This is an archive of the former website of the Maoist Internationalist Movement, which was run by the now defunct Maoist Internationalist Party - Amerika. The MIM now consists of many independent cells, many of which have their own indendendent organs both online and off. MIM(Prisons) serves these documents as a service to and reference for the anti-imperialist movement worldwide.

>From owner-marxism Tue Aug 20 14:14:26 1996 Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 14:14:15 -0400 (EDT) From: Louis N Proyect

[Louis says] The big problem we face is that the list is torn this direction and that by strong-willed individuals on the list who have an agenda other than discussing Marxist politics and theory dispassionately, who are just "intervening" here.

MIM replies: Yes Louis, we already know you are opposed to political commitment and you are only interested in others like yourself who left parties, aren't in parties or are in mushy parties about to dissolve. Why not start a "Marxology" list and everything will be fine? You waste so many kilobytes opposing political commitment, and you should just give it up. It's never going to fly in a Marxist movement in a million years. Besides you are demonstrating way too much commitment in opposing political commitment. Soon you will be doubting yourself and your passionate anti-intervention.

[Louis] I mean, what the fuck is MIM? What is that all about?

If it was up to me, all the bogus party names would disappear immediately.

[MIM replies: Of course they would, because if it were up to you, all parties would disappear immediately too.]

[Louis continues:] Adolfo Olaechea was right about this. These ridiculous names like Pat #3 or "Neil" are sophomorish. The CIA knows where everybody and anybody is.

All these sorts of anonymous names are good for is building a wall around the sender. The list should be good for breaking down walls, not maintaining them.

MIM replies: I'm becoming more and more convinced that being mim3 and other anonymous personalities is the best thing to happen to scientific discussion groups since sliced bread. It just shows repeatedly that Louis and Doug and others slamming this practice are bankrupt in their politics and can't take having to argue about a line independent of the person arguing the line! It makes not a whit of difference who I am, because if you can't refute what I'm saying you can't refute it, period.

It would be interesting just to try a discussion group where no one was allowed to use a name! Then people would have to discuss things scientifically instead of just allying with this or that person to cover their butts.

Just think about the reality in Peru. The masses who are revolutionaries don't announce themselves to the state and yet they are forced to come to scientific conclusions all the time. That takes scientific practice.

We need some of that here, and less identity and lifestyle politics and the whole post-Modern relativist corruption of thought that says you can't know anything without knowing the speaker.

There are some bourgeois exile organizations in the united states who set up anonymous INTERNET lists, because they are not allowed to criticize the country back home from the united states. This is just to remind the Spoons moderators of this reality of scientific discussion.