BY TOM ALTER

This column is written and edited by the Young Socialists (YS), an international organization of young workers, students, and other youth fighting for socialism. For more information about the YS write to: Young Socialists, P.O. Box 14392, St. Paul, MN 55104. Tel: (612) 644-0015. Compuserve: 105162,605 BY TOM ALTER

ST PAUL - The Young Socialists launched a $6,000 fund drive September 15 that will last through October 15. Over this time YS members will be responding to the growing resistance by young workers and other youth to the bipartisan assault on their standard of living and democratic rights. YS members will be active in political activities around the country by joining picket lines and participating in demonstrations such as the immigrant rights march to be held October 12 in Washington, D.C.

While organizing classes around such issues as Cuba and how to protest Washington's recent assault on Iraq, YS chapters are adopting goals for how much their chapter can contribute to the fund and planning ways to achieve them.

Young Socialists-sponsored events are great ways to raise money. The Twin Cities chapter showed part of the PBS documentary series Chicano, which chronicles the rise of the Chicano rights movement up to the 1970s. The Chicago YS hosted a poster-making party the night before an immigrant rights demonstration, during the week of the Democratic National Convention, that raised over $100. Video showings, YS parties, educational weekends, and asking young people we meet while campaigning for a socialist alternative to contribute are just some of the ways the YS can organize to reach the goal of raising $6,000.

Meeting this fund goal enables the YS National Office to function as an international communist youth organization center by covering expenses such as phone, e-mail, and office supplies. It means YS leaders can be on the road, helping chapters jump into politics, recruit, and consolidate their work.

With a successful fund drive the YS will be in a strong position to meet our goal of solidifying chapters and doubling the YS membership by recruiting 80 new members by November 15. Contributions towards the fund can be sent to: Young Socialists, P.O.Box 14392, St. Paul, MN, 55114

The following is an interview conducted by Verónica Poses with Paul Pederson, a member of the Young Socialists chapter in St. Paul, Minnesota. This column will be running a series of interviews with new members of the YS.

Q: How old are you Paul?

A: 21

Q: Do you work, go to school?

A: I work at the Minnesota Historical Society.

Q: When did you join the Young Socialists?

A: Around August 8 or 9, after returning from the US-Cuba Youth Exchange.

Q: What were you doing before joining the YS? Were you involved in politics?

A: I was trying to make it as an artist. I tried to read as much as I could and participated in some environmental protests but I wasn't involved with any organization.

Q: How did you meet the YS?

A: I ran into an old friend of mine who had joined the YS. He told me he was going to Cuba this summer and I wanted to know why, so I went to the next meeting of the Twin Cities Cuba Network.

Q: What made you decide to go to Cuba?

A: It was a combination of things. I wanted to see if socialism could work, if people could actually control their government and their country. I had heard some things about Cuba, I wanted to see if they were true, so I went to see it for myself.

Q: What made you decide to join the YS?

A: There wasn't only one experience that made me decide to join, but Cuba was the experience that convinced me. I joined because going to Cuba made me realize that anyone can get involved in politics. You don't have to be a science major. I wanted to be part of the fight and that is what a revolutionary organization is about, getting out and struggling, being part of the fight. That's why I joined the Young Socialists.

Q: What activities have you been involved in since you joined the YS?

A: I went down to St. Louis the day the McDonnell Douglas workers were discussing their contract, and debating whether or not to continue their strike. It was my first time seeing the realities of the workers' struggle here in the U.S.- you could see very clearly the sides of the fight.

I'm also a member of the Twin Cities Cuba Network and I'm starting to get involved with the local coalition that's building the immigrant rights march in Washington D.C. on October 12.

Q: What books are you reading?

A: I'm reading a few: The Changing Face of U.S. Politics, The History of the Russian Revolution by Leon Trotsky, and Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism by V.I. Lenin.

Q: What would you say to young people who are reading this article?

A: I would say to anybody that they have the power to bring about real change in their society but they must first understand that the only way real changes have ever been made is in the streets, through struggle and by regular people. Politics don't start in the White House.

YS campaign to recruit chart

26 new members in the YS!

From July 10 till September 17

City # of new members

==============================================

Atlanta 2

Chicago 2

Cleveland 2

Denver 2

Houston 1

Los Angeles 3

San Diego 1

Twin Cities 1

Morgantown 1

Newark 1

New York 2

Salt Lake City 1

San Francisco 3

Seattle 2

Washington D.C. 2

TOTAL 26  
 
 
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