LETTER FROM EX-PRISONER DONATING TO 1,000 YEARS–$1,000 FOR BA EVERYWHERE

July 25, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

From 1965 to 1978 I began to be exposed to what was the truth about these United States. This info came from reading Black Muslim literature, Black Panther literature. In fact I knew Fred Hampton, Mark Clark and Bobby Rush personally. But I was deeply caught up in another lifestyle that led to a lengthy prison sentence. In 1978 I was tried and convicted, sentenced to 90 years in the XX prison system. I call this the beginning of my education in the school of hard knocks and there were plenty.

3/18/78 They shipped 120 men to the reception and diagnostic center in XXX to be processed. I noticed almost immediately that 70 of 120 men were Black men. Next came being unloaded like cattle pushed and prodded from the bus, lined up and unchained. A captain appeared and began giving his intimidation speech. The very first thing he said is, "you Black Boys from XXX don't run shit down here. If you try gang activity we'll find out." He also states this really applied to those of us who had long sentences. Then he ask how many of us had 50 years or more, signal by raising our hands. We did as asked; out of 120, 70 were Black men.

He then demanded the 70 step forward and then he walks up to each of us making eye contact to see who would flinch while he attempted tried to stare us down. Some did flinch. I didn't and was singled out. He demanded my name and length of my sentence. After giving him my name, etc. he says to me, "I'm Captain XXX and we'll break you down for 5 years or we'll send you back to XXX in a pine box." He turns to me, calling another officer and orders him to escort me to the barber shop and have my fro cut completely off. I flatly refuse and was taken to the hole, what is now called segregation. Next day he comes around and states very seriously that I'd be there until I cut my hair. 69 days later I was told to come out for a visit, but first to shower and change clothes. Somehow my Mom got a court order for a visit. That was my intro to that correctional facility. There's a lot more.

But let me get to how I got to the R.C.P. [Revolutionary Communist Party]. At a meeting one day, on a Sunday, I sat next to a person and I asked what did he think of this new Black president. The answer was "I'm political but revolutionary." I don't remember exactly how it happened. But I do remember purchasing a DVD by Bob Avakian, Why it's necessary, Why it's possible, What it's all about [REVOLUTION: Why It's Necessary, Why It's Possible, What It's All About – a film of a talk by Bob Avakian, Chairman of the Revolutionary Communist Party].

After this amazing DVD came a host of other revolutionary literature starting with From Ike to Mao [From Ike to Mao and Beyond, My Journey from Mainstream America to Revolutionary Communist, a memoir by Bob Avakian], The Red Book [Quotations from Chairman Mao, popularly known as the "Red Book"], Mumia Abu-Jamal, Revolution–Nothing Less! [BA Speaks: REVOLUTION-NOTHING LESS! Bob Avakian Live, a film of a talk given by BA in the fall of 2012], What Humanity Needs [WHAT HUMANITY NEEDS, Revolution, and the New Synthesis of Communism, An Interview with Bob Avakian, text of an interview with BA by a younger-generation revolutionary]. I could go on and on, suffice it to say I've been thoroughly enlighten with R.C.P., its goals and the vision of Bob Avakian. Of all the literature I've read while incarcerated, having BAsics [BAsics, from the talks and writings of Bob Avakian] would have opened my mind to what's really going on with this capitalistic system. In fact, it's my personal reference Book. Part of my reason stems from what BAsics has imparted to me.

I'm donating one dollar for every year I was incarcerated to the 1,000 Years–$1000 for BA Everywhere project initiated by BA Everywhere. Part of my donation will go to toward the Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund to send BAsics to prisoners – that they will become enlighten as I have.

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