Revolution #159, March 22, 2009
Food, Poetry—¡Revolución!
We were inspired by the call from Revolución newspaper and the need to raise a lot of money so the newspaper can continue to come out and expand its reach and influence. As one comrade says, “Revolución is like the air we breath. I need this newspaper, and after thinking about it a lot I am worried by the idea that the newspaper will no longer be printed. Therefore we have to take care of it, and I am donating $100.”
After a couple of meetings and discussion we set about to organize a “Convivio”, a potluck dinner to raise funds and invite all Spanish speaking readers of Revolución newspaper. So we sent emails and made phone calls inviting everyone we knew who reads the newspaper, and of course those who aren’t familiar with the newspaper. After these calls we held the event on February 22 in a barrio in Queens, it being one of the areas with the biggest mix of different nationalities. We also went out the day before to sell the newspaper and invite more people.
At 4:00 pm people began to arrive, people of different nationalities, such as from El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and El Salvador. There were students, poets, artists and others. They not only brought food but gave support by buying tickets for the event. After quickly setting up the room we began the dinner so that the people could eat and put on the event.
The entire event was in Spanish. We began with a brief introduction dealing with the nightmare that we are living and the world in which we find ourselves under the capitalist system and its crimes such as the criminalization of immigrants and police brutality, and of course its wars for empire throughout the Middle East and the rest of the world.
But the world does not have to be this way. Also, there exists a vanguard, the Revolutionary Communist Party and its chairman Bob Avakian, that have taken the responsibility on their shoulders to lead this revolution and along with all the people overthrow this system and create a new world and a flourishing society. We also used the newspaper centerfolds to show some of the ways the newspaper presents an understanding of the problem and the solution to the masses. Copies of “A Bold Initiative” were handed out to all present to tell them of the expansion of distribution of the newspaper.
Following this were testimonials from a few readers who spoke of their experience reading and distributing the newspaper. Some read letters that had much emotional impact and inspiration for them, especially those that spoke of religion and science such as the article on Darwin and evolution.
Much of the testimony gave rise to heated debate and comments. In some way it stirred in people a restless desire to question all those ideas which nobody wants to talk about. For example, one of the poets who participated said: “I liked the newspaper a lot, but what I liked best is how you have questioned religion and how you have talked about it. Other media don’t even mention it.”
One of the organizers read a letter sent to the newspaper and published in #49 entitled “I Didn't Know I Had the Choice: Confronting Reality as It Truly Is” from a Black woman in the deep South who broke with religious fundamentalism and embraced the liberating science of revolution. After reading the letter, he said that this letter meant a lot to him, it really moved him, because it practically summed up his own experience. He explained that he was thrown out of his home for the simple fact of not accepting the religion of his “Catholic” father, which was in conflict with his “Evangelist” mother. But neither of the two religions provided any real option for him. Rather he broke with religion and became a revolutionary to this day.
Another gentleman who gave a testimonial spoke of the importance of science and evolution. This theme caught his attention the most at a discussion in Revolution Books and upon reading Revolución #156 on the celebration of Darwin’s anniversary. He said, “Religion is something that people don’t want to touch. It is like the most private thing for those that believe in god and that a paradise in heaven awaits us. But science plays a very important role in demonstrating by means of science and evolution the truth that we exist in a world of matter in movement.”
We passed around a bucket to collect donations. After this some of the participants made comments and then we continued the program with poetry presented by a group of artists and poets. They not only recited poems but also explained their meaning. They also noted what they liked about the newspaper, mentioning important questions. For example one of the poets, a young woman, said, “I agree with revolution but how can we compete with the capitalist media and its brainwashing? How do we get people to not throw this paper in the garbage like other newspapers, you know like El Diario and others? And what about violence?” Another young woman asked, “Isn’t there already enough violence?” These comments along with others about religion gave rise to much discussion and debate in small groups during the last part of the event.
Revolución correspondent Alan Goodman also attended. He read a statement in Spanish to close the program and to speak of the importance of Revolución newspaper and to invite everyone there to become part of building the revolutionary movement around the newspaper, and of all the diverse ways that people can contribute as writers, translators, photographers, designers and of course monthly financial sustainers.
At the end of the event we had raised $298. One of the people said that he would like to be a sustainer at $10 per month. Two friends approached the bookstore table to ask how they can be in contact with us and participate in the distribution of the newspaper and that they would also like to help with photography and perhaps paintings and cartoons. A revolutionary artist donated a painting of the face of a fighter in the Intifada, representing the Palestinian resitance against the Israeli invasion.
We plan to hold more of these events and other things to continue raising funds. But for now we urge others to take initiative to support Revolución and its expansion throughout the country to build the most revolutionary movement ever seen.
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