Pictues, Videos, Testimonials from July 4th Picnics Hosted by BA Everywhere! Around the Country
WHAT TO A SLAVE IS YOUR FOURTH OF JULY?
WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT SLAVERY IN ANY FORM!
July 15, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
Over this past July 4th weekend, hundreds of people came to picnics and barbeques around the country hosted by the BA Everywhere campaign. The picnics raised money to get the word out on the revolutionary leader Bob Avakian (BA) and people learned about and got involved in big plans for BA Everywhere this summer.
By the end of the July 4 weekend, the 1000 Years - $1000 for BA Everywhere project raised over $11,000 nationally - with people donating $1 for each year spent by themselves or a loved one behind the bars of the massive prison system in this country - with others donating to match those years. Many more thousands should be raised through the summer and into the October Month of Resistance Against Mass Incarceration.
The gatherings were fun and they were serious. There was great food, music, games - and deep conversation about why the world is the way it is and how BA's work on revolution and a new society needs to be known all over. On this page are pictures from gatherings around the country and excerpts from statements and testimonials given by participants in the gatherings. Click on the description of the person who gave the testimonial for full text.
See also "Chicago July 6 BA Everywhere Picnic: Coming Together for a Radically Different Future"
The flag is draped over the people and the country and spread around the world as a curtain, burqa, a veil, to keep them from seeing the reality of oppression and the truth and understanding of the workings of this system draining the life out of humanity. Just think about why some people from other countries hate this flag.
—From a speech about the bloody red-white-and-blue flag of this bloody system given at an Anti-Fourth of July Picnic
I'm a part of revolution summer which is a six week program where youth from all over our area join with more experienced revolutionaries to fight the power and transform the people for revolution... Now, after two and a half weeks in this program, I don't want to go back to my normal, monotonous life because I know humanity needs me; because now I understand the importance of carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders; because if I don't, who will? If WE don't, who will?
—Statement from a Youth in Revolution Summer
"I did 44 years, 10 months and 18 days in AmeriKKKa's prison Hell Holes. I went in as a young man at 26, and came out an old man at 70. It was a hell hole. NO MORE!"
—Statement read at one of the cookouts from a 70-year-old ex-prisoner who was unable to attend
Video testimonials on BA & BA Everywhere. Watch and Share!
To the youth who are the targets: This system has no future for you! It treats you like garbage and it needs you to believe that is what you are and for you to treat each other that way…
I am raising a dollar for every year I was in prison for the "1,000 Years-$1,000 for BA Everywhere" campaign. That money is going toward getting the word out about BA into the prisons, and neighborhoods, into the colleges, and high schools, everywhere. This has to get out there to stand up to the lie that we have to accept this living hell, that we are to blame for how messed up things are or it's human nature. Or that the system is too powerful to be defeated. All lies! People need to know that-the youth need to know that-NOW!
To all the rest of you: Match the money we raise for BA Everywhere.
—An Ex-prisoner on BA Everywhere and a challenge to the youth
I had to wake up and deal with cold reality when I met up with BA (Bob Avakian) and the Revolutionary Communist Party. I also learned that there is a way out of this madness. That as BA says: "those the system has counted as nothing can count for a great deal."
—Grandmother who's grandson was 14 years old when he was sent to the most dangerous jail in Texas
I spent 23 years, the majority of my life locked up…I was introduced to Revolution- Nothing Less and BA, so now I have to introduce somebody else to it. It's on a whole other level and people need to see that. they really don't know it but they seed to see that. So people should support and get BA everywhere.
—Ex-prisoner
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