After the Dialogue:

What People Are Saying

Updated with additional comments December 7, 2014

The comments at right are from people who were in the audience at the Dialogue between Cornel West and Bob Avakian on November 15, live and in person at the Riverside Church, and at simulcasts in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, and which were forwarded afterwards. A very wide spectrum of background and views was represented that day. There was unity and determination, but also controversy—between the speakers, and controversy provoked by the fact that both speakers challenged people to break out of the framework through which they see what kind of change is necessary and possible. We are just beginning to get a sense of the impact the event had on people. These comments are mainly from exit interviews, and are very preliminary responses. They reflect the thinking of those who made them, in response to and provoked by what they saw and heard, not necessarily the views of the speakers.

We encourage everyone to watch the entire Dialogue at revcom.us! While we cannot post all comments sent to revolution.reports@yahoo.com, all of them are appreciated and forwarded to the Dialogue organizers.

 

Taking Bob Avakian and Cornel West Dialogue to a New Year’s Eve Party

January 5, 2015

Two of us from Revolution Books got to go to a New Year’s eve party hosted and attended by a crowd of mainly1960s era activists (anti-war, environmentalists, etc.). It was a welcoming and communal atmosphere with a band performing live music, among which were “Across the Borderline” and “Imagine,” and also some dance music to bring in the New Year. Many were eager to engage on the big questions of revolution and communism. 

A number of these party goers expressed real disgust with the way the world is, and said they were glad to meet and talk with us at this. The host let us set up a small book table with copies of Revolution and fundraising packets for the November 15 Cornel West and Bob Avakian dialogue. Many put on the sticker we brought of “No New Year Under the Old System. We Can’t Breathe.”

We learned a lot, including from responses to the historic Dialogue that a number of people there had heard on KPFK. Pacifica radio KPFK had been airing the whole 4-hour Dialogue by running one-hour segments that began December 29. The last hour was to play on January 1 itself.

Read more

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Click here to print this collection of comments
(Updated December 7 with additional comments)

On Saturday, November 15, 2014, Photography students from the High School for Arts, Imagination & Inquiry attended the Dialogue between revolutionary leaders Cornel West & Bob Avakian on the role of religion and revolution in the fight for emancipation of all humanity. People from all over the country attended.

Here are reactions of some who attended, captured by students.