Revolution #234, May 29, 2011
$30,000 in 30 days + 100 New Sustainers for Revolution
This issue of Revolution hits the streets and Internet on Monday, May 23, the first day of the 30-30+100 Plan—the plan to raise $30,000 in 30 days, plus 100 new sustainers for Revolution newspaper. Raising this money is not only necessary, but a real opportunity to reconnect with people who have contributed before and to involve many more people in the revolution. And the projects which will be funded are essential to building the movement for revolution:
- Money is needed for major promotion of BAsics, from the talks and writings of Bob Avakian. This book of quotes and short essays speaks to the essential questions of today's world and how things could be radically different… and radically better. BAsics needs to, and has the potential to, have a huge societal impact. BAsics can fire the imagination and raise the sights and hopes of people and it needs to get out there and be part of training a whole new generation of revolutionaries. Goal: $7,000
- April 11, hundreds of people got a rare taste of liberating culture and a whole other way the world could be. On the occasion of the publication of BAsics, a great mix of artists came together in Harlem for a "Celebration of Revolution and the Vision of a New World." Money is needed to produce a documentary of this extraordinary event and cover the debt still owed from this production. Goal: $10,000
- The Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund has a goal of getting copies of BAsics to 2,000 prisoners. Each copy sent to a prisoner is $10. Reaching this immediate goal will start us on the road to meet this vital need. Goal: $6,000
- RCP Publications is the publisher of BAsics, the Constitution for a New Socialist Republic in North America (Draft Proposal), and many other important works. It publishes Revolution newspaper in print and online, in Spanish and English. Goal: $7,000 plus 100 new sustainers
(For more on the 30-30+100 plan and these projects, see "$30,000 in 30 days, plus 100 new sustainers for Revolution newspaper… Changing the world with the BAsics" in issue #232.)
Think about all the people who are so upset about the state of the world—who need to know that things don't have to be this way, who need to know there is a leader, Bob Avakian, and a party that has a strategy for making revolution. 30-30+100 is an opportunity to connect with such people, to build long-term ties and relationships, to give people a very concrete and important way they can be part of the movement for revolution.
Crucial Role of Revolution
A very important part of 30-30+100 is the establishment of ongoing financial support for Revolution newspaper. How important is this? The truth of the matter is, we cannot make revolution without such a paper. This is how the RCP's statement "On the Strategy for Revolution" describes the indispensable role of Revolution:
"This [newspaper] plays a pivotal role in carrying out our strategy. Through publishing works of Bob Avakian, and through many different articles, interviews, letters, graphics, and other features, Revolution enables people to really understand and act to radically change the world....It gives people a living picture and scientific analysis of what is going on in the world, and why....It exposes the true nature of this system, and shows how major events in society and the world are concentrations of the basic contradictions of this oppressive and putrid system....It brings alive the need and possibility for revolution and a whole new society and world....It heightens the ability of growing numbers of people, in all parts of this country, to act politically in a unified way, and to wrestle with and help find solutions to the problems of our movement, on the basis of a growing revolutionary consciousness....It is the key instrument in developing an organized political network, among the most oppressed and other sections of the people, which can have a growing impact on the political scene and the society (and the world) as a whole, building up the forces of revolution and influencing ever broader numbers of people....It provides a foundation and a means for extending the ‘reach' of the revolutionary movement and building up bases for this movement—in neighborhoods, where people work and go to school, and wherever people come together—and especially where they resist and rebel against this system."
This week, we'd like to talk with you about the effort to sustain Revolution.
Revolution newspaper is the foundation, guideline, and organizational scaffolding for the movement we are building for revolution. It plays a crucial role in building up the forces for revolution and influencing ever broader numbers of people. But the reality is that this newspaper cannot play this crucial role without a solid and growing base of financial support. This newspaper now operates on an amazingly limited budget, but it does have to meet its overhead expenses each month, support reporters, translation work, and more. And it must expand, including by completing the process of transforming the revcom.us website so that it can reach people hungry for its content around the entire U.S. and all over the world. This kind of financial support does not yet exist—and it is an urgent need.
"On the Strategy for Revolution" provides an important orientation:
"For those who have hungered for, who have dreamed of, a whole different world, without the madness and torment of what this system brings every day...those who have dared to hope that such a world could be possible...and even those who, up to now, would like to see this, but have accepted that this could never happen...there is a place and a role, a need and a means, for thousands now and ultimately millions to contribute to building this movement for revolution, in many different ways, big and small—with ideas and with practical involvement, with support, and with questions and criticisms."
This is the approach we need to apply in raising funds in this drive, including for Revolution. People—from all corners of society, with different means, and with different levels of agreement—can actually fulfill their desire to make a difference, to have a meaningful impact on the world by contributing. And sustaining this paper is a vital way people can be a part of the movement for revolution, whether you are actively building the movement for revolution or checking it out or following it in different ways or even if donating money is the only thing you do.
Everyone who reads Revolution should become a sustainer. And there are many more people in society who don't yet know about this paper—but would appreciate it. Revolution needs sustainers on all levels and with different means. A movement of people making monthly contributions, whatever their ability is. A half-dozen people who live in the projects each contributing $5 or even $2 a month. Or a group of people holding a monthly fundraising potluck. A well-known professional or artist contributing $100 or $50 a month. Teachers and students taking up monthly collections among their colleagues. These and many other creative forms of sustaining Revolution newspaper must be unleashed all over the place. It is a challenge—and it should be a lot of fun! Regularly contributing to this newspaper, and often at great sacrifice, is precious to our movement. And not only will this guarantee the continued publication of this paper, it will build up a strong financial and political base for Revolution and actually can contribute to fostering a broader culture of radical opposition.
Sustaining is an important task for circles organized around the paper—including developing ways to collect money every month and turn it in. And we should go out among friends, relatives and coworkers, find creative ways to introduce people to this paper, get donations on the spot and sign up sustainers.
Revolution must blossom as a forum for debate, discussion and questions. And we want to hear from you! Send in lots of correspondence and ideas and suggestions, testimonials about why people are donating (to any or all of the projects), and share positive and negative lessons. When you are out in the world, taking this fund drive out broadly to people on campuses and in neighborhoods, take pictures! And send them to Revolution.
We should heartily welcome this bold 30-30+100 plan because it really is a great opportunity to discuss, debate and work with all kinds of people. Many more people will get connected to the revolutionary leadership of Bob Avakian. The readership of Revolution will grow, and importantly its continued publication and the spread of its influence will be made possible. And this drive will be an advance in the process of accumulating forces for revolution. All this adds up to making it possible to print the paper, but also building up a movement around the paper.
| People can get fundraising materials at revcom.us and we will also be posting letters and commentary related to the 30-30+100 plan. Revolution newspaper (including at revcom.us) will be an important organizing center during this 30-day effort. And we need everyone to be writing in regularly with ideas, suggestions, experiences and questions. |
If you like this article, subscribe, donate to and sustain Revolution newspaper.
