Note: This text was published by Revolutionary Study Network on December 24th, 2022. It is the first public polemic to combat the mischaracterizations of the CI-IC piece about the situation of revolutionaries in the US. I am reposting it here because it is necessary for us to show that the events of Spring 2022 were not a liquidation or a split but the overthrow and abolition of revisionist organizations and their revisionist leadership. Sharing does not imply endorsement or association. The RSN is a different group of people than the RSG, who wrote a statement partially responding to the CI-IC that was previously posted here. There are noticeably different lines between the two statements; we publish both with the hope that it will stimulate discussion. -Rita

By MarLynn Typhus

Acting member of the RSN Prep Committee,
Prior member of the now defunct TotP Austin Support Committee and broader “CR-CPUSA” led movement.

An initial response to the anonymous CI-IC screed: A statement of the situation of the Maoists in the USA

Anything that could reasonably be considered liquidation has already occurred.

Those who once were caught within the putrid environment fostered explicitly by those representing themselves as the “CR-CPUSA” have remedied themselves of this affliction with the only method left to them by an unknown, unelected, and unresponsive leadership. One which is happy to preach “Marxism” as necessary to excuse and absolve themselves of any error and shift the entirety of the blame upon its own rank and file, if not the masses themselves; while remaining shockingly hesitant to actually practice what they preach, let alone anything resembling actual Marxism. Those of us who had come to the misfortune of subordinating ourselves to this insignificant clique have abandoned it, and we insist upon its destruction in much the same manner as their namesake. Would anyone who wishes to reconstitute a true Communist Party within the USA seriously argue against calls to depose or destroy all present leading committees of the “CPUSA”? Would investigating and broadcasting crimes committed by its leading members against the masses and membership be snitching or police work?

We insist not only would this be absolutely wrong on multiple accounts, but in fact it is our duty as aspiring revolutionaries to expose those who would masquerade as such while harming those they claim to stand for; all while deviating from and disparaging the very theories and ideology they proclaim to uphold. By their own actions, those pathetic few hiding behind the title of “CR-CPUSA” have driven a considerable number of progressive elements away not only from their repulsive fronts, but in many instances from Maoism, from Marxism, and from revolutionary pursuits in general. They will insist these are all exclusively failures of the individual, but what they won’t tell you is that they’ve already been abandoned entirely — nor that this has occurred in direct response to an explicitly clear common denominator: the “CR-CPUSA”. Now, much as before, they have been left to continue playing at being somehow meaningful to revolution in the USA, but now they do so alone, an insignificant clique which insists it’s anything but, populated by gangsters masquerading as revolutionaries.

I declare so once more, and challenge the so called “CR-CPUSA” to materially and significantly refute their isolation, their abandonment, their “liquidation”, to explain how upon discovery of a mere handful of their actions, a glimpse into the actual scope of their involvement, the entirety of their rank and file decided swiftly and unequivocally the most appropriate response was to materially separate themselves from this “committee” — one who’s full scope of involvement only became known to us after the explicit abuses of its few direct representatives could no longer be kept hidden, despite every effort to do so under the guise of “Marxism”, or simply by isolating, expelling, and vilifying those who criticized and struggled against this sorry state of affairs from within. For those who would still suggest this is emblematic of fault primarily or exclusively within the rank and file, as opposed to its leadership, the “CR-CPUSA” has a revolutionary bridge to sell you.¹

Many of us, ourselves among them, have not been so thoroughly repulsed and denigrated by the “CR-CPUSA” that we must of necessity separate ourselves from the struggle for a time. We remain deeply committed to the development of a revolutionary movement within the US, despite their claims otherwise, and it is for this precise reason we stand against these enemies to the revolutionary movement. We have witnessed their work first-hand, and we say to you readers that those hiding behind the name “CR-CPUSA” are just as capable as their modern namesake of developing, let alone leading, a revolutionary movement. Unlike their namesake however, we charge that the “CR-CPUSA” — including the many organizations that once existed unknowingly beneath its umbrella — were never once revolutionary, and insist its fetid remnants be torn out root and stem, so that it may no longer despoil the ground from which revolution must grow. Rest assured, a true Communist Party within the USA can, must, and will be reconstituted, and it will be done by those considerable many who truly aspire to revolution, not the few cowards presently hiding beneath the title “CR-CPUSA” who, in the kindest interpretation, have actively hindered such efforts at every turn. 

I will now conclude this statement with a charge against the anonymous author of this piece, and a warning. Intentionally or not, the CI-IC has spread, on more than just this occasion, gross misrepresentations of the revolutionary “situation” within the US, particularly as it regards and on behalf of the “CR-CPUSA”, which we have come to learn the hard way. Those who have not performed thorough investigation or were not themselves directly involved have no right to speak on the matter, certainly not in any authoritative manner. Precisely what authority does an anonymous group of self reported “revolutionary intellectuals” operating outside of our country hold to speak on our situation? I state authoritatively as a first-hand participant and on the basis of my investigations thus far, from reading this screed, either the CI-IC has simply regurgitated what has been relayed by a representative of the “CR-CPUSA” without any investigation of these claims, or they are intentionally spreading falsehoods on their behalf. If the CI-IC would like assistance checking the veracity of their egregious statements concerning our situation, before propagating them internationally as matters of fact, I’m certain we can accommodate them.

If the “CR-CPUSA” wishes to engage in “two-line-struggle” internally, we would point out this requires we exist within a shared organization, something these lonely characters realistically no longer have, and that we will never again share with them. All the same we would ask of them the same fundamental request they’ve thus far refused; to state their actual lines clearly and publicly to those involved so that a true line-struggle may actually take place. If perhaps they could have satisfied this necessary obligation of any so called “Marxist” leadership, before demonstrating themselves so consistently and explicitly incapable that it led to the collapse of their movement, these struggles may have been had internally. Alas, they have dug their own grave, and not one of us ever intend to hop back in with them; however we’re quite happy to perform the burial, and welcome all those who truly aspire towards revolution within the USA to join us in these and many other crucial steps that must be taken on this path.

While this response is not intended as a theoretical explication, let us briefly turn to Lenin’s article against the liquidationist writings of Vera Zasulich², where he highlights how one should respond to a “party” (as the “CR-CPUSA” likes to style itself) which has historically demonstrated itself unsuccessful, useless, or harmful; “The history of the working-class movement is full of examples of unsuccessful, useless and even harmful parties. Let us suppose for a moment that our Party is one of them. In that case it is harmful and criminal to tolerate its existence, and still more so to tolerate its representatives. It is then obligatory to struggle for the destruction of that party, and its replacement by a new party.” The CI-IC and “CR-CPUSA” themselves insist upon the harmful and criminal toleration of their continued existence, with the same cowards and cretins who have historically demonstrated themselves unsuccessful and useless; for this you need only open your eyes to see, but for those not involved, we promise further explication of their harmfulness in time. All the same, we insist the only appropriate response from those who stand for revolution, is to destroy the remnants of this sad excuse for a “Maoist” project, exhume these miserable traitors, and build something truly capable of developing revolution in its wake.

Finally, the warning: at this present moment, the “CR-CPUSA” is isolated, their movement collapsed by their own actions — I state this as a first-hand participant who has, though far from completely, investigated this particular clique and the now defunct movement associated with them. However, they are most certainly endeavoring to rebuild, and if those of us who came to know them do not speak up, they will likely succeed. They will succeed in their continued obstruction of revolutionary development in the US, in much the same manner as the PSL, the DSA, and their own modern namesake, if left to their own devices. Whatever petty “Marxist” phraseology they may espouse, we insist upon the judgment of their actions, as well as their inaction. We who have witnessed their actions first-hand, standing in direct opposition to revolutionary development, will suffer them no more and no less than any other individual or entity that stands against revolutionary development, and we insist all with truly revolutionary aspirations must do the same. Now I charge you, readers: do not allow this gross obstruction to continue, let us finish what we started, let us resume the revolutionary march, together, deposing or destroying all obstacles that obstruct our path forward, in whatever twisted forms they should happen to take. 

Some may note the briefness of my response, and think it lacking in some manner; to those I say first and foremost, worry not, we have every intention to perform a thorough investigation in due time, to analyze the “CR-CPUSA” and the movement it once led under the full scope of Marxism, and to publish our analysis publicly for all to see and critique. You may ask “what’s taking you so long then, if it is so important?”: I say to you, unlike the “CR-CPUSA”, we believe if something is worth doing, it is worth doing correctly. To do so correctly, in a manner that is of true benefit to those involved and any broader movement, and harmful only to those who have committed crimes against subordinates and masses alike, will require considerable time and labor. This is primarily due to the extreme scope and scale to which “Marxism”, “secrecy”, “security”, and outright lies were effectively employed to keep the vast majority of those involved isolated and in the dark, not just from the “CR-CPUSA” but from each-other as well.

The statement to which I respond claims there is a great struggle being waged to “liquidate” this anonymous committee, and I state, as someone who found themselves within the epicenter of collapse, anything that could reasonably be considered liquidation has already occurred, and in its wake lies a diseased puddle. Those of us who began this tragic journey with and persist in aspirations of revolution in the USA will do what is necessary to clean it up, so that nobody else might sully themselves by stepping in it in their march towards revolution.

Footnotes

1. George C. Parker was an American con man best known for his repeated successes “selling” the Brooklyn Bridge, as often as twice a week for several years by his account. He made his living conducting illegal sales of property he did not own, who’s actions and infamy produced the common colloquialism, “I have a bridge to sell you”. Similarly to George C. Parker, the “CR-CPUSA” has successfully sold the idea that they stand at the helm of a burgeoning revolutionary movement for quite some time, and that they alone are capable of leading such a movement. They are presently aiming to continue with this scam, and will succeed so long as folks remain who will buy into it. As to why they are doing so, the answer is quite simple; much like George, they are enriched and benefited by doing so.

2. How Vera Zasulich Demolishes Liquidationism, V.I. Lenin, Prosveshcheniye No. 9, September 1913.