Saturday, December 19, 2009

2009 Year End Letter From Carl Dix





Carl Dix, Revolutionary Communist Party USA
P.O. Box 941 Knickerbocker Station
New York, New York 10002-0900

Phone: 866-841-9139 x2670 E-Mail: comradecarl@hotmail.com

_______________________________________________________________


December 26, 2009

Dear Friend,

We’re nearing the end of a year that has been marked by war, crisis, misery and unspeakable brutality. The year to come needs to be one of hope, based on a solid foundation, for a radically different world where the indignities of today have been ended. The problem is that for most people revolution is off the map. They don’t think there’s anything that could be done to fundamentally change things, and this reduces them to working on the margins of this rotten set up in futile efforts to achieve incremental change. I have spent much of the past year, and will spend the coming year, throwing myself into the efforts of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) to break humanity out of this situation. Revolution needs to be put back on the map and people need to know there’s leadership for this revolution. (There’s more on this below.) This is something I feel passionately about. I’m writing you to let you know what I’ve done this past year and what I plan for the year to come to help achieve these goals.

The opening of 2009 found many people filled with hope that America's election of a Black president signaled turning the corner on America’s legacy of aggression around the world and oppression at home. Yet on New Years Day 2009, police in Oakland, California, gunned down Oscar Grant – a foul murder caught on cell phone video and seen round the world. And the wars continued in Afghanistan and Iraq. I opened the year writing two articles for Revolution Newspaper: "Don't Be a Buffalo Soldier" and "Condemn the Police Murder of Oscar Grant – Enough Is Enough." Go to Revolution Online at www.revcom.us to access these articles.

In the spring, Dr. Cornel West and I had a talk over dinner. We discussed the situation in the U.S.and around the world. In this context, we dug into what role we saw the Obama administration playing in relation to the foreign policy thrust and the domestic agenda of the Bush regime. Through the course of discussion we discovered we had a good bit of unity on this assessment, and Cornel suggested we have this conversation at a public event.

That suggestion led to the important dialogue Cornel and I had in July on the campus of the City College of New York in Harlem. Our theme was: “The Ascendancy of Obama … And the Continued Need for Resistance and Liberation.” This exchange broke the ice on a question too many people who yearn to see an end to the injustice the U.S.inflicts on humanity had held back from addressing – Does Obama represent a way to deal with this injustice, or a way for this system to cover up the crimes it commits worldwide? In this Dialogue, I addressed the way Obama has continued the foreign policy thrust of the Bush regime and how his “tough love” speeches blame Black people for what the system does to them. The DVD of this Dialogue has just been released. You could get a copy of it by contacting Revolution Books in NYC. (Website: www.revolutionbooksnyc.org. Or you can contact them by phone: 212-691-3345.)

In the fall, as Obama planned to escalate the war in Afghanistan, I began a national speaking tour titled: “From Buffalo Soldier to Revolutionary Communist.” So far this tour has stopped at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Atlanta and Houston. On it, I speak of my personal history, refusing to go to Vietnam and being imprisoned in Leavenworth Military Penitentiary. And I bring out how this, and a desire to get to the root of the war of aggression in Vietnam and the hell the U.S. was inflicting on Black people, led me to become a revolutionary communist. I also bring to today's youth an important message: Don’t Be Modern Day Buffalo Soldiers. Don’t fight in this system’s wars for empire. And, the world doesn’t have to be this way. We could end once and for all the wars, the starvation and disease, the way women are seen as either breeders of children or sex objects, the oppression of Black people through revolution. You can view the YouTube promo for this tour at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ03EIBgTwI

Obama’s recent announcement that 30,000 more troops will be sent to Afghanistan makes this message even more timely. In the year to come we will see even more death and destruction rained down on the people of Afghanistan, and we will continue to see people all over the world subjected to the misery and deprivation imperialism means for the majority of humanity.

I will be continuing and expanding my tour, going to more Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other campuses. I will be going on the airwaves, getting in print and into the blogoshpere with this message that this is not the best of all possible worlds, that a far better world is not only necessary but possible. I believe this is a key thing that’s needed right now. Helping people see that they don’t have to limit themselves to working for incremental changes on the margins of this rotten set up.

This brings me back to a theme I opened this letter on—that people need a source of hope that is based on a solid, scientific foundation tht a radically different, and far better, world could be brought into being. The work of Bob Avakian, the leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party (RCP) can provide that foundation. He has reassessed the revolutions in the Soviet Union and China, before both those revolutions were overthrown and capitalism was restored in both those countries. Through doing this work, through identifying what these revolutions did right and fearlessly identifying their weaknesses, he has re-envisioned communist revolution and how to bring it about. People need to know about this. Which is why I’ve thrown myself into the effort of the RCP to put revolution back on the map and to introduce people to Bob Avakian. The Revolutionary Communist Party issued an important statement on all this titled: “The Revolution We Need … And the Leadership We Have.” You can view this statement by going to: www.revcom.us/a/171/statement-en.html

I’m also in the process of writing a response to the controversy around the movie Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire. One of the most disgusting features of US society is the brutality and degradation women are forced to endure in this so-called “best of all possible worlds.” This movie – Precious – comes out which concentrates some of the ways Black women are subjected to abuse in the US, and the response is to condemn it as “ghetto porn” that “demonizes Black men.” This reminded me of the storm of condemnation heaped on the movie and book, The Color Purple; and I thought I had to speak to it. (I wrote “Thoughts on The Color Purple” to address that controversy. It’s available online.)

I’d welcome hearing from you on what you’re thinking, how you look at the past year, and what you’re looking forward to in the year to come. And what you think of what I’ve had to say here.

With Love, and In Struggle,


Carl Dix



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Thursday, November 05, 2009

Vietnam Era Veteran Brings Revolutionary Message to Houston, November 11th




From Buffalo Soldier to Revolutionary Communist

In a time of war abroad, economic dislocation and continuing oppression in the US, Carl Dix is coming to Houston, and he's on a mission. On Nov 11th, he will speak at Texas Southern University (TSU) on the theme of "From Buffalo Soldier to Revolutionary Communist." Carl will deliver 2 challenges and talk about the real way out of the madness the country and the world is confronted with today.

*Carl challenges anyone in the ROTC, the American Legion, the VFW, anyone, who believes the war in Afghanistan is, as President Obama has called it, "a good war," to come out and make that case. But he warns any takers that they better come armed with facts and analysis because he's going to tell the truth about the murderous war the US is waging there.

*Carl challenges anyone who believes the election of Barack Obama, the 1st Black president, means America has turned the corner on its legacy of inflicting brutal oppression on Black people to come out and make that case, too. Again, any takers need to be ready to talk about what's really going on because it's too late and too much is at stake to be talking falsely.

Carl Dix has the experience to speak to these questions. In the 1960's he was drafted into the US military and given orders to go to Vietnam, but he refused those orders and was sentenced to 2 years in Leavenworth military penitentiary. This stand put him on the path to becoming a revolutionary and a communist, a path he remains on today. And it has great relevance for today's youth who face a similar question--should they go kill people for this system, and maybe be killed themselves.

Recently Carl participated in a historic dialogue with Cornel West of Princeton University on "The Ascendancy of Obama ...and The Continued Need for Resistance and Liberation." Before a packed house in Harlem, Carl and Cornel exchanged perspectives on the meaning and significance of America electing its 1st Black president and what needed to be done to continue to advance the fight against injustice in this country and around the world. And now Carl is on this tour. At TSU, Carl will deliver a revolutionary message--that the world doesn't have to be this way, and that thru making revolution it would be possible to end the wars, the torture and government spying, the starvation and disease humanity is forced to endure today.

Carl says, "If you like what's going down in the US and around the world, you should come out and explain why any rational human being would feel that way. And if you hate all the misery, brutality and indignity the capitalist system is enforcing on the planet, you should come out and engage in the conversation about why all this continues to happen and what must be done to end it once and for all.

YouTube promo for the tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ03EIBgTwI Spread the link

Check us out on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/From-Buffalo-Soldier-to-Revolutionary-communist/187211004281?ref=mf

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Carl Dix Campus Speaking Tour: From Buffalo Soldier to Revolutionary Communist


From Buffalo Soldier to Revolutionary Communist

From the Buffalo Soldiers, former slaves who were sent off to fighting the “Indian Wars,” to Vietnam in the 60’s, to Iraq and Afghanistan today, there is a long legacy of Black youth fighting in America’s wars. Carl Dix is coming to Atlanta University Center as part of a campus speaking tour to deliver an urgent message to today’s youth, and everyone else interested in justice:

DON’T BE A BUFFALO SOLDIER – The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are still about keeping the American empire in effect, not about expanding freedom and democracy, despite Obama’s “re-branding” effort. Don’t go off and kill people in other countries to expand the stranglehold of the same system that oppresses Black people in this country and people all over the world.

Carl is also issuing a challenge – he challenges anyone in the ROTC or the American Legion or the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who thinks the war in Afghanistan is any good, to come out and argue that position.

And Carl is talking about a solution – Revolution. All the problems people face around the world and here in this country stem from the way this capitalist system operates, chasing after profit for a few. We can solve all those problems by getting rid of this system through revolution, and going on to build a whole new world in place of this messed up one.

This system offers no future for youth, but the revolution does!

Thursday, October 1st, 6:30 PM
Clark Atlanta University
Thomas Cole Science and Research Center Auditorium


*Sponsored by: Political Science Department at Clark Atlanta University

More Info: nobuffalosoldier@yahoo.com

Monday, August 31, 2009

NO VACATIONS FROM BODY BAGS



August 27, Cindy Sheehan set up “Camp Casey on the sea” at Martha’s Vineyard to challenge Barack Obama, who was vacationing there. This was in memory of her son Casey, who was killed in Iraq, and to protest Obama’s expansion of the war in Afghanistan and the continuing U.S. occupation of Iraq. Sheehan was joined at a press conference announcing the protest by Missy Beattie, whose nephew, Chase Comley, died in Iraq; Matthis Chiroux of Iraq Veterans Against the War; Carl Dix of the Revolutionary Communist Party; and others. This protest is especially important because far too many others have been paralyzed into inactivity around the wars or have even been drawn into embracing these criminal wars because they’re being presided over by the first Black president.

From Revolution #175.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Carl Dix: Making Revolution, Fighting Police Brutality



Check out and circulate Carl Dix’ new YouTube video,

“MAKING REVOLUTION,FIGHTING POLICE BRUTALITY!”


Carl puts the challenge to people to take part in the National Day of Protest to Stop Police Brutality,Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation.

Search YouTube for “Carl Dix” and “making revolution, fighting police brutality” or link it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40dodNHMMko

Carl Dix to join Cindy Sheehan at Martha's Vineyard press conference-- now on August 27th

8/26/09: Flash Update: Press conference postponed to Thursday, August 27th, at 11:00 pm.

* * *
Carl Dix, a long time revolutionary activist and a representative of the Revolutionary Communist Party, will be joining Cindy Sheehan on Martha's Vineyard on August 26th for a press conference at Oak Bluffs Elementary School. Carl was one of the Fort Lewis 6, 6 GI's who refused to go to Vietnam in 1970. Carl served 2 years in Ft Leavenworth military penitentiary for this stand. Carl recently participated in a dialogue in Harlem with Cornel West on "The Ascendancy of Obama ... and the Continued Need for Resistance and Liberation."

Press release below:

MARTHA'S VINEYARD – CINDY SHEEHAN, Peace Activist, Gold Star Mother, Organizer of 'Camp Casey' memorials and a nominee for the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize, will be arriving on Martha's Vineyard on Tuesday August 25, to confront President Obama on his engagement in the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. She will issue a challenge to Obama on his escalation of troop presence in the Middle East and his continuation of war policies around the globe.

Her schedule of public events is as follows:

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 11am, Press Conference at Oak Bluffs Elementary School.

Wednesday, Aug. 26, 8pm, Peace Vigil, Ocean Park Bandstand, Oak Bluffs.

Thursday, Aug. 27, Friday, Aug. 28 and Saturday, Aug. 29: Boat trips with Cindy for peace movement leaders, press and public. These 'shipboard peace summit' meetings will leave Vineyard Haven twice daily on the 105 foot sloop 'SS Camp Casey' in the afternoons. Call for details. No charge, so reserve ahead. 207-604-8988 or email: mailto:lauriegdobson@yahoo.com

Saturday Aug. 29, 9 to 5 Peace Vigil Ocean Park, Oak Bluffs and Walkabout around the Island

Saturday, Aug. 29, 8pm Cindy Sheehan speaking event "Peace Now, Again", Katharine Cornell Theater, 54 Spring St., Vineyard Haven.

Cindy is scheduling press and media interviews throughout the week. Call Laurie Dobson at 207-604-8988 or email: "mailto:lauriegdobson@yahoo.com" lauriegdobson@yahoo.com or Bruce Marshall at 802-767-6079.

In addition to these planned events, there will be impromptu gatherings during the week. A memorial site will be present on the island with an outdoor area designated as 'Camp Casey', a living tribute to her son Casey Sheehan, who died in the Iraq War, as well as honoring others who were war casualties.

The SS Camp Casey will welcome all those who wish to come to meet Cindy.She will be also available on the Vineyard for gatherings of visitors, which will be open to the public, the press, and anyone desiring to connect with those for whom the costs of war are a daily reality in their lives.

For information on the events, please contact Chris Fried at (508)-693-7741; and for information about Cindy, please contact Laurie Dobson at (207)-604-8988 or email: lauriegdobson@yahoo.com

No Vacations for Body Bags!

http://cindysheehanssoapbox.blogspot.com/2009/08/we-have-moral-high-ground-by-cindy.html

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Carl Dix in Defense of Juanita Young

Monday, August 10th 2009 -- Carl Dix kicked off a press conference and rally by community residents, supporters and activists, and several family members of Stolen Lives, who joined in solidarity with anti-police brutality activist Juanita Young and her family.

The press conference denounced the continuing police violence and abuse against Juanita's family, and its latest incident when plainclothes cops crashed a outdoor cookout and arrested Juanita's son and neighbors. After the press conference, people marched to the 43rd Precinct demanding an end to police terror and harassment of Young and her family.

Carl speaks at the press conference/rally front of Juanita's house below:



Also speaking at the press conference were Juanita Young, Lynne Stewart, and Sunsara Taylor. For a complete viewing, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/ricoism. Much thanks to Brother Carlos for the video documentation.

For the Alice Woodward article from Revolution, go to http://www.revcom.us/a/174/juanita_young-en.html.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Post Racial My Ass!

ON THE ARREST OF HENRY LOUIS GATES IN HIS OWN HOME!
July 24, 2009

Harvard professor Henry Louis "Skip" Gates is arguably the most prominent Black intellectual in the US. On July 14th, cops in Cambridge, Massachusetts forced him to do a perp walk from his own home to a police car in handcuffs. The charge was disorderly conduct, but Gates’ real offense was being Black and unwilling to bow and scrape when ordered to do so by a white cop.

The cop responded to a report of a daytime break-in into the home Gates rents from the University and asked the professor to step outside. Gates refused to do so and demanded to see the cop’s ID. This challenge to the cop’s authority led to the arrest, which happened AFTER the cop had found out that Gates was indeed inside his own home! In this cop's mind, a Black man questioning his authority and asking to see his police ID constituted "loud and tumultuous behavior" punishable by the humiliation of being taken you’re your home in handcuffs.

The charges have since been dropped, and the Cambridge police department has issued a statement saying Gates should not have been arrested. But this incident was very serious. Had Gates not been able to quickly call his secretary who got his lawyer down to the jail in short order, there’s no way to know what this could’ve escalated into.

Those who blame Gates for escalating the situation and causing his own arrest are saying he should’ve been more servile, with his head bowed and shuffling. These people either don’t know what all too often happens when cops confront Black people, or are trying to cover this reality up. Black people are disproportionately stopped, harassed, beaten, arrested and even killed by cops. The Stolen Lives Project of the Oct 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality documented over 2000 cases of loss of life at the hands of police in the US between 1990 and 2000. Most of the people killed were Black or Latino and most weren't involved in any criminal activity when they lost their lives. Some of the people this has happened to were well off, had played by the rules and done everything they were supposed to do to make it. Yet none of this mattered. Black people face inequality and discrimination in virtually every facet of life in this country. This oppression is built into the very fabric of this country, and it will take revolution and going on to build a whole new society to replace this messed up one to eradicate it once and for all.

Right wing talk radio, Fox news and other such forces were quick to charge racism in response to this incident--against Gates! These people were upset that Gates not only questioned the cop, but that he had the audacity to say he was being targeted because he was a Black man. They also took Barack Obama to task for saying during a news conference that the police acted "stupidly" in arresting Gates inside his own home.

There's multiple irony involved in all this. Some of the very people who cite the election of Obama as proof that the US has become a post racial society respond to cops arresting a Black man in his own home by calling the Black man racist. At the same time, the president who has repeatedly lectured Black people to stop using racism as an excuse for the inequality and oppression they face gives a white cop a verbal slap on the wrist for the way he treated this Black professor.

Obama and his team felt compelled to address this only because he has been called out for carefully avoiding even addressing the hell Black people continue to catch in the US. Obama's tsk-tsk to the Cambridge cops doesn't address the seriousness of this incident. And this mild rebuke to the cops for this incident (which the white house began to back away from the next day with “clarifications.”) in no way makes up for the way in which he has blamed Black people for the conditions the system he presides over enforces on them.

Obama’s “No Excuses” speeches (See his speech at the recent NAACP convention for an example of this) have never been about tough love. The problem with them isn’t that they don’t go far enough. They go in the wrong direction! They say Black people face the problems they do because of their own faults and shortcomings. They cover over the oppression brought down on them by this system. And they threaten and justify the even more vicious attacks this system has in store for Black people.

What was done to Gates opens a window into the way this system oppresses Black people. This ugly and continuing reality needs to be fully dragged out into the light of day, and all who oppose injustice need to condemn it unequivocally and build opposition to it. And those who are sick and tired of it for real need to check out the revolution and understand that THIS system has always thrived on and reinforced oppression of Black people, in one form or another; never has, never can and never will create a society where Black men and women can truly breathe free, day in day out; and must be replaced with a revolutionary communist one where this, and all other forms of oppression, can finally be eliminated.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009


Cornel West and Carl Dix on Race and Politics in the Age of Obama



One week after the NAACP’s 100th anniversary celebrations, we speak to Princeton University professor Cornel West and Carl Dix of the Revolutionary Communist Party about the current state of Black America. West is a professor of religion and African American studies at Princeton University and the author of numerous books on race. Dix is a founding member of the Revolutionary Communist Party and was one of six GIs in 1970 who refused orders to go to Vietnam and served two years in prison for his stance. [includes rush transcript]