“Throw back your books and outa your seat—Throw open the door—out into the street!”
—Chuck Berry.
High School has begun. Help us reverse the process it hopes to put you through.
The Fifth Estate will coordinate the news and publicize the actions of high school revolutionaries throughout the Detroit area. If you would like assistance from dedicated “outside agitators” or would like to get in touch with fellow inmates interested in building a movement in your high school, contact me c/o The Fifth Estate.
Underground papers, leaflets, propaganda and technical assistance are all easy to obtain and produce. Even free revolutionary films can be scored to turn on you and your friends. With some basic coordination and initiative from you, the presence of a city-wide movement will be felt by us all.
In order to exist, that movement will be built around an understanding of why Amerika built her high schools and what we need them for.
Our politics—what we rap to new people—will make or break us. Most high school struggles did and will center around the military and draft, the administrations fascist repression (busts) and pig forces, racist courses and teachers and “tracking” in general.
Things like, “the right to hand out a leaflet” and “committee to let us wear blue jeans” just don’t turn people on, so don’t waste time on single-issue liberalism.
Last year, too much time was lost by high school rebels waiting for administrative sanction. “The school board cares for us” bullshit. The old “wait til next board meeting” stall technique. It worked over and over again last year.
“Time Has Come Today” to help others break away. All city-wide boycotts and strikes require coordination between high school revolutionary groups. Join or form one—Trotsky started with a reading group, Mao with some intellectuals, and Fidel with 11 guerrilla friends.
Base it on an understanding of the need for organizations built upon systematic revolutionary political action within the institutions where young people are. If you want help or explanation, as I said, contact me c/o The Fifth Estate; the central committee will hear of your request and assign one of many organizers to your assistance.
With minimal funds, a city-wide movement could provide printing services, dispense underground literature, get legal help, propaganda, and films. We should be at that stage shortly.
All black brothers and sisters interested in being contacted by the Black Student Liberation Front and/or distributing its paper, “The Black Student Courier,” in their high schools should leave messages at the Fifth Estate office also.
With a little effort, we can all get our shit together so that it hits the fan all at once.