The following is a list of entities which nominally uphold a correct line on imperialist class structure, which also happen to have an internet presence and claim or appear to be active.
I would advise anyone to take all of these with a grain of salt. I myself take some more seriously than the others.
One problem is that some of these entities stick with theory and others appear to be trying to work out a practice. It's kinda of hard to compare the two. Additionally, it's extremely hard to read a practice from a computer screen- especially when relying on the webpage of the given entity.
This post is itself commentary, not analysis. The point isn't to break down each entity, nor is it one completely of idle banter. Instead, I am hoping that such a post will start critical thought of each group's specific (and sometimes divergent) lines and practices. In the end, what matters in not my personal inclination to this or that entity, it's what is pushing the revolution forward.
(don’t forget to proxify)
Rural People’s Party
Rural People’s Party claims be a collective in South Carolina. As far as I know, it is the oldest independent formation on this list [although MSH and SM/AOM have continuity with the earlier independent IRTR cell].
They have traditionally upheld a correct line on imperialist class structure. Additionally, they uphold Jonestown and northern Korea under Kim Jong Il as examples of socialism. RGC, though hasn’t investigated these claims, tends to disagree. Jonestown, insofar as it was ‘socialism on a small scale’ was build around an unsustainable cult. Northern Korea is likely a form of State capitalism which includes a thin bureaucratic capitalist class (including Kim).
What makes RPP unique is their proclaimed creation of a commune in South Carolina. In the past, the RPP has extended open invitations for people to visit the “Peoples’ Commune.”
The RPP doesn’t seem to be explaining in practical terms how this translates into revolutionary activity (I.e pushing revolution forward). Instead it has explained this strategy in broad abstract terms.
Recently RPP has written about its rural focus in two documents. The first, The First World Fetishism, seems to signify a separation from a tight Third Worldist trend, arguing instead that we must focus on the First World and what we can do here. Overall, the logic in this document has many many flaws. The second, Why We Uphold the Rural Aspect, similarly contains a sort of non-logic.
RGC tends to take RPP with a grain of salt. They uphold many unorthodox and unpopular views, even within the M-TWist camp, and it's hard to see how RPP could possible be doing this for scientific reasons.
Monkey Smashes Heaven
Monkey Smashes Heaven is a blog that focuses largely on theory. Claiming to have evolved out of the It’s Right to Rebel messageboard/cell, MSH has continued to develop in clear ways away from traditional “MIM Thought.” MSH was the first from the trend to publicly denounce MIM.
One major break is with MIM’s line on First World gender. MSH considers FW women to be mainly tied to their labor aristocratic nation-class. This line especially comes out in MSH’s Stand In Gender Line and the more recent International Women’s Day statement.
RGC’s thought is that substituting nation for gender is erroneous. Their isn't a global patriarchy system. Patriarchy is a largely globalized contradiction that happens between gendered males and females in a given society, including within the FW. However, such a contradiction is qualitatively affected by parasitism and thus must by looked at through this lens.
Overall, FW women are not part of the toiling masses nor part of any sort of revolutionary mass base. They are still oppressed through the contradiction of gender though in different manners and to a much lesser degree.
More recently, MSH released the document The Sun Rises In The East[..] in which "Maoism -Third Worldism" is outlined. Summarizing important lessons since the Cultural Revolution, Maoism-Third Worldism is the name for a new universal stage of revolutionary thought. Everyone should read it. Hopefully I’ll get around to commenting on this in the near future.
Shubel Morgan/Art of Maoism
Considered a fraternal organization by MSH, Shubel Morgan/AOF also developed out of the IRTR cell. Initially focusing on video shorts, SM/AOM has recently began pioneering its own theoretical work, particularly on the Theory of Productive Forces. Along with MSH, SM/AOM has is presenting an all around critique of this theory in a very succinct and understandable way. Additionally, SM/AOM videos have always been quite well, both in terms of aesthetics and line. RGC looks forward to seeing SM/AOM’s continued work. Keep up the great work!
Maoist Information Website
This website claims to be doing theory work. I find much of its work rather hard to read, part because of the technical language and part because of sometimes nearly incomprehensible sentence structure.
New Afrikan Maoist Party
This entity claims to be a Maoist vanguard party for the Black nation. Currently they claim to be in their first congress.
One thing I noticed was that they seem to tail much of MIMs work: their newsletter often reprints MIM articles. Needless to say, RGC is not much in favor of this approach. Another thing I’m leery of are vanguard party schemes in bourgeoisiefied nations. This applies the U.S. Black nation as well.
Of the entities which claim to have an on the ground presence, NAMP reports the least on it. However, that is not cause for speculation.
In any case, it’s my sincerest wishes the NAMP pushes forward onto a relevant and sustainable praxis.
Revolutionary Anti Imperialist Movement- Denver
RAIM-Denver claims to be a loosely organized formation in Denver. Of those on the list which claim to have an on-the-ground presence, RAIM-Denver seems to be the most active in terms of “mass” work.
Unlike MIM’s past mass organization, the Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist League, RAIM-Denver doesn’t claim to be under the leadership of another entity. Nor does it even claim to be a Maoist formation.
Long Live the Victory of People’s War is on their short recommended readings list however. RAIM-Denver has also reposted agitational art by TW Maoist Third-Wordist entities. Additionally, MSH publicly calls RAIM-Denver part of the proletarian camp: both MSH and SH/AOM link RAIM as an anti-imperialist organization. I think it’s safe to assume that RAIM-Denver is conscious of Maoism-Third Worldism.
Not since RAIL has there been so much apparent Maoist activity on the ground. RAIM-Denver has reported to have been active at anti-war protests, pro-migration rallies, mass demonstrations against Columbus Day. RAIM-Denver posts events happening around many of these issues.
Though quite apparently an anti-imperialist formation, RAIM-Denver doesn’t theoretically connect a materialist account of class structure with there own First World practice . When they do attempt to, such as in their Turn The World Upsidedown statement, they are extremely vague and offer little in terms of substance.
Maoist Internationalist Ministry of Prisons
Apparently evolving out of the Maoist International Movement’s Ministry of Prisons, MIM-Prisons only recently became a nominally independent entity.
In any case prison work seems to be of great importance. A disproportionately nationally oppressed mass of imprisoned people with much time to pass- could one imagine a better group within the U.S. where some sort of mass-line could apply?
MIM-Lite
There to do work “leftover by MIM", MIM-lite generally isn’t contributing anything. By even placing it on this list, I am giving more legitimacy than it actually deserves.
Whoever is behind all this need to hang up the ropes, take a break, and try to come to political work under a different name and with a clearer thought. At this point, the only thing that is being accomplished is the continued muddying of the “MIM” name. Best wishes on that.
RGC
Showing posts with label RAIM-Denver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RAIM-Denver. Show all posts
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Friday, December 28, 2007
Real Maoists Support Lakota National Liberation, Fakes Don’t.
Last week, a group called the Lakota Freedom Movement declared that it is withdrawing from all treatise with the U.S.. This group, which includes Native American activist and actor Russell Means, says it intends to set up its own state and has sent the news via delegation to Washington. Red Guard Camp enthusiastically welcomes this act as a step towards the liberation of the oppressed Lakota nation. As Maoists, it is our duty to lend full support for the national struggles of oppressed nations.
RGC intentionally held off on reporting this news so that the response it generated could be analyzed. Of most interest is the response from so-called Maoists and revolutionaries. Let’s see how they fared.
Monkey Smashes Heaven, which has shown itself to be a leading light of First World Maoism, was quick to pick up this story and support the Lakota Freedom Movement and its struggle for national liberation. The Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement- Denver also reposted a press release on the historic event.
Real Maoists and real revolutionaries also support national liberation against imperialism unconditionally. A key test for revolutionaries is the support lent towards national liberation when there are no widely visible national liberation movements.
Shubel Morgan, a groundbreaking Maoist agitprop artist, has made several videos about national liberation, Maoist revolution, white settlerism, and amerika’s founding genocide. Additionally, Shubel Morgan has begun releasing these videos in a number of languages; thus helping to advance Maoism and national liberation on an international scale. Shubel Morgan has demonstrated a critical dedication towards the cause of national liberation and anti-imperialist revolution.
The Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement- Denver has also came out as a firm supporter of national liberation. They have produced a number of articles in support of oppressed nations and have created agitation art towards the same end. They’ve promoted events highlighting the truth about amerika’s genocidal past and ones supporting Mexican national liberation. According to their blog, RAIM-Denver has also been active in Mayday pro-immigration rallies and Kolumbus Day counter-protests. Whereas Shubel Morgan and Monkey Smashes Heaven have done much to promote national liberation far, wide and deep, RAIM-Denver has been working to promote and support national liberation on a local level. All are proving themselves to be genuine and all-around friends of revolution.
The pseudo-Maoists on the other hand appear not to support the Lakota Freedom Movement. That they have been silent on this issue is a clear indication of this. Instead of supporting current national liberation struggles or supporting them generally, pseudo-Maoists at best mention national liberation in passing without clearly defining it. More likely, pseudo-Maoists obscure the role of national liberation completely.
Leftspot for instance, on Decemeber 26th [almost a week after the news first broke], posted an all-around sucky article about the contributions of Mao. This article failed to even mention national liberation or the united front against imperialism. Instead, Leftspot chose to glorify the “mass-line.”
But Leftspot wasn’t the only one who apparently doesn't give a fuck about this recent news. In fact, one can barely find a mention of the Lakota Freedom Movement throughout the pseudo-maoist blogospehere or from the litany of fake-revolutionary organizations. The silence about the Lakota Freedom Movement is quite telling. What is even more a indicative of their corrupted “line” is what they chose to talk about instead.
Fakes have distorted Maoism to the points where it duplicitously supports “national liberation” while diminishing the role of actual national liberation struggles. Leftspot, Mike Ely, etc push an idealistic and non-Marxist “mass-line” which smears over anything resembling a class analysis. In this manner, garbage pile “maoism" is a vehicle for the advancement the labor-aristocray and a tool used to negate the specific role of oppressed nations. All of this happens while psuedo-maoists generally ignore both the Lakota Freedom Movement and the direct criticisms that I have made of their reactionary politics.
Leftspot, Mike Ely and the rest of the pseudo-maoist circus have proven themselves to be fakes of the worst kind. They have proven themselves as people who take up “Maoism” while at the same time opposing national liberation and the most vibrant and dedicated modern anti-imperialist struggles. They have steadfastly dumped the struggles of oppressed nations against imperialism and instead taken up the cause of an united labor-aristocracy. Their lack of support for the Lakota Freedom Movement , their constant obfuscation of national liberation and their steadfast support for a nonexistent white proletariat are all testament to the bankrupt and ultimately social-facist nature of their "maoist" politics.
---------------------------------------
Update 12.28.07
Rumor is that Putin is considering recognition of the Lakota Nation as a sovereign state.
Update 1.03.08
The Lakotah Freedom Movement website has a new url: Republicoflakotah.com
-----------------------------------------
See Also:
See Also:
Monkey Smashes Heaven comments on Lakota Freedom Movement
Shubel Morgan's Final Solution and Kolumbus Day in Amerikkka
RAIM-Denver's reports on Transform Kolumbus Day and Mayday
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)