MIM Notes #226    January 15, 2001

LETTERS

Enlightening MIM Notes bucks the trend

To MIM Notes:

I just read my first MIM Notes, and I must say it was very 
enlightening! I vaguely knew about the waste dumped in the 
Philippines. I was glad you guys went into that much detail. 
Conservative news outlets never even attempt to go that deep into 
subjects they feel would be "unpatriotic." So again, I thank you 
for shedding truth to the masses. You are indeed very appreciated!

I am a 20-year-young Black male, currently incarcerated. Though 
I'm not affiliated with any group, I do study and do (at least 
try) my part individually. I hope what I do helps benefit my 
brothers and sisters, or any and every group striving to uncover 
the truth, and help teach those who have received the lies. ... I 
apologize for not having a study group, but in administrative 
segregation this is not possible. I leave you now with my thanks 
and my blessings.

--A Texas Prisoner

October 2000

MIM responds: Thank you for the positive feedback on the 
newspaper. Even without a study group, if you can get mail in and 
out you have a valuable contribution to make. We are enclosing 
more information on imperialist dumping practices in Third World 
countries, in the hope that you will take it on and write a 
follow-up article for MIM Notes.

Support MIM radio work

Dear MIM,

Lately when I've tuned in to WMUA at 5:30 on Fridays counterspin 
hasn't been on. This is unfortunate because nothing is on in it's 
place. Perhaps your radio program could fill this void. The list 
of stations is probably old but it doesn't matter because the 
stations and their status as being small college stations is 
likely the same.

I received your mail the other day and I would like to help out 
with the radio program in the manner that you suggested. 

Thanks for your continuing work. Someone has to keep up with these 
things since many of the activists who should be working on this 
are currently caught up in the whole election syllogism. . .  

In struggle, 

--An ally in the East

December, 2000

No Mas! Stop bombing Vieques!

Dear MIM,

This imperialist country has forced Puerto Ricans to become 
citizens against their own will. Congress said "accept u.$. 
citizenship or be aliens in your own nation." We were made 
citizens in 1917, not because we wanted to, but because we were 
forced to. Now, without yet another voice or even being heard, the 
united snakes has taken over our island again.

First, we must come to realize that if we continue to sit on our 
asses and allow this imperialist country -- united $nakes to 
continue to treat us as if we are nobodies, they will continue to 
do so. However, if we stand up and say, "NO MAS!" we can possibly 
make a difference. Second of all, we must stand together in unity 
and say "we are not for sale." $40 million dollars can't account 
for the life that was lost there in Vieques during some sort of 
training practice. Who's speaking up for that brother? Instead, 
this imperialist country has offered $40 million dollars for the 
continuation of their bombing.

Who do the $40 million dollars benefit? Will it go toward that 
brother is lost his life in this mess family? Better yet, since 
this guy Gov. Pedro Rosello is approving all this madness, what 
are his gains in this?

It's happening all over again. We weren't heard then and we aren't 
being heard now. The people of Vieques have stood up and continue 
to stand up to this imperialist country and cry out: NO MORE! STOP 
THE BOMBING! Are we being heard? Apparently not because guys like 
this Gov. Pedro Rosello continue to root the united $nakes on with 
this. Forget about what the Boricuas want mentality.

This imperialist country has turned Vieques into the Pearl Harbor 
of the Caribbean. Not only is this bombing testing killing off our 
soil and polluting our waters, but its also releasing poisonous 
gases that lead up to cancer and other fatal diseases. We already 
have been labeled a proletarian group of people, but yet this 
imperialist country is still taking from the poor. What happened 
about humanitarian or does that only apply to a certain group of 
people and not Puerto Ricans?

I admire guys like Pedro Albizu Campos and Gilberto Ojeda Rios and 
many others who stood up because they were tired of this 
imperialist country treating us any way they wanted to. I say 
let's stand up together like Pedro Albizu Campo and Gilberto Ojedo 
Rios and stop the bombing at Vieques. It is time to stand up to be 
proud Puerto Ricans and stand up for what we believe in. This 
Pernicious imperialist country United $nakes is constantly 
destroying our land and if we sit on our asses they will 
eventually destroy us. We've been prisoners of colonialism for too 
long now, it's time to be accounted for like real Boricuas and 
stand proud together and put a stop to this bombing shit!

I clench my fist in salute and ask all Boricuas and other 
countries that are trapped in this colonialism imprisonment to 
stand up for theirs and stop this abuse but this imperialist 
country.

Let's break these chains of imprisonment and become the voice 
toward freedom, and shout together in harmony: Let my people go!"

Amor to all Boricuas

--an Illinois prisoner

25 June, 2000

MIM responds: MIM joins this comrade in her/his call for an end to 
the u.$. bombing of Vieques and the occupation of Puerto Rico. We 
wish to take this opportunity to briefly discuss the implications 
of Amerikan citizenship for Puerto Ricans. 

It is absolutely correct that citizenship was forced on Boricua in 
1917 only to compel more men to fight in the Amerikan military. At 
the same time, citizenship has become something of an economic 
carrot, creating a mass base in Puerto Rico for pro-imperialist 
sentiment. As we wrote earlier (MIM Congress Resolution on Puerto 
Rico 1998, 
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Senate/5973/prresol98.htm):

"Economic pressure in Puerto Rico only builds up so much before 
emigration to the U.$.A. Puerto Ricans arrive in the U.$. not as 
illegal immigrants but as citizens. 

"U.$. government programs also bring money to Puerto Rico. These 
programs dull the nationalist passion of the Puerto Rican people. 

"Finally, as for carrots, there is the U.$. dollar itself binding 
Puerto Rico to the U.$.A. Since Puerto Rico does not have its own 
currency, it benefits fully from U.$. imperialist manipulations of 
international exchange. The masses of Puerto Rico enjoy the same 
prices for goods that mainland U.$. residents do."

At the same time, Puerto Ricans have not been allowed to form 
unions and have a lower minimum wage. "This unique combination of 
circumstance makes Puerto Rico a microcosm of imperialism and its 
relationship to oppressed nations. Using the carrot more than in 
most oppressed nations, U.S. imperialism has created a 'split in 
the working class' in Puerto Rico. The workers are not all sub-
minimum wage proletarians and they are not all labor aristocracy. 
...

"MIM supports all peaceful and armed efforts of the Puerto Rican 
patriots against the U.$. government. ... The Puerto Rican people 
are entitled to fight any way they choose. Some will fight better 
than others, but we must uphold the rights of all Puerto Ricans to 
fight for their independence. All Puerto Rican patriots are our 
friends."