Vol. 75/No. 18      May 9, 2011

The international goal is to win 2,000 new and long-term readers between April 23 and June 6.

The increased receptivity among working people to the Militant’s fighting perspective was demonstrated beginning in early February, when political upheavals spread in the Middle East and working-class resistance started to grow from Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest of the United States. During that time, supporters of the paper have won more than 1,060 new readers.

The chart with quotas and the first week’s results of the international campaign will be printed in next week’s issue.

Leading up to the start of the six-week subscription drive, socialist workers from the Midwest fielded teams that knocked on doors in working-class communities throughout Wisconsin and in Keokuk, Iowa. “Working people are willing to give you more listening time now and get into a discussion with you about what is on their minds,” said Tom Fiske from the Twin Cities in describing the response to the Militant in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. A small team there sold six subscriptions and a copy of Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power by Jack Barnes.

“On April 21 a team went to Keokuk, a town of 10,000, where 237 members of Local 48G of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers union have been locked out of the Roquette America corn processing plant since September 2010,” wrote Maggie Trowe.

“April Jacobsen looked through the Militant and liked it, but wasn’t sure she had the money. Her husband Robb, who is a locked-out Roquette worker, overhearing the conversation, came over and pulled out money for the subscription. When I showed them several books sold at reduced prices with the subscription, Robb pointed to Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? by Mary-Alice Waters and said, ‘I want that one.’”

Two other workers in Keokuk bought copies of the Changing Face of U.S. Politics by Jack Barnes, a handbook for working-class fighters, one of four books being offered at a discount with a subscription.

Over the April 30-May 1 weekend socialist workers will be going door-to-door in working-class communities before and after participating in the May Day demonstrations being organized in many cities by labor unions and immigrant rights organizations.

The Militant is appealing to its many new readers to talk to a coworker, neighbor, or friend and convince them to try out the paper for 12 weeks. Those who would like to also join teams that will be knocking on doors introducing working people to the paper can contact distributors listed on page 8.  
 
 
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