*----------------------------------------------------------* | | | x x x x x x x xx xxx xxx xxx | | xx xx x xx xx xx x x x x x x Issue #8 | | x x x x x x x x xx x x x xx xxx | | x x x x x x x x x x x x 01/12/85 | | x x x x x x x xx x xxx xxx | | | |----------------------------------------------------------| | Newspaper of the Maoist Internationalist Movement | *----------------------------------------------------------* BLACKS HIT U.S.-SOUTH AFRICA KENNEDY EXPOSED IN SOUTH AFRICA The Azanian People's Organization led demonstrations in South Africa that exposed Sen. Edward Kennedy. Chanting "Kennedy, go home!," the APO said that Kennedy "'must be informed that the oppressed blacks of Azania are not his ticket to the presidency and that our enemy includes the imperialists of the United States.'" (Detroit Free Press, 1/6/85, p. 6A) The South African regime, which does not tolerate political activity by Blacks sent police to physically attack and arrest the demonstrators; even though, Prime Minister Botha says that he and Kennedy are in hopeless disagreement. The fundamental unity between the U.S. Government including Kennedy and the apartheid regime became readily apparent through the actions of the Black demonstrators. Unfortunately, Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Desmond Tutu chose to play the role of mediator and negotiator for the Black people by apologizing to Kennedy for the Black people: "'We are sorry that you may discover that those of our community who have disagreed with the invitation we made to you will indicate their opposition. I am sorry.'" (Ibid.) Tutu has a part to play in his country's liberation, but as a leader he has served as a tool of Kennedy and the West. SECRET U.S. TROOPS IN COMBAT IN CENTRAL AMERICA U.S. troops secretly fly missions in Nicaragua and Honduras transporting armed troops, including wounded ones-- most likely Nicaraguan Contras. The father of one Warrant Officer Donald Alvey was told "'if he ever failed to return from one of those missions, the Army already had a story to make up for his and his crew's disappearance.'" (Detroit Free Press, 12/16/84) Don died in 1983 in a supposed helicopter crash off the coast of Virginia. U.S. officials have already acknowledged that the CIA directed attacks on oil pipelines and storage tanks in Nicaragua. Don Alvey may have crashed while training in piranha boats--the same type used in the CIA raid. Troops like Don give the Army permission to make up stories about their death. Survivors either claim they don't know anything or that what they know is top-secret. "'I don't want to go to jail,'" said one survivor obviously aware of the military's power to discipline him. The troops are equipped with bribe money in case they crash, unofficial weapons, no uniforms, only civilian clothes, a credit card and explosives to blow up their vehicles. If they get in trouble, the U.S. Government leaves the troops on their own rather than acknowledge embarrassing secret operations. The emphasis on secrecy occurs because the government does not want to stir up public opinion, especially by violating the War Powers Act, which requires a declaration of war for prolonged combat activities. One high ranking Defense official said "'It would not be unusual for things to be done that I would not know about.'" Reagan himself is cagey. He says "'we are complying with the law.'" Still he admits a U.S. role in disrupting "'supply lines which are supplying the guerrillas in El Salvador.'" (Ibid.) CONTRAS ATTACK NICARAGUAN PEOPLE U.S. backed counter-revolutionaries have killed almost 5,000 Nicaraguan people according to the Council on Hemispheric affairs. The counter-revolutionaries called "Contras" are trying to overthrow the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. Over 2,000 civilians have been kidnapped and taken out of Nicaragua. Those that refuse to join the Contras are "'often brutally killed.'" This includes more than 880 noncombatants killed after capture. (Chicago Tribune, 12/31/84) As politically desperate and unpopular as the Contras, the government of El Salvador killed 45,000 noncombatants since 1979 according to the Council. The U.S. backed Salvadoran government and the Contras have thus demonstrated their anti-people nature. The minority of wealthy people in the U.S. and Central America must attack the masses of people to defend their privilege to hire cheap disciplined labor. U.S. LABOR ARISTOCRACY ENDORSES PRESIDENT DUARTE The AFL-CIO's American Institute of Free Labor Development endorsed Salvadoran military dictator Napolean Duarte: "'Duarte is definitely a progressive man who wants to conduct needed reforms'" according to El Salvador director Bernard Packer. Packer heads a thirty member U.S. labor delegation in El Salvador. In addition to lending the legitimacy of U.S. labor to the junta, the team is training Salvadoran labor leaders in negotiated sell-out--"everything from negotiating techniques to political philosophy." (USA Today, 12/12/84, P. 5A) NAZIS KILL JEWISH RADIO ANNOUNCER Alan Berg, who spoke out against anti-Semitism and white supremacy was probably killed by neo-Nazis according to the Chicago Tribune. The Nazis machinegunned him in Denver. Ballistic experts matched the gun captured from Nazis with the one that killed Berg. (New York Times, 12/27/84, 11) The White American Bastion is heavily armed with explosives and automatic weapons--some of which have been discovered. The Nazis have been robbing armored trucks. The Nazis split off from a church called the "Aryan Nation." The group has an advanced interstate computer network reaching into Canada and a mailing list of 6,000. (Chicago Tribune, 12/30/84) MORAL MAJORITY LEADER ENDORSES ABORTION CLINIC BOMBINGS Cal Thomas, a vice-president for communications of the Moral Majority asks "Bombing Abortion Clinics: It's Violent, but Why Not?" in a recent newspaper editorial. Jayne Bray of the Pro-Life Nonviolent Action Committee said, "'I am personally opposed to the destruction of property, but I respect the right of people who do it where babies are being slaughtered.'" Both people are uncertain about the tactical benefits, but both are trying to make the most of the publicity from the bombings and expect (promise) more bombings if abortion continues. U.S. SPENDS $40 MILLION ON YACHT RACE The Pentagon, NASA and MIT professors are building the yacht that the U.S. hopes to regain the America's Cup that Australia won in an upset in 1983. The $40 million is justified by patriotism: "'It's up to the people of this nation, a matter of national pride'" said the director of a NY yacht club coughing up $12 million. "'By God, if anybody can do it, we Americans can.'" (Ann Arbor News, 12/9/84, p. B1) Nothing better demonstrates the ridiculous lengths--even manipulating "amateur" sports--the upper classes will go to evoke patriotism. The Pentagon, NASA and yachting millionaires all have an interest in rallying the people to their side with spectacles like the yachting race. They hope the masses of people will not notice what priorities this country has. $10,000 WOULD HAVE AVERTED ETHIOPIA FAMINE Daedalus Enterprises president Alan Parker said that its corporation used multispectral scanners to detect underground water reservoirs five years ago in Libya. He blamed the African region including Ethiopia for lack of $10,000, political stability and awareness of the technology that could have discovered water and prevented Ethiopia's drought. What the corporate head proves is that multinational corporations are to blame for the famine. (Ann Arbor News, 12/9/84, 1) ETHIOPIAN REGIME STARVING OUT REBEL AREAS The Ethiopian regime is not allowing food aid to reach the Tigre or Eritrea--two countries fighting a war of liberation against Ethiopian military domination. According to relief agency Grassroots International and the Wall Street Journal, Ethiopia is trying to starve out the people of the two countries to drain their support for the guerrillas. The Tigre People's Liberation Front said 1,500 people die a day in the Tigre from starvation. (USA Today, 12/12/84, p. 5A) ("U.S. to Increase Secret Food Aid for Ethiopians," Wall Street Journal, 12/17/84) Rather than panic its already shallow support, the Ethiopian regime does not even admit that Eritrea and the Tigre have independent guerrilla forces with base areas outside Ethiopian control. "'These attacks are just the work of scattered groups of bandits or terrorists.'" "'We can reach any village we want.'" (Christian Science Monitor, 1/4/85) In reality, the EPLF--Eritrean People's Liberation Front--controls 80% of Eritrea and the desperate Ethiopian regime uses napalm and cluster bombs on crops and livestock to leave a "scorched earth." The Ethiopian Dergue's desperation is underscored by its loss of a food aid camp to rebels. The Eritreans have a history of fighting both U.S.- backed and now Soviet-backed regimes in Ethiopia. The Soviets have bombed the Eritreans from the sea and air. Their reality tears to pieces the idea that it is impossible to fight both Soviet social-imperialism and U.S. imperialism even in the face of famine. COLLEGE BOARDS PREP BOOKS TEACH BOURGEOIS CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS "'56. The usefulness of the United Nations is threatened because A. There are too many nations in the Assembly B. Yassir Arafat was allowed to address the Assembly C. The Middle East Crisis threatens it D. It is located in New York City.'" This question is in the Barron's book Prepare for College Board Achievement Tests: European History and World Cultures (2nd ed.). The supposedly "correct" answer is "B." (AAUG Newsletter, 10, 11, 12/84, 16) The blatantly political answers in standardized tests concerning politics, history and the social sciences are designed to sort out proletarians--people with the "wrong" opinions. The problem with U.S. education is not standardized test scores. The problem is that the ruling class only has so much room at any time and must justify its rule through standardized tests. OWNING CLASS FIGHTING OVER HOW TO BE "OBJECTIVE" JOURNALISTS Recent months have seen multimillion dollar trials of the media. The Westmoreland case against CBS is hopeless in proving that CBS intentionally libelled Gen. Westmoreland about his conduct of the Vietnam War. However, Westmoreland's multimillion dollar trial is an attempt to gain sympathy for "venerable Southern gentlemen" and others who conducted the Vietnam War. In trying to paint a subversive media, Westmoreland and his supporters are trying to reverse the American public's verdict on the Vietnam War. The same is happening in Gen. Sharon's case against the Time magazine corporation. Sharon would like to further limit exposure of Israeli terror against Palestinians and Lebanese. This all amounts to an internal struggle of the multimillionaires, generals and government officials who control the media. Perhaps the most blatant demonstration of this is Senator Jesse Helms's organizing efforts to buy stock in CBS to change CBS's "'liberal bias.'" Helms' group called "Fairness in Media" threatened to buy out CBS if its managers did not agree to its proposals. (New York Times, 1/11/85) The organized conservatives want to "'become Dan Rather's boss.'" (Ibid.) Right now, 24,000 people own all of CBS's 29.7 million shares at $73 a share. One person alone owns 6.55%. Helms' bid reminds one and all that the capitalists own and dominate the means of communication. Anybody have a million dollars to give to this newsletter? U.S. STEEL LAYS OFF WORKERS; BUYS OIL COMPANY Workers laid off within the last five years from the U.S. Steel Corporation have suffered a nearly one half loss of income. (New York Times, 10/31/84) The median household income of laid off steelworkers was about $12,500 in 1983. Of course, the exploitation has hit minorities and women hardest. 30% of the laid off white workers are still unemployed, but 60% and 47% of Black and Hispanics remain unemployed. Men averaged 44% and women, 63%. (Ibid.) U.S. Steel reported a $153 million profit third quarter 1983. U.S. Steel bought Marathon for its oil and gas operations. Meanwhile, the steel operation is relatively neglected and runs at 53% of capacity. (New York Times, 10/31/84, Business section) INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION (ICA) 41% "EFFECTIVE" The ICA collects money for various charity efforts. Only 41% of the money goes to charity projects though. The rest goes to administration and advertising costs and evangelical and religious programs. (New York Times, 1/11/85) While the group has sent out pamphlets on Ethiopia to solicit funds, it has not sent one cent of aid to Ethiopia or groups working there. (Ibid.) Unfortunately, charities that are not run by the victimized themselves are at best inefficient, hopefully not outright fraudulent and in most cases destructive in creating dependency power relations especially of one country over another. CHINA STILL REVISIONIST Reports in the Western press that China has openly and honestly given up Marxism even in words and not just action are greatly exaggerated. (For example, Detroit News "China Rejects Marxism as 'Obsolete.'") There may be a campaign going on within the Chinese Communist Party to give up Marxism, but to see the conflict one would have to read between the lines of official statements like "we can not expect the works of Marx and Lenin at that time to provide solutions to our current problems." Another example is Marxism is "'far from enough" to solve China's problems. "'The major problem that classical Marxism sought to solve was the problem of socialist revolution, but the major problem we wish to solve is the problem of socialist construction.'" (Christian Science Monitor, 12/31/84, 2) We wish these honest authors campaigning for the repudiation of Marxism luck, but for now, the latest Chinese press releases state nothing but the usual polemics against "dogmatism" and "ultraleftism." (See MIM lit. list for books on how China abandoned Marxism in practice but not in words with the revisionist coup in 1976.) _____________________________________________________________ THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC ISSUE OF MIM NOTES For the real thing, twelve to sixteen pages of tabloid newsprint, including revolutionary art and photos with professional lay-out, subscribe to MIM Notes now. Back- issues also available in original release for most issues. 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