Revolution #270, May 27, 2012


Building on the Momentum of the BAsics Bus Tour

By the end of May, the BAsics Bus Tour will have made its way deep into the South... making BA and his leadership known to many thousands. Hundreds will have signed the BAsics 1:13 banners, sending messages, especially to the people of Sanford, Florida, where Trayvon Martin was murdered. Thousands of dollars still need to be raised to support the BAsics Bus Tour and, as we do this, let’s prepare to get out this same message all over the country in the following weeks, building on the momentum of this bus tour and raising money and laying the basis for the next leg of the tour. And as we do this, let’s draw people into getting into BAsics, from the talks and writings of Bob Avakian and connect them to the whole movement to make this known everywhere.

Join with others and together go all-out to raise money to get BA Everywhere—and as a part of that, let’s aim to get BAsics 1:13 into the hands of and debated by tens of thousands of people all over this country. We say No More! The world does not have to be this way—and we have in Bob Avakian the communist leadership we need to get to a whole new world.

June 5 will mark 100 days since George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin. Across this country, the cry for Justice for Trayvon and an end to mass incarceration will reverberate as thousands take up the call for a mass hoodie day, a day of mass resistance. Three days later, more of the new Freedom Fighters in New York City will go on trial for resolutely standing up to and demanding an end to the NYPD’s illegitimate and illegal stop-and-frisk program, which stops hundreds of thousands each year, mainly Black and Latino youth, and subjects them to humiliating and brutal harassment.

And more, the BAsics 1:13 quote speaks to and can open the door to a whole new future for youth. They will be getting out of school filled with enthusiasm for the summer break and a new beginning, but finding there is no work to be had—or that the only future for many of them is joining the military. At the same time, as the summer begins police departments across the country will be ratcheting up their attacks on the people... the start of a brutal and murderous season.

And let’s not forget, the summer will also witness countless numbers of young people and people of all ages around the world dying from starvation or U.S. drone attacks or in a thousand other horrific ways.

For millions of youth, here and around the world, this system of capitalism-imperialism offers a horrific future. This is a system that exists—and can only exist—by perpetrating such crimes. For millions of youth the world over, life is over before it has begun. But we say NO MORE. This system has no future for our youth, but the revolution does.

Building a Buzz About BA

Picture this: building on the momentum created by the BAsics Bus Tour in the South, in cities and communities from Seattle and San Francisco to Chicago, New York and Houston and beyond, posters go up in local bookstores, barber shops, restaurants and bodegas...groups of students get together in inner city high schools to raise money and work out the ways to get the palm cards out all over, including on every seat in some classrooms...or at the college campuses that are still in session, up on the walls in dorm rooms. Students who are out for the summer take stacks of cards to get out to people wherever they go. Posters go up in the projects and neighborhoods as palm cards are gotten to every apartment and then passed along to others. Copies of BAsics are being sold and the quotes are provoking discussion and debate. A buzz about BA is developing, and this opens up new ways for a diverse number of people to join in the work of distributing these cards, in the parks after school and at sporting events and graduation ceremonies, at community centers and local libraries and hospitals. Groups of people go into the ’hoods and set up big displays of quotes from BAsics as others go out to cultural scenes and movie lines to spread the word. Raising money everywhere. And all these different initiatives begin to work together to have a dramatic impact throughout each city.

And take pictures and send them to baeverywhere@gmail.com!!

To spread BA Everywhere—and, right now to get BAsics 1:13 all over—means fundraising! People can get together now and find the ways to raise money to print posters to go up and tens of thousands of these cards to go out all over the country in the coming weeks.

A challenge to all: Commit now to getting this quote out. Where do you want to take this quote? How many? And how can we raise the funds to support that effort? This will be one important way anyone can join this campaign and become part of the nationwide community that is moved to project BA, and his vision and works, throughout society. Knowing that, as we do that, we will be joining with others who will be spreading the word from coast to coast.

Let’s go!

The card layout is posted now at revcom.us. A full-color poster is posted at revcom.us, together with a black-and-white 11x17 version that can be easily reproduced at any copy shop. Local Revolution Books stores will be collecting funds to print posters and palm cards. So, turn in the funds you have raised and sign up to receive your allotment of palm cards and posters.

If you live some distance from a Revolution Books store, email or call RCP Publications at rcppubs@hotmail.com / (773) 227-4066 to let them know about the funds raised and to request a shipment of the palm cards to your area.

 

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