I N T E R N E T ' S M A O I S T BI-M O N T H L Y = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = XX XX XXX XX XX X X XXX XXX XXX XXX X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X V X X X V X X X X X X X XX XXX X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X XXX X X X V XXX X XXX XXX = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = THE MAOIST INTERNATIONALIST MOVEMENT MIM NOTES 115 JUNE 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. MOVE EXPOSES AMERIKA IN COMMEMORATION OF BOMBING PHILADELPHIA-- MOVE held a commemorative meeting on May 11, marking the May 13 anniversary of the 1985 bombing of MOVE by the city of Philadelphia. The well-attended meeting also coincided with the trial of the civil suit Africa v. Philadelphia, in which MOVE survivors are suing for damages that resulted from the bombing, which left 11 people dead, 61 houses destroyed and hundreds of people homeless. Nine MOVE members are still in jail on bogus charges while the murderous pigs remain unpunished. On this same day, Bill Clinton was scheduled to address the national celebration of the Fraternal Order of Pigs in Washington. And two days later the State of Pennsylvania was due to respond to Mumia Abu-Jamal's latest appeal for a new trial, according to defense attorney Leonard Weinglass. A recurring theme among speakers--from MOVE minister Ramona Africa and rap artist Mike Africa to Weinglass--was that oppression and genocide can be part of the "legal" system. As Mike repeated in his performance: "Just because it's legal, don't make it right." NEW LAW HURTS MUMIA Weinglass described the implications of the new misnamed "anti-terrorist" legislation now in effect, which severely restricts death penalty appeals to Federal courts so-called "habeas corpus" appeals.(See page 10 for more on this legislation) The new law affects Mumia and other existing cases, even though Mumia's case is more than a decade old. Besides placing brutal time limits on appeals of state decisions to Federal courts, the law also "moves the goal posts," Weinglass said, requiring Federal judges to apply a "presumption of correctness" standard when reviewing state decisions. The Supreme Court has decided to hear an immediate challenge to the new law which restricts habeas corpus appeals, presumably so they can swiftly approve it and speed up hundreds of executions, Weinglass said. Mumia's appeal, according to Weinglass, will probably be argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the fall. FASCISM IN THE USA? Weinglass compared the recent Amerikan anti-crime craze to the progression of fascism in Nazi Germany, because, as in Germany, "It's being done legally, it's being done quietly, it's being done step-by-step." In addition to the anti-terrorism bill, new legislation also limits prisoners' abilities to file suits regarding prison conditions. MIM disagrees with Weinglass because most Amerikans, especially in the white working class support the rising tide of national oppression implemented, in part, by the genocidal injustice system. Rather than doing it "quietly," Congress and the states are rolling back "rights" to the sound of constant clamoring from the white middle- class majority. In Germany, a majority of the working class also eventually supported fascism, and many opposed the communist movement from the beginning. In Germany, however, the significant presence of communists among the workers meant that the fascists and their backers from the bourgeoisie, middle-and working-classes were willing to give up some of their own democratic rights to save German imperialism. Among Amerikans at present, there is almost no true radicalism, so whites turn their fascist intentions mostly toward the oppressed Black, Latino and First Nations. Many people make the fascism comparison to try and scare white people into progressive causes, but that just leads whites to politics for the wrong reasons to protect their own privileges instead of ending true oppression. For example, a progressive speaker from Belgium, Eefke Saris, who is starting a Friends of Move organization there, said, "If Mumia is free, then it's a small step toward everyone being free from the system." While it is true that imperialism curdles many aspects of a meaningful life for everyone, the self-interest route to politics for members of oppressor nations covers up mile-high privilege with a facade of emotional angst. It's fine for privileged people to say they will be happier without imperialism as a reason for getting into revolutionary politics but only if they are clear that material advantage is a separate question. Among the Black nation, however, it should be apparent that the increasingly fascist crackdowns put the whole Black nation at risk. As one Black woman said to MIM of Mumia's frame-up case and prosecution, "That's the scary part theyre taking away our rights. That could be any of us." EUROPEAN SUPPORT The new organization in Belgium is only one of many new efforts in Europe spurred by the Mumia and MOVE activism coming from Blacks in North America. Such inspired organizing is also being done in England, Germany, Italy and other countries. For example, Saris said that the new MOVE activism helped people in Belgium organize to protest when a Yugoslavian immigrant was murdered by police recently. "It's going very slowly, but it's going," she said of the movement in Belgium. Mumia's case has gained new international support. Activists at the meeting reported that in addition to 200,000 signatures from Italy and 60,000 signatures from Paris calling for a new trial, 22 members of the Japanese parliament and a majority in the European parliament have asked the United Snakes to consider a new trial. Mumia has also been formally recognized with honorary citizenship in Venice (Italy), an honorary law degree from a California school and he was named an official in the National Lawyers Guild. Weinglass said the European support for Mumia and MOVE, which outstrips support in North America, is part of a broader trend. In the USA, he said, "there is a groundswell of a national movement" that includes recent defeats for the death penalty in several states. In U.N. trials for crimes against humanity (in the cases of Rwanda and Cambodia), the death penalty was not pursued "even for people guilty of 10,000 murders," Weinglass added. "The taking of any life, no matter what, is not acceptable for state politics." Again, MIM disagrees (and we won't get into the politics of U.N. "human rights" here, for the moment). Revolutionary states run by the people instead of by the imperialists may practice executions in good conscience when crimes against the people are heinous and rehabilitation is impossible. Pacifist activism against the death penalty in imperialist society is progressive, but there is no point in pretending that no heads will roll in the transition to a free society whether in open war or in executions of evil and unrepentant oppressors of the people. Once communism is achieved, there will be no state executions because there will be no state and no contradictions that would inspire actions necessitating the death penalty as a response. However, under the historically long period of socialism, the death penalty will be unavoidable early on because some enemies of the people will unscrupulously fight for the restoration of exploitation and the destruction of revolutionary progress. For information on MOVE, write PO Box 19709, Philadelphia, PA, 19143, or on the Internet at MOVELLJA@aol.com. Subscriptions to First Day, published by MOVE, are $8 for the next six issues. * * * INDIANA CONTROL UNIT PRISON PROTEST by a RAIL Comrade Two hundred people came to a day of protest demonstrations at the Control Unit Prison in Carlisle, Indiana, the Federal Penitentiary and Vigo County Courthouse in Terre Haute, Indiana; the Missouri RAIL was able to attend the latter 2 events. The demands of these demonstrations were to abolish control unit prisons, end the death penalty, and freedom for all political prisoners. The event involved 10 sponsoring organizations and was coordinated by the National Campaign to Stop Control Unit Prisons as part of Spring activities across the country. People chanted slogans such as "The human rights problem in the world today is right here in the USA," "Political Prisoners are here today. Walls and bars can't keep us away," and "Que salga ya," (It is imperative, or Let it come out now), and they carried portraits of Puerto Rican political prisoners, and signs such as "Control Units are Torture." Many people waved the Puerto Rican flag. Many comrades of oppressed nation struggles gave speeches. A member of the National Committee to Free Puerto Rican Political Prisoners spoke on the steps of the Vigo County Courthouse, where the Puerto Rican flag was waved high in the sky all through the demonstration, an inspiring site for MORAIL and for anyone who is working for self- determination for oppressed nations. A former Puerto Rican POW spoke in Spanish then English, as well as a relative of Edwin Cortes, who is currently imprisoned at the Federal Penitentiary at Terre Haute. Edwin Cortes is currently imprisoned the Terre Haute Pen for membership in the FALN, as well as accusations of an extensive bombing campaign, along with eleven other independistas. One of the founders of the Union for Puerto Rican Students, he participated in struggles in support of the Iranian and Palestinian people, as well as promoting the history and culture of Puerto Rico and organizing support for Puerto Rican independence. It is important to recognize and support Edwin's conscious political struggle, while we recognize that all prisoners in Amerikka's penal system are politically oppressed. A member of the Spear and Shield Collective was the first to speak at the Federal Penitentiary. The comrades speech confirmed the importance of mass activity and that, in order to be effective, a vanguard party must be in touch with and working with the masses. MORAIL is in agreement with the comrade on this. The speaker also said that "all work around prisons represents but one front of the struggle," and advocated working with the masses on other fronts as well, to take over schools, to take over hospitals, and to "(re)generate struggle on all other fronts in our communities". Through discussion with the comrade after the demonstration, MORAIL was able to clarify, while we have much unity with the Spear and Shield Collective, where our differences lie. The comrade holds that all prisoners are not political prisoners, while MORAIL maintains that all prisoners are political prisoners, but that many are not politically active or politically conscious. The significance of the comrades position is that, in practice, s/he disagrees with us on the focus RAIL and MIM give to prison work. If this writer understands MIM correctly, while all these other fronts the comrade mentions are important, we put the focus on prison work and police attacks because these are imperialisms most direct attacks on oppressed nations. It is here that imperialism is most clearly exposed (in the United States). While we must combat imperialism on all fronts, these are the frontlines. During the demonstration, a MORAIL comrade took a picture of the Federal Penitentiary. As S/he walked a few feet onto the grass in front of the prison, a pig with a videocamera yelled "Get off the property!" Another pig ordered the comrade to turn over the film, and was ignored. These pigs are rather laughable and insecure when the cameras are turned on them and they see the people protesting the pigs and their koncentration kamps. MORAIL is proud of this opportunity to stand in solidarity with other activists protesting imperialist oppression. * * * LETTERS TO MIM AND RAIL IF ALL SEX IS RAPE, WHAT ABOUT ALL WORK? Dear MIM, In the May 1 issue of MIM Notes you carried an article titled, "Rape, Sex and Patriarchy: MIM Presentation." In it you described how sex in today's society is rape. You based this analysis on the recognition that "while some sex is more coercive than others, it is essential to recognize the fundamental differences that exist between men and women. These conditions of inequality make all the relationships coercive." While this analysis is applaudable, and I feel rather accurate, it underscores a failure on MIM's part regarding its stand on the American working class. It is incontestable that the third world proletariat is subject to greater exploitation than the average worker here; that does not mean that the American worker' exploitation is to be ignored. As you pointed out in your analysis of gender relations, an inequality of power is the basis for oppression. The coercion may not be as great here as in the Third World, but it still exists and has to be recognized and opposed. MIM makes a point of opposing the effects of patriarchy against all women, why doesn't it do the same for opposing the exploitation of all labor? Granted the American worker can be considered to be active in and responsible for the exploitation of Third World labor to a degree, but that can be said of women, either supporting the effects of the patriarchy, or in exploiting other women. False consciousness is the enemy here, not first world labor. I recognize that the U.S. working class may not hold as much revolutionary potential at the present as the more oppressed Third World; but as you pointed out in your article, oppression is there no matter how concealed it may be, and as a result it has to be actively opposed. I enjoyed you article, and wish to thank you for making me more aware of gender inequality, My above criticism is more of a question on MIM's position. I look forward to your response. 'Red'ily yours, --a reader in the Midwest MIM REPLIES: You have touched on a very important point that dialectical materialists struggle with constantly. We must always understand the material interests of various groups of people, but that is not enough. We must also understand what is being sacrificed to serve those material interests. That is a point on which we can win over some oppressor- nation youth. Your criticism is half correct. It is true that just as sex under patriarchy is gross no matter how rich you are, work under imperialism is gross no matter how rich you are. In the current structure, many Amerikans waste their lives away shuffling papers, producing nothing, feeling alienated and without purpose. However, the incorrect half of your criticism is that this realization leads to revolutionary consciousness. You use the words "exploitation" and "oppression" interchangeably, which confuses the issue. MIM's contention is not that First World workers are exploited less, but that they are not exploited at all. But they do suffer from some oppression under capitalism. If Amerikans were both exploited and alienated, as a majority of the world's workers are, they would be a good constituency for revolutionary organizing. However, they are only the latter. We use that alienation as an in, especially with youth who are not yet so caught up in the two-VCRs-and-a- real-nice-car lifestyle. We should emphasize it. But as we stress the cultural bankruptcy of imperialism, even for Amerikans, we must always be conscious to avoid pandering to the material interests of an oppressor class. FREE GERONIMO! I am writing this letter in support of Geronimo ji Jaga (Pratt) who is a former Minister of Defense for the Black Panther Party, and has been a prisoner of war in the California State Prison system for the past 26 years. He was falsely accused of murder as part of an FBI COINTELPRO covert operation. In the hearing of March 21, 1996, in Los Angeles, Judge Michael Cowell acknowledged that the defense raised substantive issues in its court filing of Habeas Corpus to overturn the murder conviction. Judge Cowell said the Habeas "has been initiated, and if I do not have jurisdiction, this matter will proceed in a timely manner." Prosecutors are alleging the State of California Supreme Court had jurisdiction in this case. Ultimately prosecutors delayed the case with this tactic denying for the time being the possibility of presenting vital evidence that has surfaced since Ob ji Jaga's conviction. Denied bail, Oba ji Jaga in Los Angeles County jail the duration of his hearing. Since his arrival in chains, Oba was placed in lock-down, and didn't receive mail, or visitors till April 11. Wednesday April 17, the hearing determined his case should go to the higher court, and on the 18th Oba was transported back to Mule Creek State Prison in Ione. He was placed in "orientation" or lockdown till April 25th. I hope whoever sees this will spread the word of Oba's struggle for freedom and/or organize action in his behalf. It's time to Free Geronimo! NEW RAIL BRANCH FORMS Comrades, The first RAIL meeting was good. Our focus, of course, was on prisons and police brutality. We started off with a 20 minute video about Mumia Abu- Jamal. Then a RAIL comrade gave a presentation about the growth of prisons and the targeting of Blacks, Latinos and people of the First Nations. A global perspective was kept by drawing the analogy of U.S. imperialist domination of the Third World and US oppression of the internal colonies. "Prisoners of Liberation" was cited because of the authors' observations of genuine rehabilitation based on unity-criticism-unity. Then, a relative of a Black youth who was murdered by a pig a couple of months ago spoke. He expressed the need to stop pig abuse and terror and urged people to join a picket line every week demanding that the murderer be brought to justice. He also brought up the idea of a civilian review board and invited people to a meeting to take up that topic.... The discussion that followed was intense. It included: slave labor in prisons; the viability of civilian review boards; community values vs. "family values"; political prisoners in South Africa (Mandela-free others-Not!); all US prisoners as political prisoners. Then a RAIL comrade read a letter from Sundiata Acoli, printed in CROSSROAD, which stressed the need for Black independence via a plebiscite. We adjourned, agreeing to meet in one month. Everyone received a copy of the March MIM Notes and special note was made of the RAIL insert. A copy of RAIL's prison pamphlet was also given to all. Form letters to Janet Reno, demanding a new trial for Mumia were signed by participants and forwarded to Int'l concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu- Jamal. (A demo has been planned for May 19 and letters to be handed to her on May 20--known as the 'million letters for Mumia campaign'.) Until next time, A RAIL comrade MIM REPLIES: We print this letter as an example and inspiration for other readers out there thinking about getting a RAIL branch started. Get something going now! Write us a letter and let us know how it is going! DEFEND TAIWAN? These criticisms were part of a much longer more theoretical letter, not printed here. The response is also excerpted. --ed. Dear comrades, First, even if we assume that China is indeed state-capitalist rather than socialist (and I do not believe that, but assuming for the sake of argument), an attack by China against Taiwan would at least be a triumph of third world nationalism over imperialism. If we agree that Iraq was correct to try to reclaim Kuwait, would consistency not demand that we would support any effort by China to retake Taiwan? Comradely Yours, A friend in the south A RAIL COMRADE RESPONDS: We don't defend Iraq's attack on Kuwait or any Third World country aggression upon any other Third World country, China and Taiwan included. Instead, we support anti-imperialist wars against the First World, particularly U.S. imperialism. Iraq should have fought to escape neocolonialism by building socialism instead of invading Kuwait. So too, China should build socialism and not invade Taiwan. If you think China is still socialist, we suggest Charles Bettelheim's China Since Mao and the study guide The Capitalist Roaders Are Still on the Capitalist Road, available from MIM. Thanks for writing. We hope the delay this time isn't so bad and look forward to corresponding again. * * * RAIL CELEBRATES MAY DAY WITH RALLY AGAINST IMPERIALIST MILITARISM LOS ANGELES, May 1--The Revolutionary Anti- Imperialist League (RAIL) celebrated International Workers Day today by leading an informational rally outside UCLA's administration building, Murphy Hall. RAIL is led by the Maoist Internationalist Movement (MIM), a revolutionary communist party. The rally highlighted the connections between UCLA, the U.S. military-industrial complex, and the oppression of the world's workers and peasants. Activists gave passers-by literature exposing the University of California's ties to the U.S. war machine. This literature included CALRAIL, a publication of the California Chapter of RAIL, and a flier promoting the rally and explaining its purpose. The flier read in part: "In celebration of May Day, International Workers Day, join with the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League (RAIL) to rally to stop the current World War III! "The imperialists are currently waging a hot war--a World War III--against the world's oppressed nations, including the U.S. empire's internal colonies. From South Central L.A. and other ghettos, barrios, and reservations of Aztl·n to Bosnia, Liberia, Lebanon and the Philippines, Amerikkka's war on the world's workers and peasants is not our fight! We must smash the U.S. war machine. To do so, we must expose and organize against the links between U.S. militarism and civilian institutions. This rally targets UCLA's administration building because of UCLA's extensive ties to the U.S. war machine. UCLA conducts $18.7 million in Pentagon research every year and hosts an ROTC program which trains young students from UCLA and other schools to become imperialism's hired killers. "SMASH UCLA'S TIES TO THE U.S. WAR MACHINE!" RAIL's rally succeeded in its goal of building public opinion against militarism and imperialism. However, the rally was overshadowed by a larger march and rally held by the pseudo-proletarian UCLA Union Coalition (UCLAUC). This coalition's member organizations are the University Professional and Technical Employees, the petit-bourgeois Student Association of Graduate Employees (affiliated with the labor aristocracy's United Auto Workers), the University of California Association of Interns and Residents, the Coalition of University Employees, the California Nurses Association, and the petit- bourgeois librarians' local of the American Federation of Teachers. UCLAUC billed their event as a "UCLA Labor Solidarity Day March and Rally...for union, civil & human rights." The UCLAUC march ended with a rally at Murphy Hall where the RAIL rally was taking place. MIM is not surprised that the coalition which put forward the class demands of UCLA's labor aristocracy and petit-bourgeoisie drew a larger crowd than the League which put forward the class demands of the international proletariat. MIM and RAIL are not about to tailor our lines to the labor aristocracy or the petty-bourgeoisie, because these classes have a material interest in propping up the imperialist system which gives them privilege while it gives the world's proletariat and peasantry hell. RAIL's rally exposed the fact that UCLA and the University of California (UC) system generally are integral to Amerikkka's imperialist war machine. In the face of this exposure, UCLAUC rallied to demand more of UC's blood-stained money. Smashing UC's ties to the U.S. war machine was not one of UCLAUC's demands which call UCLA a "good" university that they want to make "an even better public university." UCLAUC's plan to make UCLA a better university involves taking a bigger piece of the profit pie baked by the exploited people of the world for the parasites working at UCLA while leaving intact the imperialist militarist system that makes these big profits possible. If any of UCLAUC's members are genuine proletarians or have a genuine interest in fighting on the side of the proletariat, we recommend that they stay organized by joining RAIL. Proletarians must steer clear of "allies" who side with Amerikkka's business as usual of waging World War III against other proletarians. The UCLAUC speakers attempted to co-opt International Workers Day for their demands, demands which amount to asking for a larger piece of a stolen pie. But May Day is the holiday of the international proletariat, those who have nothing to lose but their chains. We have nothing against organizing members of the petit-bourgeoisie, the labor aristocracy, or even the bourgeoisie. For this reason, we distributed RAIL literature to UCLAUC's crowd. We are, however, completely opposed to organizing these individuals on the basis of their classes' reactionary demands. The intrusion of the organizations of these reactionary classes into May Day and into RAIL's rally site is not all bad. For one thing, it illustrates the differences between the class stand of the international proletariat and that of the bribed workers of the imperialist countries. For another, it serves as a reminder to the proletarian forces that we cannot let down our guard. The proletarian forces constitute the world's majority, but they are a minority within U.S. borders. There is much work to be done to make proletarian- led revolution a reality in North America. * * * VASQUEZ RAILROADED; FRIENDS AND FAMILY CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE In MIM Notes 113 (May 1, 1996), we reported on the case of Salomon Vasquez, an Ypsilanti, MI man who was arrested and is now in prison for murder. MIM publicizes the facts of Salomon's case because we believe that the best way to help people who are victimized by Amerika is to publicly connect their cases to systemic injustice. Vasquez is an example of the way members of oppressed nations are railroaded into prison: his public defender was inadequate, one key witness was clearly lying but his testimony was allowed to be used, and Vasquez did not even fire the gun in the accidental shooting death for which he was convicted. We hope that our work around Salomon's case will inspire people to support him and to work against all forms of Amerikan criminal injustice. The best way to fight the systematic national oppression of the injustice system is to work with or in a revolutionary party, and contribute to the fight against imperialism. Here we print Salomon's response to our coverage of his case. MIM, Hello, I am Salomon Vasquez and I'm writing you to thank you for your support you have given. It really makes me feel good to know that there are good and caring people in this country that care about prisoners. You know, before I came to Amerika I had a different feeling and opinion about this country because I thought it was a good and free country but as I grew older I started learning that money is everything here. It is said what Amerika is but they always talk about how great and free this country is. Me, if I could get out of here, I'll return to my country without having to think about it and never come back. For example, there's hardly any space for more prisoners but they don't want to release people and the governor is talking about building more prisons spending all that money in prisons when there's homeless and hungry people everywhere in the world. Sad ain't it? I really like your movement and I'll like to receive your paper every two weeks, I also would like to get information on your books for prisoners program. Thank you once again for your support. MIM and RAIL will be hosting a speaker on the topic of Salomon Vasquez's case in the Michigan League, Room D on the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor campus. The talk will be on Friday May 31 at 8 pm. If you want to learn more about or help out with Salomon's case, or if you want to learn more about MIM's and RAIL's work in opposition to the Amerikan criminal injustice system, contact MIM or RAIL, P.O. Box 3576, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-3576 or mim@nyxfer.blythe.org. * * * CHINA'S RULING CLIQUE CELEBRATES MAY DAY On International Workers' Day, several people were arrested and detained in Beijing following a demonstration by clothing vendors. Police had seized the vendors' goods in a shut down of vending stalls. Reuters reported that the clothing vendors were poor merchants who were demonstrating because they had invested large savings in forming "the Baiyun Clothing Wholesale Market, expecting to be able to keep stalls there for 12 years, but had been told to leave after only one." The Reuters report only says that the Beijing police raided the clothing vendors and that the vendors blamed the Baiyun market's management for this action, but does not explain the connection between the two. While MIM does not know many details of this incident, we do know that the revisionist Chinese regime functions as a state- capitalist government: using state power to advance the position of capitalism in China while upholding the banner of socialism. Such heavy handed repression of protesters even in peacetime is not surprising coming from an illegitimate government whose claim to power is the coup which took over the Chinese government after Mao died in 1976. NOTE: Reuter May 1, 1996. * * * MLM ONLINE: ROLE OF IMPERIALIST FINANCE CAPITAL DEBATED ON THE NET by a RAIL comrade RAIL participated in a recent discussion on the Internet which focused on the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the function of these institutions in maintaining the capitalist-imperialist status quo. The discussion brought home the importance of exposing these institutions through sustained analysis. The World Bank and the IMF are instruments of imperialist exploitation. These global financial institutions were created in the 1940s, just after World War II, by the industrialized western countries, especially the USA and Britain, with the purpose of exercising economic control and domination over the third world. Although colonialism in its original and overt form is more rare these days, neocolonialism is alive and well in today's world. Neocolonialism is a more covert form of colonialism, in which the colonizing countries continue to transfer wealth from the colonized countries without explicitly taking over political control of the subjugated nations. Since neocolonialism is more covert and subtle than colonialism, its dangers are not as obvious as those of naked colonialism used to be. Further, instruments of colonialism, such as the global financial institutions, keep up the pretense that they are actually "instruments of development" which benefit the third world. For obvious reasons the corporate media too plays its part in maintaining this lie. The Internet discussion started when one correspondent from New York wrote: "The World Bank and IMF can certainly be said to have supported questionable policies, though they have recently re-evaluated these policies under intense criticism. Describing them as neocolonialism or exploitation, however, is hardly accurate or fair." RAIL provided the following evidence to support its position: (1) In 1989 alone, the "third world" handed over $52 billion more in debt repayment than it received in new credit. (2) Between 1982 and 1989, the net flow of debt service from developing countries to the World Bank and IMF, in excess of new loans, was $240 billion. (3) Nilufar Ahmad, a Bangladeshi statistician and economist, has stated: "Each World Bank consultant that comes to Bangladesh gets paid $800 per day-- while the average per capita income in Bangladesh is $160 per year. We calculated that for each dollar that comes into Bangladesh, we have to pay $1.50 back." A correspondent from the Midwest disagreed with RAIL. S/he said: "This alone proves nothing about neocolonialism. This would also be the pattern one would expect if World Bank policies have been successful. This is because, if funding is provided in the form of loans and the country becomes self-sufficient as a consequence, it does not require further loans but has to pay back the original one(s). Consequently, net flow has to become negative, unless you think that financial institutions should only be in the business of providing grants. (I am pretty sure that the third world's reliance on World Bank funding has diminished in the aggregate as a proportion of, say, aggregate national income. ..) "Such calculations do not prove or disprove anything about neocolonialism. One really has to look at how the projects did to talk about whether the funding was useful or not. That's a much tougher calculation to do and attribute blame for than using fairly meaningless numbers. On this count, my point is that many projects have not performed anywhere near their touted potential. However, here the responsibilities are often shared by incompetent bank work and corrupt/stupid third world elites. "If however, funds have been misused and/or misspent (as they often are), future projects become unattractive and new funding is not forthcoming. Consequently, debt service becomes negative. Developing nations need to clean their own house a lot more before their cries on this account will be treated credibly by the Western World. Don't get me wrong on this one--I am not being an apologist for would-be colonizers and exploiters. All I am trying to say is that building a case against them needs to go beyond quoting easily available data without understanding what lies behind them." RAIL responded: Note that many cases where the money was not put to proper use by the developing country elite, the particular elite happened to be dictators, not democratically elected governments. Take the case of one country that was particularly devastated by external debt, much of it owed to IMF/World Bank: the Philippines. Now it turns out, a lot of the money was loaned out to the Marcos regime, and conceivably was spent not in building infrastructure but on lining Marcos' own pocket (or maybe for adding to Imelda Marcos's collection of shoes). So the question arises: what was the World Bank doing loaning out the money to a dictator who did not have any democratic mandate, and when it was clear that the money was being misspent? Don't they do any monitoring? Now the people of the Philippines are paying the price for this monstrous debt while Marcos laughed all the way to his grave. [MIM adds: Marcos' corruption notwithstanding, the IMF makes sure that loan money is spent on export- production and servicing other debt. Its intent is never to build infrastructure for a self-reliant economy, but to maintain the business of transferring superprofits from the Third World proletariat to the multinationals and the First World.] So it is quite clear that World Bank/IMF loans serve a definite political purpose: they are often a covert way for the West to shore up dictators who serve their short-term interest. They do not serve the long-term interests of the people of the "developing nations." Also, in the long run the result (as in the case of the Philippines) is a net transfer of wealth from the Philippine common people to the West, in the form of debt servicing [and of course, corporate profits and cheap commodities -MIM]. RAIL also pointed out that another example of blatant misuse of IMF for political expediency was the instance, a few weeks ago, of a massive loan by the IMF to shore up Yeltsin's tottering regime. Finally, as for developing nations needing to clean their own house first before complaining about the World Bank and the IMF: developing nations that did try to clean house and generally institute progressive land reforms have been toppled or destabilized in the past--with rather predictable regularity--by the West. (Remember Mossadegh in Iran in the 1950s, Jacob Arbenz in Guatemala in 1954, Salvador Allende in Chile in 1973, Bishop in Grenada in the '80s). TRUTH MEETS PIGS IN NET PRISON DEBATE Prison stories always generate attention on the Internet, where pro-state, pro-imperialist reactionaries, who are in the majority, jump at the chance to spew their genocidal scum online. In one public essay on Usenet, someone wrote about "crime:" "When someone has cancer, it must be eradicated. Doctors either cut it out or kill it by other means. If left in the body, by its very nature, it spreads until it kills the host. Cancer prevention is great, but only useful if the body is cancer free. Cancer begets more cancer just as crime begets more crime. "Criminals in this country must be cut out of society by putting them in prison and keeping them in prison for the full term of their sentence. Returning criminals to the streets spreads crime in two ways: First, they are free to strike again. The system has shown them that they will not be punished. Second, young ones who may not be inclined towards crime will see that the benefits of crime far outweigh the consequences of getting caught." After taking a few lines to straighten the writer out on the facts with regard to cancer, MIM went on to respond: Perhaps you are unaware that 83% of the increase in incarceration between 1980 and 1993 was in nonviolent "criminals," a great many of them personal drug consumers. You want people to serve out their sentences. What sentences? To trigger a five-year federal mandatory minimum sentence you need to get caught with either: (a) 100 kilos of weed, (b) 500 grams of powder cocaine, (c) 5 grams of crack cocaine. So is it a wonder that 74% of those sentenced for drug possession are Black?(1) If imprisoning the Black population en masse is your goal, say so and show us your sheets. Maybe you would like to explain the combination of high "crime" rates and high incarceration rates under Amerikkkan rule? And what is your definition of crime? Choose all that apply (in chronological order): 1. Genocide of First Nations and confiscation of several continents. 2. Slavery. 3. Lynching (legal and illegal): Of 455 legal executions for rape in the U.S. between 1930 and 1967, 89% of those executed were Black. 4. Imprisoning Japanese in the West and confiscating their land. 5. Firebombing Tokyo and nuking two civilian cities at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives. 6. Killing 2 million Vietnamese and setting in progress an environmental disaster that may never be undone. 7. Killing thousands of Panamanian civilians in poor areas over a snit with a boot-licking CIA stooge. 8. Killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis in war and destroying infrastructure and maintaining an embargo that led to the deaths of millions of infants (easily documented by comparing infant mortality rates from before and after the war, as MIM has done). 9. Enforcing a death penalty system in which killing a white person is 11 times more likely to draw the death penalty than killing a Black (from the Warren McClesky case). 10. Smoking crack. 11. Stealing cars from fat white people. Which of these is a "crime" that "begets" other crimes? If you're sick of fascist politics like these, check out MIM's web site and let's get down to the business of wiping imperialism off the face of the earth. NOTES: 1. The Real War on Crime, Steven Donziger, ed., Harper Perennial 1996. Selective prosecution complements the grossly uneven sentencing guidelines for crack and cocaine. The Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League (RAIL) reported in a pamphlet on prisons that "In the United States, whites account for over 67% of people who have ever used crack (2.3 million out of 3.4 million total) and 53% of those who used crack in the last year (488,000 out of 906,000). But less than 4% of the defendants prosecuted in federal courts for crack- related offenses in 1994 were white."(Los Angeles Times May 21, 1995). 2. Statistical Abstract of the United States any year. * * * SELF-DEFENSE AGAINST AIR POLLUTION NECESSARY "Fine particles of air pollution from power plants, motor vehicles and other sources kill some 64,000 Americans a year, causing deaths even at pollutant levels the federal government considers safe, a new study concludes," according to the Boston Globe. That number is about three times more than the number of murders each year and is higher than the number of people killed in auto accidents. "The study, which calculated death rates from air pollution for 239 cities across the country, was prompted by a growing body of research showing that barely detectable airborne particles can lodge in the lungs and, in extreme cases, cause death." Los Angeles leads the list of total deaths caused this way with 5,873 deaths attributable to air pollution annually.(1) Meanwhile, the prevalence rate for asthma (a disease often triggered by air pollution) in the United Snakes rose from 34.7 per 1,000 to 49.4 per 1,000 between 1982 and 1992, an increase of 42%. In that same period, there was an increase of 40% in the death rate from asthma. The age-adjusted death rate from asthma for people age 5-34 shows that Blacks die from asthma at a far higher rate than whites. In 1991 Blacks faced a death rate from asthma of almost 15 per one million people while the death rate for whites was just over 3 per one million.(2) Air pollution causes death and hence the people are justified to defend themselves against those who profit from pollution. Under socialism, the workers' right to a clean environment will not be negotiable. If necessary, the international proletariat will use force against anyone whining about how their right to profit is higher than our right to breathe clean air. Since the proletarian demand for a clean environment is non-negotiable, MIM is for dictatorship. Capitalism has premised itself on killing people as an ordinary part of production for so long, that when the international proletariat leads a dictatorship of the oppressed nations over the united states, the people will inherit polluting production techniques. Hence, pollution will not end the day after the Revolution; however, there will be no further barriers to introducing environmentally sound and sustainable production. It's one thing if the workers decide to put up with a little pollution, because there are no better techniques available yet for the people to support themselves. But it is unacceptable for a small class of people making fabulous profits from choosing techniques of production (or defending those techniques as corrupt politicians) that kill people through pollution. NOTES: 1. Boston Globe May 9, 1996, p. 1. 2. Managing Asthma Care, a special report prepared by the editors of Business and Health. Vol. 13, No. 7, Supplement D. 1995. * * * UNDER LOCK AND KEY: NEWS FROM PRISONERS AND PRISONS IOWA PRISONERS REBEL On February 26, 1996, two Latino prisoners at the Iowa Medical Classification center (IMCC) in Coralville, Iowa destroyed $12,000 worth of state property while holding off numerous guards during a two-and-a-half hour mini-riot. At approximately 10:15 p.m., a guard making security rounds on LU-B ( A newly established lock-up unit that warehouses 60 prisoners) caught two Mexican prisoners ages 21 and 18 smoking in their cell. The guard then called the A/B control center by hand radio requesting their cell to be unlocked. Once the door was opened, the guard entered the cell and snatched a lit cigarette from the hand of one of the prisoners, physically shoving him in the process. The officer then ordered the two occupants of the cell to go to the day area on the first floor of the unit. At which time a short scuffle broke out between the prisoners and guard. Eventually the guard was knocked unconscious, and the prisoners fled to the recreation/day area. A few minutes later eight guards rushed into the unit but were immediately chased out as one of the prisoners picked up a chair and headed in their direction. The prisoners then barricaded the emergency and entryway doors to the unit with bunks, mattresses, tables, chairs and a desk. The prisoners thereafter started to trash the unit including such property as a television, clock, chairs, bunk beds, security cameras, telephones, desk, tables, mattresses, plexiglass windows, fire extinguishers....These items were either damaged or completely destroyed. One of the prisoners involved in the riot told me that prisoncrats exuberated in the amount of the state property really damaged. An hour and half into the rebellion, an emergency response team (CERT) guard pumped gas into the unit forcing the prisoners into a corner where an electric fan was used to blow the gaseous irritant out of the immediate area. This gas also affected those prisoners who were locked into cells surrounding the unit, even forcing some to use wet cloths in order to breathe. Ten minutes later, 20 CERT guards called in from different institutions throughout the state, tried to enter the unit but again were chased out as the prisoners threw chairs in their direction. For another 30 minutes, more gas was pumped into the unit, this time forcing the two prisoners to retreat to the Top Tier. Seeing both prisoners were unarmed, the entire CERT team stormed the unit and told the prisoners to lay flat on the floor, which they did. These guards then jumped on their backs and sprayed pepper mace toward the area of their faces while handcuffing both legs and arms. After the prisoners were secured in manacles, they were dragged by the cuffs to the maximum lockup unit within the institution. The warden of IMCC, Rusty Rogerson, stated to the press that the inmates involved in the incident were dangerous gang members that beat a guard senselessly with a chair and caused $12,000 worth of damage. He also stated that the guard was seriously injured in the left eye and face, and was hospitalized because of these injuries. As usual the mainstream press only told the prisoncrats' side of the story. From the information I had gathered from an eyewitness and a prisoner involved in the riot, they reported that guards had been continually harassing prisoners on the unit, and that because of the buildup of frustration something was bound to happen. Also the unit was over-crowded with prisoners sleeping on bunks placed out in the day area, thus increasing the tension within the closed environment. In addition, I was told that the guard involved in the melee had been intimidating one of the Latino prisoners for over a month. The prisoncrats ignored the request that criminal assault charges be brought forth and the guard was not investigated for possible abuse of his authority. In retaliation, the prisoncrats placed both Latino prisoners in strip cell status for four days, denying them bedding, clothing, toilet paper, and other hygiene supplies. They were fed foodloaf [Foodloaf, sometimes called VitaPro, is a disgusting mash of various foods into a "loaf" form only found in Amerika's prisons, where it is used as a cruel form of punishment. --MIM] and the water to their sink and toilet was shut off. The request by the Latino prisoners for a shower, to wash the mace off, and medical care for injuries sustained during the riot and the events thereafter were sadistically refused. Furthermore, the prison disciplinary committee Kangaroo court sentenced each prisoner to a humongous sanction of one year disciplinary detention followed by another year in administrative segregation, a loss of all earned good time credit and restitution in the amount of $6,000. And without regard to the double jeopardy amendment, prisoncrats filed a battery of criminal charges against the prisoners seeking a total of 25 years consecutive to their current sentence. At this period of time, neither defendant has been appointed requested counsel. These excessive inhumane penalties were also used by prisoncrats as an illustration to instill fear into those prisoners who have thought of rebelling against the system, thus keeping oppressive control of the prison class. Though this event was not planned, and the prisoners were serving short sentences with a possibility of receiving parole this year, these defensive actions by the two oppressed Latino prisoners were truly righteous and this and future rebellions should be fully supported by both prisoners and society alike. The prisoners now reside at the long term isolation unit at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, IA where they are served a plate-full of injustice daily in ongoing efforts by prisoncrats to enforce complete control over these individuals. --An Iowa prisoner, Apr. 9, 1996. A PLEA FOR CLEMENCY I am enclosing a story about my husband and would like info on receiving MIM Notes. Thanks. HELP NEEDED TO STOP DEATH OF INMATE Last year, an inmate in a Florida prison was denied needed and prescribed medical care resulting in permanent and extensive lung damage. The parole commission recommended clemency stating that the inmate was permanently incapacitated and posed no risk to community or self. The Department of Corrections doctors believe if the inmate remains in prison, he will die. He has served five years of his sentence and with gain time has less than sixteen months to go. The Florida Cabinet took the case under advisement on 12-13-95 and time is running out for signatures to the proposed agreement 2E. If you can help, please call or fax your support as soon as possible. The inmate's name is Morris Hines, Jr. The following is a list of Cabinet members and phone and fax numbers: Sec. of State: Sandra Mortham: fax 904-487-2214 phone 904-488-3684 Attorney Gen.: Bob Butterworth fax 904-487-2564 phone 904-488-0600 Comptroller: Robert Milligan fax 904-488-9818 phone 904-487-0780 Treasurer: Bill Nelson fax 904-488-6581 phone 904- 922-3106 Comm. of Education: Frank Brogan fax 904-413-0378 phone 904-487-1785 Without your help, this man could die! --wife of a Florida prisoner, Mar. 1, 1996 A CALL FOR UNITY AGAINST ELECTRICITY FEE IN MICHIGAN The Michigan Department of Corruption (MDOC) has decided to come up with a plan to have prisoners pay for the use of electricity. There is a bill being presented to the legislature that is calling for all prisoners in Michigan who own a television, radio, typewriter, or any other electrical appliance, to pay $3.00 a month to use their appliances. We of the Political Prisoners of War Vanguard Coalition (PPWVC) find this to be another attempt to fuck over the prisoner-class and its families and friends. To charge a prisoner for electricity is to charge the prisoner for being violated, abused, kicked in the ass, and butt-fucked by the state. By a system of sadistic and perverted liars and truth twisters. How in the hell can anyone imagine paying their captors money for being captured, shackled, and treated like less than an animal? Many of the unconscious prisoners find nothing wrong with the state RAPING them of their $3.00 each month. But again, these are the same types of prisoners who (when the drama comes) will find themselves begging to be spared. Or testifying in court against a fellow comrade who has done his/her revolutionary duties. We of PPWVC find this very disturbing. We feel that, if this bill is allowed to pass, it will further divide an already divided prisoner-class and give the crooks (pigs) more ammunition to use against us. PPWVC are out to change these unconscious-minded brothas' and sistas' thoughts and to show them that the only way to prevail is by standing together in solidarity and fighting for our dignity. For those not incarcerated, they may say that a prisoner being forced to pay $3.00 a month is not big deal. However, it is a big deal when one considers that Michigan has over 40 prisons and an estimated 38,000 prisoners. This (if properly multiplied) translates into millions of dollars and none of those millions will be going to the masses. None of those millions will be going to the urban areas, the rural areas. Will those millions be spent for the poor, the elderly, the unemployed, the disenfranchised, the dispossessed, the grassroots? PPWVC doesn't think so and neither should anyone else. PPWVC will continue to monitor the situation and report what happens. Meantime, we are preparing for what is surely to become an all-out war. In the trenches, --A Michigan prisoner, Mar. 9, 1996 PRISON SEX SCANDAL The television news media and state-wide newspapers have reported a sex scandal that is under investigation here in Dwight Women's prison. Several guards have resigned, three women were placed in administrative segregation, and another woman is in administrative protective custody. Guards are continuing daily to resign and quit during the follow-up of the investigation. In response, the administration has heightened its security level of aggression against the women. They intimidate women to exist under psychological and emotional apprehensions as harassment is elevated by the unleashing of hostile attitudes of male aggression. This is retaliation by the administration for the leak of an incident which has been isolated from public view and is long overdue for exposure. This treatment is unfair, since this problem has had a long-term existence here. The punishment of the women is not the solution to the problems of sexual exploitation under which they are forced to exist. --An Illinois prisoner, Mar. 28, 1996. TEXAS PRISONERS UNITE AGAINST SLAVERY IN THE TEXAS PENAL COLONY The Texas Prisoners' Labor Union is established to provide inmate laborers with a social and political forum from which to promote principles of social justice in a manner consistent with human rights. The Texas Penal Colony is one of the most expansive industries in the United States. However, while the populations have swelled to over capacity, the Texas Correctional Industries programs have not kept in step. As a result, basic concepts of imprisonment in Texas remain unchanged from the prior plantation dictates that induced slavery. Inmate laborers in Texas are wholly uncompensated for their work. Conditions remain barbaric in spite of twenty years of formal litigation, offering inmate laborers little hope for the future. There are no effective programs which would allow for an environment wherein rehabilitation and productivity are synonymous. Therefore those of us who remain confined within the penal colony are doomed to remain chained to the revolving door that has long become the accepted policy of incarceration in Texas. Legislators are happy to accept this concept of incarceration as it provides Texans with an ever growing industry, which in turn provides the citizenry of Texas with jobs in various areas of corrections. This insane policy must be stopped and it is up to us to stop it. We must bind together so as to form a political base from which we may collectively assert our human rights and negotiate collective bargaining for improved working and living conditions, wages and rehabilitative programs that will allow us to develop skills and habits which will lend to our once again entering society as responsible and productive citizens. Daily the current Texas government is stripping more and more away from us and will continue to do so until there is nothing left. Only WE can stop this onslaught against human rights and social justice. Only WE can help ourselves. --Texas prisoners from the Texas Prisoners' Labor Union, Apr. 17, 1996. EXPLOSIVE THOUGHTS I feel as though I'm a dented cardboard box stuffed full of dynamite stored in a large damp warehouse surrounded by land mines waiting to explode, on a moment's notice. Just append a minutest of spark and watch our red hot rage become that devastating, sensational show nobody could possibly ignore in our plea for release. --An Iowa prisoner, Apr. 9, 1996. CENSORSHIP OF MIM NOTES KENTUCKY CONTINUES TO REJECT MIM NOTES Most recently MIM received a notice from the Kentucky State Penitentiary dated Mar. 19, 1996. This notice stated, "Literature rejected that poses a potential threat to the nature of the security of this institution. Another copy of same material previously rejected per warden." Letters of protest can be sent to: Kentucky State Penitentiary, PO Box 128, Eddyville, KY 42038-0128, telephone: (502)-388-221. TENNESSEE ALSO CENSORS MIM PUBLICATIONS MIM received the following letters from the Tennessee Department of Correction in regards to MIM Theory journals and MIM Notes. Department of Correction Division of Adult Institutions Northeast Correctional Center PO Box 5000 Mountain City, TN 37683-5000 Howard Carlton, Warden March 11, 1996 To: [Tennessee Prisoner] You received two magazines from MIM in California. I have reviewed these magazines and am denying your access to them. In the cover, the goals of MIM are clearly stated. In one paragraph, it states, "MIM struggles to end oppression of all groups over groups: classes, genders, nations. MIM knows this is only possible by building public opinion to seize power through armed struggle." It is clear that these types of goals are not appropriate in a prison setting. You have the right to appeal my decision to Mr. Jim Rose, Assistant Commissioner of Operations, Tennessee Department of Correction, 4th Floor, Rachel Jackson Building, 320 Sixth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37243-0465. Howard Carlton, Warden, Department of Correction Division of Adult Institutions Northeast Correctional Center PO Box 5000 Mountain City, TN 37683-5000 Howard Carlton, Warden April 1, 1996 To: MIM Distributors RE: Cancel Distribution Gentlemen: Distribution of MIM material is coming to [prisoner K] at the Northeast Correctional Center in Mountain City, Tennessee. Under Tennessee Department of Correction policy, this material is not allowed into this penal facility. Please cancel mailings to: [prisoner K]. Thank you for your immediate assistance and we regret any inconvenience to your company. Sincerely, Howard Carlton, Warden Letters of protest can be written directly to Warden Carlton at the above address. THE REPRESSION OF POLITICALLY ACTIVE PRISONERS HAS BECOME INDIANA DOC POLICY AT ALL COST. It has gotten to the point where those of us who have made a conscious decision to live righteously and live our lives fighting for justice and human rights for all human beings have become the major targets for repression in the D.O.C.. Nothing is more important beyond security than repressing imprisoned activists. Not gang activity, not drug smuggling; nothing has become more important than the nefarious mission to break the wills and spirits of those of us who dare to stand and live as respectable human beings as opposed to becoming institutionalized and broken and trapped in the vicious cycle of recidivism so that we may forever be a part of this new stage of neo-colonial repression and exploitation (slavery) that the prison system has become. I refuse to lie back and watch those who are inverted with so-called authority in the capacity of an employment position do all kinds of wickedness towards myself and those who are living righteously. Especially when it can be proven through documented facts that they are going against their own policies and everything else to do whatever however they can to undermine any progressive outlooks, politics, programs, that one might find outside the repressive atmosphere in order to contribute something to making a difference in this world and improving the human qualities of one's own life--spiritually, politically, educationally, etc.. The D.O.C. is flat out against this unless one has surrendered one's complete being to the enslavement of institutionalization, dehumanization, demoralization, and the vicious cycle of self- destruction and defeatism. The D.O.C. is playing a vicious game of genocide with the lives of human beings. And to even qualify for most political offices these days the best theme for a campaign is prison repression and harder anti-crime bills. But when will the people realize who is committing the real crimes? No one running for office these days is committed to the best interest of the people. These politicians are committed only to obtaining a position and a name for themselves. Few are concerned but what can they do in a system which is so anti-humanity--concerned more with locking people up than changing the inhumane conditions which created the criminals in the first place. America is founded on a history of vicious crimes against humanity but so many want to forget that and not understand how it has created all that exists in terms of contradiction today. The state of Indiana has for too long been out of the serious "correct" line of political fire. For too long they have been hidden in these old Klan backwoods demonstrating a white state capital political monopoly and hanging African people. The new age hanging is incarceration with throw-away- the- key policies. The parole board has been releasing people who have murdered and everything else while incarcerating and at the same time denying people who have committed no further crimes for nature of circumstances. It's time that the people come together and help us expose this wicked Klan run state and its officials to the world. The state of Indiana is getting away with murder. I am calling for support to first expose what is happening with the D.O.C. in regards to how they are targeting progressive politically-active human beings in attempt to destroy us and any amount of humanity that we possess. I am asking that anyone concerned write letters in support of an investigation of the D.O.C., the administrations of the Indiana State Reformatory, and the State Prison at Michigan City, about the brutal repression and targeting of politically progressive prisoners, especially New African. I am hopeful that from this campaign we might be able to raise an organizational consistency in dealing with the corrupt officials of this state from the top down, and create a pressure that will give the people an upper hand to deal with what is taking place. As this is established we may be able to clog the court system with personal case, community, prisoner/family litigation about how this state, its agencies and the D.O.C. is being run. During this election time is a good time to start. Please write your letters in support of an investigation of the brutal repression of politically active prisoners in the Indiana Dept. of Corrections; and call for a meeting with the D.O.C. with outside people who are concerned and demand that we submit the names of the prisoners to be interviewed so that no hand-picked D.O.C. prisoner agents will be allowed to help them lie out of this. We have all the documented evidence we need to show the truth of racist repression and corruption. This campaign needs to be as large as possible to make a difference. Please copy this info. and spread it as far and wide as you possibly can! Write your letters of support to: Indiana State Representative, Dr. Vernon G. Smith, P.O. Box M622, Gary, IN. 46401 Indiana Civil Liberties Union, 445 N. Penn Suite 604, Indianapolis, IN 46204 Info News, 1953 Broadway, Gary, IN. 46407 Frost Illustrated, 3121 S. Calhoun, Fort Wayne, IN 46806 WLTH Radio, 3669 Broadway, Gary, IN. 46409 NAACP, 4805 Mt. Hope Drive, Baltimore, IN. 21215 Indianapolis Recorder, Attn: News Editor, 2901 N. Tacoma Ave., Indianapolis, IN. 46218 --an Indiana Prisoner, Mar. 18 1996 * * * CAPITALISM HOLDS BACK MEDICAL ADVANCE Ever day, private property and profit motivations interfere with the progress of science. The latest example is at the British company Boots and the Knoll Pharmaceutical Co., which forbade the publication of a paper on its drug called Synthroid. "Synthroid is taken daily by about eight million Americans to control hypothyroidism, a metabolic disorder. It dominates the $600 million U.S. market, so much so that when Boots put its drug division up for sale, Germany's BASF AG agreed to pay a lofty price of $1.4 billion for it." The blocking of the paper about Synthroid has involved capitalists from England, Germany and the united states. Health-care costs in the united states would be $356 million less if cheaper drugs could be used instead of Synthroid. To rebut claims that the cheaper drugs were as good as Synthroid Boots hired Betty Dong at the University of California San Francisco to do research. The research proved that the drugs were all the same in their effects. The prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) was about to publish the paper when Boots informed Dong that it would sue her if she did not uphold a clause in her research contract which gave Boots control of the research results. In this situation, even though the University of California supposedly is a public school and it is definitely subsidized by taxpayer moneys, the university caved in to the pharmaceutical capitalists and made a mockery of its public policy of not doing research that is not available to the public. The university administration decided it could not defend Dong in court, and Dong and her colleagues decided they didn't have the money for lawyers in court. Hence, Dong pulled the paper from JAMA at the last minute. Thus medical researchers and a university were made into prostitutes of pharmaceutical capital. Maoists come under a lot of criticism for the practice of science in China's Cultural Revolution. It is often said that Maoists allowed politics to interfere in science. This is a myth. We do believe the proletarian government under socialism must decide where to put money in research. That means the priorities are decided politically. However, we would not suppress a paper the way Boots did. The funding priorities are political, but Maoists do not believe the subject matter of science should be politically decided. Mao criticized Stalin in this regard on the Lysenko debate, where political leaders decided which side of an argument was correct in a crops and genetic- breeding question. Another argument we hear against socialism is that the capitalist countries are the most advanced so the capitalist system must be best for science. This is not true though, because capitalist countries like the United Snakes were richer and more technically advanced than Russia, China etc. before those countries tried socialism as well. In fact, under socialism, Russia and China caught up quite a bit in science before turning back to capitalism. Under capitalism we see it is that the profit- makers themselves are the ones funding research. We have the scientific ability and personnel to conduct important research, but the capitalists are the ones who own the property to pay for it. The result is suppression of science the capitalists don't like and publication of pseudo-science. This is especially dangerous because most sciences are statistically- based, and when capitalists suppress some studies the interpretation of all related statistically applied studies is clouded. The Boots case is another example that there is no getting around dictatorship at the moment. Right now science lives under bourgeois dictatorship. At least under proletarian dictatorship, science would be for forward-looking goals with the priority of serving the food, shelter, clothing and medical needs of the most oppressed first. Since the science would be publicly-funded there would be no question of someone's suppressing it for his/her own profit. * * * FILM SHOWING: BREAKING WITH OLD IDEAS LOS ANGELES--A lively discussion followed a recent MIM-sponsored showing of the film Breaking With Old Ideas, a film made in China in 1975, during the Cultural Revolution. The discussion focused on political and economic conditions under the current state-capitalist regime in China and the Maoist policies of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, which were aimed at preventing a Deng Xiaoping-style restoration of capitalism. Breaking With Old Ideas dramatizes the struggle for proletarian control of education at an agricultural college during the Great Leap Forward (1958-1959). Part of this struggle is the struggle between bourgeois ideas about education--which emphasize that education is a path to fame and wealth for a select few and separate theory from reality--and proletarian ideas--which emphasize that education must serve the broad toiling masses and that theory cannot be separated from practice. Breaking makes it clear that leading party members can still promote a bourgeois educational line and only the resolute struggle of the masses for the correct proletarian line can rectify these leaders (or remove them from power if necessary) and ensure that education truly helps to build socialism. Breaking is an excellent introduction to the politics of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. It is full of concrete examples of how class struggle continues under socialism and how communists can wage that struggle successfully: by mobilizing the masses to criticize those in positions of authority taking the capitalist road. After the film, an audience member who was raised in post-Mao China stated sympathies for Maoist China based on the terrible consequences Deng Xiaoping's economic "reforms" have had for the majority of Chinese people. According to this person, in China today some people are "very very rich" while most people are "very very poor." The current regime has taken away social benefits which the people won during the Mao years, like retirement benefits and cheap health care. Government corruption is rampant in China. Communist Party members in the government often get rich like their capitalist brothers in Amerika: They use their clout to rig the Chinese bond market and then make fortunes in speculation. This audience member also pointed out that the youth are immersed in capitalist ideology (like Deng's slogan "To Get Rich Is Glorious"). Students enter college to further their individual careers, not to serve the people. As a result, English and business classes are among the most popular in Chinese universities. For MIM, all of these examples are symptoms of the fact that the current economic system in China is capitalist, not socialist. Although this audience member blamed most of the current conditions in China on the Deng regime, s/he also criticized Maoist policies because they were too concentrated on political questions, and did not pay enough attention to production. They even went so far as to suggest that mass campaigns were too disruptive, and planners should concentrate on keeping the people content. S/he cited several examples of ultraleftism during the Great Leap Forward to back up these claims. MIM responded that this perspective amounts to abdicating the ideological and political struggle to the bourgeoisie and ignores the essential fact that the masses make history. Yes, ultraleft errors were committed during the Great Leap and the Cultural Revolution, and we need to avoid these errors in the future. Mao said as much. But these two movements were correct and necessary and we cannot throw them out because they weren't flawless. Kicking back and wishing for some technocrats to increase industrial output ain't gonna bring about a classless society. The only way to ensure that socialism develops towards communism is for the masses to struggle to gain real control over the means of production, like they did during the Great Leap and Cultural Revolution. Interested in learning more about the MIM's perspective on the Great Leap Forward or the Cultural Revolution? Check out the following books: Mao Zedong, A Critique of Soviet Economics, ($9) Wheelwright and McFarlane, The Chinese Road to Socialism, ($7), or: William Hinton, Turning Point in China, ($5). Send check or money order to MIM Distributors, PO Box 3576, Ann Arbor MI 48109. * * * PIG KILLS BLACK YOUTH IN CULVER CITY On the night of January 16, a Black 18 year-old named Anthony Garrett was driving with his half- brother Alan Belton to pick up a cousin from his job at a retail store in Culver City (part of the Los Angeles metro area). As they entered the store's parking lot, Culver City pigs Andrew Fay and Audrey Kellum made Garrett and Belton pull over, supposedly because they had tinted windows, a violation. Belton carried a registered 9 mm semi-automatic pistol for self-defense. Upon being pulled over, Garrett asked Belton to unload the gun. "He fully intended to tell the police he had a weapon but that it was unloaded," said the Garrett family's attorney, Wilmer J. Harris. "Anthony puts the cartridge on the floor behind him and puts the gun on the floor in front of him. As he came back up, that's when the officer shot twice." Officer Kellum shot the two bullets. One shattered Belton's right forearm. A metal plate now holds the bone together. The other bullet went through Anthony Garrett's neck, severing his carotid artery and killing him. "I think it was wrong to take his life like that," said Garrett's mother. "He was a very good worker and very talented, and his life was mistreated, taken away from him." But while it may seem that Garrett's mother was stating the obvious, the authorities have cleared the murderous pig Kellum of any wrongdoing. "Our position is that it was a good, justifiable shooting," oinked Sgt. Dave Tankenson, who helped "investigate" the case, "but due to the possible pending litigation, we're not going to make any other statement right now." Attorney Harris, quoted above, is preparing a wrongful-death lawsuit on behalf of Garrett's family against the Culver City Police Department. MIM supports this effort while reminding readers that such efforts to reform Amerikkka's criminal injustice system are insufficient. Amerikkka's police are enforcers of a system of national, class and gender oppression. From U.S. imperialism's perspective, Kellum was no bad apple, but one who did something "good" and "justifiable" by killing another Black youth. This system of power of groups over groups is begging to be overthrown. NOTE: Culver City-Ladera Independent May 2, 1996, pp. A1, A3. * * * PIGS ROUGH UP OLDER WHITE WOMAN On May 3 pigs tried to pull over an elderly Taunton, Massachusetts woman for failing to move out of the way of their high speed siren cars. When she ignored their motioning to pull over, they followed her to her home and then cuffed her and pushed her around. Neighbors watching the scene said that they would be upset if that were their wife or mother being treated that way. After all, as the newscaster commented, she was clearly not a "common criminal."(1) MIM opposes pig brutality on anyone. This is a clear example of the unnecessary violence practiced every day by the police. This woman was no threat to the pigs and her biggest crime was failing to wear her glasses while driving (a requirement of her license and the reason she was so slow to respond to the pigs' demands). But it is telling that this case received such big news coverage immediately after it happened and that people were so outraged. A common criminal, in white Amerika's eyes, is someone who might deserve to be roughed up. A common criminal is a Black or Latino youth who is probably dealing drugs and running guns and causing problems and resisting arrest. So pig violence might be justified in some cases, but not if you are white and it is on someone who could be your mother or wife. The chief of police defended the actions of the pigs saying that their behavior was justified, outraging the white people even more. And of course, with white public opinion at stake, the mayor of Taunton was quick to respond, saying that he might have to remove the chief from his position and calling the incident "an embarrassment to the city."(2) It is not embarrassing to the police force when Black and Latino youth are beaten up, harassed, and even killed by pigs who are never even disciplined for their actions. The message of this case is clear: police brutality will only be opposed when the victim does not fit the public's image of a "common criminal." Check out the prisons where a disproportionate number of the inmates are Black and Latino, to see what the "common criminal" looks like to the white nation. MIM sees that the real criminals are in the government taking away the lives and liberty of one-third of the Black nation (by putting them under the control of the criminal injustice system) while murdering, raping and torturing people in the Third World so as to more easily steal their labor and resources. Join MIM to overthrow this police state that serves the interests of a minority of the world's people at the expense of the majority. NOTES: 1. Boston Channel 56 10:00pm news. 2. Boston Globe, May 7, 1996. p. 30. * * * THE SAME OLD WHITE POWER STRUCTURE--CAPITALISM by a RAIL comrade An unarmed 17 year old Black youth is murdered by a killer cop...feuding politicians delay the construction of a badly needed grocery store on St. Louis's northside which are few and far between in Amerika's Black colonies...the state of Missouri decided to build a "youth detention center" in the heart of the Black community of St. Louis. These issues along with many others reflect the general neglect of the Black community by capitalist system. Concerned members of St. Louis's Black community called an emergency meeting on March 24 to discuss the problems of the community which haven't been addressed by Black elected officials. The meeting was alarmed by the fact that while conditions are deteriorating within the community, local and state elected officials whom are Black are feuding among themselves. People packed the Clifford Wilson Community Center which hosted an exciting meeting where everyone had the chance to speak and just about everyone did. The meeting stayed focused on the neglect of matters that need attention while Black elected officials feud among themselves. All proposals were voted on by everyone present. Those in attendance expressed the sentiment that they didn't want to know what the politicians were quarreling about--they want accountability for their actions and, more appropriately, their inactions. One elected alderperson did care enough to attend, and when she attempted to explain what the politicians were feuding about, the chairperson called her out of order because it would have given those in attendance a biased view. People in attendance once again expressed the view that the needs of the community were at issue, not the petty squabbling. Participants resolved: 1. Hold an accountability meeting between Black elected officials and the Black community. 2. No press will be admitted. 3. The politicians will be summoned by subpoena-- not by invitation. 4. Flyers will be distributed prominently throughout the community to notify as many people as possible to demand an accounting of these politicians. 5. A representative from each ward will be designated to investigate the most important needs that demand attention. At the accountability meeting, all these needs will be compiled as an agenda and presented. Revolutionaries have no faith in elected officials -- Black, white or whatever. No matter how well meaning they may be, they are all a part of the capitalist-imperialist system that oppresses people of the Black, Latino, Asian-Pacific, and First Nations. More often than not, the system co-opts community activists by brainwashing them into thinking that the only way to make changes that are really effective, is by becoming a part of the same power structure that oppresses the people MIM says that the only way to make effective changes is by revolution-REAL CHANGE! Not from the top down, but from the bottom up. No bogus election ever changed conditions for the better. How many Black elected officials can you truthfully say have made things better for the people? The most effective thing we can do for all the oppressed is to build a vanguard party and put an end to the rule of the capitalists and their lackeys and replacing it with the rule of the proletariat and socialism. * * * COUNTER-TERRORISM LEGISLATION TARGETS OPPRESSED NATIONALS On April 25, Klinton signed broad "counter- terrorism" legislation during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House. Families of those killed in the Oklahoma City bombing, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 sat in the audience along with two dozen Democrat and Republican congress members.(1) The living victims of these attacks, along with Amerikans who have seen them sob on national TV, are being pacified with legislation which targets oppressed nationals--both outside and within U.S. borders. The Oklahoma City bombing a year ago spurred the most recent fury over passing the counter-terrorism bill. Yet the legislation, if in place a year ago, would most likely have done nothing to prevent the bombing of the Federal building. MIM does not call for legislation to fight so-called terrorist groups within the United Snakes, but takes this opportunity to point out the contradiction Amerika faces in cracking down on "terrorist" groups within the United Snakes--due to its rugged individualist history and the ultimate national unity among settlers. The measures of the bill include: the possible deportation of aliens without revealing the evidence used against them, denial of people associated with U.S.-deemed terrorist groups entry into the United Snakes (even if the individuals have done nothing illegal), forbidding the transfer of funds to groups labeled "terrorist" (even if the money is for food or other necessities), and the strict limitation of habeas corpus appeals by both death row inmates and other prisoners.(2) LAWMAKERS SLIP IN INCREASED REPRESSION OF PRISONERS The Senate, according to the New York Times, has resisted passing legislation which exclusively restricts habeas corpus appeals.(3) A petition for habeas corpus is a vehicle for a prisoner to get a federal court to review his state court conviction, by arguing that the conviction itself, or the length of the sentence in some cases, was a violation of his/her federal constitutional rights. The anti-terrorism bill makes it much harder to get habeas review because the state court findings are now given a "presumption of correctness," whereas prior to this bill the state court findings were reviewed under a less stringent standard. The anti- terrorism hysteria provides the perfect opportunity to further screw prisoners under a broader heading. Under the new provision (which is currently being challenged by a case in Georgia (4)), death row inmates will have one year from the time of their conviction to appeal their sentences. Until passage of this bill there were no time limits on when a prisoner could file a habeas petition. Only one appeal will be allowed under the new bill, and any exception is limited to the issue of new evidence. The legislation imposes similar restrictions on other prisoners. A study by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York found that death row prisoners show in 40% of habeas corpus appeals that "...significant constitutional flaws undermine the reliability of their convictions or sentences."(3) But Amerika is more concerned with a scape-goat for crime which pisses off the settler masses than the fact that innocent people may be executed. MIM opposes all executions by the state because the U.S. government does not have the moral authority to decide such matters. The criminal actions of the U.S. government are far more destructive than any actions on the street by U.S. citizens (or non- citizens). CONTRADICTIONS ARISE IN FIGHTING DOMESTIC "TERRORISM" The National Rifle Association (NRA) and the American Civil Liberties Union united to defeat several of the measures included in the original counter-terrorism legislation (proposed immediately after the Oklahoma City bombing). Increased wiretapping authority and lower standards to prosecute sellers of guns used in crimes were left out thanks to NRA lobbying efforts.(2) The NRA and settler militia groups both oppose the federal government's interference with their right to stockpile weapons and "defend" themselves against those they consider the real terrorists-- oppressed nation groups, whether inside or outside the borders of the United Snakes. That is, any group which threatens the parasitic existence of the white nation or opposes U.S. hegemony. A real crackdown on right-wing militias would be settler disloyalty. These militias are often militant defenders of the original documents on which the United Snakes was founded. They also follow in the tradition of settler governmental opposition, which at times has grown fierce but never goes so far as to denounce its national loyalty altogether. The part of the bill which will have the greatest effect on Amerikkkans is the one billion dollars the government will spend over the next five years to fight "terrorism" in the United Snakes. (This money does not include funds used to pay off right- wing militia members like Randy Weaver when they scuffle with the FBI). The counter-terrorism bill is more evidence to back MIM's position that nation is the principal contradiction and that settlers are imperialist allies. Who pays the price when Amerikans want revenge for "terrorism"--the most bloody of which was committed by fellow settlers? Oppressed nationals pay the price. Who gets compensated when their family is killed as a result of political violence? Not the Black Panthers, not American Indian Movement members, not MOVE, and certainly not the millions of people in the Third World who are the victims of U.S. imperialism. MIM opposes increased freedom of the U.S. government to conduct counterintelligence surveillance and we oppose the constant attacks on oppressed nation people. But most importantly, we oppose the terrorism of the United Snakes, who will some day be forced to pay restitution to the majority of the world's people for its widespread and incessant violence. NOTES: 1. New York Times April 25, 1996, p. A10. 2. NYT April 16, 1996. p. A1, A9. 3. NYT March 15, 1996. p. A18. 4. Washington Post, May 4, 1996. p.1. * * * PRISON LITIGATION REFORM ACT GUTS PRISONERS' "RIGHTS" In the midst of all the hoopla about the "anti- terrorism" bill the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), has been overlooked. PLRA was passed as part of the 1996 budget bill that Clinton signed April 26. (The PLRA was attached as a rider, along with many environmental provisions which did get a lot of bourgeois press.) The PLRA limits prisoners' ability to bring class action suits challenging their conditions of confinement, and also limits their ability to bring