BY MARTÍN KOPPEL
Readers and supporters of the Militant and
Perspectiva Mundial around the world are kicking off a
$125,000 fund-raising campaign for these socialist
publications. They are beginning to approach other
Militant readers they know to ask them to contribute
financially to the newspaper that is the working-class
voice in politics. The goals adopted in local areas are
listed in the accompanying chart.
Several hundred supporters have already made pledges to the Militant Fund. In Philadelphia, "We took a collective goal of $6,000, and contributors have already paid pledges totaling $3,000 - half our goal," reported Jon Teitelbaum, local fund coordinator there.
"That makes us confident we'll go over our goal and can raise even more money by reaching out to people we haven't approached yet," Teitelbaum said. He noted that not only longtime readers but a number of new subscribers, as well as workers and youth who pick up the Militant periodically, would be happy to make monetary contributions to the paper they support.
The spirit of Philadelphia readers of getting off to an early campaign start is also shared by those in several other cities who are organizing Militant Fund meetings in the first few weeks of the 10-week drive, which concludes December 3. Those in Des Moines, Iowa, for example, are organizing a fund-raising meeting September 23, the first day of the campaign. The featured speaker at this event is Doug Jenness, who reported for the Militant on the recent meetings in Japan on the 50th anniversary of the U.S.-inflicted nuclear holocaust in Hiroshima.
"We also have other people on the panel who really appreciate the Militant and want to help explain the value of the paper," said Ardy Blandford of Des Moines. One is former Firestone striker Bob Peters. Another local political activist who wants to speak about his support for the Militant is farm activist Larry Ginter.
To publicize the fund campaign and the public meeting, readers in Des Moines have sent a mailing to dozens of local subscribers. "And in the past week we've been going door to door selling the Militant and building the fund-raising event," Blandford explained.
"We don't just want to add up the list of existing pledges we have and collect them. We're going to campaign for new contributions from people we never approached before," she emphasized.
The energetic approach taken by Des Moines readers is worth emulating for an added reason. While the overall goal, based on local goals, is $125,000, the Militant actually needs $130,000 to meet its basic expenses. If contributors pay early and steadily on their pledges, it will be possible to go over the goal and reach $130,000.
The chart in next week's issue will begin posting the fund contributions received from each city. The deadline for receiving payments to be reflected on the chart is Tuesdays at 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.