The Militant (logo)  

Vol. 75/No. 12      March 28, 2011

 
Socialists begin effort to extend
reach of working-class paper
‘Militant’ editor to become circulation director
(front page)
 
BY PAUL MAILHOT  
In the coming weeks and beyond, supporters of the Militant will be stepping up our efforts to reach workers, farmers, and youth with the paper. We’ll be combining that campaign with an offer for new subscribers to get Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power by Jack Barnes for only $10.

Regional teams are being organized to travel to areas where workers are mobilizing to answer attacks on their unions—from Wisconsin, to Ohio, to California. And to Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, too! (See article below.)

This effort is a response to openings to widen distribution of the paper as the struggles by working people to the mounting effects of the worldwide capitalist crisis continue to spread, from North America to North Africa. The Militant is a weekly working-class voice for these struggles. Its circulation builds solidarity and offers a way for workers to learn about each other’s struggles and discuss lessons that will help us move forward.

Beginning with this issue, as editor of the Militant, I am taking on the welcome responsibility to also serve as its circulation director. The aim is to help get the paper into the hands of those fighting to defend unions and workers rights, and of many others looking to these struggles. Among other things, I’ll be joining teams of socialist workers selling the press in working-class communities, at workers protests, and at other actions. I’ll write about those experiences for the paper.

Since the revolts in the Middle East and the union mobilizations to defend public workers in Wisconsin began in February, more than 400 people across the United States have subscribed to the Militant. These new subscribers were won by socialist workers not only at labor protests, but on the job, going door to door in working-class communities, at plant gates, and on college campuses.

As an example of what we can expect, supporters of the Militant found a hunger for a socialist newspaper published in the interests of working people among the thousands of workers, farmers, and young people demonstrating in Madison, Wisconsin, March 12.

Many were drawn to the paper’s coverage of the fight against the state government’s attacks on public workers and other struggles. They were open to discussing the paper’s editorial stance rejecting the arguments by the bosses’ government and political parties, too often echoed by the labor officialdom, that workers must “share the sacrifice” to solve the capitalist crisis.

In all, 561 issues of the Militant were sold at the March 12 demonstration and in Madison neighborhoods the next day, with 100 workers, farmers, and students deciding to buy subscriptions. Thirty-two participants took advantage of a special offer to buy Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power by Jack Barnes with an introductory Militant subscription, for a combined price of $15. Some 30 supporters of the Militant joined the sales effort, many of whom contributed to this article.

“I came here after 27 days of watching rights stripped from workers,” Roger Stevens, a farm laborer in Pardeeville, Wisconsin, told the Militant at the March 12 action. “I am not a union worker, but I know a lot of teachers, and I wanted to support them.” He was buoyed by the rally and decided to subscribe.

We look to enlist everyone who values a working-class voice in politics to help use the Militant as a tool of the struggles unfolding today. Join us in this effort. Write to the Militant with suggestions, and contact distributors listed on page 5 to get on a team soon.
 
 
Related articles:
Keep on expanding labor solidarity
Int’l team of socialist workers heads to Cairo  
 
 
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