Also, I was more than a little disappointed to see that Chuck D, Cornel West and Lynne Stewart lent their names to this. Aside from being creepy, what is it about Mr. Avakian that's so attractive to people? I don't get it.
-WD
On 6/18/07, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
> [how utterly strange]
>
> PRESS ALERT
>
> Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who
> knows.
> Yahoo! Answers - Check it out.
> PRESS ALERT
> Diverse voices publish statement calling on people to engage the
> voice of Bob Avakian
>
> June 18, 2007
>
> Engage! A Committee to Project and Protect the Voice of Bob Avakian
> 1474 University Avenue, #141, Berkeley, California 94702
> engagewbobavakian at yahoo.com / www.engagewithbobavakian.org
> Phone: 415.902.7936
>
> Press contact: D'Andre Teeter, 415.902.7936
>
> Over 130 people, from many different perspectives, have signed their
> names to a statement titled, "Dangerous times demand courageous
> voices. Bob Avakian is such a voice." The growing list of
> signatories includes influential academics, musicians and artists, as
> well as award-winning poets, clergy, writers and actors.
>
> The statement, appearing in this week's Nation Magazine, in print and
> on-line, the Harlem-based Amsterdam News and BlackCommentator.com, is
> calling on others to engage with the works of Bob Avakian, leader of
> the Revolutionary Communist Party. It is also making it known that
> those who have signed this statement intend to protect his voice from
> suppression and repression.
>
> Statement & complete list of signatories: http://
> engagewithbobavakian.org/statement.htm
>
> The following signatories are currently available for press interviews:
>
> Rev. Jon Eckels, a Methodist minister, human rights activist, poet
> and essayist. He has written 14 volumes of poetry, and won the
> American Book Award in 2000 for Sing When the Spirit Says Sing. His
> other written works include Pursuing the Pursuit: The Black Plight in
> White America, a study of slavery and contemporary oppression of
> African Americans. His Home is Where the Soul Is (1969), published by
> the influential Broadside Press, is considered one of the seminal
> works of the Black poetry movement. He is currently working on three
> books, including one about the relationship between Blacks and Jews,
> and one containing critical social essays. Rev. Eckels has taught at
> Stanford, Mills and was a visiting scholar at the University of Ghana
> in Ligon and as an instructor of English, American literature,
> poetry, and creative writing at Mills College and Merritt College in
> Oakland, CA. At Mills, he was instrumental in developing the Black
> Studies Program.
>
> Dr. Tony Jackson, Professor of Psychology at Skyline College. He
> coordinates the ASTEP (African-American Success Through Excellence
> and Persistence) program. As a teenage parent and single black father
> he struggled to pursue and complete his education while maintaining
> involvement in the entertainment industry. As a songwriter/producer
> he has continued to promote constructive messages for youth. Tony's
> experience growing up in South Central Los Angeles has been a
> catalyst for work in substance abuse prevention, counseling, gang
> intervention and mentoring.
>
> Michael "Slim" Lange, an actor, playwright and director. He is known
> for his more than 150 performances as Malcolm X on stages around the
> country. He has also starred in "The Meeting", a portrayal of a
> fictional conversation between Martin Luther King and Malcolm. He is
> presently working on a play about Nat Turner. Michael is an
> instructor at San Jose State University, a former high school
> wrestling coach, and an accomplished guitarist.
>
> Lucia Marano, an actor/writer/producer raised between Italy and New
> York. Her NYC stage credits include roles in "No Exit,"
> "Lysistrata," "The Rose Tattoo" and "Macbeth." Los Angeles roles
> include playing Tina Modotti and Frida Kahlo in "Artists and
> Revolutionaries," "Anger Mis-Management," "Love & Secrecy Unveiled,"
> and in the play "Deseo" with the Mexican theater ensemble Mexicali a
> Secas at theater venues in Mexican cities.
>
> Heriberto Ocasio, is a supporter of the Revolutionary Communist
> Party. Raised in the South Bronx, he was part of the Puerto Rican
> liberation movement of the 60's and 70's, active with the Young Lords
> Party. He is also a practicing emergency medicine physician. In
> 1982, during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, he traveled to Beirut
> where he cared for patients with extensive burns and cluster-bomb
> injuries.
>
> Adam Shapiro, radio program host, whose "Current Events" show is
> featured on WRFG, Radio Free Georgia, a community-based Pacifica
> affiliated station in Atlanta. He grew up in New York and has lived
> in the Atlanta area since 1983. He is a member of the Georgia Council
> of the Blind and the Georgia Green Party, and an advisor to the
> Atlanta Transit Authority for people with disabilities. His interests
> are in building a third party in Georgia and disability activism. He
> considers himself a socialist who wants people to have power over the
> services available to them.
>
> Bob Weick, National Touring Actor of Howard Zinn's, "MARX IN SOHO."
> The celebrated actor and 2003 Barrymore Award nominee has presented
> over 100 performances of Zinn's play from Maine to California. A
> Graduate of Lehigh University and a farrier by trade, Bob began his
> acting career in 1995 and in the aftermath of the 2000 election,
> 9/11, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, chose to use his talent to
> contribute to the education and engagement of students and citizens.
>
> The following are commentaries from signatories:
>
> "Bob Avakian is a long distance runner in the freedom struggle
> against imperialism, racism and capitalism. His voice and witness
> are indispensable in our efforts to enhance the wretched of the
> earth. And his powerful story of commitment is timely."
> -- Cornel West, Professor of Religion, Princeton, Commenting on From
> Ike to Mao and Beyond, my Journey from Mainstream America to
> Revolutionary Communism
>
> "...Bob Avakian's new and innovative conception of 'Communism'
> deserves consideration."
> -- Tom Harker, Free Press review of From Ike to Mao and Beyond…
>
> "There is insight and truth-speaking in this vital book which those
> of us of religious faith need to hear and to which we need to respond."
> -- Rev. George W. Webber, Professor of Urban Ministry and President
> Emeritus of N.Y. Theological Seminary, on Preaching from a Pulpit of
> Bones: We Need Morality But Not Traditional Morality.
>
> "Everything he's saying about sports, I lived through it... I
> couldn't believe how deeply and accurately Bob Avakian described
> everything. It's unbelievable how it describes what happened to Black
> players. It is so excellent and incredible..."
> -- Hal Perry, USF Dons Basketball NCAA Champions, 1955-56, on the
> talk, "The NBA: Marketing the Minstrel Show and Serving the Big
> Gangsters."
>
> "This present day [is a] political cocktail of deception, Christian
> zealots, environmental & wildlife decay, war, and divided countrymen
> & women... Can I –can we-- collectively strive for a rich
> understanding of yesterday, a better today, & an even greater
> tomorrow. The voice of Avakian says, yes, WE CAN... Open your heart &
> mind—not just for today, but everyday. Avakian says he has committed
> to a better way of life. Okay. I am willing to listen. I am willing
> to be engaged."
> -- Lucia Marano, Actor and Writer
>
> "'History is not over!' The truth of these opening words from
> Benjamin Barber's book Jihad vs. McWorld are obvious, and yet this
> simple fact also serves as a compelling call to action. It is a
> hopeful reminder that we the people can continue to shape the future
> and work towards a truly just world. In order to achieve that end,
> we must engage all the great thinkers of the past as well as those in
> our current epoch. Bob Avakian, with his informed critique of the
> history of capitalism and his vision of the future of communism,
> deserves a place at the table of any national discussion seeking
> tools to create a better world for the mass of humanity."
> -- Bob Weick, National Touring Actor of Howard Zinn's, "MARX IN SOHO"
>
> "[Avakian] ...offers a full plan for revolutionary transformation,
> and he gets the attention of Black Americans right away on these four
> DVDs in his passionate discussion of lynching, police brutality,
> racial profiling and issues pertinent to African Americans. Recalling
> the vicious assaults on Claude Neal, Mary Turner and Emmett Till,
> Avakian provides a brutal and bloody outline of tragedy, and does it
> with a fervor that is far too uncommon coming from the mouth of a
> white man…"
> -- Herb Boyd, Amsterdam News, commenting on the DVD Revolution, Why
> it's Necessary, Why it's Possible, What it's All About
>
> "In times like these, this clear voice for social change is a welcome
> relief from all the confusion and lies... Listen and you will truly
> hear a voice of reason, with sharp analysis and deep understanding,
> going up against the tide of injustice and oppression."
> -- Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, Pastor, St. Mary's Church, Harlem, N.Y.
>
> "... Bob Avakian is in a special category for me, because he is not
> only engaged with the attempt to theorize the world and what it would
> take to change it, but he is also playing a special role in
> organizing and leading that change."
> -- Bill Martin, Professor of Philosophy, DePaul University in the
> introduction to Marxism and the Call of the Future.
>
> ____
>
> The following statement appeared in the Amsterdam News and The Nation:
>
> "Dangerous times demand courageous voices. Bob Avakian is such a voice.
>
> Bob Avakian combines an unsparing critique of the history and current
> direction of American society with a sweeping view of world history
> and the potential for humanity. He has brought forth a fresh,
> relevant and compelling approach to Marxism, deeply analyzing the
> history of the Communist movement and the socialist revolutions and
> upholds their achievements. At the same time, he honestly confronts
> and criticizes what he views as their shortcomings, opening up new
> paths of inquiry in the process and initiating dialogue with people
> who hold a wide range of views. He's addressing the burning problems
> before society from a unique vantage point, and we consider his
> revolutionary analysis and solutions to be an important and necessary
> part of the ferment and discourse required in this society and the
> world in this dark time. While those of us signing this statement do
> not necessarily agree with all of his views, we have come away from
> encounters with Avakian provoked and enriched in our own thinking,
> and we invite others to hear and engage that voice.
>
> Bob Avakian is also the leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party,
> USA; as such he not only theorizes about the world, but plays a
> special role in organizing and leading that change. He's been called
> a "long-distance runner in the freedom struggle against imperialism,
> racism and capitalism" and he draws on deep connections and
> engagement with people from all walks of life and all corners of the
> earth. All this informs and animates his work.
>
> Unfortunately, such voices in this country are, and have been, all
> too frequently the objects of suppression and repression. This
> repressive edge in American society has been particularly brought to
> bear against those who advocate revolution and especially those who
> do so effectively. Surveillance, harassment, suppression, political
> trials, prison terms, exile and even assassination have been the
> fates of many revolutionaries throughout U.S. history and many of
> those measures have, in fact, been visited upon Avakian. The current
> administration has instituted serious repressive measures like the
> Patriot Act, instituted the use of preventive detention and isolation
> of those whom the president deems to be "terrorist", and has created
> a climate where, for example, radical or even liberal professors find
> their reputations and even their livelihoods under assault; all this
> makes the ability of Bob Avakian to freely function even more of a
> concern. The statement by the German pastor Martin Niemoller – which
> begins, "First they came for the communists, and I did nothing
> because I was not a communist" and which goes on to describe how
> Niemoller did nothing while Hitler peeled away the victims of the
> Nazi regime one at a time, until there was no one left to defend
> Niemoller when his time came – sounds with particular resonance today.
>
> Thus, in addition to calling on people to engage with the thoughts of
> Bob Avakian, and bring them into what needs to be a rich and diverse
> dialogue, we are also serving notice to this government that we
> intend to defend his right to freely advocate and organize for his
> views, and to engage broadly with people about those views."
>
> INITIAL LIST OF SIGNATORIES:
>
> INITIAL LIST OF SIGNATORIES:
> Charles Aikens, journalist, Oaktown News*
> Jaafar Aksikas, Prof., Cultural Studies, Columbia College*
> Aladdin, actor, comedian
> Bob Anderson, Prof., College of New Mexico*
> Rafael C. Angulo, Assoc. Clinical Field Faculty, USC*
> Bernardo Attias, Prof., CA State Univ., Northridge*
> Fr. Luis Barrios, John Jay College*
> David Best, artist
> Robert Bloom, attorney
> Herb Boyd, author, journalist
> Anne Bray, artist
> Michael E. Brown, Prof. of Sociology, Northeastern Univ.*
> Leroy Bryant, Sr., Prof. and Chmn. Emeritus, History, Philosophy,
> Political Science, African-American Studies, Chicago State Univ.*
> Kevin Burgess, Black Vietnam Vet
> Rev. Richard Meri Ka Ra Byrd, KRST Ctr. of African Spirituality*
> Angelica Carapia, Editor, Laney Tower*
> Robert Keith Collins, PhD, Homalusa: Ctr. for African and Native
> American Research*
> Jeff Cooper, Dir., Freshman & Transfer Summer Progs., UCLA*
> Chuck D
> Jesse D.iaz, Jr, UC Riverside*
> Victor Diaz, Principal, B-Tech High School*
> Dr. Roger Dittman, Pres., Scientists Without Borders*
> Lynn Domingo, human rights activist
> Derek Dorsey, music publisher, co-owner, The Fire*
> Judy Drummond, teacher
> Richard Duardo, artist
> Ramona Dvorak, MD, Harvard Univ.*
> Quentin Easter, theater producer
> Rev. Jon Eckels, poet, human rights activist
> Dick Eiden, Dir., North County Forum*
> Amon Emeka, Assist. Prof. of Sociology, USC*
> Sonny Espinoza, Prof., Loyola Marymount Univ.*
> Jeffrey Felshman, writer
> Leslie Fields-Cruz, media arts administrator
> Joe Fortunato, attorney and NJ Green Party*
> reg e. gaines, director
> Jim Geraghty, Marin Peace and Justice Coalition*
> Joan P. Gibbs, Natl. Conf. of Black Lawyers*, Jericho Movement*
> Lois Gish, nurse-midwife
> Bill Goodman, civil rights lawyer
> Connie Grappo, theater director
> Tom Harker, singer, songwriter
> Lilith Hazard, student
> Bob Helmick, retired contractor
> Julia Butterfly Hill, activist, author
> Jack Hirschman, SF Poet Laureate
> Danny Hoch, actor, playwright
> Rachel Holmes, author
> Phil Hutchings, civil & human rights activist
> John Hutnyk, Academic Dir., Ctr. for Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths Univ.
> of London*
> H. Range Hutson, MD, Harvard Medical School*
> Dr. Tony Jackson, psychologist, artist
> Bill Jennings, It's About Time Committee*
> Russ Jennings, radio producer
> Talbert Jennings, producer, Carl Stokes Forum*, Community TV
> Steve Johnson, activist, thinker, writer
> Larry S. Jones, retired adjunct instructor, Chaminade Univ.*
> Rickie Lee Jones, singer, musician
> Pa Joof, Africans On the Move*
> Paul Kangas, Vice Pres., Veterans for Peace*
> Erin Aubry Kaplan, journalist, writer
> Yuri Kochiyama, civil rights activist
> Rev. Earl Kooperkamp, St. Mary's Episcopal Church*
> David Kunzle, Prof., UCLA*
> Mike Ladd, writer, producer
> Ray Laforest, staff organizer, Dist. Council 1707 AFSME* Member
> Pacifica Natl. Board*
> Michael Lange, actor, playwright
> Aron Laub, attorney
> Kenny Leon, theater director
> Calvin Levels, actor, playwright
> Brian Lloyd, Dept. of History, UC Riverside*
> Dennis Loo, Assoc. Prof. of Sociology, Cal Poly Pomona*
> Raymond Lotta, Maoist political economist
> Fr. Lawrence Lucas, Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church*
> Paul Magno, Catholic Worker Movement*
> devorah major, author
> Lucia Marano, actor, writer
> Bill Martin, Prof. of Philosophy, DePaul Univ.*
> Timothy Patrick McCarthy, Harvard Univ.*
> Peter McLaren, Prof. of Education, UCLA*
> David Meltzer, poet, Professor, New College of California*
> David Meyerhof, teacher
> Alan Miller, teacher, Berkeley H.S.*
> Eric Mofford, filmmaker
> Will Napoli, teacher, writer, artist, inventor
> Not a Number, store, Seattle
> Susan Nussbaum, actress
> Heriberto Ocasio, MD
> Denise Oliver, Instructor of English, Cuyahoga Community College*
> Tomás Olmos, civil rights attorney
> Claire Ortalda, novelist
> Gary Pak, Prof. of English, Univ. of Hawai''i*
> Jose Palafox, lecturer, UC Santa Cruz*
> Hal Perry, basketball player
> Peter Phillips, Prof. of Sociology, Sonoma State Univ.,* Dir. , Project
> Censored*
> Townsand Price-Spratlen, PhD, sociologist
> Jerry Quickley, playwright
> Ruth Reese, Black Studies Prog., Cleveland State Univ.*
> Rhadames Rivera, SEIU Local 1199, New York*
> Phil Rice, MD, Harvard Medical School*
> DJ Riddm
> Wilson Riles, Jr., former Oakland City Councilman
> Walter Riley, attorney
> Tara Rivera, librarian
> Victoria Robinson, lecturer, UC Berkeley*
> Al Ronzoni, Progressive Democrats of America*
> Floyd Salas, author, poet
> Dorothy Salem, Prof. of History
> Ricardo Salinas, actor, Culture Clash*
> Vicky Scheidler
> Thomas Willy Sepe, artist
> Elias Serna, lecturer
> Nick Setka, bookseller
> Adam Shapiro, Current Events WRFG*
> C. Zadik Shapiro, attorney
> Joann Shapiro, theater artist
> Herbert Siguenza, Culture Clash*
> Henry Silverman, Prof. and Chairperson Emeritus, Dept. of History,
> Michigan State Univ.*
> Rick Simonson, Elliott Bay Book Co.*
> Ted Sirota, musician
> Michael Slate, host & producer KPFK*, journalist Revolution
> Jimmy Slater, Black Panther Party*
> Tolbert Small, MD, George Jackson Free Clinic for the Black Panther
> Party*
> Sparrow, poet
> Carol Steiner, tenacious misfit
> Lynne Stewart
> Brenda C. Stokely, Million Worker March* convenor
> Ula Taylor, Assoc. Prof., UC Berkeley*
> minimum tek, musician
> Hank Willis Thomas, artist, photographer
> Dwight Trible, musician
> Daniel Tsang, KUCI Subversity Show*
> Katherine Turner, St. Vartan Armenian Church*
> Morrie Turner, cartoonist
> Kinan Valdez, writer & director, El Teatro Campesino*
> Jose Luis Valenzuela, Artistic Dir., Latino Theater Co.*, Prof. of
> Theater, Film and Television, UCLA*
> Collins Van Nort, teacher
> Chuy Varela, radio producer & writer
> Tony Vick, DJ Vick
> Paul Von Blum, Prof., African American Studies, UCLA*
> Michael Tarif Warren, attorney
> Rev. George W. Webber, Prof. of Urban Ministry, Pres. Emeritus, NY
> Theological Seminary*
> Bob Weick, actor, "Marx in Soho"
> Cornel West, Prof. of Religion, Princeton Univ.*
> Susan Wicklund, MD
> Michael Williams, Black Studies Prog., Cleveland State Univ.*
> Saul Williams, artist
> Dr. Donald E. Winters, author Soul of the Wobblies
> John Wood, poet, Prof. Emeritus, McNeese Univ.*
> Kriss Worthington, Berkeley City Councilmember
> Marvin X, The Univ. of Poetry*
> Malik Yakini, educator, activist
> Al Young, California Poet Laureate
> David Zeiger, filmmaker, "Sir! No Sir!"
>
> * for identification purposes only.
>
>
>
> ___________________________________
> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>
-- __________________ woomer.blogspot.com