Burning Books presents Ray Luc Levasseur - Artvoice See You There September 4, 2014

Posted by Leslie Pickering on

Burning Books presents Ray Luc Levasseur

re-published from: http://artvoice.com/issues/v13n36/see_you_there

What causes activism to turn violent? What motivates a movement to take up arms? Understanding why an individual or group would resort to violence in the name of revolution is important in understanding political radicalism, and former political prisoner Ray Luc Levasseur can surely provide some insight into that. Levasseur, organizer of the American Marxist organization, the United Freedom Front, served 18 years in prison for Seditious Conspiracy after a series of bombings that targeted corporations like Union Carbide, IBM, and South African Airways, for their support of apartheid in South Africa, and US imperialism in Central America. 15 of the 18 years he spent in prison were spent in solitary confinement. He was released on parole in 2004. Coming from a prison abolitionist perspective, Levasseur is expected to speak in part about the Attica Prison Uprising of 1971, which inspired him to form the UFF—fomerly called the Sam Melville/Jonathan Jackson Unit, after Melville who was instrumental in the uprising. The incident, which underlines Western New York’s history of radical politics, has caused many to take a closer look at prisoner’s rights. Ray Luc Levasseur will speak at Burning Books on Wednesday (Sept 10). The presentation will not only coincide with the 43rd anniversary of the Attica Prison Uprising, but also the third birthday of Burning Books. This event is free and open to the public, but donations are accepted.

- cory perla

7pm Burning Books, 420 Connecticut st. (881-0791 / burningbooksbuffalo.com) free