa and The Holy
Christians-- are warmly acknowledged (by the
American consulate no less!) to be organized by the
military with Aquino's heart-felt blessings, for
the express purpose of oppressing and terrorizing
the masses. These right-wing para-militaries use
terror tactics and propaganda techniques which Alsa
Masa leader and radio DJ, Jun Pala, proudly
announced are modeled after Goebbel, Hitler's
minister of propaganda.
RAIL agrees with the filmmakers that Aquino and
Amerikan's warm support of the military-backed
right-wing death squads further demonstrates the
illusory nature of the "democratic" process.
Protracted people's war is the only way to
guarantee a government which truly represents the
masses.
The film touches upon the struggles of the New
People's Army (NPA) in Mindinao, as they build
independent institutions of the oppressed in the
liberated zones. The left and right opportunist
lines developing within the party and their failure
are also highlighted (to the exclusion of the
correct line and its success) although the
filmmakers did not conclude as RAIL and MIM do that
those lines are inherently flawed and that the only
way to have real change is to work with the masses
and make scientific revolution guided by Marxism-
Leninism-Maoism.
The major criticism of this film is its neglect of
the CPP's political ideology. That the NPA is led
by Communists is only cursorily mentioned by the
filmmakers; the significance of CPP leadership
itself is ignored beyond general and brief mention
of the ultimate goals of the revolution.
In order to truly understand the Philippine
people's war, one must understand the ideology and
practice at the heart of it, which is why RAIL and
MIM sponsor events such as these.
Following the film, MIM spoke of the CPP's 1992
Rectification campaign and the struggle against
Dutch expulsion of Professor Jose Maria Sison,
founder of the CPP.
After the discussion was opened up, one member of
the audience insisted that revolutionary struggle
was futile because of imperialism's vast resources
and superior military technology.
MIM addressed the criticism by pointing to the
successful people's wars waged in China and Viet
Nam despite their military "inferiority"; true
superiority lies within having the correct
political line. MIM further noted the vast
numerical superiority of the Third World where 80%
of the world population lives.
When the critic continued in that nihilistic vein,
s/he was spontaneously refuted by the masses who
retorted that because of the gross imperialist
oppression and exploitation the Filipino people
must endure. Their best and only choice is to pick
up the gun. RAIL wholeheartedly agrees.
Imperialists won't relinquish their stranglehold on
the world's peoples without a fight. Armed struggle
is the only way to overthrow imperialism. And it
can and will be done!
When another member of the audience proposed Martin
Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi as model
leaders, MIM vigorously countered with a
materialist comparison of post-independence India
and post-revolution China. The living conditions in
India remained basically unchanged, but in China,
the life expectancy rate doubled and literacy
rocketed from a rate of 20% to 80%.
Prompted by an supportive comment of an audience
member, the topic of discussion then shifted to the
merits of the NPA in their relationship to the
masses as commended in the film by Comrade Dante.
The NPA and the CPP strive to be scrupulously
honest and forthright in their dealings with the
masses. They, unlike the military, do not rape,
steal, and murder.
At this point, a former resident of Mindinao in
exile interjected with some comments about
civilians caught in the cross-fire, and condemning
violence. To this MIM responded that it was the
imperialists and their lackeys who first initiated
violence and as Mao said "in order to put done the
gun it is necessary to pick up the gun."
The positive role of Filipino wimmin in the
revolution was the final topic discussed. MIM
emphasized that Filipino wimmin are essential in
making and maintaining revolution and commented on
their unfortunate exclusion in other revolutions to
the detriment of the struggle itself. The
mobilization of every oppressed person is necessary
to defeat imperialism.
RAIL supports the Filipino people's (and all
oppressed nation's) right to self-determination and
freedom from capitalist exploitation. The ongoing
people's war in the Philippines is crucial in
achieving this. RAIL concretely recognizes that it
will take armed struggle and not electoralism to
end the imperialist rape of the Third World.
Democrats and Republicans alike benefit from the
superprofits sucked from the Third World and
therefore have a stake in maintaining imperialism.
Events like this one help to build public opinion
in support of anti-imperialist struggle. If, like
the Filipino people, you too demand justice, then
take action and unite with RAIL! We challenge you
to rip the false mask off the face of capitalism.
* * *
RAIL ORGANIZES FOR REVOLUTION IN ANTI-VOTE CAMPAIGN
**Not surprisingly, RAIL's Don't Vote for
Imperialism campaign has met with opposition and
misunderstanding, especially from the pseudo-left
who want to elect Clinton. Here a RAIL comrade
refutes criticisms and outlines our argument not to
Vote, but instead organize for Revolution.
Excerpted from MassRAIL.**
Q. WHAT'S WRONG WITH VOTING?
RAIL: There's nothing wrong with voting in general.
People should have structured ways (voting is one)
to make decisions together. Voting in United $tates
government elections is a vote of confidence in a
thoroughly unjust repressive system.
Q. DON'T YOU BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY?
RAIL: There are different kinds of democracy. The
current "democracy" in North Amerika is really a
dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie,
swelled by the ranks of the white working class,
dominate all aspects of the political, economic and
social decisions in accordance with their material
interests of perpetuating imperialism. The
currently ruling Demopublicrats will win all these
elections. Maintaining imperialist domination of
both Third World nations and internal colonies is
the job of the government. Settler masses will
continue to elect them as long as they do that job.
True democracy allows all people to make the
decisions that affect their lives. Within North
Amerika, the oppressed nations are simply
outnumbered in "national" elections -- these are
white-nation elections! Blacks, Latinos and First
Nations will never have a meaningful voice in this
government. True democracy necessitates self-
determination of oppressed nations. Self-
determination is a necessary prerequisite in
guaranteeing that all people participate in
decisions affecting them.
Q: HOW CAN YOU SAY OVERTHROWING THE GOVERNMENT WILL
GET US ANYTHING?
RAIL: To answer this question, we must consider the
government in more detail -- What is the function
of the state under bourgeois rule? How is the power
maintained? How does the current government oppress
and exploit the masses as well as control social
protest?
The current state is an instrument of control. The
groups which benefit from the imperialist economic
system employ the state apparatus to protect their
interests and to repress resistance, rebellion and
change. The groups that are oppressed and exploited
under imperialism resist the oppression, and so are
subject to brutal repression by the police state.
In North Amerika, the wealthy capitalist
bourgeoisie and their lap-dog white working class
enjoy the protection of the United $tates
government. The police state includes more kinds of
cops than just the well-known baton-wielding donut-
snarfing pigs in blue and the armed forces. The
D.A.'s, judges, lawyers, legislators, and
bureaucrats all have the job of maintaining the
social order.
Maintaining the social order is a simple job
because it means suppressing the proletariat and
protecting the bourgeoisie. Is it any surprise that
the most brutal and vicious arm of the government,
the Criminal Injustice System, imprisons Blacks,
Latinos and Indigenous Nationals at grotesquely
high rates? You won't see a predominance of wealthy
whites behind bars. The police state is armed
apparatus of the imperialist nation, projecting
domination over the internal colonies.
There is an even broader part of the state
machinery of control. This is the machinery of
culture and ideas. Whether they are directly on the
government payroll or not (and many are), the
psychological workers, social workers, teachers,
professors, writers and other entertainers crank
out philosophy to support imperialism and undermine
resistance to it. Bourgeois philosophers chant that
communism can't work. They proclaim that the
suffering of oppressed people of the world isn't
related to the wealthy's decadence. They suggest
that we beg for tiny scraps of justice from the
oppressors.
If you believe that groups of people should not
wield power over other groups, then you should not
support this imperialist system with your vote. Its
blood-stained history is matched by its hideous
present. From the settler wars of conquest in which
it stole the continent from the First Nations,
through the enslavement of millions of Africans,
the ruthless exploitation of generations of Latinos
and Asians, the genocidal wars of "national
interest" in the Third World and today's continued
war against First Nations, Latinos and Blacks
within North Amerika -- this is a regime whose
brutality cannot realistically be cajoled,
reformed, or turned into something else by playing
within its rules!
Q. AREN'T YOU BEING DEFEATIST BY NOT PARTICIPATING
IN ELECTIONS?
RAIL: We don't advocate sitting on our hands as an
alternative to voting. Oppression must be actively
and directly opposed through campaigns exposing the
system for what it is. Such campaigns of agitation
can win concrete concessions such as release of a
framed prisoner or disciplining of a cop who got
caught on videotape. In conducting this agitation,
it is not helpful to build the legitimacy of the
very system we oppose, by voting in it or calling
on people to vote. Instead, we must build
independent power.
At all stages, we must build organizations and
institutions separate from and in opposition to the
government, and that can neither be defused by
concessions nor crushed by police repression.
Building revolution isn't easy. That is no reason
to slow it down by digging in our heels and
defending the legitimacy of the Amerikan state by
voting for it. It's time for a change. DON'T VOTE.
ORGANIZE FOR REVOLUTION!
* * *
MASSES PROTEST DEDICATION OF COLUMBUS STATUE
MIDDLETOWN, CT, 12 October -- A small crowd of
people gathered to protest the dedication of a new
statue honoring Christopher Columbus. The counter-
demonstrators silently distracted the participants
with signs bearing statistics of Columbus'
atrocities. Onlookers were shocked and surprised to
see that anybody would object to their symbol of
settler and Italian nationalism.
One Mohawk womyn explained that her problem was not
with Italians, but with the glorification of
genocide via the statue. The statue was purchased
with $55,000 in private funds and donated to the
city to form the centerpiece of a new park on the
river. The statue bears the inscription dedicating
it to the "triumph of human spirit over adversity."
The adversity which Columbus faced was the Taino
and Arawak peoples who were annihilated by Columbus
and the following settlers.
After the dedication, many participants had looks
of terror because they had to walk past the
counter-demonstrators to leave the park. Many
people decided to brave the mud to avoid people
carrying signs such as, "17,000 raped and
murdered".
The mayor of Middletown asked counter-demonstrators
for facts about Columbus. One of the public-
pigficials came up to one counter-demonstrator and
said, "There is room for everybody's opinion,
right? Heh heh." One RAIL member commented that if
he had really meant that statement he would have
invited the counter-demonstrators to speak.
Columbus didn't have room for the opinions -- or
the existence -- of the Arawak and Taino nations
either. The speakers at the dedication repeatedly
said that the "United States is a nation of
immigrants". This clearly exposes the apartheid
nature of Amerika, as it leaves out the initial
inhabitants of the land mass who were staring them
right in the face.
One First Nations activist explained to RAIL and
other protesters that even on the issue of the
"discovery" alone, Columbus wasn't the hero that
white ideologues make him out to be. For example,
he wasn't the first European to come to North or
South America. Additionally, Columbus makes a
pretty poor "discoverer" since the place he "found"
wasn't what he thought it was. This serves to show
the ideological role of history under imperialism.
The history of Columbus has been changed from the
reality of the blundering pirate and oppressive
murderer that he was to an adventurous hero for
settler masses to hail. Columbus serves as a symbol
of the European conquest of the Americas, and
history has been rewritten to make selling Columbus
as a symbol easier.
One supporter of the statue, and of Democrat Party
candidate for State Senate, Suzio, challenged a
RAIL comrade in his/her opposition to Columbus.
According to him the First Nations were also
responsible for genocide because the four nations
near Plymouth in the 1600s were planning to attack
the Pilgrims and wipe them out. RAIL didn't know
whether this was historically accurate, if it were,
it would be an example of the indigenous struggles
to survive and retain their sovereignty. The tale
shows the imperialist perspective of this critic.
Once again creating the myth that settler masses
faced hardships instead of creating a society off
the backs of oppressed nations.
A womyn from the Mohawk Nation interjected in this
exchange and took this critic to task quickly with
the question: "Are you free? Are your people
free?" He tried to tell her that "This is a free
country, we both are."
The Mohawk womyn explained that she isn't free
because her people have been forced onto
reservations and as someone that now doesn't live
on the reservation, she can't practice her
religion. Freedom is only a privilege given to the
oppressors. When she told him that Amerika
"destroyed her culture" the Suzio supporter moved
closer and angrily snapped back: "I didn't do
anything! You killed my ancestors."
Another Mohawk womyn attempted to set this man
straight:
"That's where the education system has failed you."
Imperialism and colonialism are systems of
oppression where one nation extracts wealth from
another and denies the weaker nation the ability to
determine its own destiny. Imperialism erases the
history of the oppressed and replaces it with a
sanitized history that justifies the corrupt
system. This imperialist rule is often
characterized by wars of extermination against the
oppressed, as the imperialists recognize that the
raw numbers of the oppressed is one of their
greatest strengths.
Successful struggles for national liberation will
bring about new societies where people will be
educated about the old society and role models will
be drawn from truthful accounts of selfless
sacrifice, not mass murder.
* * *
INDONESIAN COMPRADORS BUY AMERIKAN PATRONAGE
by MC45
While the East Timorese struggle for independence
from Indonesian occupation continues and the
Indonesian masses toil under imperialism and the
brutal Suharto regime, the New York Times has
reported on some of the more intimate and
financially involved ties between the Amerikan
government and the Indonesian comprador
bourgeoisie.
The October 11 edition of the Times carried an
article about an Indonesian of Chinese descent who
has spent much of his life traveling to and living
in the United $tates -- especially doing business
in Arkansas where President Klinton used to be the
governor.(1)
While doing business in Arkansas, this Indonesian
businessperson became friends with Klinton and has
since done fundraising for the President's
campaigning, and some behind the scenes diplomatic
negotiations.(1)
MIM remarks on this personal/business/political
relationship because Third World compradors' close
ties to Amerikan government officials and big
bourgeoisie are a snapshot of the agreements
between First and Third World exploiters. These
agreements -- to protect capital export and sustain
repressive governments -- are the basis for the
continuing superexploitation of the Third World
proletariat.
A Maoist class analysis of imperialism demonstrates
that the comprador class of a Third World country
is the sworn enemy of the proletariat -- because
the comprador class is by definition dependent on
the imperialists for its continued existence.
In Indonesia, the comprador government enables
plundering of that country's natural resources, and
employment of Indonesian workers at a rate of $2-3
per day.(2) MIM seeks to consistently expose the
close partnership of the First and Third World
bourgeoisies, and to build public opinion in favor
of the just struggle of the oppressed against this
partnership.
NOTES:
1. The New York Times 11 October 1996, p. 11.
2. "In support of the Indonesian people and in
Condemnation of the Suharto Regime," by the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of the
Philippines, reprinted in MIM Notes 15 September
1996.
* * *
ANTI-COLUMBUS WEEK STARTS WITH LESSONS FROM PINE
RIDGE
by a RAIL comrade
On the first day of Anti-Columbus Week, MIM and
RAIL showed the film "Incident at Oglala". This
film depicted the climate and events surrounding
the shoot-out between AIM members and FBI Agents at
the Lakota, Pine Ridge Reservation South Dakota. It
was this incident that resulted in the death of two
FBI agents for which Leonard Peltier was framed and
is being held captive for two life terms.
This movie shows the FBI's support and military
influence on the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
During this time period (1970's) the BIA and FBI
together used goon squads to terrorize and murder
progressive First Nation activists on the
reservation. The violence was so great on the
reservation that the homicide rate there was higher
than the rest of the state of South Dakota.
The discussion following the film included a range
of topics from the details of the events of the
murder and subsequent trials to the systemic
oppression of imperialism.
Another member of the discussion felt that the
shooting of the FBI agents was not necessarily
something that someone should be punished for as
FBI pigs are agents of repression who must be
opposed. MIM and RAIL are building a united front
against imperialism because it is the most
successful way to oppose agents of repression. We
cannot expect that rebellion, retaliation and self-
defense by the oppressed will go un-punished in the
white man's courts.
Another added that many indigenous people were
terrorized and murdered before and after the FBI
agents were killed, and nobody was accused of these
murders of non-FBI agents. The Amerikkkan injustice
system only prosecuted for the deaths of two white
pigs.
Another point brought up was that Mr. X.,
supposedly the person who actually killed the FBI
agents, is not known. Leonard Peltier and others
present on that day know who Mr. X is but are not
willing to expose him to the pigs because it is not
in their interests to turn others over to the
enemy. Revolutionaries do not act based on
individual interests, but must make decisions based
on the interests of the proletariat.
One purpose of Anti-Columbus week is to educate
people about the history of national oppression.
Columbus was not the first Amerikan murderer and
his legacy has continued. Imperialists use the same
tactics of terror which the barbaric first settlers
used. The righteous struggles of the oppressed must
be spread through independent means in order to get
the story straight and build a correct analysis of
the path forward.
* * *
PROPERTY OWNERS CONTINUE TO RUN AMOK AGAINST "FREE
SPEECH"
CALUMET, IN. -- On September 2nd, an employee of
one of the largest malls in the Chicago area
ordered MIM to stop leaving newspapers on cars in
the parking lot. The River Oaks employee told MIM
"it's against company policy."
Told later that courts have already upheld the
right to hand out literature at malls, the employee
said, "no they haven't." Later he changed his mind
and said, "all right, then you should sue us."
On October 2, 1995, the Supreme Court refused to
hear an appeal of mall-owners in New Jersey who
said they should have the right to do as they
pleased on their property. No Supreme Court judge
dissented on the refusal to hear the case. New
Jersey courts had already rejected the argument of
mall-owners that people handing out leaflets in
1990 to oppose the Gulf War could be stopped.
Since malls are the modern-day equivalent of Main
Street, lawyers and judges have held that mall-
owners must allow leafletting. In practice though,
as MIM has experienced across the united states,
such rulings are on paper only. Only arduous
struggle creates the reality of freedom of
operation for the proletariat that doesn't own a
media conglomerate.
Malls, universities and other places that invite
the public or host public officials have no
business restricting the "free speech" of the
public. The example of our case in Calumet again
proves that it is private property that stands in
the way of the just expression of opinion. People
who think there is "free speech" in this country
haven't tried using their "free speech" as a poor
person. Bourgeois scholars and journalists may
manage to give their limited views, but the poor
and oppressed nation peoples face ferocious
repression.
In Mao's China in the Cultural Revolution the
government gave out paper for the creation of
poetry and also political posters to criticize
government officials. True, those who attacked
Chairperson Mao were seen as attempting to set up a
bourgeois dictatorship. Such people -- a tiny
minority -- were punished, but the vast majority
managed to express more divergent opinions than
exist in u.s. political process. Contrary to
bourgeois propaganda also, the percentage of people
in prison is higher in the repressive united states
than it was in Mao's China.
(See MIM Notes #123 for a details to organize
against the free speech hypocrites.)
* * *
U.$. UNIONS WIN BIG
by MC45
In a stunning example of how Amerikan workers are
not exploited, the union which represents the New
York Times' mailers won a lifetime employment
agreement from the Times in exchange for being more
flexible in where they work.(1)
Amerikan workers live in an international economy
in which Indian trade union leaders are arrested
for leading strikes and the consumer price index
for Indian agricultural workers rose 60 percent
from 1991-94; Filipino agricultural workers make
anywhere from $1.50 to $4.80 per day compared to a
government-determined $9.60 cost of living;(2) and
immigrant workers in Israel pay fees to get their
jobs and are regularly deported without their final
pay.(3)
Compared to these conditions for workers outside
the imperialist countries, the Amerikan New York
Times mailers are paid a base salary of $50,000 per
year and now have their jobs for life.(1)
Revisionist activists -- those who claim the mantle
of Marxism but revise Marx's idea fundamentally --
respond to these numbers saying that the cost of
living in the United $tates is higher than in the
rest of the world and therefore these outrageous
wages are what Amerikan workers need to sustain
themselves.
MIM says: hogwash. Third World people cross U.S.
borders legally and illegally every year in
desperate search of jobs which will pay a fraction
of what the average white Amerikan takes home. If
the cost of living within the belly of the beast
were really so high as the economist labor
aristocracy organizers claim, how could these
migrant workers survive?
MIM builds its revolutionary theory and organizes
from the vantage point of the Third World
proletariat, those workers genuinely oppressed and
exploited by imperialism. We expose the brutality
of Amerikan imperialism abroad and the inequalities
between First and Third World peoples perpetuated
by imperialism in the name of building public
opinion in favor of liberation of the oppressed.
NOTES:
1. New York Times 12 October 1996, p. 16.
2. Maoist Sojourner #9 March 1996.
3. MIM Notes 15 September, 1996.
* * *
CARDINAL LAW: SERVE MORE GRAVY
BOSTON -- Cardinal Law knows the secret of
capitalism today: "Unless we find a way to show
respect for the worker as a worker, then I think
the whole system is going to go. . . I think that
if capitalism doesn't correct itself from within,
capitalism as we know it is going to be in
jeopardy."
This opponent of abortion and the idea of having
wimmin as priests knows very well what preserves
the system. MIM only thinks it's too bad there are
so many people masquerading as radicals who say the
same thing as the Cardinal. It's very safe to be
pro-labor aristocracy these days.
NOTE: Boston Globe 11 July,1996, p. 1.
* * *
MARK FUHRMAN GETS AWAY WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER
by MCB52
The most famous of the racist pigs in this
kkkountry got away with attempted murder with just
a $200 fine and three years of probation. The fact
that Fuhrman, the police officer who lied on the
stand in his effort to convict O.J. Simpson of
murder, was prosecuted at all is an exceptional
case in the criminal injustice system where pigs
lie to prosecute people constantly. The pigs were
mad that a big one got away, and decided to
prosecute the routine behavior to retaliate for
Fuhrman's getting caught. But the light sentence is
hardly justice for a man whose lies included
inventing evidence to convict someone of murder.
What Fuhrman did, and what pigs do routinely when
they lie and invent evidence on the stand, is
itself attempted murder. Black men are killed and
jailed constantly because of pigs' lies. A mere
$200 is not justice for that crime against the
people.
* * *
MARXISM-LENINISM-MAOISM ONLINE
GOVERNMENT TO EXPAND INTERNET TO REACH AMERIKA'S
YOUTH
President Klinton recently pledged to spend $100
million in federal dollars to expand the Internet
in Universities, "national labs and other federal
institutions." His new plan also calls for the
communications industry, including cable and
telephone companies, to collectively fund free
basic Internet telephone access to every
elementary, middle and high school and every
library in the United $tates. The
telecommunications bill passed in February, which
lifted restrictions on cable and other
communications companies involvement in the
Internet market, called for discretionary
discounted access rates for schools.(1)
Our first priority as communists is not that all
First World people have access to the Internet. MIM
recognizes that pumping more money into schools can
mean exacerbating the inequality between rich and
poor schools here -- so that those born with class
and nation privilege will be further subsidized by
the government to protect and enhance that
privilege. For example, Clinton's Internet
expansion plan covers private schools as well, and
it provides additional credit and support for
schools that already have basic Internet access --
for improved access (video conferencing or higher
speed connections).(2) It says nothing about
providing computers to poorer schools, which means
that schools in oppressed nation areas which
currently do not have computers would not be able
to benefit from discounted phone lines. They will
also be less likely to provide the extensive funds
and time needed for training teachers in using and
teaching the technology.
But we also recognize that the Federal role in
education is small compared to local taxation --
which is where the heart of the inequality lies. So
while the plan will definitely expand Internet
access for Amerikan youth, it may also reach more
oppressed nation youth as well. MIM anticipates
that youth will take advantage of this legislation
and seek avenues online for their rebelliousness
against the corrupt Amerikan system.
MIM too will take advantage of the window of
opportunity to reach Amerika's youth through online
agitation as long as their access is still
relatively unimpeded. We will offer free six-month
subscriptions to the electronic edition of MIM
Notes to any high school (or younger) student who
writes to explain their interest in the newspaper.
Just write to mim@mim.org and tell us why you are
interested.
**MIM got the following letter at our Web site from
a high school student, and we hope to see more like
it:**
"I found your page on the Internet while doing a
search for info on the BPP [Black Panther Party],
after I saw the excellent movie 'Panther.'"
"I am a Marxist and definitely agree with all of
your politics, except those about bourgeois
counter-revolution, which I just don't know enough
history to evaluate. I think you are dead on-target
about the unrevolutionary character of most
American whites, though I think there are
definitely more than economic reasons for it. As a
high school student, I see the entire educational
system permeated with crypto white-supremacy on all
levels, from courses that focus on, if not GLORIFY,
the destruction of peace on earth by white
christians.
"I see this same system making non-WASP kids feel
culturally, intellectually, 'morally' religiously
and personally inferior. Not only that, this is
ENFORCED by grading kids on subjective honkey
values on TESTS, bringing down their grades and
reinforcing bullshit ideas of wasp supremacy. I see
this day-to-day. I am forced to keep my political
views silent and my behavior stilted in order to
get a good grade from the predominantly white
racist teachers. I have been discriminated against
in English class for my thick accent, having it
called 'pidgin English (ANGLish)' by blond blue-
eyed Aryan teachers, and threatened not to 'debase'
my role in Sophocles' 'Oedipus at Colonos' AS IF
Sophocles spoke English, let alone with a stilted,
artificial white bread midwestern accent. This sort
of crypto-racism helps keep cultural minorities'
grades and self-esteem low, even in an 'ethnic'
dominated high-school like my own.
"I am saddened by the whole situation. It seems
like the capitalist-destroyers will always win, and
that I risk wasting my life by affiliating with
communist or even liberal political organizations,
or even voicing my opinions. In school, Communism
is deceitfully presented as some sort of
totalitarian regime of oppression, akin to Nazism,
resulting in reactionary youth who cringe at the
word's very mention, and support the instrument of
their own oppression. Many poor black kids in the
ghetto become drug users or dealers, destroying
their own communities and fostering hate from other
people, which means potential comrades live in
mutual hate and fear. If I were to wear a Power to
the People fist to school, most kids would think it
either meant a gang or a 'seig heil.'
"Money for college and career advancement
opportunities are given to those who join ROTC,
which is the training grounds for imperialist
bullying. It seems to be a hopeless situation.
"I am very interested in your organization, which
seems to be down-to-earth and practical, unlike
most armchair bourgeois wannabe-Marxists I see on
the Internet. ...Please send me more info on how to
get involved in your cause."
MIM RESPONDS: Thanks for writing. We hope you got a
chance to read the article that probably came up in
your search and led you to our site -- about the
Black Panther Party's Maoism during their early
years. Whether the Panthers were really communists
is now a point of dispute, especially among ex-
Panthers trying to remake the Party's image. But a
reading of their early literature and documents
leaves no room for doubt. The BPP was the *Maoist*
vanguard of the Black nation in the late 60s.
On bourgeois counter-revolution and capitalist
restoration after the socialist revolution, we
recommend studying Mao's "A Critique of Soviet
Economics" and the textbook "Fundamentals of
Political Economy" published by the so-called Gang
of Four in China. Both are available from MIM --
and we encourage you to build a revolutionary study
group and examine these with others or online with
MIM.
You are definitely right that white supremacy goes
beyond economic motive -- that is, there is a
powerful culture (which Marxists call the
superstructure) supporting the material
substructure -- or class and national oppression.
Your observations about education supporting the
system of national oppression are very true. ROTC
is a stark example.
There are many ways to work with MIM and the
Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League (RAIL). RAIL
is a mass organization of anti-imperialists led by
MIM. MIM publishes a newspaper twice a month, and
RAIL publishes a newspaper every two months. We
encourage you to distribute and contribute articles
to these publications (back issues are on the Web
site). We also need comrades and friends to submit
revolutionary art to illustrate the oppressive
tactics of imperialism.
Our principal task is building public opinion for
proletarian feminist, socialist revolution and
independent power of the oppressed. Two issues we
organize around are the pitfalls of electoralism
and supporting the Maoist-led revolution in the
Philippines. Specifically now, we are fighting to
block the deportation of the founder of the
Communist Party of the Philippines, Jose Maria
Sison from the Netherlands. If he is deported back
to the Philippines he will face certain persecution
under the U.S.-Ramos regime. We printed a copy of
the petition we need copied and signed as well as
additional information. We also do lots of work
around exposing national oppression and social
control through the prison system. We publish
letters from prisoners describing oppressive
conditions and exposing the imperialist motive for
the crazed prison expansion over the last 20 years.
We also publish articles pertaining to the
righteous struggles being waged by prisoners.
Writing articles, handing out the paper in cities
and on campuses, hanging up fliers, organizing
films and speakers -- this is all work we urge you
to get involved in. Keep in touch.
NOTES:
1. Washington Post 11 October, 1996. p. 1. For
MIM's analysis of the telecommunications bill and
the concentration of capital in the communications
industry, see M-L-M Online, MIM Notes 110, March
1996, p.4.
2. Washington Post 11 October, 1996. p. 11.
* * *
ACLU FIGHTS DOC RUN-AROUND AND CENSORSHIP OF MIM
NOTES
**A volunteer attorney working with the American
Civil Liberties Union(ACLU) has taken on the case
of censorship in Washington state prisons. This
case is likely to cover MIM Notes, several other
publications and bulk mailing censorship. The ACLU
told a MIM Notes reporter that a complaint should
be filed this month. Right now only one Washington
state prisoner has contacted the ACLU about MIM
Notes censorship. If there are others in Washington
having problems with censorship, please contact the
ACLU to take part in this case. MIM reprints below
excerpts from the letter sent by the ACLU of
Washington to the Department of Corrections in
Washington.**
ACLU LETTER TO WASHINGTON DOC
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington
(ACLU-W) has received many complaints from
Department of Corrections (DOC) inmates alleging
unconstitutional interference by DOC with their
receipt of mail. [Š]
[Š]We urge you to promptly revise DOC policies as
recommended below, on a statewide basis, in
conformity with the legislature's commands to
provide "uniform" policies "consistent with
constitutional constraints."[Š]
REJECTION OF PUBLICATIONS SENT VIA NONPROFIT BULK
MAIL PERMIT
We have received numerous complaints from Airway
Heights and Washington State Penitentiary (WSP)
inmates and from publishers of publications sent to
inmates regarding rejection of publications sent
via nonprofit bulk mail permit. Indeed, issues of
our own ACLU National Prison Project *Journal* have
been rejected at Airway Heights and destroyed, all
without notice to the inmate or to the ACLU as the
publisher. The National Prison Project newsletter
conforms to each and every postal regulation for
nonprofit bulk mail and clearly satisfies the
United States Postal Service requirements for
delivery to the DOC institutions.[Š]
Yet, inmates at Airway Heights who have filed
grievances in response to these rejections have not
received any valid explanation for the rejection of
all bulk mail. [Š] We fail to see how rejection of
all nonprofit bulk mail satisfies either RCW
72.09.530 or constitutional requirements that
restrictions on inmate mail be tailored to serve
"legitimate penological objectives."
[Š] DOC has not articulated a rational
justification for rejection of this mail sent via
nonprofit bulk rates, much less proven the need for
such a rule.
With respect to the rejections of nonprofit bulk
mail of which we are aware, we have checked the
applicable postal regulations and can identify no
violation.
[Š]It is interesting to note that the grounds
asserted to support the rejection keep changing.
Director Rolfs initially informed inmate X that WSP
allowed offenders to receive free publications sent
via bulk mail provided they had been approved in
advance and the publications did not violate the
DOC mail policy. A few weeks later, the same inmate
was informed by Director Rolfs that this position
was erroneous and that, instead, WSP "does not
accept bulk mail for offenders unless the bulk mail
stamp indicates a Bulk Rate Endorsement." In
response to our inquiry, the postal service stated
that it did not recognize such a term.
[Š]Another publication was rejected from WSP the
first time because it was allegedly not pre-
approved, the second time because it was allegedly
free rather than paid-for, and the third time
because it allegedly was not published by a
recognized non-profit organization. Now we have
heard a fourth rationale offered, the lack of a
"Bulk Mail Endorsement." And, we heard a fifth
rationale in correspondence with WSP earlier this
year, in which WSP demanded a federal tax
identification number be provided before an inmate
could receive a free publication. Just recently, we
learned of a sixth rationale: an alleged need for
an "address correction" or "return postage
guaranteed" endorsement on the mail (which costs
extra money for the nonprofit sender) because the
publication has to be "forwarded" from the prison
mailroom to the inmate's cellblock. The second,
third, fourth, fifth and sixth rationales appear
nowhere in DOC Policy 450.100. Instead, DOC appears
to fall back on language in Policy 450.100,
Procedure A.2.k. and E.3.b., (also appearing in WAC
137-48-040(1)(1)), which simply recites that mail
or a publication can be rejected if it is "deemed
to be a threat to legitimate penological
objectives."
We appreciate that in some circumstances an
institution must retain the discretion to decide
when mail or a publication actually threatens
legitimate penological objectives. But the ongoing
inability to provide a *consistent* rationale for
rejecting mail and publications demonstrates the
impermissible vagueness of the above two policy
provisions. The frequent recourse to ever-changing
"legitimate penological objectives" has a chilling
effect on free expression rather than promoting the
free exchange of ideas as required by RCW
72.09.530. The frequently changing rationales
described above appear to prove the type of
arbitrary, "exaggerated" response to prison
concerns that would not survive scrutiny under
*Turner v. Safley*, 482 U.S. 78 (1987) and
*Thornburgh v. Abbott*, 490 U.S. 401 (1989).
While *Turner* and *Thornburgh* grant substantial
deference to prison officials to determine what are
"legitimate penological objectives," the mere
recitation of these magic words does not
necessarily satisfy the courts. Washington's DOC
has lost a significant number of inmate lawsuits
regarding rejection of mail. [Letter continues by
citing court cases in which the DOC's arbitrary
application of this was criticized. -ed.]
REJECTION OF POLITICAL PUBLICATIONS
Our most pressing concerns are those relating to
the apparent abuses of the prior approval policy
and rejection of "bulk mail" as described above.
However, there is an additional inmate mail matter
on which we have received complaints which we
believe is in violation of RCW 72.09.530 and
constitutional provisions as well. DOC has issued a
statewide order rejecting the publication *MIM
Notes* (published by the Maoist Internationalist
Movement). Mr. Rolfs has ruled that each and every
issue of the publication violates DOC policy
450.100E.3.b. because it incites violence and is a
threat to legitimate penological objectives. [Š]
[W]e believe the rejection is an "exaggerated"
response to prison concerns.
There is no evidence the strongly expressive
political language used in *MIM Notes* would
actually incite violence in any Washington state
prison. The courts have required strongly-worded
political material to be accepted in prison mail.
[court cases cited - ed.] As the Court in *Nichols*
noted, an inmate's opportunity to read a political
publication may serve to "nourish the prisoner's
mind," [Š] Whatever one's views may be about the
content of *MIM Notes*' message, it does not
present a direct threat to order or security of the
institution when a publication urges building
public opinion about armed struggle, not the armed
struggle itself.
Our interest in the rejection of *MIM Notes* was
increased because just this past year we received
complaints that Washington prisons had rejected the
publication *Black Autonomy*. We were given
conflicting rationales as to the reason this
publication was rejected. [Š]
RECOMMENDED REMEDIES
* Enact a statewide policy prohibiting DOC
institutions from rejecting nonprofit bulk mail;
* Enact a statewide policy making clear that
publications including *Prison Legal News* and the
ACLU National Prison Project *Journal* shall not be
rejected as inmate mail;
* Enact a statewide policy clarifying that the
policy referring to a "threat of imminent violence"
does not include strong political statements but
instead is limited to threats of actual imminent
violence, and cannot be used to reject publications
such as *MIM Notes* or *Black Autonomy*.
As noted above, several inmates are already in the
process of exhausting administrative remedies
preparatory to filing lawsuits on these matters. We
plan to assist such litigation if we cannot resolve
these matters promptly. [..]
American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, 705
Second Avenue, Suite 300 Hoge Building, Seattle, WA
98104-1799
MIM REPLIES:
MIM appreciates the ACLU's efforts on behalf of MIM
Notes and its readers. MIM supports fighting
winnable reformist battles within the context of
building public opinion for socialist revolution.
The ACLU approach correctly takes on winnable
battles and we unite with the ACLU on these battles
but we go further to also build independent power
of the oppressed, so that we will not have to rely
on the oppressors' courts. Reformist approaches can
win important gains, but reformism as a strategy is
a dead-end for the oppressed.
The ACLU's charge that censorship of MIM Notes is a
"violation" of MIM's "rights to free speech" is a
useful tactic to take within the imperialist
courts. We must expose hypocrisy and double
standards when it comes to so-called rights. MIM
believes that under the dictatorship of the
bourgeoisie free speech does not exist. Instead,
speech is won through power struggles. Similarly,
the letter above states that Amerikkka's prisons
should be allowed to exercise their "legitimate
penological objectives" as long as they don't
overstep their legal bounds. MIM says the system
itself is criminal. Imperialist war-mongers and
oppressors must be stopped in exercising their
"penological objectives" against the oppressed.
While we have these ideological disagreements with
ACLU, we understand the importance of these legal
battles to expand MIM's ability to reach our many
supporters in the prisons. We do not have the
resources necessary to fight all the legal battles
we would like to take on and we encourage other
prisoners currently engaged in these fights against
censorship in Washington to contact the ACLU to
offer support and evidence of censorship of MIM's
publications.
* * *
PIGS IN FORD HEIGHTS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE "DRUG
WAR"
by MCB52
In the basically all-Black Chicago suburb of Ford
Heights, the police have finally been indicted for
their complicity of the drug trade on the streets.
According to the indictment, six present and former
officers took bribes to look the other way as 20
dealers sold heroin and crack. They also tipped off
the dealers about the actions of other law
enforcement agencies and blocked the drug deals of
rival gangs. All this for more than a decade.
The residents of Ford Heights are glad that the
pigs are being reprimanded. They are unmoved by the
fact that the pigs are poorly paid in this
impoverished town. One man in the community said "I
don't care if they were only making $5 an hour,
that doesn't give you the right to break the law."
This is half correct. The law itself is not what
people should use to judge the correctness of an
action, since the laws are made be the people in
power to control, not to serve, the people. But
what the officers did was a crime against the
people.
Another resident told the New York Times: "It's so
hard to raise kids here. We need the police to be
helping us, not helping the drug dealers." In the
abstract, she is correct. Under socialism, the
police should serve the needs of the people, but as
long as the police are the arm of the imperialist
state, rather than the oppressed nations, her wish
will not be fulfilled. The people need to control
the police if they want them on the right side.
Note: New York Times, 13 October, 1996, p. 14.
* * *
CRIMINAL INJUSTICE SYSTEM RESISTS CHALLENGES TO
ANTI-GANG UNITS
According to the US Constitution, citizens get due
process and are not punished merely for whom they
associate with. In the reality - like at Walpole
prison -- Latino prisoners are being systematically
denied these "rights" as they are categorized as
being in "security threat groups" (gangs) with
scant evidence of membership and no evidence of
wrongdoing.
September 1996 marked some legal progress and
setbacks in challenging the oppressive status quo.
Anti-imperialists should support these legal
struggles while also building public opinion and a
mass movement for a thorough-going critique of the
prison system.
The Department of Corruption's crusade against
gangs is all about increasing repression.
Selectively targeting Latinos for special lockdown
units -- between 90-95% of those in the units are
Latinos -- it is a particularly clear case of
prisons as an instrument of national oppression.
The gangs targeted are the Latin Kings, la Familia,
and la Nieta. La Nieta is considered by many not to
be a gang in the traditional sense at all, but more
of a prisoner rights group. Regardless, all three
groups have potential as base areas of support for
Latino liberation.
There are no hearings to determine who is a gang
member. There is simply a questionnaire-type form
that is filled out by the pigs. It has a point
system, with each "criterion" having a set amount
of points. If a prisoner gets ten or more points,
he is considered a gang member. A "known group
tattoo," for example, is 8 points. Obviously the
pigs don't have a good grasp of the subtleties of
tattoos, and one on any Latino can be perceived as
a "known marking." Never mind if the prisoner got
it ten years ago, it's supposed evidence of current
association. That plus something small like
possession of some gang documents, a "secret
handshake" or association with pig-identified
members, and the prisoner is doomed to never go
below minimum security for the duration of his
sentence.
Those labeled gang members receive extreme sensory
deprivation which has been shown to cause mental
problems and is internationally recognized as a
method of torture. They are only out of their cells
for one hour for four out of every five day cycle,
and if they work out they cannot shower the same
day.
Two items of litigation by the Massachusetts
Correctional Legal Services (MCLS) are challenging
these injustices at Walpole. Last year, the case of
Haverty V. Dubois challenged the original lockdown
at Walpole, and won, stopping the official
lockdown. But the lockdown has subsequently entered
a new phase, transforming Walpole from a
temporarily locked-down prison-in-crisis to a
permanent lockdown facility.
MCLS has extended that case, a class action on
behalf of all prisoners serving time now or
potentially at Walpole. Further, it won a case
recently against the "gang blocks" (lockdown
units). The judge granted the Department of
Corruption a stay, so the torture continues as the
state prepares its appeal.
As progressive lawyers are fighting within the
system, we should be doing all we can from the
outside to agitate people on behalf of prisoners,
especially those in gang blocks and segregation
units. We need to shift the public discourse from
the current bickering (between Kerry and Weld, for
example) on how best to torture prisoners, to one
where the whole notion of punishment for crimes as
politically defined is challenged. If you'd like a
petition against control units to circulate, RAIL
has already written them up. Drop us a line and
we'll gladly send you a copy. Better yet, work with
RAIL on the prison campaign. There is a lot of work
to be done, from writing, editing and distributing
this newspaper to organizing public revolutionary
events.
* * *
PIG BRUTALITY PLEASES LAPD'S CHIEF WILLIAMS
NORTHRIDGE, CA., 25 September -- The arrival of
fascist politician David Duke to California State
University at Northridge prompted protest from
leftists and revisionists. The cops as usual came
to protect the fascist from the 'wrath of the
masses.'
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) deployed
over 150 of its Metro Division officers, including
20 horse-mounted officers and members of the strike
force. The helmet-clad pigs used rubber bullets,
tear gas and batons on the anti-fascists and
revisionists.
Several protesters were injured, including a man
who was hospitalized for head wounds caused by a
baton blow.(1)
Brutality and defense of fascism are the norm for
the LAPD. Ask the police chief, Willie Williams.
Says Williams, "Yesterday, at Cal State Northridge,
you saw the LAPD at its best....I am extremely
pleased with our response."(2)
NOTES:
1. UCLA Daily Bruin, 27 September 1996, p. 1.
2. Los Angeles Times, 27 September 1996, p. A3.
* * *
NORML FIGHTS CRIMINAL INJUSTICE BUT STILL STUCK IN
AMERIKAN INDIVIDUALISM
Some libertarians are beginning to notice what MIM
has been saying all along--that the united states
is not a bastion of liberty but the leading prison
state in the world. Recently the publications
director of the National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) noted this as well
in an article about his pet cause.
"America's jail and prison levels have skyrocketed
due to zero-tolerance and mandatory minimum
sentencing. The United States now incarcerates a
larger percentage of its population than any other
country . . .
"The Supreme Court ruled that the property of an
individual who has been deemed innocent of illegal
activity can still be forfeited to the state."(1)
We applaud NORML for working successfully to
release 1000 prisoners from federal prison with an
argument about more consistent sentencing. However,
the fact that the united states leads the world in
imprisonment based on an average of the last ten
years should be more alarming to Paul Armentano
than the middle-class's inability to smoke pot
legally.
Given that being the world's leading police state
did not impress Paul Armentano to the proper
degree, we are not surprised that he also said,
"Essentially, we have done a full reverse from a
society founded on the concepts of individual
liberties and limited government to a country that
treats its population as a nation of suspects."(1)
Actually, it was never true that the united states
was a land of liberty. Perhaps in the past there
was once a time when white settlers individually
had the liberty to kill Indians and enslave slaves,
but we cannot say there was ever a time of liberty
in the united states. It was always just a myth of
middle-classes, first those who settled land and
ran their own farms and now that of the petty-
bourgeoisie and labor aristocracy generally. These
classes like to believe they are above the class
struggle between the bourgeoisie and the
proletariat and that everything is a matter of
individuality.
Armentano, like many other libertarians, needs to
kick the dogma: the united states was never a free
country. The land of individualism always meant the
land of gun-toting genocide.
We are with all of NORML's very rational arguments-
-that other legal drugs do more damage and we have
way too many people in prison for drug use. To find
a comparable imprisonment rate we would have to
look at other countries during war time.(2) Such a
rational train of thought should lead one to
communist politics in the same way that pro-life
Christians who really care about infant deaths
should check out the record on which system starves
them to death by the 14 million each year.
When the imprisonment rate is this high, the
society needs to be reorganized. In a communist
society, people would not seek drugs to escape the
powerlessness of their lives, because class,
national and gender oppression would be eliminated.
We believe that pot is indeed a drug used for
decadent reasons and that we need our comrades to
consciously avoid escaping reality by any means
necessary. We also can't create legal reasons for
the state to arrest our comrades and this means our
comrades must avoid illegal drugs. If that means
that they have to use legal escapism -- video
games, movies and even alcohol-- then so be it,
because we want our comrades on the streets, not in
prison.
NORML is a typical middle-class organization with
great influence in Amerika. It holds the illusion
of individual liberty in Amerika, but it is still
our friend as part of the united front against
fascism. We invite the followers of NORML to
scrutinize the rest of society as thoroughly as
they do the issue of pot.
NOTES:
1. What's the Point: The Magazine for Your
Generation, (603) 465-3423, September 1996, p. 7.
2. Write to MIM for a RAIL pamphlet on imprisonment
statistics. For more on Amerikan prisons, order MIM
Theory 11: Amerikkkan Prisons on Trial ($6).
* * *
SEND FUNDS FOR MAOIST LITERATURE TO PRISONERS
The number of men and wimmin in Amerika's gulags
approached 1.6 million last year. One out of every
167 Amerikans were locked up in prisons or jails.
The total incarcerated within the Injustice system
increased by 113% since 1985.(1) As Amerika resorts
to imprisoning more people to control its internal
colonies and to hide its poor, MIM organizes to
stop the repression both inside and outside the
walls. And we need your help.
As many prisoners know first hand, our ability to
send revolutionary literature to prisoners is
limited by available funds, not by interest from
the prisoners. Based almost entirely on word-of-
mouth within Amerika's dungeons, the number of
prisoners requesting free subscriptions to MIM
Notes, Maoist Sojourner and Notas Rojas has been
growing by leaps and bounds each month.
The masses across North America stepped forward to
help the proletariat advance towards producing
English-language Maoist publications weekly. In
April, MIM Notes began to come out twice a month.
RAIL has stepped up production of RAIL Notes to
once every other month and is looking forward to
making this new publication a monthly. The organs
are necessary to expose the atrocities committed
under imperialism and to organize to put a stop to
oppression.
A shortage of funds keeps us from sending out the
publications in a timely manner to the prisoners.
RAIL Notes is not yet consistently sent to the
prisoners at all. To be able to send MIM Notes,
Maoist Sojourner and Notas Rojas to our current --
let alone growing -- mailing list, our goal is to
solicit sustaining contributions totally $150 a
month. Smaller amounts and one time contributions
would also be helpful in meeting this important
goal.
NOTE: Los Angeles Times, 19 August, 1996.
* * *
UNDER LOCK & KEY: NEWS FROM PRISONERS AND PRISONS
PRISONER MAINTAINS POSITIVE FOCUS DESPITE PIG
RETALIATORY FRAME-UP
Dear Comrade,
My situation at this time is one of repression. I
nonetheless, have survived worse, I certainly will
survive this. I have been framed and put on lock-up
for a small amount of time. I believe [they have
done this] to let me know that they
(Administrators) can do whatever they want and get
away with it. However, my path is unchanged! I will
try to give you a brief history of the events that
led to my present situation (lockup).
I first wrote a Letter/ARP listing the complaints I
had/have with this administration (E.C.I.) and sent
it to several places, anticipating no response from
the warden. But the Maryland Commission on
Correctional Standards, one of the organizations I
sent the letter of complaints to, forwarded it to
the warden, making him respond and angry.
I had a brief discussion with one of (the warden's)
lackeys. Then another [conversation] accompanied by
another lackey. It was then that the second lackey
decided to put me on Ad. Seg. [Administrative
Segregation] pending an investigation. The reason
for this was because he decided that I have
something to do with the disturbance that took
place, in the unit I resided, on July 13, 1996. The
letter/ARP was written and sent in on June 26, 1996
and some of the language, according to lackey #2,
was troubling to him, therefore, my being placed on
lockup justified.
They have 96 hours to take you up for
Classification Team Hearing when on Ad. Seg. It was
during this hearing that it was decided they were
going to show me something (their power over me)
because I wouldn't back down from them. They
fabricated a ticket, which stated "If I stay here,
I'm going to start a riot." and "I helped start the
disturbance a few weeks ago in unit #3."
I only received 30 days on lock-up mostly because
all the other tickets I had within the last few
years, I beat, therefore giving me a good
adjustment record. During my discussions with these
people (all of them white) I never lost my temper
even slightly. As a matter of fact, I sort of
laughed at them, because I knew they were angry not
so much about the complaints themselves, but
because I had sent them out to various places of
which they still don't know them all. Because of
this they felt the need to retaliate against me,
violating my first amendment right, to access
without retaliation, therefore the fabrication and
unjust imprisonment.
It was during my Adjustment Hearing that this tom,
bootlicking, white ass kissing ... told me that I
should learn to keep my composure because he was
going to find me guilty of those rule violations
cited on the ticket. It was then that I started to
lose my composure, but only a little. It was how he
said it, the way he said it that irritated me. It
also told me that this guy has assimilated so well
in the mainstream (white culture) that he doesn't
live in reality. This reality is that white people
(white men in particular) have always conspired
against other people, especially those of color.
but he (the hearing officer) wouldn't believe
[it]....
It is funny in a sad way, that people like him
believe that because they have assimilated so well
that [they believe] all Black people should
assimilate. I proudly say that I am not that kind
of man.... It is fine, however, that I have to
experience this ordeal, because I know that nothing
or something doesn't come without sacrifice and
struggle. This serves to make me stronger... I
realize that life is a culmination of experiences
upon which one is supposed to learn from, extract
the knowledge, wisdom and understanding that can be
gained from the them and apply it to oneself. I am
always trying to gain that knowledge, wisdom and
understanding, ... so my experiences serve me well.
--A Maryland Prisoner, 12 August, 1996
ILLINOIS PIGS INCREASE REPRESSIVE PRISON POLICIES
...I have finally received your newsletter.... I
greatly appreciate this because it helps me to
broaden by input on certain subjects happening here
at the Pontiac Correctional Center. Well I am sorry
to report that we have lost a few battles here at
Pontiac. As of Jan. 1, 1997, inmates at all IDOC
[Illinois Department of Corrections] Facilities,
will not be supplied with 3 state envelopes. This
means that the indigent individuals will not be
able to write home or to their attorneys, unless
he/she has money in the trust fund account. [Which
they won't since indigent means without funds. --
MIM]
I felt that they were really going to make more
money on the phone calls, but then they hit us with
a new bomb to try to disable us. About 2 weeks ago,
they took the phones away, stating that we cannot
use the phone if we are in C-grade. (The majority
of the Brothers in Pontiac are in C-grade ) I found
out that the reason they are doing this is because
they are scared to death that we will contact the
media about the going-ons that are happening at
Pontiac. Here are three prime examples:
(1) No state pay allowance given to inmates is
segregation even though state legislators approved
an allowance for "All" prisoners in the Illinois
Department of Corrections.
(2) Poor medical treatment given to prisoners in
the IDOC. (I have had an injured hip for 5 months
now and have still not been given medical treatment
. All they have given me is their medical cure for
everything, which is 400 mg of ibuprofen. They give
you this even if you are dying of a heart attack.)
(3) Staff here are provoking prisoners to assault
them [by] calling them Bitches, punks, spicks,
wetbacks and other racial slurs, knowing that it
will make a person react negatively toward them.
Then they give you disciplinary reports and throw
you in the segregation unit, sometimes even
assaulting you after they handcuff you and throw
years at you to serve in segregation!
Well as I said before, Thank you.. I appreciate
receiving your paper. Keep it coming as it is an
inspiration and helps me keep fighting.
Respectfully submitted,
-- An Illinois Prisoner, 16 September, 1996
NEW YORK CENSORS MIM NOTES
Dear MIM,
Every time you send me Notes, I couldn't have them
because the media review committee here at this
facility fells that they are too violent. So what
I'm saying is until I leave this facility, stop
sending me Notes that promote violence 'cause they
are not going to let me have them. Thank you.
The name of the person who wouldn't let me have
them is Larry Woodward, Chairperson. MIM Notes #
119 and #120 were the Notes I couldn't have.
--A New York Prisoner, 22 September, 1996
Letters of protest can be addressed to: Larry
Woodward, Chairperson of Median Review Committee,
Box 500. Elmira, NY 14902-0500.
PELICAN BAY CONTINUES TO CENSOR MIM NOTES
***In the past month MIM has received several
letters from prisoners being held at Pelican Bay
State Prison in Crescent City California. The all
have reported extensive and virtually complete
censorship of MIM Notes.
-- RCG1, 9 October, 1996.***
Greetings,
I am writing to inform you that your last 4 issues
of MIM Notes have been deemed a "threat to the
security of the institution". Therefore prison
authorities have refused to deliver them to me.
I wrote you not long ago requesting an affidavit or
letter which I could use on my litigation which I
started last year when your publication was first
denied to me. Anyway, I guess it would be best to
take me off your mailing list, to save costs, until
I can resolve this legally. I could still use a
letter or affidavit though or any information in
this area. Gracias.
In Struggle,
-- A California Prisoner, 22 September, 1996.
Dear MIM,
...You asked me to send you the names of other
publications that have been denied because of
censorship. There are several I can think of right
off hand, well at least a couple. First, Black
Autonomy... and Second, Raze The Walls...
-- A second California Prisoner, 26 August, 1996
Letters of protest can be addressed to: Pelican Bay
State Prison,, 5905 Lake Earl Dr.,, Crescent City,
CA 95531.
To Whom it May Concern
I am in regards today of your recent
correspondence, I received in light of your
publication. The prison here at Gander Hill,
Wilmington, Delaware has sent back the literature I
was supposed to receive. Point is this place ain't
Shit.
Presently I have 3 pending lawsuits against this
institution for various reasons, that publicly need
to be addressed once and for all. This recent
thing, as far as censorship is concerned, only adds
fuel to the fire, on my behalf. This whole
institution, for the Sentencing Commission on down
to the ordinary Correctional officer who oversee
funding and operations as far as keeping the place
functional, is totally illegal.
Point is, this Department of Corrections here still
gets away with entirely too much shit. The old
saying goes, "Inmates run the jail!" Well come to
this shit-hole and the inmates do not.... I have
been housed on the Maximum Security Unit for almost
7 months now, because I am the one who stands up
for my rights and other prisoners as well.
The Classification Board will not classify me to
another facility because I have been labeled, "a
threat to the rehabilitating society", and a very
"high security risk" because I've been labeled an
anti-social political prisoner. Heck even Governor
Thomas Carper of the State of Delaware is seeing to
it personally that, "I am fine where I'm at."
I take it that "too much knowledge of one's self"
is against the Correctional Process an inmate has
to endow upon before his or her release into
today's society. People are crazier than me on the
streets. What gives? These politicking ass
lawmakers come up with some very structural laws,
but when it comes to enforcing them, they go
against the grain so to speak....
I personally thank you in addressing the problem
that has occurred. I will see to it that a
political force will win a non-frivolous lawsuit,
in the State of Delaware.
Your Brother in Struggle,
-- A Delaware Prisoner, 30 August, 1996
RCG1 responds:
This letter clearly demonstrates the oppressive and
controlling forces in prisons. Censoring political
literature and putting leaders in segregation are
pig tactics use to weaken and divide the masses.
Remember the prison system is imperialism's way of
controlling people. Delaying release dates due to
political beliefs is part of this control. When
laws are enforced in Amerikkka , they are used to
keep the internal colonies oppressed. It may seem
"against the grain", but it is intentional because
oppressed nationals and politically active people
are seen as a threat to Amerikkka's current system
of imperialism.
10 October, 1996.
MICHIGAN SYSTEM REPEATEDLY OPPRESSES PRISONERS
Governor John Engler
Office Of The Governor
State Capitol Building
Lansing, MI 48913
Dear Governor Engler:
I forward this letter to you out of concern for the
state of affairs that is taking place within the
Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) and that
which I will undoubtedly face upon my release from
prison. First I'd like to address the problem of
"accountability" within the MDOC. This is a very
big issue and it is something prisoners are always
upheld to. However, corrections officials are
routinely doing various acts that assumes no
accountability and when a prisoner happens to file
a grievance (which is a joke within itself) nothing
is ever done and almost always the grievant is told
higher grievance is frivolous. No matter how much
factual material presented. Here is an example of
lack of MDOC accountability:
In July 1995, Six Corrections Officers (C.O.)
tackle a prisoner by the name of Frank McBride, at
the Michigan Parole Camp, in Jackson, because he
was suspected of swallowing drugs. During the
struggle he was handcuffed and ended up dying.
Prisoners who attempted to report the events;
prisoners who attempted to gather information for
Mr. McBride's family were transferred from Parole
Camp (a level 1 facility) and transferred to other
leveled facilities, some being transferred to
higher secured facilities. No administrative
hearings, no formal reasons given. No one has been
charged for this death and it has been "covered-
up".
Another example is what took place at the Scotts
Correctional Facility in July 1995, when a female
prisoner by the name of ..., was found hogged-tied
and beaten into a coma in her room. A room where
she does not have her own key to get in but must be
let in by an officer. There is no one being held
accountable in this action, though it is being
investigated by the U.S. Justice Department.
Another case in point; when one Officer R. McGill
punched a prisoner in the face and attacked him at
the Egeler Correctional Facility in August 1995.
The officer was laid off and the prisoner
transferred, only for the officer to resume working
at the same prison. Yet a prisoner who is simply
"horseplaying" will receive a Majored misconduct,
thrown in detention, found guilty, given more lock-
up time, loss of good time, added security points,
security (possibly) raised and (possibly) flopped
by the Parole Board. And finally, the latest
irresponsible acts of C. O's at the E.C. Brooks
Correctional Facility: one officer busted bringing
drugs into the prison and fired, the other fighting
the case...
My point is this...prisoners are held to standards
that are above and beyond the average human being
and prisoners are expected to never question
authority, even if that authority is in violation.
Which brings me to this next issue.
Earlier this year the full House and Senate
approved housing authorization bills (H.R. 2406 and
S. 1260), which rewrite large portions of the
public housing and Section 8 programs. Though this
legislation is in conference committee now, but
when enacted will dismantle the Brooke Amendment.
Under the amendment a family living in subsidized
housing and had to pay 30 percent of their yearly
income for rent will pay more.
Removing the 30-percent cap provided by the Brooke
Amendment will cause monthly rents to skyrocket for
most people, especially prisoners returning to
society with little or no real income. What
provisions have been made for the ex-prisoner upon
his/her release for obtaining adequate shelter,
employment and job-skills? Since welfare is no
longer available for able-bodied" persons, that
leaves the ex-prisoner in a very vulnerable
situation. The attack on welfare by President
[K]linton and with "your" approving endorsement,
not only are non-offenders hurting as a result of
this, but those coming out of prison will be really
hurting and in need. No one has mentioned this and
no one seems to care. And this is what I mean (in
principle) about "accountability". Naturally the
poor are the ones being targeted and the most
vulnerable but so to are ex-prisoners.
Where do we go for help? Where do we go for the
opportunity to make change: effective and
responsible change and become a productive citizen
and taxpayer? Where do we get jobs?
As an Afrikan Amerikan, this hits me even harder
because I come from an urban area. The recent
signing by [K]linton of the Dole welfare bill will
have an especially devastating effect in Michigan.
"Your State". The most hard hit by this will be
African American cities and Detroit is definitely
one of the cities that will be hit. For example;
the Michigan unemployment rate in July 1996 was 5.4
percent. But in Detroit (to my understanding) the
'official' rate was 11.1 percent, Flint 13 percent,
and Benton Harbor 26 percent. So where will the
jobs be for those coming out of prison? And without
jobs how are the prisoner suppose to pay the costs
for being on parole supervision? These questions
are basic and fundamental and have not been
addressed by "any" politician. Not even "your"
office. Again, we are talking about
"accountability", and we can even add
"responsibility".
Since my incarceration I have made many inner
changes and have dedicated myself towards the re-
educating myself and my community. But somewhere in
this process...the leadership...the political
leadership will and must take a strong position.
Somewhere within this process the problem has to be
addressed.
In conclusion, the MDOC has not worked. It has not
worked to improve the thinking of its incarcerated.
It has not worked to ensure prisoners returning
back into society will be forthright citizens and
not burdens on the system. The MDOC has not
provided anything remotely related to "Correcting"
deviate behaviors and have effectively made sure
that education is all but destroyed within the
prison system. Until and unless these fundamental
changes are addressed, "your" administration will
not escape histories frown.
I thank you very much for your time.
-- A Michigan Prisoner, 10 September, 1996
RCG1 Adds,
This article shows the repressive and controlling
nature of Amerikkka's prison system. Prisoners are
held to a different standard than pigs. Prison
officials are encouraged and rewarded when they are
brutal, while prisoners are punished for trivial
things. Just remember that is "lack of
accountability" is an intentional part of the
Amerikkkan system. All the above examples show how
the prison system is used to control the lives and
livelihoods of people, especially oppressed
nationals.
How can one "become a productive responsible
taxpayer?", We suggest that this is not a desirable
goal. The best way to become productive and
responsible is to educate and organize against
imperialism. Help build Maoist revolutionary
communists organizations. Don't support the system
that is torturing and murdering human beings, work
to overthrow it.
11 October, 1996
CALL TO ORGANIZE AGAINST OPPRESSION
Revolutionary Greetings:
Clenched-fist!/All power to the People!
I am a New Afrikan politically conscious prisoner
being held kaptive in one of united states' most
racist and repressive kkkoncentration kamp known as
united state penitentiary in Florence, Colo.
There is widespread racism and discrimination that
exists within the hierarchy of this administration
and the chain of command of pigs. During the past
10 months, New Afrikan prisoners are criminally and
sadistically assaulted (physically attacked) for no
justifiable reason whatsoever. This cycle of
brutality continues today.
The pigs involved in these incident covered up
their unlawful conduct by making it appear as
though the New Afrikans had assaulted them first.
(a tactic) commonly used when pigs want to cover up
their use of excessive force against a New Afrikan
prisoner.
One of the primary reasons why these criminal and
sadistic assaults are taking place here at this
kkkoncentration kamp is that this racist warden
here flatly refuses to take proper action against
his subordinates whenever they abuse New Afrikan
prisoners. This lets the pigs know that whatever
they feel like doing to the New Afrikan here at
this kkkoncentration kamp will be covered up and
justified. Many more New Afrikans will be attacked
for no reason whatsoever. These pigs here have set
out to systematically harass publicly chastise, and
try to intimidate New Afrikan prisoners by using
intimidation tactics.
I am seeking the support of all who read this
article and requesting that you write or fax
letters of protest to the below listed people and
demand that they vigorously investigate the
criminal and sadistically assaults. And demand a
end to this blatant brutality. Please write or fax
letters to the following:
Warden Joel H. Knowles, USP/High, 5880 State Hwy 67
So., Florence, Co. 81226, Fax No. (719) 784-5150
Director of Prisons Kathleen Hawk, 320 1st Street
N.W. Rm. 645, Washington, D.C. 20534, Fax No. (202)
514-6878
Office of Internal Affairs, 320 1st Street N.W. Rm.
670, Washington, D.C. 20534, Phone No. (202) 307-
3286
If we are going to be successful in overcoming a
lot of the obstacles which we are constantly
confronted with, we are going to have to start
forming united fronts and establish bases of
support through which we can collectively support
each other and combat enemy aggression.
Those who is reading this article, I'm asking for
your help and support to end this brutality that's
being inflicted upon New Afrikan prisoners here in
this desolated area. For more information, please
contact me personally. [Write to MIM, we'll
forward.] All power to the People who don't fear
freedom!!
Freedom Now,
--A Colorado Prisoner, 13 September, 1996
***WHAT NON-PRISONERS CAN DO TO SUPPORT
PRISONERS***
*1. Struggle with, work with, finance and join MIM.
The best way to support prisoners is to overthrow
the system under which capitalists profit from the
exploitation of prisoners. History shows that the
best way to do this is to build a Marxist-Leninist-
Maoist party. The oppressors will not give up their
power without a fight.
*2. Finance MIM's prison work. Our biggest bill
each month is postage. Most of the prison comrades
who read MIM Notes have no way of paying for it. So
if you have money, send what you can afford. Every
cent helps, and stamps are as good as cash to us.
*3. Distribute MIM Notes and Notas Rojas. Bring the
voices of prisoners and their supporters to as
large and wide an audience of people as possible.
Contact MIM for bulk rates and distribution tips.
*4. Start or join a prison support group. MIM can
provide advice and resources to help you build
public opinion for prisoners and their struggles.
*5. Fight censorship, beatings, torture and other
fascist outrages. Under Lock and Key often features
the addresses of prisoners' friends and enemies.
Work with the friends and let the enemies know
you're watching. (Don't expect to win the fascists
to the side of humanity, however. See #1 in this
list).
*6. Stay in touch. Keep us informed of pro-prisoner
work you do. Our readers might find it educational
or inspirational.
***WHAT PRISONERS CAN DO TO BUILD MIM***
*1. Start a study group. This is the best way to
share materials and ideas. In groups, prisoners can
better benefit from the limited resources MIM has.
*2. Get MIM Notes and MIM Theory into your library.
This allows one copy of the paper to be seen by
many comrades.
*3. Contact people on the outside. MIM needs
comrades and allies everywhere. Maybe you know
people on the outside who want to subscribe to MIM
Notes or distribute it.
*4. Share materials. If MIM sends books or
periodicals, please make sure that as many people
as possible get a chance to read them.
*5. Write MIM at least every three months.
Otherwise, you will be dropped from our mailing
list. There are many cases where your keepers throw
out MIM Notes, so we need to know that you actually
get it. Also, comrades are moved around a lot,
especially those who are known to be political.
Please let us know of any address changes as soon
as you know them.
*6. Make MIM Distributors an official distributor.
Many prisons require registration before MIM can
send books or other materials. Usually we can
comply with these bogus rules. It helps immensely
to have someone there do the reasearch and send us
the proper forms.
*7. Send money or stamps. Our biggest bill each
month is postage. Most of the prison comrades who
read MIM Notes have no way of paying for it. So if
you have money, send what you can afford. Every
cent helps, and stamps are as good as cash to us.
Please make all checks payable to "MIM
Distributors."
*8. Write for MIM Notes or Notas Rojas. Prisoners
write almost all of Under Lock & Key. We don't
care if you know how to spell or write good English
or Spanish. Write on any topic you like, it does
not have to be a prison story.
*9. Translate. If you can read and write English
and another language fluently, let us know. Any
translation work you do will help us make Maoist
ideas accessible to more people.
*10. Fight censorship. When you know of censorship
of books or newspapers, investigate. Write to MIM
to confirm what has happened, then see what you can
do about it.
*11. Keep in touch after your release. Many
comrades stop doing political work after their
release. Write to MIM as soon as you know where
you'll be so we can hook you up with comrades on
the outside.
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