By Rishi Raj Baral
Here I am not going to clarify the definition of intellectuals, nor I am going to explain the role of intellectuals played in the revolution. History has already demonstrated the role played by revolutionary intellectuals during the people's revolution. And now in the global perspective, Marxist intellectuals of 21st century are playing the vanguard role in the ideological front. In
During the ten-year People's War Nepalese intellectuals played a outstanding role. They faught with pen and gun. Intellectuals who joined the ten-year People's War are morally boost up and have revolutionary spirit and they want to play active role in the upcoming days too. But it is the matter to note that some of our comrades have a problem to understand the revolutionary role of intellectuals. Verbally they accept the role of intellectuals, but in practice they always discard the role of intellectuals in the class struggle. In fact, they are reluctant to accept the role of intellectuals.
Our leaders symbolize themselves as the Maoist, a true follower of MLM. But regarding the question of intellectuals, they have no any interest to follow the teachings of Mao. During the period of New democratic revolution in 1939, Mao wrote a document-Recruit large numbers of intellectuals. It is a document of great significance. As he states:
• Without the participation of the intellectuals victory in the revolution is impossible. Our Party and our army have made considerable efforts to recruit intellectuals during the last three years, and many revolutionary intellectuals have been absorbed into the Party, the army, the organs of government, the cultural movement and the mass movement, thus broadening the united front, this is a major achievement. But many of the army cadres are not yet alive to the importance of the intellectuals, they still regard them with some apprehension and are even inclined to discriminate against them or shut them out. Many of our training institutes are still hesitant about enrolling young students in large numbers. Many of our local Party branches are still reluctant to let intellectuals join. All this is due to failure to understand the importance of the intellectuals for the revolutionary cause.
Similarly, during the period of Socialist reconstruction in 1957, Mao highlighted the role of intellectuals as the army of intellectuals. As he has mentioned:
• The proletariat must build up its own army of intellectuals, just as the bourgeoisie does. The regime of a given class cannot do without its own intellectuals. How could bourgeois dictatorship be possible in the
In fact, some of the comrades of Maoist party have badly incarcerated by intellecto-phobia. They think that they are senior leaders, they are the members of standing committee and polite bureau. They know each and everything, therefore, no need to listen the words of junior comrades and intellectuals. They have no any interest in debate and discussions. They are not interested to study and to make opinion about communist movement, especially International Communist Movement. They are habituated in stereo type of thinking and there working style has been bounded in a particular routine. Indeed, they are badly entrapped by bureaucratic attitudes as Mao has mentioned in his famous article Twenty Manifestations Of Bureaucracy.
Now we have a new party, Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist. People are optimistic to us. They are looking for us. It is the time to make new and dynamic departure- real rupture with the old one. New party have a strong team of revolutionary intellectuals. We have university professors, cultural activists, journalists and whole timer intellectuals of ten-year People's War. It is the time to centralize the Marxists intellectuals around the party organisation. We must have a new army of Marxist intellectuals. But it is the matter to worry that our comrades are always frightened with the Marxists intellectuals. Revolutionary intellectuals are firm in their conviction and are ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause of revolution . We always respect our senior leaders but not the termites. We want to make clear that no one should behave with intellectuals as the personal employees and desk clerks.
This type of tendency has badly damaged our revolution. In fact, factionalism, utilitarianism, pragmatism, empiricism, regionalism and impressionism are the main problems in the Maoist party then and now. We are compelled to express that organisationally we have separated ourselves from the Prachanda-Baburam- the real traitor of 21st century, but culturally and in the style of work, we are floating in the same boat.
Maximum utilization of the intellectuals should be our objective. We have to produce a large number of red and experts. It needs some plan and program. But we have no any plan and program to centralize and activate the intellectuals for the sake of revolution. To be very frank, in the name of intellectuals our leaders want a bunch of phony intellectuals. Revolutionary intellectuals always respect the party leaders and seniors, but they never accept the NGO/INGO lovers and their followers. They always avoid the N/INGO intellectuals and their masters. Marxist intellectuals have some sense, sensibility and dignity too.
Country needs the active role of intellectuals for the safe guard of national sovereignty and to fight for the people's democracy. Intellectuals can play the significant role in party and the joint front. There is one and only way of Nepalese revolution- that is New Democratic Revolution. And we all know without armed struggle we will not be able to achieve our goal. Right now, we must operate the both rural and urban front proficiently. But the main point is to follow the spirit of The Great Chinese Cultural Revolution, going back to the rural areas for the new preparation.
There is three month left to National Convention and still we are at the crossroads. And it is true, National Convention will not produce any miraculous result. Before meeting at National Convention, it needs a great debate and discussion on party line and as well as in policy and program. But right now, we are facing new type of problem that is : instead of class struggle some of our comrades are pleading the politics of gender, ethnicity and regionalism. Gradually another problem is budding in our party, that is: egoistical and childish squabble of 'first generation and second generation'. We all know, age is not the decisive factor in the revolution. The major factor is the party line, which decides everything. As we know-'The correctness or incorrectness of the ideological and political line decides everything'. There must be politics in command. We always speak to build a new type of party, a party of Bolshevik type. How can we achieve our goal when we are always engaged in building new 'kotaries'– the nests. No factionalism and regionalism, but the strong unity among the party leadership and cadres camp.
We are living in the 2nd decade of 21st century. Debates and discussions are going on in the International Communist Movement. There are some complications, but no one can deny that the reorganization of the Maoist parties is the central task of the revolutionaries. And we all know, the ideological aspect will be the central point in this regard. Oppressed people of
Base areas or Russian model, Comrades of imperialists countries are active in debate and discussions. Some of our comrades and parties within the 'RIM' and outside are pleading the politics of 'New Synthesis'–the new stage going beyond Mao and Maoism. 'New Synthesis' has given an interesting topic for those, who are interested in academic debate and discussions. 'New Synthesis' has confused us, it lacks of clarity. CPN-Maoist has not come out with official decision on above mentioned issues, and it is obvious, revolutionary intellectuals can play the decisive role in such cases.
What will be the next step of CPN-Maoist is obscure until now. The sky is covered with dark cloud and we are waiting for the heavy rain. We all know it is not easy to move forward, things have badly damaged. Just we have the history–the glorious history of ten-Year People's War. Except revolutionary spirit and devotion, we have lost everything–the people's army, base areas, people's local government and local judiciaries. And it is the universal truth that before advancing in new practice we must be clear in principle. We all know a blunt knife draws no blood. Still some of our comrades, even the senior leaders are crying for 'politics of single identity', federalism and constituent assembly. They haven't forgotten the luxurious life style of the period of constituent assembly- the parliamentary exercise. We must have firm faith in Marxism-Leninism –Maoism, not only in words but in practice too.
At present, intellectuals can play the active role in making public opinion. They can play the significant role in the ideological front. But first of all, our leaders must be clear about the role of intellectuals. They have to use art and science to motivate the intellectuals within the party and outside, and it needs a great sacrifice. We hope our comrades will come out from the dark tunnel of superiority complex- the residual part of feudalistic attitudes.
Marxist intellectuals don't want just to be the bookworms. They can play vital role in the class struggle. But it depends on how we activate and motivate them.
Dear Comrades! it is not the bargaining for the posts, but launching the campaign for the revolution. Marxist intellectuals are not the burden, but the driving force of the revolution.
Pix from bermudaradical.wordpress.com.
"I should have written it down," I thought as I perused the huge pharmacy aisle. In preparation for our upcoming river trip, I went into Flagstaff, AZ today to procure "butt balm" and waterproof band-aids."Should I get PreparationH?" I couldn't find any C-cream. Or was it Sea-Cream?
Howard of Video Twist Productions, Ja'Vonne and I recently spent two nights and three days in Southernmost Illinois touring the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail. On day one we visited Blue Sky, Orlandini, Owl Creek and Rustle Hills Wineries and Vineyards. With the help of tasting staff at the vineyards and our own wine expert Ja'Vonne, Howard and I were educated on the different types of wine, food that should pair with each wine, and the correct way to taste a wine. You swirl the wine in the glass, sniff the bouquet of the wine, sip and slurp, hold and swallow so the wine hits the back of the tongue and you can taste the full flavor. There is something about tandons (not sure if it is spelled right) but I don't understand that part yet.
It's day two and we head over to Scandinavian Gift shop and tasting room at the Hedman Vineyards (www.peachbarn.com) Gerd and Anders Hedman opened Hedman Vineyards in 2005.
In 1997, Dr. Paul and Rhoda Jacobs opened the first Von Jakob Vineyard (www.vonjakobvineyard.com) in Pomona, Illinois. The second location is located in Alto Pass which is where we were having lunch. Von Jakob has recently added brewery to its name as they now produce fine tasting beer. We decided to forgo the wine tasting to sample a little of their new product. When you visit, I suggest you order the cheese bread and the meatball sandwich. Real good stuff!
It was our last day in the Shawnee area and we had to pack the car and head over to the Star View Vineyard (www.starviewvineyard), where we were doing our live broadcast, having lunch and of course, tasting wine before heading back home to Chicago. Scott and Kate Sensmeire opened Star View Vineyards in 2005. Their first harvest yielded six award winning wines. 
They offered their vineyard to us to do our live broadcast back to Chicago and we found the perfect place to set up, out on the patio overlooking the vineyards.
It was one of the hottest days in creation but Kate told us the best way to handle the heat is by having a cool glass of wine. It was still hot but the wine was delicious. Scott brought in some grapes he had picked and kept cool. One bunch would be red wine and the other white. Don't tell him, but they both looked the same to me.
I can't tell you how thrilled I was to be in Washington, DC for the MLK, Jr. Memorial and Dedication. As you know the weekends events including the dedication were canceled due to Hurricane Irene, that had a direct path up the the east coast of the United States. Because of the uncertainty of the velocity of the hurricane/storm, the events organizers with consultation from the city and FEMA, thought it would be in the best interest and safety of all to make the decision to cancel the weekends activities. While I initially thought the decision was made too early, our friend, Alpha Phi Alpha alumni and Greats Lakes Zone Director Multicultural Markets at State Farm Insurance, advised us that one of the main reasons the decision was made early was because of the number of travelers coming for the day by bus. It could have been disastrous to have people stranded on a bus and without shelter. Fortunately for those who were already in town, the Memorial was opened earlier in the week and stayed open until noon Saturday. This gave us the opportunity to see the Memorial. As they are saying, there is a King among Presidents on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The MLK, Jr. Memorial is not only the first person of color represented on the Mall but is the only non-president on the Mall. This makes for a Monumental occasion!!!
We arrived on Thursday afternoon along with many others who flew in on American Airlines. We saw so many Alpha's at the airport and on the plane with us. The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, one of the major contributors, had their own list of activities and events for the Memorial and Dedication weekend. The men I met along the way, of all ages, were so proud to be a part of this Memorial. I got a glimpse of the Alpha's at their private event and visit to the Memorial. All the men were dressed in black and gold, the fraternity's colors, marching toward King's statue. Thursday evening the announcement was made that there would be cancellations of the some of the events. 
Last Wednesday, I attended the first of South Africa Tourism's Taste Makers Series in New York at Marcus Samuelsson's restaurant Red Rooster in Harlem. The Taste Makers Series is a marketing campaign to reconnect African Americans to South Africa.
Wednesdays event was elegantly casual. The food Red Rooster presented, which is indicative of his menu, was a fusion of African American and African cuisine like Fried Chicken with a spicy curry sauce, bread bowls filled with pulled curried chicken and spicy shrimp. We were serenaded by Lorraine Klaasen with soulful South African Jazz and given inviting presentations from industry experts and frequent travelers to South Africa, one of which was yours truly. The presenters painted a picture of the many wonderful experiences you can have in South Africa from cultural to the most adventurous. South Africa is truly a place where you "Leave Ordinary Behind"