From a Prisoner:

Countering Ignorance with Science and Planting “Revolutionary Seeds”

April 12, 2021 | revcom.us

 

Editors’ note: We at revcom.us periodically publish letters from prisoners on revolutionary theory and struggle, as well as other aspects of human experience and thought, including conditions and struggle within the prisons themselves. We appreciate and learn from all correspondence from the prisons. The opinions in the letters we publish are those of the writers and not necessarily those of Revcom.us.

In prison, especially Texas prisons, you encounter a lot of ignorance. Don’t get me wrong. You do have an abundance of intelligent individuals of all types of calibers, ones that make you wonder—“Damn, how you ended up here?” Nonetheless, the shadow of ignorance is cast over us all in here. I’m just an individual, I can’t change these inherent prison politics or race relations.

What I am capable of and what I actively try to do, I believe, whenever I encounter a situation, friends, acquaintances or in general conversation with people, in regard to race, gender, politics and of the reality we in prison face, as well as people in the [outside world] is always try to use, to the best of my ability, this revolutionary-scientific mind of mine to try and share a light, in a way, against the darkness of ignorance.

Above all, what I encounter the most is people who hold ignorant views regarding race and racism, as well as homophobia and religious unscientific views of reality. Most tend to be blind to the facts; therefore, simply adopt the thinking of the rest of the crowd, they continue to harbor these ignorant ideas until something or someone challenges them on it. This can, at times, be done by simply asking the right questions. Like a good scientist helping them dig for the root cause of why they think the way they do. Of course, you get those who refuse to let go with certain ways of thinking, for whatever reason. But you do also get those who exclaim, “I never thought of it like that.” And you know, you’ve given them a new set of eyes, in a sense. Since they now see and approach the world without the blindness of ignorance.

It’s crazy, but a lot of people just don’t realize how much their thinking, thus their characteristic or nature is shaped, unbeknownst to them, by outside influences, when one lacks a scientific mind and understanding. The mind is defenseless to the abundance of ignorance and “bad” seeds that one encounters on a daily, which take root and grow in one’s mind that contribute to shaping who they are and how they interact with the world and people.

There’s still hope for people, because even the mightiest of “trees” that sprout from the smallest of “bad” seeds planted long ago, could be uprooted and reduced to ashes through the bright flames of scientific knowledge. It takes effort and different approaches. It can seem like an “uphill” struggle, of course. Those dungeons limit the work that could be done. But even so much as igniting that scientific flame, which casts away the darkness of ignorance in the minds of those you encounter, never misses to plant that revolutionary seed in people’s minds. Even in that, you’ve helped in contributing to the cause of emancipating humanity.

You just never know what kind of positive fruit can come out of the many revolutionary seeds you have actively sowed. Keep in mind that even the smallest of water drops make up the vast and greatness of the ocean. So, too, any positive, active contributions one is capable of giving to the cause of emancipating humanity, and the earth, is as great and immeasurable as... well, the ocean.