On Thursday, July 20, Oppenheimer, a major motion picture based on the life of Robert Oppenheimer, will open all across the U.S. J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist, was instrumental in the development of the world's first atomic bomb in the 1940s as part of what was called the Manhattan Project. The U.S. dropped this horrific weapon on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945, leading to the immediate death of some 200,000 people. The U.S. was the first and only country to use atomic weapons.
This film is coming out at a time when the world is closer to world war, to nuclear Armaggedon, than it has been for decades. The U.S. is escalating its proxy war with nuclear-armed Russia over Ukraine; it is also ramping up its military threats and war preparations against China, which also has nuclear weapons. This is a time of grave existential danger to humanity and the planet. But this is also a period of intensifying tearing apart of U.S. society, with the rulers at the top at each other's throats—a rare time when there is also a greater chance to make emancipating revolution.
No World War 3—It Is This System Not Humanity That Needs To Become Extinct!
We are encouraging revcoms and everyone who desires a far better world to boldly and creatively enter in to the discussion and debate likely to be provoked by the film Oppenheimer—and to repolarize for revolution. To put before people the new declaration from the revcoms, WE NEED AND WE DEMAND: A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LIVE, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM, and to popularize that a whole new way to live, a fundamentally different system that renounces the development and use of nuclear weapons, works for their abolition and of war itself... is not just a good idea but needs to become a rallying cry and demand for the masses of humanity.
The film Oppenheimer is already creating a lot of buzz and anticipation in society with its highly regarded director Christopher Nolan and many prominent and progressive Hollywood actors. Although we have not yet seen the movie, which we intend to do as soon as it opens, we feel there is an important opportunity to seize here.
As Bob Avakian recently said in The BA Interviews:
We can no longer afford to allow these imperialists to continue to dominate the world and determine the destiny of humanity. And it is a scientific fact that humanity does not have to live this way.
One particular way that the U.S. imperialists dominate and threaten the whole world is concentrated in nuclear weapons. It continues to build and modernize these weapons. And not only has the U.S. refused to apologize to Japan for dropping two atomic bombs on two Japanese cities... the U.S. still has the “first use” of nuclear weapons built in to its military doctrine!
As the declaration from the Revcoms WE NEED AND WE DEMAND: A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LIVE, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM says:
With the urgency the situation requires
WE DECLARE AND DEMAND:
The Existing Capitalist-Imperialist System And Institutions Of Government In This Country Must Be Abolished And Dismantled—And Replaced By A New, Socialist System Based On The CONSTITUTION FOR THE NEW SOCIALIST REPUBLIC IN NORTH AMERICA.
And in particular:
Abolishing Nuclear Weapons, Finally Abolishing War, and Systematically Addressing the Environmental Crisis
The new socialist government will not develop or use nuclear weapons and will take concrete steps and wage determined struggle to abolish nuclear weapons everywhere, with the ultimate goal of finally abolishing wars among human beings, with the abolition of the capitalist-imperialist system, and all systems and relations of exploitation and oppression, which are the basis for wars. This new socialist government will move, quickly, systematically and effectively, to address the already acute and fast accelerating environmental crisis, with the aim of bringing into being a world where humanity can truly be fit caretakers of the earth.
All this is not just a dream, or a wish—it is what is possible and necessary in the interests of the masses of people in this country and the great majority of humanity, and for the future of humanity as a whole.
As the declaration from the Revcoms WE NEED AND WE DEMAND: A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LIVE, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM says:
With the urgency the situation requires
WE DECLARE AND DEMAND:
The Existing Capitalist-Imperialist System And Institutions Of Government In This Country Must Be Abolished And Dismantled—And Replaced By A New, Socialist System Based On The CONSTITUTION FOR THE NEW SOCIALIST REPUBLIC IN NORTH AMERICA.
And in particular:
Abolishing Nuclear Weapons, Finally Abolishing War, and Systematically Addressing the Environmental Crisis
The new socialist government will not develop or use nuclear weapons and will take concrete steps and wage determined struggle to abolish nuclear weapons everywhere, with the ultimate goal of finally abolishing wars among human beings, with the abolition of the capitalist-imperialist system, and all systems and relations of exploitation and oppression, which are the basis for wars. This new socialist government will move, quickly, systematically and effectively, to address the already acute and fast accelerating environmental crisis, with the aim of bringing into being a world where humanity can truly be fit caretakers of the earth.
All this is not just a dream, or a wish—it is what is possible and necessary in the interests of the masses of people in this country and the great majority of humanity, and for the future of humanity as a whole.
We know the audiences for this movie will include many progressive people, intellectuals deeply concerned about the future of humanity, even scientists concerned about what their skills and creativity will be used for under this capitalist-imperialist system. But, also, many people who, to one degree or another, are turning away from the dangers to humanity, feeling hopeless, or wallowing in "me, me, me."
It is very important that we reach these broader strata as an important part of putting revolution on the map. And we need to be challenging them—to take, and to spread far and wide WE NEED AND WE DEMAND and WE ARE THE REVCOMS. Very importantly, we should do some bold, active and creative fundraising.
SOME IDEAS FOR STIRRING DISCUSSION/DEBATE AND HAVING SOCIETAL IMPACT
- Get tickets now to watch the movie this coming weekend, and when the movie is over boldly project to the audience: “We can no longer afford to allow these imperialists to continue to dominate the world and determine the destiny of humanity. And it is a scientific fact that humanity does not have to live this way.” Have a team ready at the doors to mass distribute WE NEED AND WE DEMAND and raise funds.
- If people are interested or gather ʼround in discussion, try to pull people to go to a coffee house or bar or somewhere you can get down further on things.
- As a key piece of material to get out there, it would be important to be able to send people links to the whole of the answer in Part 2 of the interview where BA gets into the Ukraine situation and to also circulate and send to people’s phones, etc. the clip on “We can no longer afford to allow…”
- Think of provocative actions outside the theater when crowds are going in or coming out: like a “die-in” with hazmat suits, and bold visuals stating “NO WORLD WAR 3! IT’S THIS SYSTEM, NOT HUMANITY, THAT NEEDS TO BECOME EXTINCT!” and “WE NEED AND WE DEMAND: A WHOLE NEW WAY TO LIVE, A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT SYSTEM.” Have a table with big fundraising visuals and goals for what you aim to raise.
- In New York City, we plan to have a lot of discussions and a program at Revolution Books about the film and the issues raised—getting into WE NEED AND WE DEMAND, leading people to dig into The BA Interviews and what it means to no longer allow these imperialists to dominate humanity and the planet...and how by getting revolution on the map we are working on this now!