Prisoners Write on Bob Avakian and Getting BA Everywhere

May 26, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

The following are from letters forwarded by the Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund (PRLF).

We greatly appreciate receiving these letters from prisoners and encourage prisoners to keep sending us correspondence. The views expressed by the writers of these letters are, of course, their own; and they are not responsible for the views published elsewhere in our paper.

An “angry slave” responds to the 1000 Years–$1000 project

CA, 5/8/14

Greetings Comrades! I am responding to the 1000 years–$1000 letter. It has been 12 years for me. I’m pleased that my thoughts are so welcome here! And thanks for the recent reading material...

I believe it is important to get BA into the prisons as well as into the hands of the public. Not only are the prisoners oppressed but the public (or damn near all of it) is just a ½ a heartbeat away from oppression and most are in denial about that fact... BA helped me come to the terms that my “systematic oppression” was not a mere happenstance of “luck.” That there is a system in place, mostly directed against Black and Latino males (among others), which essentially criminalizes Life, and creates a “slave labor force” and that me and other Blacks like me never really escaped slavery. We just had a choice of who “master” would be and a selection of “scraps which fall from the master’s table.” I mean the dynamics of slavery changed, not the slave, not the master.

I no longer have those choices. But I got B.A. which gives me vision. I got Bob Avakian teaching me that I am not what makes this system bad, it’s this system that makes me and everybody else who’s Black, Latino, poor or female a “criminal” for its financial gain. BA is a masterpiece. Spread it everywhere. I will help, until we overcome.

An Angry Slave, seeking guidance

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On the importance of BAsics for prisoners

AR, 5/8/2014

Comrade,

On the importance of “BAsics” for prisoners—BAsics is reminiscent of Mao’s “Little Red Book,” there is more than likely something in it on every subject. It gives the prisoner easily digested, well-explained theory and explanations on each subject; this really comes in handy if one wants to explore a subject more in depth later on. One can use BAsics as a starting point. It also makes it easy to find RCP’s line on just about any given subject. BAsics is an indispensable tool in the prison revolutionary tool kit.

Yours in struggle,

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BAsics—“a priceless addition to the body of revolutionary work”

TX, 5/9/14

Dear revolutionary comrades,

Bob Avakian’s BAsics is the most politically instructive work written for the common lay person I have read in the past 25 years of reading and studying political history and theory. It is a priceless addition to the body of revolutionary work and needs to be read by every intelligent and open-minded person looking for a more equitable and just world. Even if one doesn’t agree with all his conclusions, the general history and analysis of the U.S. capitalist-imperialist juggernaut is unimpeachable.

It is truly imperative all progressive and revolutionary-minded people come together and support the R.C.P.’s and P.R.L.F’s fund drive to get a copy of BAsics into the hands of every politically and culturally disenfranchised person—that’s you!—in America. The only antidote to capital’s lies is the straight dope contained in books like BAsics, and if you won’t help, who will?

If not now, when?

Get with the Revolution!

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No effort left untapped to promulgate BA’s insights to people worldwide

FL, 5/6/14

Dear Comrades,

...a pivotal part of the struggle is the battle for the minds of the masses, that have been subject to corrosive brainwash. “Knowledge is power!” This is a very accurate statement. It also happens to embellish my argument that: The unique insights and knowledge that chairman B.A. possess can really empower the masses and transform them from their passive stance to a revolutionary stance, befitting what is required to ameliorate the tremendous weight/pressure that the system brings down on the lumpen masses. What we are able to see is that, this pressure is maintained and perpetuated by the educational system and the media—all controlled by the elites.

If knowledge truly is power, then, it is accurate to say, with great power comes great responsibility. Those who possess the seed of knowledge should feel a sense of responsibility to disseminate these saving seeds to the starving masses, who are hungry for remedial knowledge. In this event, iron truly sharpens iron.

These particular understandings should drive home, to the masses, the message that the writings and works of B.A. is like an elixir in these perilous times. There should be no source, effort, or sacrifice left untapped in order to promulgate B.A. insights to as many people as possible, worldwide—bond or free. So there you have it comrades. Power only grows stronger and more powerful when left unchallenged. Push Forward!

Empowered, XXXXXXXXXX

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Struggling to grasp revolutionary theory

CA, 4/30/2014

Dear PRLF,

Rebel greetings and solidarity! I received the article you sent: Demarcations—Issue #3, Winter 2014.

It is an absolutely wonderful article, which I must admit put Avakian’s Synthesis into a context of current world events. That helped me to grasp and understand it and realize its important fundamentals. To be honest, I’ve been struggling with understanding the synthesis for awhile for a couple of reasons. I’m not a theorist or intellectual and my pace of learning new revolutionary ideas and application of those is methodically slow. Another reason is because of Revolution Newspaper. Being it is a newspaper, it has to serialize articles. Well, this often hinders my ability to fully grasp and analyze what is being written in its entirety. Plus, Revolution is often confiscated by the pigs when they search my cell. Furthermore, I can better understand things revolutionary when they are applied to current events. My point being, Demarcations has been just what I needed to help propel my own personal revolutionary transformation to the next level, which I felt (prior to receiving Demarcations) was stagnated.

I’m currently writing a response to the Demarcations #3 that express my thoughts on it. I’ll be sending it to you soon. A number of things stand out to me: mechanical pseudo-Marxism vs. dialectical materialism, cycles of mutual reinforcement, and revolutionary leadership. I’ll try to focus on those, but with so much material, it may be hard.

Solidarity Forever, XXXXXX

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Eyes opened by Revolution newspaper and BA’s writings

CA, 4/10/2014

Greeting, PRLF

First and foremost I’d like to let all of you there know that your hard work is deeply appreciated. Thank you. I’d also like to say that reading your newspaper and the writings of BA has really opened my eyes up to a whole new way of viewing the so-called free society that we live in. I especially enjoy the writings of Sunsara Taylor. Her passion and commitment to the cause are truly inspiring. To be honest womens’ issues were never really an issue for me. But after reading her reports on the unjust attacks on women and their freedoms I’ve become a big supporter of their cause.

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BAsics—“some boiled-down wisdom”

CA, 4/2/14

To: RCP, Central Circulations,

I am just writing to say thanks for the “BAsics”, it’s awesome. It’s just some boiled-down wisdom that really deserves its place on the shelf of every adult in Amerika & the western hemi. I send my hope for a better future.

In Solidarity XXXXXXXXXXX

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“On a mission to educate my comrades about revolutionary outlooks”

FL, 3/31/14

I just recently got introduced to the R.C.P. and the works of Bob Avakian. Immensely powerful! These two adjectives accurately describes my impression of BA’s insights. Thanks to him, I now have a better understanding of what the scientific method is, regarding revolution, and placing power into the hands of the people. True power, and not this farcical version that is being upheld; Some power...psh! government of, for, and, by the people. Yeah right!

Comrades, I am humbly requesting a copy of a particular BA material, the one called What Humanity Needs: Revolution and the New Synthesis of Communism. I had just started reading a copy when the comrade who owned it was unexpectedly transferred. I was so enthralled that, I was reading it up until the comrade made his last step exiting the dorm/cage that we are housed in. So, if it is possible, I would love to receive a copy of What Humanity Needs. As a matter of fact, I would love to receive whatever kind of material that you can send. I am on a mission to educate my comrades about revolutionary outlooks.

Be blessed, comrades. Keep up the good and necessary work

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“Doing my best to help spread BA’s vision”

IL, 1/29/14

Revolutionary Greetings:

I believe in everything the “Revolutionary Communist Party, USA” stands for and struggle for, (Revolution). That’s why I’m doing my best to help spread BA’s vision and Images as far I possible can—within this prison. You (Revolutionary Communist Party, USA) are the hope and leadership that we need! No other organizations are focusing on and exposing the roots of suffering, misery, horror, and poverty that the people are going through! But you are, and you have provided the solution, which is Revolution!

If you could not send me a free subscription to ‘Revolution’ newspaper, could you send me the following article and interview: “On the ‘Driving Force of Anarchy’ and the Dynamics of Change, A Sharp Debate and Urgent Polemic: The Struggle for a Radically Different World and the Struggle for a Scientific Approach to Reality” and the interview “You Don't Know What You Think You 'Know' About... The Communist Revolution and the REAL Path to Emancipation: Its History and Our Future.” I really need these articles and interviews made available to me. It’s imperative!

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BA Everywhere and accumulating forces for revolution

CA, 12/19/13

Greetings,

I hope that all is well with all of you. I’m doing okay myself. I would like to start with your question about the BA everywhere campaign. I would like to say that I think the BA everywhere campaign is great. It is a great way to “wake people up," to introduce them to new ideas; to help them understand the dynamics of the capitalist-imperialist system—and how those dynamics give birth to all the injustices/horrors that people find appalling and therefore protest against. (wars for empire, The Patriot Act, NSA’s invasion of their privacy, global warming, etc.) which in my opinion, is crucial because unfortunately, a lot of people rely on the mainstream news/media for their (mis) information, and hence are oblivious to the fact that the problem is systemic; that this is not the best of all possible worlds; that a different and better world is possible—by getting rid of this capitalist-imperialist system through revolution. In short, I think the “BA everywhere” campaign is great, because it is an excellent way to accumulate forces for Revolution.

The recent developments in the world that have impacted me the most, would definitely have to be the “Arab Spring,” the millions of people rising up against their oppressors in Egypt & Libya, to name a couple. It impacted me, because it serves as a source of inspiration. Those Revolutions (if you like to call them that) or people’s revolts, demonstrated to the world that there is no permanent necessity for things to remain the same. Another crucial lesson to be learned from those revolts, is that without a solid scientifically grounded leadership, people’s revolt don’t stand a good chance in accomplishing what is really needed—a complete revolution: The abolition of all class distinctions, the abolition of all relations of production on which these class distinctions rest; abolition of all social relations that correspond to these relations of production; and the revolutionizing of all ideas that result from these social relations. “The 4 alls” or in short, the abolition of capitalism-imperialism and the beginning of a new communist world. In my opinion, said leadership was the key ingredient missing in those revolts. We have seen in places like Egypt and hopefully learned, that without the complete eradication of capitalism-imperialism, the same oppression will continue—even if one leader is replaced by another. In the end, it amounts to a mere reform. And hopefully this serves as a lesson/learning experience to those who still believe that this system (capitalism-imperialism) can be reformed. It is like trying to turn a lion or tiger into a herbivore. The difference between reforming this system and abolishing it, is between making superficial changes or getting to the root of the problem. Instead of asking how can we get congress to approve a fair immigration reform? It’s better to ask, why are people forced to migrate? Or, how can we help out poor people? It’s better to ask, why are people poor? Or, instead of asking how can we alleviate global warming? It is better to ask, why is the planet warming up in the first place? I would like to end this letter by saying that although things are kind of bleak right now, there is a lot to be hopeful for, because like BA said that the future “is not in god’s hands, it’s in our hands.”

In Solidarity, XXXXXXXXXXX

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