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 168 August 15, 1998 MIM Notes speaks to and from the viewpoint of the world's oppressed majority, and against the imperialist-patriarchy. Pick it up and wield it in the service of the people. support it, struggle with it and write for it. IN THIS ISSUE: 1. 100 YEARS OF RESISTANCE: THOUSANDS PROTEST AMERIKAN OCCUPATION OF PUERTO RICO 2. LETTERS 3. ESTRADA REGIME IS AGAINST THE PEOPLE AND AGAINST THE POOR 4. CALIFORNIA SET TO SPEED UP LEGAL MURDERS 5. UNITE ALL WHO *CAN* BE UNITED: TACTICAL ALLIANCES WITH REVISIONISTS OR REVISIONIST-LED GROUPS? 6. FROM "THE TASKS OF REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH." 7. DALAI LAMA ADMITS SOME MATERIALISM 8. SUPREMACIST COURT ANALYZED 9. WIMMIN STILL MAKE 76 CENTS TO THE MAN'S DOLLAR 10. A MATTER OF DEFINITION 11. SUPER-PROFITS VEX U.$. SUPER-BANK 12. WHO CLAIMS WORLD HEALTH IMPROVING 13. BUILD PRISONER MASS ORGANIZATION AGAINST IMPERIALISM 14. CAPITALISM BLAMES WEATHER FOR DEATH IN WORLD'S RICHEST COUNTRY 15. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TURN OUT IN DALLAS DURING THE HEAT- WAVE 16. ANNIVERSARY OF CRIMINAL HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI BOMBINGS STRENGTHENS OUR RESOLVE TO OVERTHROW AMERIKAN IMPERIALISM 17. JAPANESE REACTIONARIES WHIPPING IT UP 18. USA TODAY BACKS CORRECT COLLEGE ENROLLMENT LINE 19. THE MASK OF ZORRO 20. SMALL SOLDIERS GIVE OUT BIG CARNAGE 21. "FRIENDS OF ANIMALS" TAKES UP CLEVER CHAUVINIST TACTICS 22. HOUSTON SURVEY ON IMMIGRANTS UPBEAT 23. UNDER LOCK & KEY: NEWS FROM PRISONS AND PRISONERS * * * WHAT IS MIM? The Maoist Internationalist Movement (MIM) is a revolutionary communist party that upholds Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, comprising the collection of existing or emerging Maoist internationalist parties in the English-speaking imperialist countries and their English-speaking internal semi-colonies, as well as the existing or emerging Spanish-speaking Maoist internationalist parties of Aztlan, Puerto Rico and other territories of the U.S. Empire. MIM Notes is the newspaper of MIM. Notas Rojas is the newspaper of the Spanish- speaking parties or emerging parties of MIM. MIM is an internationalist organization that works from the vantage point of the Third World proletariat; thus, its members are not Amerikans, but world citizens. MIM struggles to end the oppression of all groups over other groups: classes, genders, nations. MIM knows this is only possible by building public opinion to seize power through armed struggle. Revolution is a reality for North America as the military becomes over-extended in the government's attempts to maintain world hegemony. MIM differs from other communist parties on three main questions: (1) MIM holds that after the proletariat seizes power in socialist revolution, the potential exists for capitalist restoration under the leadership of a new bourgeoisie within the communist party itself. In the case of the USSR, the bourgeoisie seized power after the death of Stalin in 1953; in China, it was after Mao's death and the overthrow of the "Gang of Four" in 1976. (2) MIM upholds the Chinese Cultural Revolution as the farthest advance of communism in human history. (3) MIM believes the North American white-working-class is primarily a non- revolutionary worker-elite at this time; thus, it is not the principal vehicle to advance Maoism in this country. MIM accepts people as members who agree on these basic principles and accept democratic centralism, the system of majority rule, on other questions of party line. "The theory of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin is universally applicable. We should regard it not as dogma, but as a guide to action. Studying it is not merely a matter of learning terms and phrases, but of learning Marxism-Leninism as the science of revolution." -- Mao Zedong, Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 208 * * * 100 YEARS OF RESISTANCE: THOUSANDS PROTEST AMERIKAN OCCUPATION OF PUERTO RICO July 25th 1998 marked the 100 year anniversary of the U.$. military invasion that landed in Puerto Rico through Guanica in 1898. Thousands of people came out to protest the u.s. occupation in cities across the u.s. and in Puerto Rico. RAIL organized a contingent to attend several of the rallies in support of the struggle for independence and self-determination for Puerto Rico. The RAIL contingent focused on the anti- imperialist struggle both within u.s. borders and on the island of Puerto Rico. RAIL also drew connections to national liberation struggles world wide. The economy of Puerto Rico, where the average wage is far lower than in the u.s., suffers from high unemployment and low paying jobs. U.$. corporations control 90% of the Puerto Rican economy and the u.s. has important military bases on the island. To control its investment, the U.$. has set up a puppet government in Puerto Rico that does the bidding of their imperialist masters. The u.s. government is attempting to co-opt the Puerto Rican people's desire for self-determination by offering a plebiscite on the status of the island. But under u.s. military and economic domination this plebiscite will do no more than put a democratic face on the u.s. occupation of the island. RAIL joins the struggle for true self-determination for the Puerto Rican people. We demand that the Puerto Rican people be given immediate independence from u.s. colonialism and we will not stop fighting the U.$. imperialist occupation of Puerto Rico until independence has been won. New York rally In New York city thousands of Puerto Ricans and supporters of other nationalities joined a festive march to the United Nations to demand an end to the u.s. imperialist occupation and independence for Puerto Rico. The overriding message of this march was anti-imperialist and many speakers decried the u.s. occupation while calling for revolution. The march took advantage of the U.N. resolution 1514 which recognizes the right of colonies to self-determination. Puerto Rico is recognized as a colony of the united snakes and so, if the U.N. were not controlled by the imperialists, principally by the u.s., this U.N. resolution would apply. A large contingent of the Allmighty Latin King and Queen Nation participated in the march. MIM has done work with this organization and we support their moves towards increasing involvement in anti-imperialist political struggles. There were also organizations of Asians and Blacks and other Latino nations promoting revolutionary solidarity with the struggle of the Puerto Rican people. A RAIL contingent marched in the rally under a banner demanding an end to the U.$. imperialist occupation of Puerto Rico and distributed many copies of the RAIL Notes pamphlet on Puerto Rico and Notas Rojas. While many organizations claiming to be Marxist or Marxist-led showed up at the rally to distribute their literature, with the exception of RAIL, these groups were trying to connect the Puerto Rican peoples struggle with the so-called working class in the united snakes and promoting false solidarity between the white labor aristocracy and the Puerto Rican nation. The speakers at the march drew attention to the general strike in Puerto Rico and the on-going phone workers strike, correctly calling for solidarity with the Puerto Rican people's struggle. But the so-called Marxists tried to claim that Amerikan workers' struggles for greater parasitism were linked to the struggle of the Puerto Rican people. As one RAIL comrade asked rhetorically in discussions at the rally: Just exactly when was it that white labor aristocracy struggles for greater wages ever turned into demands against u.s. imperialism? When was the last time white workers' struggles directly tagetted or in any way threatened capitalism? While the Puerto Rican workers are drawing connections between the U.$. corporate control of the economy and the U.$. military occupation of the island, the Amerikan workers are supporting u.s. military plunder around the world. D.C. Rally RAIL also participated in a rally in Washington D.C., at which about 4,000 people (according to the Washington Post) demonstrated in support of Puerto Rican independence. Speakers at the rally also paid special attention to Puerto Rican political prisoners and prisoners of war, who were featured on banners on the stage while family members wore flowers to identify themselves. RAIL found that many people were enthusiastic about reading the RAIL pamphlet on Puerto Rico, which includes a historical article about the Young Lords Party and its program from the late 1960s. On the same day in Washington, pro-statehood supporters led by the lackey Gov. Pedro Rossello rallied for Puerto Rico becomming a U.$. state. Rossello said voting for statehood in a new referendum would be Puerto Rico's way of ending 100 years of colonialism.(1) In fact, statehood would only transform Puerto Rico from a direct colony to a neo-colony - despite offering some economic incentives to the middle class and labor aristocracy minority on the island. For the majority of Puerto Ricans, on the mainland and on the island, MIM agrees with the Young Lords Party of 1970 that independence and socialism is the real road to liberation.(2) Notes: 1. Associated Press in Washington Post, July 26, 1998, p. A10. 2. See MIM Theory 7 for an in-depth article on the Young Lords Party. * * * LETTERS Revolutionary white working class? Dear MIM, After visiting your website, I just have to say that it's incredibly stupid. The white working-class is the enemy? Ha! And who the hell is your membership composed of? A bunch of rich college kids who are too busy discussing Marxism and sucking down cafe lattes at Starbuck's to actually do anything other than criticize the so-called elitist labor movement. The Maoist revolution is right around the corner - yeah, right. What's your rallying cry: "UPPER MIDDLE CLASS INTELLECTUALS OF THE WORLD, UNITE!" ? Keep dreaming, jerkoffs! -- an internet critic July, 1998 MIM responds: First we have to say that identity should be irrelevant to whether or not a political line is correct. This critic takes the same approach that detractors of so many great political leaders take by criticizing their identity rather than their ideas. But apparently this critic didn't even spend much time at our website or s/he would have the significant amount of work we do in Amerikan prisons where our supporters face tremendous repression for their political activism. Amerikan prisons are disproportionately filled with members of Amerika's internal colonies. Our comrades on the inside and on the outside work to end imperialism through revolutionary national liberation struggles. We fight for the liberation of the nations oppressed by imperialism both world wide and within u.s. borders. We do seek to break off any intellectuals and in fact members of any non- revolutionary class and nation who can be united with this struggle. But we can see that the white working class does not have a material interest in revolution and in fact the revolutionary groups within u.s. borders are the oppressed nations. Critics like the above should put a little time into investigating the basis of our position on the white working class rather than just making up criticisms about the imagined identity of our members and supporters. We have done extensive work documenting the economic situation of the white working class and demonstrating that they are not exploited and instead constitute a labor aristocracy. We have literature that places this in the context of the history of the u.s. and within the history of Marxism. For those who are actually serious about political line and it's consequences in strategy for the revolutionary struggle we recommend the following: MIM Theory #1 on the non-revolutionary nature of the white working class ($4), MIM Theory #10, Coming to Grips with the white working class and the question of the Comintern ($6), and Settlers, The Mythology of the White Working Class by J. Sakai ($10). Homosexuality and overpopulation MIM, I do have questions on the MIM Party line concerning heterosexism and overpopulation. I don't think homosexuality should be encouraged in society and I think the world is about 1/3 over-populated, though I agree with you on the consumption question. Also, your study pack on Stalin was excellent. --A friend in the east 15 June 1998 MIM responds: MIM does not encourage any form of sexuality under the patriarchy because we see that all sexual relationships under this system involve power differentials that make consent impossible. But we do not favor one form of sexuality over another. There is no basis for the belief that homosexuality is not natural or that homosexuality is somehow superior. In fact, homosexuality dates back as far as human history. On the question of overpopulation, the earth does have sufficient resources to feed and support the entire population without any problem. The biggest problem the earth faces is over consumption and unequal distribution of resources. We challenge our readers to provide us with evidence of overpopulation because we are confident that you will quickly find it is all propaganda from the imperialists and their supporters. MIM cautions against the danger of the overpopulation theory because that is almost always used to refer to the Third World while the First World is seen as appropriately populated. This is because of the uneven distribution of resources that makes it appear (to the very well brainwashed eye) that people of the Third World just can feed themselves because there is not enough resources to go around. The imperialists said the same thing about China before the revolution in 1949. Then they revolutionized the way agriculture and industry was organized and suddenly they were able to provide more than enough for the entire population. Check out MIM Theory 12 "Environment, Society, Revolution" for some relevant articles on this very important subject. It can be ordered from MIM for $6. * * * ESTRADA REGIME IS AGAINST THE PEOPLE AND AGAINST THE POOR Press Statement Jose Maria Sison Chief Political Consultant NDFP [National Democratic Front of the Philippines] Negotiating Panel 3 July 1998 MIM Notes reprints the following commentary on the recent elections in the Philippines in order to give its readers an update on the political situation in the Philippines. The National Democratic Front of the Philippines is currently engaged in a protracted people's war against the reactionary, u.$.-puppet regime in the Philippines. By its most important pronouncements, the Estrada regime is categorically against the people and against the poor (i.e., the toiling masses of workers and peasants). It continues the "free market" policies (denationalization, liberalization, privatization and deregulation) of the Ramos regime in subservience to the IMF, World Bank and WTO and the multinational firms and banks. It seeks to outstrip the preceding regime in betraying the Filipino nation by offering 100 percent ownership of land, banks, retail trade, telecommunications and the mass media to the foreign monopolies. The Estrada regime is constituted and controlled by the worst possible big compradors and big landlords, including the Marcos family and the most notorious cronies of the hated Marcos fascist dictatorship. In upper class circles, Estrada is described as the dummy president, who does not read even executive summaries and major contracts, while Eduardo Cojuangco is referred to as the real president, who is the chairman of the Laban ng Masang Pilipino and who has direct control over the office of the executive secretary and other key offices. It is the crucial objective of the Estrada regime to reverse the historical judgment of the people against the Marcos fascist dictatorship and to allow the Marcos family and the most notorious cronies of the fascist dictator Marcos to enjoy and enlarge wealth illgotten through corruption and violation of human rights. The Estrada regime is poised to frustrate the demands of the victims of human rights violations for justice and indemnification. It is also bent on manipulating and fixing the executive and judicial processes of the reactionary government to ensure that the Marcos family and the cronies grab back the sequestered assets and evade their criminal liabilities and tax obligations. What good can the people expect from a big comprador-landlord regime in the service of foreign monopoly capitalists? Nothing but demagogic platitudes, false promises and some deceptive tokens. The regime offers no solution to but aggravation of the crisis of the semicolonial and semifeudal ruling system. It seeks to perpetuate a basically agrarian, lopsided semifeudal economy that is dependent on imports and produces for export nothing more than low-value added semimanufactures and raw materials. It is all set to beg for more foreign loans to pay for debt service and cover budgetary and trade deficits. It offers no way out of the economic depression arising from the [...] ravages of finance capitalism. The economists of the regime think that solving the problem is a matter of lowering interest rates. They cannot calculate that this can only accelerate the outflow of foreign exchange. No matter how much Estrada declaims that he is going to make sacrifices ahead of them, the broad masses of the people are going to carry the burden of the announced austerity program of the regime. Using Estrada as the task master, the foreign monopolies and the local exploiting classes of big compradors and landlords will certainly intensify the oppression and exploitation of the people. The broad masses of the people will continue to suffer mass unemployment, rising prices of basic commodities, the depreciation of the peso, the mounting foreign and local public debt, the breakdown of production and the deterioration of social services and infrastructure. The regime has announced that it adheres to the labor flexibility scheme of imperialism and that will press down wage and living conditions of the working class in order to make local labor cheap and "globally competitive". The demand of the landless peasants for land is in fact laid aside by the policy of the new regime to keep the land in the hands of the landlords, allow landconversions and open landownership to foreign investors. The new regime wishes to increase the revenues of the reactionary government by selling off public assets at bargain prices and raising the tax burden. At the same time, the big tax evaders are assured of tax amnesty. The regime wishes to reduce expenditures by trimming down those on social services and by laying off large numbers of civilian employees. But the expenditures for the so-called modernization of the military and police modernization is being escalated. The chief executive of the new regime wishes to monopolize the pork barrel and the concomittant corruption by denouncing what is assumed as the innate corrupt character of the legislators. But the crooks in both executive and legislative branches of the reactionary government will have their compromise at the expense of the people. Estrada has admitted that he cannot relieve the economic suffering of the people. But he intends to score publicity points by rounding up some petty criminals and by using death squads to eliminate some of them. Thus, the three infamous generals in the Kuratong Baleleng case are back in business, with far more power than before. Nevertheless the criminal syndicates of Charlie "Atong" Ang and some military and police generals will thrive. The people, the democratic forces and the revolutionary movement must be vigilant against the demagogic popularization of "unclipped powers", legal shortcuts and death squads because these can be turned against them. The worst criminals are those who use their political authority to oppress and exploit the people and violate human rights on a massive scale. In view of the ever worsening crisis of the ruling system, the regime is bound to intensify military and police campaigns of suppression against the people and the revolutionary forces. It will also undertake massive campaigns of psychological warfare by combining the talents of US advisers, military and police officers and some former "Leftists". Shamelessly manifesting its puppetry to US imperialism in security matters, the Estrada regime has announced its intention of approving the Visiting Forces Agreement. Such an agreement converts the entire Philippines into a US military base under the guise of transit access to facilities and supplies and joint military exercises and gives up Philippine jurisdiction over criminal offenses perpetrated by US military personnel. As the crisis of the ruling system worsens, the broad masses of the people suffer worse oppression and exploitation. But they are driven by the crisis to wage revolutionary struggle ever more resolutely and militantly against the evils of foreign monopoly capitalism, domestic feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism, now chiefly represented by the Estrada ruling clique. Note: The complete text of this article is available at http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2078/natsi173.htm. * * * CALIFORNIA SET TO SPEED UP LEGAL MURDERS Over one dozen prisoners on California's death row have exhausted their legal appeals, and the state may set their execution dates for next year. If all of these prisoners are indeed killed in the next year, it will be the first time California has executed more than 10 prisoners since 1963. The reactionary "tough on crime" political climate in California has given the state the largest death row in Amerika. (Texas has the second largest death row, but leads in executions, with over 30 last year.) There are currently 508 prisoners on California's death row, and every year California courts sentence 30-40 more people to die. The increase in the number of executions is a result of the increase in the size of California's death row, as well as changes in the law. The "Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Law" of 1996, for example, restricts death-row inmates' ability to appeal their convictions and sentences. Numerous studies have shown that the death penalty - and imprisonment in general - is not correlated with the crime rate. This guts the tough-on-crime demagogues' argument that means the death penalty is a deterrent to crime. The Amerikan death penalty is a weapon of genocide aimed at the oppressed nations bound within u.$. borders. Members of oppressed nations are disproportionately sentenced to death and executed. For example, 54% of all people legally executed since 1930 were Black, despite the fact that only 12% of the population in u.$. borders is Black.(2) As practiced by the Amerikan injustice cyst'm, the death penalty is a barbaric ritual of imperialism. We must oppose it, and spend our days and nights building a movement that will craft true justice for all people. Notes: 1. The LA Times, 15 Jul 98. 2. MIM Theory 11, p. 46. * * * UNITE ALL WHO *CAN* BE UNITED: TACTICAL ALLIANCES WITH REVISIONISTS OR REVISIONIST-LED GROUPS? Most of the people who criticize the Maoist Internationalist Movement's tactical policies on public co-sponsorship of events as "sectarian" do not recognize the ideological differences between MIM and other so-called Marxist groups - or they do not think that ideology matters. But some people, while recognizing these ideological differences, argue that self-identified anti- imperialists should put aside their ideological differences and unite on the political (tactical) plane. These people encourage MIM and the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League (RAIL, a mass organization led by MIM) to join forces with the Gorbachevite Committees of Correspondence (CoC) and groups close to the Trotskyist Workers' World Party (WWP) and crypto-Trotskyist Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP), in order to join together in the fight for "democracy and socialism." While MIM knows that revolution requires proletarian revolutionaries to "shake hands with the devil" and enter into tactical alliances with representatives of other classes, MIM disagrees with this application of that truth. When we make deals with forces from other classes, we must make sure that we drive hard bargains, and gain at least as much as we give up. The differences between MIM and revisionists like the CoC are not yet crystal clear to the masses, and as Lenin wrote of Russia in 1903, "ideas of party organisation, of party consistency and honour, [and] of the party banner are still so immeasurably weak" here inside u.$. borders. Because of these things tactical unity with revisionists or their front groups will cause more problems in confusing the masses on the need for a party than they solve in gathering supporters to the party's basic goals.(1) On the surface, it may seem ironic that MIM is more willing to unite tactically with explicitly non-revolutionary groups like the American Friends Service Committee than to unite with so- called "socialist" groups. But the same principle underlies both practices. The party, as the representative of the international proletariat, must maintain its independence and initiative in the united front. The masses can clearly differentiate between MIM and its allies when the allies are non-Marxist, non-revolutionary. But the differences between MIM and other so-called Marxists are not so obvious. This is compounded by the fact that the revisionists themselves will take every opportunity to confuse the masses about these differences. Revisionism is always seeking to leech off of the prestige of genuine communist movements. Why should MIM care if non-Marxists appropriate Marx's name? Because parties represent class interests. MIM represents the interests of the international proletariat; we seek to build a movement led by the ideology of proletarian internationalism. Parties claiming Marxism dress themselves up as representatives of the international proletariat, but represent the interests of the privileged classes. In imperialist countries, many of these revisionist parties actually represent the bloated petit- bourgeoisie and labor aristocracy. This is a novelty for our sojourner comrades, since the labor-aristocracy does not play a large or independent role in their societies. But here in the imperialist countries it has done so, repeatedly pulling the anti-imperialist and socialist movement into the swamp of capitulation and reformism.(2) It is MIM's task to remain firm to proletarian principles, and try to pull elements of the labor aristocracy and petit-bourgeoisie from the swamp onto the firm road of anti-imperialist and socialist revolution. Here's an example of the false logic used by amerikan advocates of "left unity:" The CoC promotes tactical "left unity," claiming, "we will have time to settle our other differences under a free, democratic and socialist world." But how do we get to that "free, democratic and socialist world"? MIM argues that the organizations that consistently hold high the banner of revolutionary proletarian internationalism and make the interests of the international proletariat their dividing line will be fit to lead a revolutionary movement into a free, democratic and socialist world. In scrapping the question of whose interests coincide with those of the international proletariat, the CoC line argues for capitulation to the enemy classes. We cannot win democracy and freedom for the international proletariat by stirring up the reactionary nationalism of the labor aristocracy, or by promoting Gorbachevism and all other kinds of supra-class "humanist" clap-trap like the CoC. Such practices and ideas set the anti-imperialist and socialist revolution back. For comrades who think that revolutionary or anti-imperialist sentiment alone can unite these disparate groups, we recommend that they read Lenin's article, "The tasks of the revolutionary youth." Parties represent classes and so their theory and ideology must be a genuine reflection of people's revolutionary anti-imperialist will and not some shoddy imitation that relies on sentiment and romantic notions of unity. Because the genuine anti-imperialist movement must be led by the international proletariat, it must be led by a party armed with the ideology of the international proletariat: Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. Finally, we must recognize that the revisionist parties and their mass organizations are small, and by no means representative of the masses. Indeed, the only thing that could keep MIM and its mass organizations from matching or surpassing their absolute size in short order is an unwillingness to resolutely lead or be self-reliant. False unity with revisionists will halt MIM and RAIL's growth. Genuine unity with the international proletariat will build our work beyond even the dreams of the revisionist capitulators. Notes: 1. Lenin, "The tasks of revolutionary youth," Progress Publishers (Moscow), 1970, p. 96. 2. See, "A law of degeneration: Blaming the United Front for labor-aristocracy revisionism," MIM Theory 6, pp. 78-81. * * * FROM "THE TASKS OF REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH." Is it not self-evident that one can speak of revolutionising the students only having in mind a perfectly definite content and character of this revolutionising process? To the Social- Democrat [what we now call "Communist"], for example, it means, firstly, spreading Social-Democratic [Communist] ideas among the students, and combating ideas which, though called "Socialist-Revolutionary" have nothing in common with revolutionary socialism; and, secondly, endeavouring to broaden every democratic student movement ... and make it more conscious and determined ["Rely on the masses," as Mao would say]. * * * DALAI LAMA ADMITS SOME MATERIALISM Tibet's 14th Dalai Lama has on occasion admitted some materialist thoughts despite a general image of spiritualist hokum concocted for Western hippie consumption. "Maybe I'm mistaken, but perhaps there is an element here that is really rhetoric in all this 'healing, healing, healing' talk. It creates false expectations. We sincerely should not exaggerate." It was an appropriate statement from the leader in self-imposed exile given while visiting children sick with cancer in New York City May 5th. Note: USA Today 6May1998, p. d1. * * * SUPREMACIST COURT ANALYZED The U.S. Supreme Court has had 394 clerks hired by its current nine judges. Fewer than 2% were Black and none were "Native- American." The current head judge William Rehnquist refuses to meet with Black lawyers on the question, but he has hired no Blacks or "Asian-Americans" since joining the court in 1972. One of his 79 clerks was "Hispanic." Note: USA Today 10June 1998, p. 1. * * * WIMMIN STILL MAKE 76 CENTS TO THE MAN'S DOLLAR Figures from the first quarter of 1998 showed that wimmin continue to make about three-quarters what men make. The 76% figure compares full-time workers. In 1993, the figure was 77%, so it is not always a story of progress.(1) Although wimmin in the U$A make less than men, they are not a class, and in fact the vast majority live with men and share the class outlooks of their male family members. Indeed, as we have shown in MT, wimmin are nearly equal partners within the imperialist class of the U$A. Within the ethnic groups, we start to see a different picture. "Hispanic" wimmin make 57 cents on the dollar that the white man makes according to a 1996 study.(2) There is a large Latino middle-class within U.$. borders, but there is also a proletarian element, especially in agriculture and textiles. Notes: 1. Houston Chronicle 10June1998, p. 1c. 2. USA Today 11May1998, p. b1. * * * A MATTER OF DEFINITION by a Michigan prisoner Member of the Political Prisoners of War Coalition Theater of Operations Michigan Death KKKamps 20 June 1998 As a 'jailhouse lawyer,' I've built a rather substantial and impressive law library over the last nine years in the MDOC. Needless to say, my personal collection of specialty legal books and magazines consists of everything that should be stocked in the prison law library and isn't: The last thing our brutal oppressors want are *effective* jailhouse lawyers and writ writers.(1) On April 1, 1998, the screws hit my joint armed with the MDOC equivalent of a search warrant(2) authorizing the seizure of any contraband; to wit: "legal material." My law library, case files and various documents were inventoried and impounded at 1950 hours in eight duffel bags. I immediately contact the Court Appointed Monitor in Cain v. MDOC, (3) explained my situation and inquired as to whether Monitor Order No 430 was still valid. I had no way to ascertain the answer for myself as all my documents pertaining to Cain had been seized along with everything else, and my written requests for materials from the MBP Law Library go unfilled with regularity. I guess that will teach me to have the temerity to file a grievance against the law librarian. The Cain Monitor was helpful and informed me, inter alia [among other things - MIM], that the December 5, 1997, order in Cain at 97 13 specifically indicates that the Order does not Monitor Recommendation Nos. 218, 219, 233, 247, 259, 278, 279, 311, 350, 382, 430, 462, 481, 516, and 521. Therefore, yes, Monitor No. 430 which mandates "if the Office of Policy and Hearings determines an *indigent prisoner* has necessary excess legal property, then the institution should loan the prisoner footlockers or provide other means of storage," is still valid.(4) She also advised me that "[f]rom [her] experience in reviewing Excess Legal Property Hearings, law books are often included as necessary materials," although she had "never see[n] 'legal magazines' included." My primary concern was that the new PD-04.07.112 PRISONER PERSONAL PROPERTY (effective date 4/20/98) -- which at II, 97 E, p.2 specifically declares what items are "legal materials" -- does not list personal law books or legal magazines at 97 E.(1) To my way of thinking, a reasonable mind would conclude that law books or legal magazines would no doubt fall under the category of "any other written materials" as noted at 97 D (1). However, after nine years of imprisonment, I know full well that I've yet to meet an impartial Hearing Officer, let alone one with a reasonable mind. I decided to play it safe and conduct further research - I'm glad I did too! On April 7, 1998, I was present and accounted for at the Excess Legal Property Hearing. The Hearing Officer looked positively sick when he eyed all those duffel bags and told me he would take my word for it that all the documents pertained to pending litigation, thus precluding the necessity of examining them. I observed that he didn't want to take my word for anything at any other time and insisted that he do his job in strict accordance with departmental policy. Five hours or so later, all my documents, pleadings, sample formats and the like had been duly examined. When we got to all the books and magazines, the H.O. initially took the position that I could have the books, but not the magazines. "Why not?" I asked. "Because legal magazines aren't covered under the policy." The fine upstanding representative of his alma matter informed me tersely. "That's why." "Yeah - but neither are law books." I replied. "Law books and/or magazines would meet the definition of "any other written materials." I then showed him a copy of the statue that PD-04.07.112 is based on; MCL 800.42(7) (a) (I), which states: "(7) As used in this section: (a) 'legal materials' means either of the following: (I) Pleadings and other documents ordinarily filed with a court, letters, research notes, necessarily exhibits, books, periodicals, and similar items that are needed for litigation which the prisoner is currently pursuing on his or her own behalf." "This says 'books.' It doesn't say anything about magazines." He said. You're probably wondering what the man's IQ is. I wondered what is LSAT scores were, where he received his JD degree and how he managed to pass the Michigan Bar Exam! "It is a matter of definition," I explained. "If interpretation is necessary, a court is restricted by MCL 8.3; MSA2.212 that 'all words and phrases shall be construed and understood according to the common and approved usage of the language.'" And in *Stowers v Wolodzko*, 386 Mich 119, 133 (1971), our Supreme Court reaffirmed the well-established principle of statutory construction: "Every word shall be given meaning and no word shall be treated as surplusage or rendered nugatory if at all possible." "So!?" "So, a magazine and a periodical are the same thing, which means I'm entitled my law books and legal magazines as an axiomatic matter of clearly established blackletter law." Love those old Perry Mason re-runs! "Read it for yourself." I said and handed him my paperback copy of The Merriam Webster Dictionary (1997) which defines 'magazines' as "a periodical containing articles, stories, pictures, or other features." He really looked green - the color suits him. "You win." Notes: 1. Black's Law Dictionary defines "jailhouse lawyer" as "inmate of penal institution who spends his time reading the law and giving legal assistance and advice to inmates, especially to those who are illiterate." 2. A Notice of Intent to Conduct an Administrative Hearing. See R791.3310. 3. Carolyn N. Koenig (P53112). Attorney at Law. Court Appointed Monitor. P.O. Box 19302, Lansing, MI 48901-9302 (your PIN# = her#) (517) 482-1129. 4. Emphasis supplied. PD-04.02.120 Indigent prisoners sets forth indigency requirements. 5. See MCI 791.252 et seq; R791.3301 From the author: "This article is dedicated to prisoners' rights attorney and ex-offender Daniel F. Manville, author of the Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual, who has made his existence felt by every prison official in this country." * * * SUPER-PROFITS VEX U.$. SUPER-BANK The economists providing analyses for the U.S. Federal Reserve bank are debating super-profits without knowing it. In the booming economy, the so-called "Fed" would like to know how much more efficient U.$. workers are becoming. If the bankers knew this, they would know what to do with their banking policies within bourgeois logic. Without this information, they are stumbling in the dark. The efficiency of workers is referred to by these analysts as "productivity." Some economists say U.$. workers must be increasing productivity 2.5% annually while others say 0.5%. If productivity is increasing rapidly, the bankers reason that incomes can rise rapidly without creating inflation. The bankers can then adjust their policies to allow such a rise in income. In reality, the boom in the U.$. economy is created by an increased flow of super-profits into the U.$. economy, especially from East Asia, but also Latin America in very recent years. What looks like efficiency gains of U.$. workers is really increased super-exploitation of Third World workers. Economists seeking to find the efficiency gains of the bloated paper-shuffling and administration of the U.$. economy always have a hard time. Consequently they must make up various stories about how electron-shuffling has increased so much along with the well-being of the people. The latest bourgeois stories show that productivity is increasing, not super- exploitation of course. Most people in the imperialist countries calling themselves "Marxist" have abandoned Marx's labor theory of value. They have adopted the labor aristocracy view of itself that it is "working hard" and deserves its economic gains, seemingly created from paper-shuffling, which is what more than half the labor force does in the oppressor nations. In contrast, MIM continues to uphold the labor theory of value the way Marx did, because we continue to see a difference between farming labor and collecting dividend checks or having a job tallying the dividend checks. The world can live without some kinds of labor if it were reorganized. There will still be farming of some sort. Such basic facts of life are lost by the U$A's leading economists and bankers. Note: USA Today 7May1998, p. b1. * * * WHO CLAIMS WORLD HEALTH IMPROVING The World Health Organization (WHO) is claiming that world health continues to improve under global capitalism. In 1955, 68% of the world population had a life expectancy at birth of 60 years or less, but by 1995, 86% had a life expectancy over 60 years. The WHO did admit that in 18 countries in Africa, life expectancy is still under 50. In fact, life expectancies in Africa are declining. In 1997, infectious diseases killed 52.2 million people. The vast majority of such deaths are preventable with existing medical technology. WHO claims that by the year 2025 only 4% of the world population will have life expectancies under 60. However, part of the reason for that would be that the oppressed will be dying off wholesale. The WHO view presents a partial challenge to the MIM view of imperialism as a global system. While WHO sees progress under imperialism, MIM admits some medical technologies are advancing, while it finds environmental and militarist threats increasing. If the relatively optimistic WHO view of world progress is to hold up as true, it will be the result of class struggle in the realms of health, the environment and world peace. Note: USA Today 11May1998, p. D1. * * * BUILD PRISONER MASS ORGANIZATION AGAINST IMPERIALISM As we announced in MIM Notes #161, the Maoist Internationalist Movement (MIM) is working with prisoners to develop an anti- imperialist prisoner mass organization which is led by the proletariat. One of the largest revolutionary sections of the Amerikkkan population is found within the settler nation's gulags because our comrades under lock and key daily face the wrath of imperialism. Many prisoners understand the only possible path toward liberation is revolution. MIM is fiercely working to improve and increase the level of work that addresses the needs of prisoners specifically and that mobilizes the revolutionary spirit of comrades under lock and key. One of the recent ways we are increasing the level of revolutionary movement is the development of the prisoner mass organization and we will periodically use the pages of MIM Notes to help prisoners build their organization. First we list some general principles guiding the new prisoner mass organization. These comments are in part responses to the prisoner letters that follow. The prisoner mass organization should help MIM and RAIL on the outside to educate and expose the cruelties of Amerikkkan gulags. And as prisoners' words are spread by those on the outside, there will be greater resources to aid specific struggles of prisoners against the cruelties. The prisoner mass organization should also help prisoners to deal with oppressive conditions until they can be changed. A Minnesota prisoner writes below about cruelties which are repeated throughout the United Snakes. MIM and the new prisoner mass organization cannot change these things in one fell swoop. But just as with oppressed masses on the outside, the mass organization can help direct prisoners into productive, revolutionary work which gives the comrades' lives more meaning. As an example, if you see a prisoner who is utterly frustrated with the way that a guard is treating him/her, then help the prisoner to expose the torture to assist in building more opposition toward systematic torture. Help other prisoners to use their anger and frustration in a productive way to help destroy oppression. This is far superior than attacking a guard even if he is a prime torturer. The prisoner mass organization should also help prisoners strengthen revolutionary study groups. The offer from the East Coast prisoner below is what we need in each state and then in each prison. We need revolutionary leaders to help push others to study at the same time that they are organizing against oppression. The purpose of study is to understand the material and economic bases of oppression on a deeper level and to understand historical examples of successful methods to end that oppression. For instance, studying the lessons from Attica should help prisoners organize and improve from that battle. The prisoner mass organization should be both proactive and patient. Prisoners should be patient in seeing larger changes which result from stronger organization of anti-imperialist prisoners. It takes time to build foundations that are strong and that are correct - correct meaning that they will achieve winnable battles and not achieve a long list of revolutionary martyrs. However, prisoners should not have to wait for supporters on the outside who have better material conditions and less of a material incentive to organize. Prisoners can immediately begin to fight and win battles for better conditions, fewer limitations on legal and educational resources, and less censorship. For conditions of prisoners to improve, prisoners need strong organization, support from the outside and a correct analysis of what path to take. This is why MIM has launched and is leading the anti-imperialist mass organization - to meet these needs. In turn, the development of the prisoner mass organization will aid the development of RAIL and MIM on the outside. It will also raise the political level of the masses in general, and thus aid in the development of proletarian-led united front against imperialism in u.$. borders. This is our main response to the comments of the prisoner from South Carolina below to the effect that there is not a strong movement which supports prisoners. Our second response to comments regarding the absence of a large prisoner support movement is that the majority of Amerikkkans are not proletarian. Therefore our revolutionary task is quite difficult because we battle both the imperialists, but also the bought off lackeys of imperialism. Even within the oppressed nations there are class divisions, which leads some oppressed nationals to chase after scraps from Amerika's table. Another reason why MIM stresses that the united front against imperialism must be led by the proletariat: Non-proletarian classes will vacillate. We encourage our comrades behind lock who want to help build the new anti-imperialist prisoner mass organization to study the article on the united front printed in the last issue of MIM Motes (MN167). Here are a few letters recently received by revolutionaries under lock and key. Prisoner wants mass organization to fight repression Dear Comrades, Be advised that it is with a Spirit of Revolutionary effort, cohesion and dedication that I, X, greet y'all at MIM with de heart and soul of a Revolutionary Internationalist and as always I salute you and all de rades with a mailed clenched- fist for being persisted in y'all quest to make a strategic difference in our struggle against IMPERIALISM. [...] I am very grateful to all de beautiful and wonderful rades at MIM and RAIL that has worked tirelessly for over a year around de Jericho '98 march and de Teach-in on de Criminal Injustice System (thanks.) Well, I am maintaining, to remain above de vile tide of my present environment. I've been dealing with one hassle on top of another. I have been in administrative detention (24 hour lock-up in seg) since [the beginning of December 1997]. I was given a bogus assault charge on a pig, but I already know that this latest attack is due to get me back in de high/max kamp, now I am awaiting transfer. Last week, I received MIM Theory 13 and a cover letter. I stand totally in agreement with de forming of a Prisoner Mass Organization. We no longer have a strong prison movement like during de time of Attikkka.(sic) I will love to take part in de Prisoner mass organization. I will like to be de contact person for de prisoner study group at my front. I will like to propose that de name for de mass organization be "Prisoner Anti- Imperialist Liberation Front" or "Prisoner Anti-Imperialist United Front." Comrade, these are intense times. In tolerable things are going down against de poor people of color. We need to build a Prisoner mass organization that has no tolerance for prisoner suppression. There is lots of repression in these bowels and things are getting worse by de day and de only way that I see it getting better is an uprising. And when it do happen, we will need de outside to demonstrate on our behalf if not, it will be another Attikkka. [...] I will be sending y'all some articles on prison soon. Stiff resistance! In struggle, -- a prisoner on the East Coast, 18 May 1998. A revolutionary proposal for comrades in South Carolina Revolutionary Salutes, I address the following as my proposal to all revolutionary comrades throughout the region of South Karolina... Some of the rades and I were discussing the ideological struggle of re- building, and the establishing of a network for outreach programs to help our people on the outside with transportation to and from these various kamps... Being a New Afrikan, and son of the ghetto-colony experience, I know we must form an outreach program where the out-side is constantly being connected to the respective revolutionary cadres. In doing so, we would regain the confidence of the New Afrikan people and community as a whole... At this moment there are no effective organizations (to my knowledge) in South KKKarolina carrying out the task of establishing committees which are aiding to expose Amerikkkan prison system, gain legitimate resources, and prepare for defense battles in the kkkolonial arena throughout the states... I've asked myself a lot of times, "Why do we have to struggle inside these kkkamps to form our own bases when there should be one New Afrikan base which deals with revolutionary/political priorities in South Carolina?" One that deals with our concrete conditions as a people inside and outside the kkkamps... We comrades on the inside are struggling to do our best, as I'm sure the comrades on the out-side are, yet I still feel that some where out there, there should be an establishment to aid various committees in the area of organizing book keeping, fund raising, typing, computer operations, etc... I'm asking each and everyone of the rads who are principled to respond to me in this area of ideological struggle concerning this proposal. The time has come for us here in South KKKarolina, New Afrikan brothers, and sisters to take it to a new level... The floor is open for long term goals, criticism, ideas, points and encouragement's... people must move to advance our movements because if we don't, no one else is going to. I am just one of the many that has a thought or two to share. Power to all of us who strive for the new day in the hear of babylon... Re-build, -- a South KKKarolina prison comrade, 26 May 1998. Revolutionary exposes plantation gestapo I'm a former Black Brotherhood, Culture Development Organization (BBCDO) member and Black Panther Party (BPP) member and present revolutionary freedom fighter for all oppressed and poor people of color. I'm doing time here in this Northern Plantation in [a Maximum Security prison in Minnesota.] Here in this Northern Colony, the Gestapos rule with raw power. From a mental stand point this white fox is more cruel and vicious. And then there's help from the rats, or brothers who are happy being here by smiling and jeffing with this evil devil. Up North here, its a pat on your back, smile in face, gotcha kind of thing. Most of the brothers here have given up as far as the struggle goes, a lot of these cats got life bits and are compromising their dignity and ignoring the fight for freedom... We are housed in a unit called SHU. We are locked down 21 hours a day, we eat in our rooms and are restricted work opportunities. In 1996, this SHU unit was established and implemented from an act of retaliation for some prisoners not going to work... The racist gestapo called it a work strike. The more time a person spends in the SHU unit, the more of sensory and psychological deprivation... Prisoners are stripped of their individual identities in order that compliant behavior patterns can be implanted. A process of mortification and depersonalization... The severity of the living conditions in the SHU cause many prisoners to deteriorate from pre-existing disorders. Officials in the SHU unit intentionally antagonize and harass prisoners to such a degree that exacerbates tensions. We have no real air in our room, air and dust come through a vent which causes many respiration problems. There are windows in the room, but they are order-sealed by the warden. We are living under very depressing conditions, from lack of visiting, to ... too many to write about. I find that these brothers allow any and everything to be said or done to them by these keepers. For us, brothers in the struggle, not only do we have to watch out for the funky officials, we have to also watch out for the so called brother. It seems that their blackness has been confiscated, and they don't know what they are, or what they are supposed to do. We older brothers want to help but they act so standoffish and redneckish. Its very little talk of uplifting, but they run to great gestapo jobs for that $.25 an hour. They'll read fuck books with the quickness, but you won't see 'em with no black worth-while literature. The same job they kiss gestapos ass for, he cans their ass the next day or two and they are right back at the SHU unit looking sick and confused. But I would like to say to all my fallen brothers in the North, or south, west or east... No matter what has taken place, we must bring unity back and do away with afraidness. There's nothing no longer to be afraid of, here in this racist [unit.] Help one another to build a vanguard to meet the chaos that bring us unopposing discrimination and rituals of racist pig brutality, along with denial of human rights and self-respect. Bring about a new demo, no longer should you remain silent to these practices because if it happens to him, it happens to you too. My brother, no longer should you fight each other because 'he called you a bitch.' Sure it's a disregarding word, but if it doesn't describe you per se, don't you throw the first punch. I say to you, what brother Haki Madhubut said to us all. He said: Resistance must be our call, structured activism our plan, conscious sharing our method, a working presence our model. Anything else is tantamount to surrender and certain death. Power to the People who don't fear freedom! Keep up the good work MIM, I sho nuff appreciate the paper. -- a Minnesota prisoner, 16 May 1998 UPDATE ON PRISONER MASS ORGANIZATION: All prisoners who are interested in developing the mass organization who have not yet received a letter which outlines the job ahead of us further should write MIM immediately. Any prisoner who has expressed interest or has shown revolutionary initiative and leadership should have already received the first mass mailing to prisoners involved in starting the mass organization. It could be that the letter was censored from you or it could be that you were not sent the original letter because we did not know that you were interested. So, please write immediately if you are interested in developing the mass organization. Additionally, all prisoners who are scheduled to see the parole board or for release within the next two years should have received a letter concerning MIM's Serve the People Re-Lease program. Any prisoner who is in this category and has not received a letter, please contact us immediately. * * * CAPITALISM BLAMES WEATHER FOR DEATH IN WORLD'S RICHEST COUNTRY DALLAS, TX--On July 17th, the capitalist newspapers blamed the record heat-wave in Texas for the death of the 19th persyn in Dallas County since the heat-wave began. There had been 13 100 degrees (F) in a row and 26 for the summer by the end of the 18th. Individual day records of 110 degrees have also been set. The city government of Dallas ordered itself to tend to the crisis, but business went on as usual. The heat affects the poor without air-conditioning or the money to move. Even more likely targets of the heat are the elderly. MIM asked the masses of Dallas their opinions of the causes of the heat wave deaths. An activist demonstrating in 100 degree weather to stop fur sales said, "people don't care about each other" and hence do not check on the elderly. MIM would add that the elderly without wealth are of no concern to capitalism, because the elderly have finished their petty- bourgeois or working-class lives and have no economic use anymore. A sales worker in "Forbidden Books" near Fair Park said, "a lot of people live in poor conditions" and hence he was not surprised by the deaths. An economic system built for all people and led by the proletariat would see to eradicating preventable deaths like those supposedly caused by heat-waves. As it stands now, preventable deaths are only addressed by the well-off and able-bodied. Note: The Dallas Morning News 18July1998, p. 27a. * * * ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS TURN OUT IN DALLAS DURING THE HEAT-WAVE DALLAS, TX--On July 18th in weather over 100 degrees, seven people turned out to hold up grisly posters of a skinned fox in front of a department store named Nieman Marcus. Such demonstrations have gone on for a year once every week or two. "We think it's ridiculous that here with 110 degree days, we have the third largest fur market in the United States," said a leader of the demonstration who had attended them over a long period of time. We give these activists credit for recognizing the decadent nature of luxury consumption in the United States. The typical fur for $2000 has the bodies of 40 or 50 foxes or up to 110 other animals. Super-model Cindy Crawford posed nude to draw attention to the cause of stopping fur sales, but her action also has the underlying message that fur will not impress her. We at MIM recognize that this underlying message is part of a struggle over leisure time dynamics - the dynamics of gender. Such gender struggles are secondary at this time and will not work to end fur production-for-profit. Although Macy's stopped selling furs, even if Nieman Marcus did also, some other capitalist would make even more profits to fill in the void. Instead, we believe it should be the law not to produce fur for decadence just as we believe all producers should abide by environmental regulations enforced by the government, not by one-at-a-time boycotts. According to two demonstrators, one male and one female, the purchase of fur is by men seeking to "score" points with a womyn he wishes to impress. "There is no purpose for fur; it's purely a vanity thing," a demonstration organizer said. MIM would have to agree with that, but our usual disagreement with the PETA organizers is that such decadence goes much further than just fur. There are many problems that are similar that would vanish if production for profit were illegal. Fur is actually a less than secondary problem, considering that millions of innocent children die of starvation in this profit-mad world every year. One demonstrator who said this was his first demonstration said, "there's not enough people behind this cause, not to downplay human causes. This is a place where I'm needed." Somehow the animal-rights movement has convinced people that its failed movement deserves help more than other failed but even more righteous movements. It's actually a measure of the degree of separation of the humyn species from itself by class that many can no longer feel the pain of the oppressed people more than that of a fox. Note: www.envirolink.org/orgs/alt * * * ANNIVERSARY OF CRIMINAL HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI BOMBINGS STRENGTHENS OUR RESOLVE TO OVERTHROW AMERIKAN IMPERIALISM [Last August 6th and 9th were the 53rd anniversaries of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. These two amerikan atomic bombs killed over 200,000 civilians, and wounded and poisoned many many more. The Amerikan government claims to this day that the bombings were necessary to force Japan to surrender, but there is clear evidence that the Amerikan government knew that Japan was planning to surrender as soon as the USSR declared war on Japan ­ which was scheduled to happen several days after the bombings.(1) The united $tates is still the only country to ever use nuclear weapons and still maintains the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. These facts expose the united $tates¹ brutality and hypocriscy to the rest of the world. How can the unites $tates prattle on about war crimes and nuclear proliferation when it refuses to take responsibility for two of the largest war crimes of this century? When it refuses to acknowledge its own nuclear arsenal? But Amerika¹s brutality and arrogance will actually help bring about her downfall, by isolating Amerika from the peoples of the world and stoking the fires of resistance to Amerikan imperialism. As Chairman Mao liked to say, the Amerikan imperialists ³are lifting a rock in order to drop it on their feet.² To commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and to put forward a correct perspective on the imperialists¹ terrifying-looking nuclear weapons, MIM Notes reprints here several relevant excerpts from Chairperson Mao¹s writings and speeches. ­ MIM] Riding roughshod everywhere, U.S. Imperialism has made itself the enemy of the people of the world and has increasingly isolated itself. Those who refuse to be enslaved will never be cowed by the atom bombs and hydrogen bombs in the hands of the U.S. imperialists. The raging tide' of the people of the world against the U.S. aggressors is irresistible. Their struggle against U.S. imperialism and its lackeys will assuredly win still greater victories. --³Statement Supporting the Panamanian People¹s Just Patriotic Struggle Against U.S. Imperialism,² 12 January, 1964. The atom bomb is a paper tiger which the U.S. reactionaries use to scare people. It looks terrible, but in fact it isn't. Of course, the atom bomb is a weapon of mass slaughter, but the outcome of a war is decided by the people, not by one or two new types of weapon. All reactionaries are paper tigers. In appearance, the reactionaries are terrifying, but in reality they are not so powerful. From a long-term point of view, it is not the reactionaries but the people who are really powerful. In Russia, before the February Revolution in 1917, which side was really strong? On the surface the tsar was strong but he was swept away by a single gust of wind in the February Revolution. In the final analysis, the strength in Russia was on the side of the Soviets of Workers, Peasants and Soldiers. The tsar was just a paper tiger. Wasn't Hitler once considered very strong? But history proved that he was a paper tiger. So was Mussolini, so was Japanese imperialism. On the contrary, the strength of the Soviet Union and of the people in all countries who loved democracy and freedom proved much greater than had been foreseen. Chiang Kai-shek and his supporters, the U.S. reactionaries, are all paper tigers too. Speaking of U.S. imperialism, people seem to feel that it is terrifically strong. Chinese reactionaries are using the "strength" of the United States to frighten the Chinese people. But it will be proved that the U.S. reactionaries, like all the reactionaries in history, do not have much strength. Take the case of China. We have only millet plus rifles to rely on, but history will finally prove that our millet plus rifles is more powerful than Chiang Kai-shek's aeroplanes plus tanks. Although the Chinese people still face many difficulties and will long suffer hardships from the joint attacks of U.S. imperialism and the Chinese reactionaries, the day will come when these reactionaries are defeated and we are victorious. The reason is simply this: the reactionaries represent reaction, we represent progress. ­ ³Interview with America Correspondent Anna Louise Strong,² August 1946. The reactionaries are always boasting of their military strength which seems to be powerful. Among the people themselves, there is a certain number who, in varying degrees, fear the military strength of the reactionaries. This is the viewpoint that "weapons decide everything". In his well- known treatise On Protracted War written in May 1938, Comrade Mao Tse-tung made a profound criticism of this viewpoint: This is the so-called theory that "weapons decide everything", which constitutes a mechanical approach to the question of war and a subjective and one-sided view. Our view is opposed to this; we see not only weapons but also people. Weapons are an important factor in war, but not the decisive factor; it is people, not things, that are decisive. The contest of strength is not only a contest of military and economic power, but also a contest of human power and morale. Military and economic power is necessarily wielded by people.(2) In the editorial The Turning Point in World War 1I that he wrote for the Liberation Daily, Yenan, on October I2, 1942, Comrade Mao Tse-tung analysed the essential nature of the reactionary forces which are outwardly strong but inwardly weak, and reminded the revolutionary people not to be deluded by superficial phenomena. He wrote: Historically, all reactionary forces on the verge of extinction invariably conduct a last desperate struggle against the revolutionary forces, and some revolutionaries are apt to be deluded for a time by this phenomenon of outward strength but inner weakness, failing to grasp the essential fact that the enemy is nearing extinction while they themselves are approaching victory. The rise of the forces of fascism and the war of aggression they have been conducting for some years are precisely the expression of such a last desperate struggle; and in this present war the attack on Stalingrad is the expression of the last desperate struggle of fascism itself. At this turning point in history, too, many people in thc world anti- fascist front have been deluded by the ferocious appearance of fascism and have failed to discern its essence.(2) Notes: 1. ³HISTORIANS' LETTER TO THE SMITHSONIAN [protesting a pro- atomic bomb exhibit],² http://www.he.net/~douglong/letter.htm. 2. Quoted in: Comrade Mao Tse-tung on ³Imperialism and all Reactionaries are Paper Tigers,² Peking: Foreign Language Press, 1966. Italicized text from editors of that booklet. * * * JAPANESE REACTIONARIES WHIPPING IT UP In May, a World War II movie opened in Japan that depicts General Hideki Tojo as a hero. This movie "Pride" has rightly outraged the Koreans and Chinese who suffered the Japanese invasion during World War II. In the movie, Tojo refuses to believe in the "Rape of Nanking" in which Japanese killed 300,000 Chinese in 1937. The $11 million movie reflects the aspirations of some Japanese imperialist circles, who wish to be every bit as imperialist as the U$A in the same militarist way. At this time public opinion and history in Japan continue to be impediments to such circles, not to mention business ties with the Chinese and Koreans. Note: Austin American-Statesmen 16May1998. * * * USA TODAY BACKS CORRECT COLLEGE ENROLLMENT LINE Texas law mandates that the top 10% of students from any high school will be admitted to public universities. This rule has helped oppressed nation middle-classes restore their image, which has been under attack in California public universities. The law goes into effect in 1998 and it appears right now that Texas oppressed nation enrollments are increasing. An even better solution would be to take the top 10% of high schools and the top 10% of ethnic groups. If college must be an elite-skimming device, then it should skim from all ethnic groups. Currently, Euro-Amerikans decide what is "fundamental" to education and gauge all others by their yardsticks. MIM recognizes that the entire college education system is an instrument of bourgeois rule and reproduction; however, we continue to favor affirmative action or quotas, as a secondary goal. Note: USA Today 7May1998, p. 12a. * * * THE MASK OF ZORRO review by MC17 The Mask of Zorro is overall a progressive film for mainstream Amerika. It portrays the oppression of the Mexican masses by Spain as well as the greed of the landed Mexican aristocracy. Zorro, a hero of the people, defends the masses against the abuses of their rulers. But while it correctly picks the side of the people over the oppressors, The Mask of Zorro advocates a theory of revolution in which a few individual heroes save the masses from oppression. In keeping with this theme, the movie portrays the masses as incapable of fighting their oppression; instead, they can only wait to be saved. The older Zorro is training a young criminal who wishes the avenge the death of his brother to take over as Zorro. The aging Zorro tells his enemy that there were many in Mexico who would have happily stepped up to the task of taking over the mask of Zorro. This correct point about the leaders coming from the masses was unfortunately not followed up by the participation of the masses in throwing off their oppressors. In reality, the battle between the oppressors and the oppressed is not a sword fight between two men: one good and one evil. In the real world, oppression does not end when the person who leads the oppressive system is killed. It takes a revolutionary struggle of the people to overthrow the system of oppression. One oppressive leader can be easily replaced by another, and one hero, no matter how well trained in fighting, can not take down an entire system alone. By the end of the movie, the young Zorro is seen in a very nice, obviously expensive house. Just as the older Zorro had been wealthy, apparently the only change in Mexican society has been this one man's climb up the social ladder. The people who worked as slaves in the gold mines whose lives Zorro saved are nowhere to be seen. We can assume that once freed from slavery they returned to a life of poverty, since the only victory for the people was the elimination of one oppressive leader and the destruction of one slave plantation. * * * SMALL SOLDIERS GIVE OUT BIG CARNAGE by MC234 When MIM writes a review of a movie or other cultural work, we always ask: is the world better off with or without this work? In the case of Small Soldiers, a film about military toys called the "Commando Elite" that come alive, the world was a better place a few weeks ago before the film. It does have two redeeming qualities, however. First, the bad guys are neither people nor the peace-loving alien toys, but the toy soldiers. The soldiers are very Amerikan, and speak in Amerikan war movie clichés to patriotic music. Second, Small Soldiers has the kid movie cliché in which parents treat a kid like crap, and then get upset when he "acts out." After being sent to psychiatrists, the parents can just label their kid with fancy psychological labels and then ignore the child. Predictably, after the usual hijinks the parents learn the kid is can do things right and is telling the truth. Like most other Hollywood "kid movies", this never gets beyond a criticism of some temporary bad parenting into the systematic criticism of the patriarchal family that is required. If anything, the frequency of this plot device should suggest that parents lot listening to their kids is a common occurrence and a problem with the system. In this film, Heartland Toys is acquired by Globaltech, a company with many divisions, including military. The CEO of Globaltech criticizes the upcoming soldier product of Heartland because the commercial features the toy speaking and breaking out of the box. Instead of asking "What role should toys play" he instead says "I want to make a toy that actually does what it does in the commercial." He gives Heartland access to the Globaltech computer system so that they can in fact make a toy that moves and speaks. The Heartland employees discover and order the most advanced chips in the Globaltech inventory, ignoring the fact that these chips were designed for a military application. Also pitched to the Globaltech CEO was a separate series of toys named Gorgonites, peaceful lost aliens on a search for their home planet. The Gorgonites instead become targets for the Commando Elite. Heartland uses the military chips to process movement and speech, but are unaware that the chips give real intelligence and the ability to learn beyond their core programming. Small Soldiers got some criticism in the mainstream press for being violent. Others defend the film "But what do you want soldiers to do?" Which gets back to MIM's point, in a more just society such as in socialist China (1949-76), the military exists to serve the people. In China, many movies were made about the People's Liberation Army and the sacrifices they made to serve the people. Here in Amerika, soldiers exist only to kill enemies and movies are made-- including for children--that glorify war against the oppressed or just senseless violence. MIM doesn't oppose this movie on pacifist grounds, but because the violence in the film serves no purpose other than to make violence fun. While the "bad guys" are the soldiers, the film doesn't demonize them as they deserve to be. And the public relations folks in Hollywood saw fit to label the film after the soldiers and to make millions of soldier toys to distribute in Burger King. A young teenager who works in his father's toy store gets early access to the Commando Elite and the Gorgonites. The toys come alive, with the Commando elite discarding their plastic weapons for ones they construct, and the hunt for the Gorgonites begins. Humans are identified as the protectors of the Gorgonites, so they are targeted as well. As the Gorgonite Emissary, Archer, warns, the Commando Elite show no mercy. The Amerikan reluctance towards so called "humane" war is also shown, with the Commando Elite not accepting the surrender of a human and instead trying to kill him. From the advertisements, MIM thought the violence in the film would be between animated figures. We were wrong. The Commando Elite use knives, fire, and a nail gun against the humans. And of course the humans fight back with equal force, with clubs, a garbage disposal, and a lawnmower. Amerika leads the world in two kinds of violence: First in violence against the oppressed which is necessary to maintain the status quo. Secondly, Amerika also leads the world in the senseless kinds of violence, such as people shooting up McDonalds, Post Offices and schoolyards. The anti-oppressed violence and its media fanfare desensitize people to violence, and movies like this one take that several steps forward. Bringing it all together, the Burger King in Springfield, Oregon has stopped distributing Commando Elite promotional figure "Kip Killigan" because his name sounds very close to that of a local teenager accused of killing his parents and a number of schoolmates. Even Globaltech in the film recognizes that the two kinds of violence are not so far apart. At the end of the movie, Globaltech buys off all the witnesses and people who suffered property or physical damage in the Commando Elite assault. The CEO asks the Heartland employees: "What are we charging for the Commando Elite?" To the response, the CEO then adds: "Add a few zeros and transfer them to the military division. I know some South Amerikan guerrillas that are in for a nasty surprise." The Heartland employees, one of whom had serious misgivings about violent toys, don't object to this plan. * * * "FRIENDS OF ANIMALS" TAKES UP CLEVER CHAUVINIST TACTICS Friends of Animals, 777 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820 took out a half page ad to whip up anti-China chauvinism. The ad features two dogs in a cage. The headline is "The Good News Is They're Going to a Nice Family: The Bad News Is They're Being Served for Dinner." "Shortly after this picture was taken, these dogs were beaten with a lead pipe, skinned and butchered for consumption," reads the ad. The organization justifies itself this way: "China is now a priority. Cruelty to dogs and cats is particularly distressing because, after thousands of years of being selectively bred as trusting companions, they are aware of being betrayed by humans." The organization asks the reader to speak up for the animals of China. Next, they will start taking out ads in China protesting U.$. practices of meat consumption, unless of course they are not clever, just chauvinist. Such ads whether reciprocated in China or not are a real contribution to the possibility of war, because they mobilize public opinion on an emotional and cultural level against another country. As is often the case, animal-rights activists in imperialist countries seem to have mixed up priorities. Note: USA Today 18June1998, p. 13a. * * * HOUSTON SURVEY ON IMMIGRANTS UPBEAT Houston, TX--For the first time, an annual survey in Houston shows residents with a more positive attitude toward immigrants than negative. 48% said immigrant contribute more than they take away from the U$A and 39% said the opposite. At the same time, there has been recent uproar from Houston residents along the usual lines. Recent comments in regard to the death penalty included one persyn who said of Hispanics: "they should all be killed." Blacks had the most negative outlook toward immigrants. As is often the case, those on the lower ends of the middle-class fight most desperately to stay there. A member of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) correctly speculated that Blacks and immigrants tend to compete at the lower end of the job scale. This emphasizes the importance of internationalist principles. The principal enemies of Blacks and Mexican immigrants is u.$. imperialism. Their struggles thus can and should be united against this common enemy. But narrow nationalism (looking to cut a special deal for one particular nation) and reactionary propaganda threaten such unity - to the detriment of the oppressed nations' proletarians. Note: Houston Chronicle 20April1998, p. 9a. * * * UNDER LOCK AND KEY: NEWS FROM PRISONS AND PRISONERS Some Real Criminals Do get Caught ...For crying out loud, the warden is under investigation for embezzling three million dollars. Now, just imagine how POW's are feeling the bulk of this sadistic administration's malevolence. I see a lot of damage control being conducted to minimize the effects of their latest scandal. But with Bill Clinton's mishap they can suppress it in the media frenzy to get Bill. -- A Michigan Prisoner, 3 February 1998 Warden Transferred and Demoted ...As a result of the brutal beatings inflicted upon prisoners (back here in the hole at SCI Greene) by guards, the grand wizard warden, Ben Varner had been terminated from his prestigious and luxurious position. Unfortunately the same people who removed him from office decided to relocate him to another prison within Pennsylvania. So now he's on the eastern side of the state implementing the same dirty tactics. Only now he's been demoted back to Deputy Superintendent. Whether the ex-warden removal is a change for the better or worse is uncertain. Whatever happens, conditions will still remain repressive. At least he'll be making less money off our misery as well as the other guards who were fired.... -- A Pennsylvania Prisoner, 23 April 1998 Inhumane Practices Exposed Dear Comrades, This is an update on our fellow comrades, and POW's here at Snake Corruption Institution [SCI] Greene. Well the shit has finally hit the ceiling somewhat. These demons have been exposed for their corruption and inhumane tactics. After an investigation and overwhelming evidence the superintendent, Ben Varner, had been transferred and demoted. Plus, according to the television news, 40 guards/predators are supposed to be FIRED! They have recovered videotapes of inmates being beaten down while NAKED! The inmates/POW's never did anything to cause these pernicious predators to assault them. ...The sad thing is, out of nine so-called comrades that were interviewed by Green County's District Attorney, only one comrade was willing to press charges against the Demons who assaulted him. The other eight were afraid they would not be paroled if they pressed charges against the Demons who assaulted them.... [Here's a list of some of] the toy-ass cops/predators who were caught treating prisoners here inhumanely: Ben Varner, Ben D. Ansell, Captain Muccino, Captain Lantis, Captain Kingston, Lieutenant Grainy, Lieutenant Tustin, Lieutenant Mathus, Sergeant Buckeye Grady, and CO [Correctional Officer] Clovis.... -- A Pennsylvania Prisoner, 30 April 1998 Officers Fired but Repression Remains Dear MIM, I am writing to ...give you a brief update on what has been happening here at SCI Greene. So far several pigs have been fired, suspended or demoted. The head pig, Superintendent, Ben Varner was transferred to another facility. I don't know if he was demoted to a deputy or not. Major Sparbanie was demoted back down to a Captain. Lieutenants Kingston and Tustin were fired. Lieutenant Grainey was suspended. Two CO's were fired; one of their names was Powel. A lot of others officers are either on suspension or still being investigated. Although this may seem to be a victory to those on the outside, my comrades and I know it to be a farce given to the media only to appease society. There should be a lot more officers fired and brought up on criminal charges.... -- A Pennsylvania Prisoner, 18 May 1998 College Classes Denied to SHU Prisoners ...I am a prisoner here at the Secured Housing Unit (SHU) at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. I always thought that prison, whether it was level 1 or supermax, was to reform a prisoner. This theory was proved to be false to me a few days ago. In the SHU, we have long-term and short-term sentences for disciplinary means. The long-term prisoners are allowed to get a TV and get their GED. That's good for those prisoners who have not gotten their GED yet. However, those who do have a GED or a High School Diploma have no access to better their education. What's wrong with wanting to better one's education? It's not against any law or DOC [Department of Corrections] policy? I just recently spoke with the head ass, who is in charge of the SHU, Mr. Bonner. He told me that in population college instructors come from ISU [Indiana State University] and teach classes. The prisoners in population can get grants and federal/state funds to help pay their way. So I asked him if there was some type of program we could set up for the SHU. He replied that SHU could take correspondence classes at their own expense. The downfall is that some classes require hardback textbooks, which are not allowed in the SHU. Due to too much legal actions, the prison will not allow officials to take off the hardcover backing, so materials are very limited. The second downfall is money. On the average college one course costs $250.00. Not everyone had the funds for this. Why should SHU prisoners pay and not population prisoners? What happened to reform and right to an education? Wouldn't it make sense to see us prisoners learning, instead of sitting around all the time gambling, causing trouble? Respectfully, -- An Indiana Prisoner, 21 June 1998 MIM Responds: We agree with you that the goal of prisons is not to reform prisoners but to control them. Often the most revolutionary prisoners are placed in Security Housing Units [SHU's], for no other reason than for continued repression. With this in mind, one can see how imperialists benefit from denying these prisoners higher education. Prisoners can gain important information from bourgeois education classes. But unlike correspondence classes, MIM Notes, and MIM Theory are revolutionary sources of education. There are also many progressive texts that can provide one with a greater sense of the world, which may not be covered in more traditional education courses. We encourage you to continue your struggle to educate yourself; and concur that prisoners should spend more time educating themselves and less time with escapist or destructive activities. We advocate that you use MIM Notes and MIM literature to form a study group. Let MIM help you educate and organize for revolution against imperialist oppression. Prison is not a place of Rehabilitation It is the one year anniversary of the uprising here at the Maryland House of Correction Annex, and one would think that many things have changed for the better. The Administration would have everyone on the outside think so, but actually the jail is at a standstill. They've sent money to build two new fences on the compound of the jail. They've added new officers who are poorly trained, and almost all of them work double shifts. They still have the same officers here, which was one of the reasons inmates started retaliating. They treat us like dogs. Well if you keep treating a dog badly, sooner or later he'll bite back. The population was cut from 1800 to 1200, and now it's 1500 and slowly rising back to where we started. With the '98 summer coming around us, you can surely bet their will be more problems, because we are back to where things started. We are locked in our cell all hours a day, unless you have a job or are in school. Jail is not Jail anymore. Not that jail is a good place to be, but at one time a person could get locked up and better him or herself. But there are not enough jobs or means of education here. The administration will not allow us help from the outside to start self- help groups. Our complaints go unheard. If the administration really wanted to change things to make it better, they could -- but they keep putting us on promise street to better the jail. But that's a street we will never see. The Administration has learned nothing. What will it take, more officers to get hurt or killed? Who knows, but they must start with the renegade officers. -- A Maryland Prisoner, 11 May 1998 Prison for Children ...The State of Wisconsin has completed the construction of a second penal institution to Warehouse prisoners who have been waved into the adult system, ages fourteen to twenty-three. Yes, the State of Wisconsin had passed laws to place fourteen- year-old children among adults [in prison]. Such a law went into effect in 1996; the first child was placed in Green Bay Correctional Institution in 1997. There are two very significant things going down here in this dairy state. One, the people in the aforementioned age bracket are the meat, labors and fighter of this war. They are fearless and wild. If given the proper education as to whom, what and where to fight within the movement -- victory would be at hand! Two, children in the aforementioned age bracket, are in a very impressionable stage. If they are educated by the enemy then they will be as the enemy and turned against the revolutionary struggle. This must be stopped if we are to prevail over this corrupt system. If I were a parent of these children, I would camp out on the doorstep and force them to teach my child with the great minds of Malcolm, Martin, ... and the other great minds who are responsible for making education, economic, political and social developments for everyday folks like us. ...When Wisconsin split us from these youth, Wisconsin took control of cultivating the mind of those youths. Thus controlling the future as those youths carry on their shoulders the beacon of light, which illuminates the future of mankind. -- A Wisconsin Prisoner, 28 April 1998 Thanks from South Carolina ...I would like for MIM Notes to know the news you send out in MIM Notes has really been a big help to our Culture Awareness and Revolutionary class we hold here at Evans Correctional Control Unit every Saturday and Sunday. All the Comrades here would just like to say, "Thanks" for the news you supply us with about the comrades in the control units throughout the world. In Struggle, -- A South Carolina Prisoner, 18 June 1998 Restrictive Texas Parole Policy ...Upon my release my physical mobility will be limited. In September of 1997, the State of Texas passed a law stating that all violent offenders released from TDCJ [Texas Department of Criminal Injustice] on parole must wear a monitor for the remainder of their years on parole. So that means outside of church, home and work my mobility will be stipulated. But by all means, I will give assistance to the cause as best as I can. They may be able to limit my mobility but they have no control over my mentality! A young brother in the struggle, -- A Texas Prisoner, 16 May 1998 South Carolina Shakedown Dear MIM, I received the May 1st and 15th issues two weeks ago. I would have written then but these pigs came through with a shakedown and took all my paper and writing material and just about everything else that I wasn't wearing or wasn't bolted to the floor or wall. Now, I actually have to submit a request form to get back what I'm supposed to have. Also I see that y'all like to know about the wages being paid to prisoners. Well, South Carolina pays nothing to anyone who came to the kamp after January 28, 1998. If you were a prisoner before that date, they take your pay if you get written up. -- A South Carolina Prisoner, 20 May 1998 Politically Conscious Prisoners Targeted I was recently transferred from X repressive prison. Where I was held captive for five years, three of which were spent on (SMU) Special Management Unit, aka isolation. Only to be sent to the infamous (MSU) Maximum Security Unit, which is the highest security prison in the South Carolina Department of Correction. The state and its agents decided this clandestine move to heighten the level of their repressive Gestapo tactics against all of those whom they feel are the most conscious and politically active. As well as those of us who represent the highest expression of revolutionary consciousness and ideas in these prisons. Upon arriving at the Maximum Security Unit in April 1998, I was immediately targeted as being a predator and the worst of the worst in South Carolina's Department of Corrections. However, those of us who have been targeted and placed in MSU, represent the highest expression of revolutionary consciousness. We are legitimate targets because of our unbreakable commitment to fight against their injustices. But even this has not broken our spirits, and the struggle continues. In Solidarity, -- A South Carolina Prisoner, 7 May 1998 Deep in the Woods Where Looks are Silent Deep in the woods where looks are silent Are the worst crimes committed which are more violent The worst punishments ever seen But you won't know nothing 'cause you can't hear a scream I live my life in shambles and pain Oppressed by those who are truly insane Up in a tree where they think no one can see I see a 30-30 rifle pointed at me I can see it in his eyes, the Devil wants to shoot 'cause I'm a handsome, strong, intelligent man in a dark green suit He says don't worry, I'm gonna kill you one day I say you can shoot me any time 'cause I'm not afraid. So I keep teaching those to go about a Righteous path 'cause truly one day can be my last the skill to kill and the heart to love The love for the Revolutionary in the skies above Late at night when all seems calm The Devils up to no good preparing to cause harm Ring, Ring, Ring their goes the alarm now I stick a piece of glass out my cell and I see my fellow man get beat down He can't even defend himself 'cause he's all in chains The RAGE in my heart causes me internal pain Three days later they finally let us out Scared of what they presume is coming about But I go back out to the same spot to teach Hoping I can reach the minds of each Today's subject is our Rights Even if we have to stand up and fight. But what sounded like thunder hit me so fast That it wasn't 'till I was on the floor that I was blast I looked up in the sky and I saw a door I'm finally free, no problems no more As my fellow men gathered around me in my final hour There was a smile on the face of the man in the tower I told my fellow men to unite and fight for their rights 'Cause what I see right now is a beautiful sight Don't let this come to you as no surprise 'Cause Honorable men don't die they multiply I always knew my death would be violent 'Cause I was deep in the woods where looks are silent Power to the people People are the power Even in the final hour -- A New York Prisoner, 29 April 1998 The South Never Let Slavery Go ...[T]he South have never let slavery go in the first place. Take here in North Carolina for example. They have a thing called Community Road Squad. Before going out you are subjected to a strip search, where as you are told to bend over spread and cough. After that, you are loaded onto the slave bus that is the size of a matchbox big enough to carry six people, with eleven other prisoners. Then you are taken out in the woods to dig ditches in temperatures that reach 95 to 100 degrees daily, where the chances of being bitten by a snake is high. Refusal to this barbaric and inhumane treatment results in segregation in the second hole. -- A North Carolina Prisoner, 18 June 1998 "Free Speech" gets you a beating and solitary ...I must inform you that I was sent to solitary confinement for writing to the President of this imperialist government. I filed charges against him and two former Presidents. The CIA came to see me, making threats. So I in turn stood up for what I believe in. The pigs here didn't like what I said. After the CIA pig left. The pigs here jumped on me while I was handcuffed. [During this assault] my tooth was knocked out. So they place me in confinement to hide what they had done. -- A Maryland Prisoner, 21 May 1998 A Dialogue on Unity [In a previous letter from this prisoner, s/he crossed out the letter C every time s/he wrote a word with that letter in it. -- ULK Editor] ...You were correct in your speculation. Crossing out the C does mean Crip Killa. However, I did it more out of habit then anything else. And as you can see, I've worked my way out of that habit. I don't deny it was a BAD habit. And I really don't have anything personal against Community Revolutionary Inter-Party of Soldiers [CRIPS]. As a matter of fact, I approve of that if they'll be "Bout it - Bout it". But not many are working with the same concern as I am, and are a bit misguided. I can teach only those who have this in their hearts. If Brotherly Love Overrides Oppression and Destruction [BLOOD], then I'm going to live that. However, unfortunately, those with no sense of direction totally disregard what we are supposed to represent. If my nation turned their hostility on these pigs, then they (the pigs) would have serious problems. However, truth is a lot of us are still blind, but waking up nonetheless. One of my lil' brothers was just inviting a Latin King to his dick and when I let the brother know that he was wrong [to say that] -- he took it like I was against him. It's situations like these that keep us under. And often make me wonder if I belong in this [BLOOD] nation. My desire to wage war on the oppressors is sincere. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one. Stay Real -- A New York Prisoner, 25 June 1998 NJ Gang Units I last wrote to inform on Affiliation Lock Down, which was printed in MIM Notes 160 - April 15th, 1998, page #10. Well the BEAST has put their plan into effect as reported. On March 13th, 1998, myself, and about 50 other prisoners at Rahway State Prison were taken out of our beds, and transferred here to Northern State Prison to the new so called Gang Unit, know as STG, security threat group. Once here we were all separated, and remain separated, in whatever group you are affiliated with. Latin Kings with Latin Kings, Five Percenters etc. Now there are two parts of this so called Gang Unit. They have the part for those that are doing administrative segregation time, and the other part is for those that don't have no Ad-Seg time to do, but have been labeled STG. Once a brother is done doing his Ad-Seg time, he is placed in the second part of the unit, where they are asked to denounce their affiliation to the family they belong to, and they are made to sign paperwork stating this. He who does not do this will remain in the Gang Unit for the rest of their bids. They must stay in the unit for at least 9 months. Which by the way is locked down just as if they were in Ad-Seg, but even worse because they can't get food packages and the only visitor they can have is from immediate family. So all those brothers with girlfriends are hit, cause they won't be able to see them. Now it is not hard to see what these PIGS are trying to do, which is to break the spirit of the prisoners, and I believe that many will brake, cause it is fact that pressure busts pipes and all that talk the talk will not walk the talk, which is shown through actions. This is why it is said that many will come, but only a few will be chosen. As a member of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, I refuse to deny my family and I will die before I do. Any person who denies his, or her membership to this Nation is a coward, therefore not of my Nation. We will not bow down to the beast, not today, tomorrow or ever. Brothers it is time to stand up for what you believe and fight these PIGS whose abuse gets worse every day. It is not hard to see that they mean harm to our people, so why allow them to do as they please, and not serve them justice? On April 14th, 1998, a member of the Neta organization died because these PIGS refused to give him Medical Assistance. I myself heard this man calling the PIGS because he was pissing blood. The pigs did nothing and let this man die, then tried to say that he died of drugs, which is a lie, cause he didn't die of an OD as the PIGS claimed he did. This is just a cover up for letting him die. What hurts the most is that his Neta brothers have not even retaliated for these PIG's actions, which tells a lot. We the Kings told them we would stand by them if they retaliated against the BEAST, but they haven't done nothing. What is it going to take to wake those who are asleep? Brothers, it is time to shed blood for the true cause and be heard. Let's come together and let the Revolution begin, for it is time. Amor de rey, to my brothers and sisters and Peace to the Gods. Let us remember Unity is Power!!!! In us we trust. La lucha Continua, --A New Jersey Prisoner, 1 May, 1998 MIM responds: We agree with the call for unity and recognize recognize that this unity is essential to overcoming imperialist national oppression. However, as part of the letter points out, even among those oppressed most, ignorance and the threat of further U$ repression pacifies people. That is why MIM says that now is not the time for armed struggle. The oppressors are militarily stronger than the revolutionaries. Thus premature armed struggle will almost always get more of us killed. So instead, MIM focuses on legal battles to build public support for revolution, while simultaneously winning material concessions for the oppressed. History has shown that focoist errors of armed struggle now have ended up decimating the revolutionary movement. Our comrades in prison are in the most difficult situation because they are often faced with the choice of death when they organize legally or death when they resist violently. But even within prisons, resisting the urge to fight back with violence when the forces of reaction are far stronger than the forces of revolution is an important strategy that will save lives. We encourage prisoners to put the idea of unity into practice by setting up study groups to teach the truth about the oppressive society. Also to continue writing to MIM Notes to expose the injustices that take place everyday behind bars. Join us in organizing resistance to the criminal injustice system both behind the bars and on the outside as we build a movement that will overthrow this corrupt and murderous system.