The YS joined a commemoration rally for the Palestinians who were killed in Sabra and Shatila in Lebanon in 1982 by Israeli-backed forces. The rally took place outside Downing Street, the home of Prime Minister Anthony Blair. We had a discussion with a young Brazilian woman, who bought a copy of the Militant and signed for more information about the YS. We also had a long discussion with an immigrant worker who bought two pamphlets, one on the Palestinian struggle, as well as a copy of the Militant. Several copies of the Militant were also sold.
The YS was also part of a 20,000-strong demonstration in London opposing the imperialist war in Afghanistan. We helped to sell 120 copies of the Militant and two subscriptions along with two copies of Perspectiva Mundial and some $200 worth of Pathfinder literature.
Books by Malcolm X were particularly popular among the dozens of youth who visited the Pathfinder table after the demonstration. It reflected the widespread interest in titles that tell the truth about imperialism and its wars and the racism it feeds. One of the six young people who signed up for more information about the YS that day bought a copy of Malcolm X Talks to Young People. He later said he plans to come by the bookstore and buy more books on Malcolm X.
On the last weekend of October a YS delegation from the United Kingdom traveled to Sweden to attend the Communist League Congress. We also had an international meeting of YS members there. While in Sweden for the congress, a team of YS members from Iceland, Sweden, and the UK set up a book table at a demonstration organized by the Young Muslims in the city center. Approximately 100 people attended the action to show their opposition to the imperialist war against the peoples of Afghanistan.
Demonstrators chanted, "USA out of Afghanistan!" and "Stop Bombing Afghanistan!" Among those who welcomed our table of revolutionary literature, one young person referred to the record of imperialist aggression against the peoples of the Middle East to explain the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He said that attacks such as those are the product of what the U.S. and other imperialist powers are doing to people around the world.
A young person who regularly attended the Militant Labor Forums in the city also attended a class on the pamphlet Marxism and Terrorism. He later decided to join the Young Socialists.
Members and contacts of the YS have been taking part in weekly classes on New International nos. 7 and 10 and organizing a weekly YS class series on the four-part series printed in the Militant and PM on "Communism and labor's transformation of nature," by Steve Clark. At the second class on the Militant articles, YS member Elizabeth Olson pointed to the relevance of writings of Karl Marx today and the importance of closing the gap between town and country. Sam Gomez, another YS member, pointed to the citations by revolutionary leader Thomas Sankara "to establish a balance between man, nature and society."
The YS chapter also held an event November 3, organized to have the opportunity to have more discussions with young people interested in revolutionary politics and to raise funds for the local chapter and YS National Office. The $5 admission included a dinner and a movie showing of the Cuban film Portrait of Teresa. Martín Koppel, the recent Socialist Workers candidate for mayor of New York, was invited by the YS to speak at the event. Koppel, the only candidate that campaigned in the interest of working people, pointed to the fights by farmers and workers internationally and spoke out in opposition to the U.S. war drive.
We encouraged young people who came to the event to purchase a YS pamphlet that outlines the political principles and goals of the organization. The pamphlet is available from the YS National Office for $2. The social event was attended by more than 30 people and raised $185. The event helped the chapter look to doing more fund-raising events and to continue the YS class series.
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