MIM Notes No. 197	 December 1, 1999

Letters

How can gangs fight oppression?

Dear MIM,

I have just finished reading your June 1st issue of MIM Notes and the 
article about the "Black and Gold" movie caught my attention. I've been 
noticing that in the last 10 or so issues you've been publishing a lot 
about the Latin Kings and similar GANGS (emphasis desired) and, 
honestly, it is rubbing me the wrong way.

You see, giving so much media attention to these gangs encourages a rise 
in membership and this is something we DON'T need. All these gangs, 
whether they profess political activism or otherwise, are either 
initially formed as, or transformed into, a tool for personal gain.

These gangs not only give force to the comment of "divide and conquer 
but they also encourage the mentality in our children. What is needed 
for revolution is a unity of the people not sub-factions of such yet 
these gangs encourage just that. For instance, ALKQN does encourage 
unity but only with Latins and they practice prejudism against all other 
races and even sexual orientations (gays/lesbians). They make these 
choices of segregation irregardless of these people's economic/social 
class, yet they speak as if their objective is to abolish oppression. 
How can you be successful in abolishing oppression when you're doing the 
job of the oppressor?

Another thing, though the government is responsible for letting the 
drugs and guns into the u.s., particularly the ghettos, these gangs are 
the ones who give it to our families; they're the ones who convince our 
mothers to buy that 5 dollar crack and our sons to carry and shoot the 
guns at our own peoples! So I ask, who is your master?!

Another example would be prison violence. Prisoner on Prisoner violence 
well exceeds any prisoner on pig violence in these modern days in the NY 
prison system in comparison with any other types of violence committed 
by people/prisoners who aren't "calming"; the majority of this violence 
is committed by gangs. The Netas go against the Bloods, the Kings go 
against the Dominicans etc.; you very rarely, if at all, hear about the 
Bloods, Kings, and Netas against the pigs (violent or non-violent). This 
separation is continuous!

If you take a walk in the prison yard you see a Neta section. Blood 
section, Dominican phone, Jamaican phone, etc. I ask myself if all these 
gangs are anti-oppression, why don't I see any of these people teaching 
each other the truth about history or speaking about gaining a proper 
education so that they can survive once they hit the streets or even a 
Spanish speaking guy teaching a non-speaking brother a second language? 
No, their conversations mainly consist of who's selling the most dope or 
who's "running" the block.

A very common problem nowadays which is encouraged by these gangs is the 
quickness they pull a gun on their brother bur refuse to do so with the 
enemy. It is well-known that we are not ready for a physical revolution 
but this does not mean we can't prepare ourselves for a non-physical one 
by teaching each other the things that has been hidden from us for ages 
irregardless of your race, sexual orientation or economic situation. I 
don't think it's too much trouble for six or seven to take 2 or 3 days a 
week away from their "gang talk" to read and speak about a book that'll 
teach you something positive.

I hope that all you gang members out there are reading this because my 
message to you is "Disband all these gangs which separate us into small 
factions and concentrate on making one big faction with the positive 
motive of re-educating the masses with the truth!"

Any responses, critical or otherwise, will be well-received. 
Particularly from the gang members who have the power to disband said 
gangs. 

Peace to all those positive brothers and sisters out there and a wish of 
luck to all those who are still ignorant.

A prisoner in New York, July 1999

MIM responds: We have unity with this prisoner in his desire for a world 
where no oppression of one group over another exists. And MIM is very 
clear that we think the most progressive thing that organizers can do in 
this country at this time is to work with and join MIM to advance this 
revolutionary struggle. 

However, we are not idealists and so we recognize progressive 
organizations and movements when we see them, even if they are not 
perfect. MIM has never claimed the ALKQN or any other "gang" 
organization is 100% revolutionary. As we stated in the Black and Gold 
movie review: " Black & Gold didn't try to make the story of the New 
York ALKQN transformation into a fairy tale. There are still members of 
the Nation who want to follow the gang mentality and take part in crime 
and drugs and violence."(See MN 187, June 1, 1999)

MIM can see the progressive transformation taking place within many 
organizations that were once street gangs. And as part of our work to 
push this transformation forward and encourage and support the 
development of revolutionary anti-imperialist organizations, we have 
been publicizing the progressive work as well as the progressive 
political polemics of these groups. 

The organizing strength of many "gangs" is what gives them tremendous 
political power to scare the imperialists. When that strength is turned 
against the system we have an important weapon against imperialism. 

Because MIM recognizes the reality of organizing within u.s. borders we 
understand the importance of separate nation vanguard organizations, 
working together in a United Front against imperialism. These 
organizations will need to follow a Maoist political line to be 
effective. And historically one of the parties that played an important 
role in pushing forward Maoism and anti-imperialism within u.s. borders 
formed out of street gangs: the Young Lords Party. 

This prisoner calls for what sounds like the ideal situation of everyone 
united in one organization fighting the oppressors and educating the 
masses. But when we work with the material reality of the united snakes 
in 1999 we have to understand that there will be many organizations 
contributing to the anti-imperialist struggle at many different levels. 
We have to work with people and groups where they are at as we stand 
firm in our struggle for Maoist revolution and pull others into the work 
towards that goal.

Those brothers and sisters behind bars and on the streets who really are 
in a gang to get rich and advance themselves, we call on you to take a 
look at what many leaders and members of the ALKQN and Netas and Bloods 
and others are doing to turn the fight away from each other and towards 
the imperialists. And don't just walk away from your organization, do 
your part to educate other members and transform them into 
revolutionaries too. 

Books for Prisoners program expands 

Dear MIM: 

I used to be at [school 1] and participated in books for Have found some 
energy here at [school 2] to get a project organized and am wondering if 
we can just send boxes to you in LA since you already have a 
distribution mechanism? 

--a friend in the west 

MIM responds: We encourage all of our readers to support MIM's Free 
Books for Prisoners Program by collecting books and funds in your 
aareas. Tell people that MIM's Free Books for Prisoners Program is 
distributing the books to prisoners. You can direct interested people 
to: http://www. etext.org/archive/etext/ulk/prismenu.html for more 
information about our prison work in general. A flyer is also available 
there which can be used to publicize the program. We would be happy to 
mail copies of this flyer to those without web access. 

One of the main purposes of the free books program is to help prisoners 
develop politically. So offer the following guidelines on books to 
collect: (1) Political, historical, philosophical books with a 
revolutionary, anti-imperialist perspective preferred (e.g. Marxist 
classics, Malcolm X); (2) Honest but not explicitly anti-imperialist 
political, historical, philosophical books gladly accepted (e.g. 
academic histories of European/Amerikan colonialism); (3) Feminist, 
preferably with an anti-imperialist perspective; (4) We cannot accept 
textbooks which do not fall under the above categories; (5) No religious 
materials; (6) No pulp fiction/"classic" literature, exscept works of 
political importance.

Money collected is used to buy and distribute political books. Donors 
may earmark funds for specific books or topic areas. MIM has received 
donations to distribute copies of The Black Panther's Speak as well as 
for other specific books. General and specific donations are welcome.