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What does a Maoist do in the US to struggle against capitalism and imperialism?
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Today I received a message from the Maoist List, an e-mail service, http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/MAOIST_REVOLUTION. Many Maoists throughout the world still talk about the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM). But sadly, there really isn’t such a group.
From the Maoist_List;
"A World to Win' was the journal associated with the Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM). The last issue of 'A World to Win' was published in 2006. RIM disintegrated several years ago The 'A World to Win News Service' is put out by the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA and embodies its political views.
Some parties in some countries still talk about reconstructing the RIM and about struggling from revisionism. The Party of Ecuador Committee of Reconstruction (Partido Comunista Del Ecuador Comité De Reconstrucción), is among many groups, world wide, who want to revive the RIM.
“He has already begun the debate titled "Reconstitute or settle the MRI (Revolutionary International Movement or RIM in English), struggle between Marxism and revisionism" that prepared our party a week ago. This is precisely one of the goals set by our organization: the unleashing of the two-line struggle in the MCI (Communist Movement International) around the hot spots of the communist movement and international perspectives.”
But many of us don’t live in hot spots. Can we really struggle between Marxism and revisionism in the US? In this country I live no where near any Marxists, revisionist or other wise.
When I see how much the system has built itself into the culture of both this country, state and town, it is hard to even imagine finding a way to be heard among the rightwing jackals who have high-jacked our schools, news media and political parties. When I go to work in the middle schools here in Wichita, I find the military is everywhere.
They have “leadership” classes. They put on assemblies for the whole school which glamorize the military and its imperialist wars. All the schools require students to stand to the pledge of allegiance each morning. They can opt out of the military cadet classes, and they don’t legally have to say the pledge. But most students below the high school level just don’t know they can do that. They are not exposed at all to other points of view other than US militarism. Teachers are allowed, even encouraged, to put up “In God We Trust” signs that have been donated to the school system from outside right-wing groups.
The news media is closed off from all but the centrist middle left. Many issues, such as the War on Afghanistan, are just not up for discussion in the local media. We can write a letter to the editor, but that really doesn’t go that far.
It would be great to see what it is like in India or the Philippines, where they have enough Maoists for guerilla armies. It would be interesting to see what it is like to be a Maoist living in Ecuador. But we don’t live in those places, so organizing any kind of left is hard to do. I can guarantee that 99 percent of the people living here have never heard of the RIM. Most don’t know what a communist really is and most probably don’t think there are any active today.
Our work is cut out for us, here in the states. Any suggestions on how we can move ahead in such a repressive atmosphere are welcome.
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"Most don’t know what a communist really is and most probably don’t think there are any active today."
Agreed. I myself have seen what you are talking about in middle and high schools where I live: military recruitment, ROTC, the Pledge of Allegiance, etc.
It is abundantly clear that for all the talk of 'freedom of speech,' the only speech tolerated by the media, schools, etc. is either right-wing or center-left (but never further left then that), hence why people are incredibly ignorant of communism and socialism in the U.S.
When I became a communist, the first thing I did was, at the risk of appearing 'disrespectful,' to not stand up for the pledge. I got some glares from a a few students and teachers for that, and in the end it was at best a form of indignation or mild protest against established values and beliefs.
As for there being no communists where you live, are there any non-communist groups you could join wherein you could participate in debate and/or protest movements? If so, you could link up with other people and let your views across to others, explaining (patiently) to them what it all means. Just a thought.
I know, it's tough feeling isolated, esp. as a radical.0 Like -
I feel your pain bra-bra. You don't need to be a politically active revolutionary, though - you don't have to feel like a failure for lacking an audience that would be sympathetic with you enough to want to acquire the same structural understanding of imperialism, national oppression and so on that you may have. Nor do you have to preach it to people who don't care. Pick up a few hobbies - brew your own beer, get a fishing license, make an igloo with friends, get a cookbook and roast up some new meals with your partner, study new subjects, break the law a few times, etc. Don't be miserable because you feel like you are out there by yourself.
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I live in a rural conservative area in South Georgia. Being politically active doesn't have to be a face-to-face organizing thing. I've found that often the best place for me is online and there is plenty of work to be done online. It's important to reach out to people. Its also a way of connecting with people and sharing experiences. I know it might not be the same as hanging out with comrades and doing face-to-face work. It can feel very lonely. I want to encourage people who are by themselves to start dropping by the chat we have on the site. I'm there quite a bit myself. We can hang and discuss things - get to know each other. It really helps break some of the isolation.
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I understand what you are getting at. It can be quite alienating in a way when you hear of revolutionary groups in other countries considering "doing this" or "doing that" and encouraging others to do the same only to realize that there is no such activities as such to be done in your area. Yet I do not think this is reason to remain idle and retreat into the online realm: there are places, non-revolutionary circles, where you can debate people face-to-face and spread the views of whatever organization, national or international, you represent. I think it is important to remember that online mediums are not a substitute for street work; building on this I mean that there are outlets in your local community: volunteer positions, co-workers, friends, newspaper placements, and organizing demos which can serve as beginnings to spreading the name of what you represent.
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Thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it. I am on the board of the Peace and Social Justice Center of South West Kansas and I do share a lot of common concerns with those folks.
I have had Hepatitis C and have been on a medical treatment regiment that started last summer and should end this summer. That treatment has left me sick many times and unable to really get as involved in local events as I would like. Hopefully a after next June I won’t have to deal with the medicine setbacks in my health and if the treatment works, next year will be much better.
I do admit it would be easy for a few Marxist to be living here and not realize I live here. After my treatment ends I may have an easier time finding such people. I knew one Marxist-Leninist girl who was active around here for a while, but sunk into a crowd of hard drug users.
But I’m sure eventually I will meet up with other Marxists in this area.
One minor point my article was trying to make is that unless the left is an overwhelming force as in Nepal, spending valuable resources against "revisionists” is probably a bad use of resources.
I remember in the 1970s new communist groups that kept splintering off and then becoming so small, everyone just laughed at them. For those in the hard core of the Maoist movements, this balance between fighting the ruling class and fighting the reckless and wrong revolutionaries needs to be looked at.0 Like
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