Weekend of 23rd and 24th Houston On Saturday, we  had an open mike/fundraiser for the BAsics bus tour in a historic Black community in Houston.  Inspired by quote 1:13 by BA, five people performed spoken word or sang songs they had written.  Some of it was written specifically off the quote, and others were more inspired by the theme of the quote.  One young woman said that she was so moved by what she was hearing, that she wrote a poem on the spot and shared it with us.  I can’t quite capture the emotions that were being expressed by the artists about the life this system has for youth.  Some of them also spoke to the mental shackles that are keeping people from rising up, and others spoke to their hopes of how the world should be.  [[MORE]] Several people made and donated things to sell to raise money at the event.  An out of town artist donated prints of her work.  A young woman made earrings with her son.  And another person laminated centerfolds from Revolution to sell.  Several of the people came to the event off of posters or flyers they saw in the neighborhood.  Some people came out from Occupy Houston.  There was a lot of interaction between people, many of them learning about BA and revolution for the first time.  One guy was intently reading BAsics.  I overheard a conversation between a couple of people who were talking about all the bad things they’ve heard about communism. And someone asked, how she changed your mind. She said “I’m changing it right now.” Several people commented that they were uplifted by the event and there was a sense of community being built, a community for changing the world.  Later that evening, a crew of people went out to the Gay Pride parade and got out hundreds of palmcards with quote 1:13 and raised money.  We walked through the crowds with a banner that said “The system has no future for the youth, but the Revolution does”.  Several of the youth who took stacks of palmcards asked what kind of revolution, and is it for everybody.  On Sunday, we took out a banner draped car, blasting audio from BA and drove up and down streets in a far Houston neighborhood.  Several youth took up stacks of cards and distributed them to their friends and neighbors.  Many people were surprised and glad to hear about BA and that there is a movement for revolution.  The quote struck a chord with many, many people.  The question for them was how do we make good on this.  There was also a lot of intense debate among people about the possibility of revolution and how are we making sure that the leadership is protected so that the revolution can go all the way. These are a couple of the poems performed at the cultural event based on BAsics 1:13 Raisin’ Kain: Seemed like we were burning babies/ Could have sworn—generations in cages/ But mom and dad looked so pleased/ They said, “Drink up!” And I did *  *  * Untitled Holding her baby in her arms, She imagined that he would grow up to be strong That he would run around with the other boys in her village Hunting and exploring and experiencing the pleasures of life. She could not imagine the wars and the destruction. The militias that would turn her child into a solider Barely bigger than the rifle assigned to him. Holding her baby in her arms, She imagined that she would grow up to be beautiful. That she would make lots of friends to play with And be full of happiness and love. She could not imagine the desire and evil That would steal her daughter and place her in brothels, hotel rooms Alone, Abused and Ashamed. Holding her baby in her arms, She imagined that he would grow up to be a hard worker. That he would work the fields his father, and his father before him And his father before him had worked. She could not imagine their land would be stolen by Treaties and contracts established thousands of miles away And her son crossing borders never to be seen again. These realities can be reconfigured So that our imaginings Can be rendered whole And children are not bound by circumstances, Rather, they transcend.
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Weekend of 23rd and 24th

Houston

On Saturday, we  had an open mike/fundraiser for the BAsics bus tour in a historic Black community in Houston.  Inspired by quote 1:13 by BA, five people performed spoken word or sang songs they had written.  Some of it was written specifically off the quote, and others were more inspired by the theme of the quote.  One young woman said that she was so moved by what she was hearing, that she wrote a poem on the spot and shared it with us.  I can’t quite capture the emotions that were being expressed by the artists about the life this system has for youth.  Some of them also spoke to the mental shackles that are keeping people from rising up, and others spoke to their hopes of how the world should be. 

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People across the country are supporting — and acting together with — the BAsics Bus Tour… from Seattle:

People gathered at Revolution Books in Seattle for a BAsics Bus Tour kick-off party. A nicely decorated table in the center of the store welcomed everyone with flyers, cards and papers and a sign inviting people to take stacks to help spread the movement for revolution. There was food and celebration of the potential for what the Bus Tour can change in the South and nationwide. People were moved and inspired by the video messages from the tour that we watched online-by the bold projection of BA and communist revolution and by the support for the Tour voiced by youth in Atlanta who had just encountered it.

Through the party, personal donations and money contributed from students in a college classroom, $240 was raised to support the BAsics Bus Tour. An additional large and very generous donation came from a woman and her husband. She shared her thoughts about why they had donated, saying she loves the RCP and cited BAsics 4:21, the analogy that reality is like a burning object, and if you want to move it, you need an instrument. She said she believes the masses can take up revolutionary theory…that people need an instrument to handle fire and Bob Avakian’s new synthesis is that instrument. She expressed a lot of hope in the Bus Tour’s ability to reach people who’ve never heard about this movement for revolution and need to understand how the world can be radically changed.

People created and signed a banner with BAsics 1:13 on the spot. Plans were made take it out to a large street fair over the weekend to spread word of the Tour, as well as gather people to watch video messages from the Tour on May 22nd. The whole idea and reality of the Bus Tour has struck a deep chord with people who are looking for a force to challenge “the way things are”. The Bus Tour has made very real for those who are looking for this and have heard of the Bus Tour, that there is a living force for revolution that is growing.

Join us, send in your photos, reports, and statements of support to baeverwhere [AT] gmail.com