Voices from the People about Bob Avakian and
BA Speaks: REVOLUTION—NOTHING LESS!

“My dear brother Bob Avakian... is the Chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party.... He is one of the few coming out of the 60’s who never sold out, he never caved in, he never gave up, held on to his forging of a rigorous, scientific analysis of the objective realities that are driven by a revolutionary love—because he has such a deep love for poor people, oppressed people, all around the world. Whether you agree or disagree with our brother, one thing you cannot deny: that he is the real thing. No doubt about it.”

—Cornel West, introducing his interview with Bob Avakian on the Smiley & West radio show
(October 5, 2012)

“Yes, this is a film, but that is not its essence. This is a daring, substantive, scientific summoning to revolution. 6+ hours that can change how you see the world and what you do with the rest of your life. Is this hype? No.”

—From one of the filmmakers

“[BA Speaks: REVOLUTION—NOTHING LESS!] helped me to realize, that I myself need to do more... what I should be doing. You know, it’s one thing of listening and being here at the meetings; and then what I’m doing as an individual making sure that I’m trying to wake up people’s consciousness and try to transform their mind... for them to think deeper than just living and they don’t have to live this way—as people we don’t have to live this way, we need to demand change.”

—Black woman from Harlem

“Fearless”

—a Black college student describing what he thought of Bob Avakian’s talk Revolution—Nothing Less!

“I think it’s very important for everyone, especially young people from the hood to see this because BA talks about what they go through and he has a solution to all the oppression. And I know for me, when I saw it, it changed the way I looked at everything... music, shows, commercials, ads. I just started seeing all the fucked up shit they promote and it made me want to challenge all that and not go along with any of it.”

—Young Latina from
Los Angeles

“A compelling film, and worth watching.”

—Robert Hass, former
U.S. Poet Laureate and English Professor at the University of California at Berkeley

“...My point is I think is that a lot of the movie is polemical and I think it grabs the viewer by the throat, or rather by the shirt. And says, hey, let’s deal with this. And some things make you uncomfortable, some things you’re right on but it’s challenging and its engaging. And we’ve been here for over three hours and I feel like I just woke up this morning. I mean it’s invigorating.”

—Seminary student

“If you’re anything like me, the idea of watching a six hour film seems nearly impossible. I rarely get six hours of sleep a night, six hours with a friend or family member, six hours to do whatever...

“If you’re anything like me, you probably ask yourself, ‘Is this really as good as it gets? Is this really the best of all possible worlds?’ If you’re anything like me, you’ve caught yourself compromising your hopes and dreams of a better world and a different future...

“If you’re anything like me, you MUST see this film, BA Speaks: REVOLUTION—NOTHING LESS!

“BA Speaks: REVOLUTION—NOTHING LESS! is not just a film, it is an experience, a journey with a relentless revolutionary leader. If you’re someone who once imagined a better world or if you’re someone who has checked out revolution and communism in the past, but have found yourself believing the mantra ‘It looks great on paper, but it’s horrible in practice. Communism just doesn’t work,’ you’ve got to see this film.

“Bob Avakian is going to challenge some of your assumptions and he might even inspire you to think differently or rekindle that flame of hope and rebellion you once had. What is so powerful and potentially world changing about this film and Avakian’s re-envisioning of communism and revolution is the science behind it. BA’s words are going to tap into your emotions, your indignation and righteous anger at “the way things are.” All the while, he is going to guide you, scientifically, through how real revolutionary change is possible and how it could actually be made. That is powerful! There is NOTHING else out there like this. Truly, if you’re anything like me, you will leave this film inspired, and yearning for NOTHING LESS than a WHOLE NEW WORLD.”

—Teacher in Atlanta

“One thing—I wasn’t surprised, but in America, a lot of people do say this is the land of the free, land of this. But people like me, it’s just totally the opposite because I’m the definition of America’s enemy. I’m a young Black youth in the inner city. They wrote us off before we was born. We was convicted at birth, that’s how I feel sometimes. But one thing that surprised me—the whole thing is a surprise to me, actually.... I’m not used to actually engaging in real issues that may be in society. So this is being real direct, just talking about stuff that makes sense, really engage me as a person.

—21-year-old Black man
from Harlem

“When I say ‘Bob’s like a Black leader’ it’s because most of our leaders stood up against what’s wrong and tried to make a change in our community—and that’s what he do—but not just for our community, for the whole world.”

—Conscious young Black man from Chicago

“It’s a huge challenge. It’s a ton of work.... I’m more charged up by seeing this. And I’m an optimist so that helps. Because people that, I know certain people back home are going to say, come on, that’s never going to happen. But I have the DVD. I can put it on, I can give it to somebody and say just watch, if you can’t watch it all, just watch some and let me know what you think. I plan on sharing it.”

—A potter from Rochester, N.Y.