A Call to Our Readers:
Volunteer for the Special
Set the Record Straight Issue
January 20, 2013 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
This winter, Revolution will publish a special issue which will boldly project the truth of what was accomplished in the first socialist revolutions, refuting the lies that spew out constantly about communism, and speak to how we can do better in the next stage of communist revolution. Beginning now, volunteer to be a part of making this special Set the Record Straight issue one which is sharp and biting, an issue which speaks to people’s real questions and challenges their thinking. Producing this issue will be a collective effort, drawing on the contributions of our readers. There will be substantive articles, including a major article by Raymond Lotta, an advocate of Bob Avakian’s new synthesis—but this will be published together with short articles, pictures, artwork and graphics. There is a place for you in this project…let’s hear from you about what people think…let’s hear from you about your ideas for the issue…join in doing research and writing. And we would especially like to hear from our readers in the prisons with their thoughts on the first stage of communist revolution and ideas for this important special issue.
To volunteer: write to strs.revcom@gmail.com or to
RCP Publications, PO Box 3486, Merchandise Mart, Chicago, IL 60654 ATTN: STRS issue.
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The following are two of the responses we received from readers to the above call:
I’m interested in helping out, but wondering what I can do? I am a High School teacher, and I often am confronted with students’ negative perceptions of Communism from their studies in World History. They read Animal Farm (Stalin is Evil), and Red Scarf Girl (Mao is Evil), and get a pretty warped view of the experience of these socialist societies...and often from very "progressive" even "radical-minded" teachers. Very interested in trying to break us out of this mold. I’ve shared a lot of STRS resources with some of these teachers, but would be way into having further reach beyond this school around this issue.
Some initial ideas:
* Student friendly version of Lotta’s (or other) articles
—I often find that Revolution articles are written above the reading level of even my Senior students (many are behind grade level in their reading, but even the strong readers struggle with articles longer than a page). I’m pretty good at rewording and reformatting articles so students can better access the material.
* Lesson plans that utilize STRS materials.
—These could be linked to from website for teachers’ use, and could also be sent to teachers we know—Education websites, etc.
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(This response is translated from the Spanish original.)
Comrades: I just read the call made in Revolution newspaper and I am convinced of the need to spread an objective viewpoint on the major accomplishments of the previous experiences of the world proletarian revolution as well as the challenges ahead and aspects that should be corrected in the new wave of proletarian revolution in which we find ourselves and for which the new synthesis is a theoretical framework to address essential tasks ahead.
Count me in.
With appreciation and hope
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