BY BROCK SATTER AND JON ERWAY
NEWARK, New Jersey - After reaching the halfway mark in the
$115,000 New International Fund drive, we face a critical
juncture. The fund slipped further behind schedule last week,
standing at about $25,000 - 22 percent - so we are now $32,000
behind.
There are encouraging examples in some cities that, if generalized, will make it possible to complete the campaign in full and on time. These are examples of supporters of the fund who go beyond the circle of longtime readers of New International and systematically ask co-workers, working-class fighters, and revolutionary-minded youth involved in various political activities for contributions.
Today's bubbling of struggles by working people and other political activities -from outraged students protesting the murder of Matthew Shepard to Black farmers fighting government discrimination - provides the best opportunities ever for reaching out to all those who value New International for its working-class politics.
Some of the examples of this include:
In Birmingham, Kristin Meriam explained how she got a contribution from her co-worker at Sloss Industries, a Steelworker-organized coke plant. "I brought in a fund-raising letter drafted by the local fund committee and showed it to co- workers. One worker, who I've never sold socialist literature to before, pulled out his wallet and gave me $10 for the New International Fund."
In Miami, local fund director Kay Sedam reports that a political activist in Tampa Bay, Florida, who met the socialist movement during a protest against U.S. war threats on Iraq, "drove his motorcycle all the way to Miami last month to hear Martín Koppel, editor of Nueva Internacional, give a talk on the book Secrets of Generals," referring to a collection of interviews with revolutionary Cuban generals. "At the meeting he bought a copy of New International no. 10 on `Imperialism's March toward Fascism and War.' Later, at his urging, we organized a sales team to Tampa Bay, where we had a meeting of several people to discuss the political ideas that are in New International. He had his copy of New International, which was all crumpled from carrying it around and reading it. Two people at the meeting gave contributions, including a vegetable farmer from the area."
Supporters of the fund in Miami are also organizing a raffle for the New International Fund to sell to co-workers on the job.
In Des Moines, Maggie Trowe reports that socialists who work at the nearby Swift Co. meatpacking plant in Marshalltown are contacting a dozen of their co-workers -all those who have bought New International in the past year - about contributing to the fund.
In San Francisco, Markie Wilson notes that she sold a copy of the latest issue of New International, which includes the article "U.S. Imperialism Has Lost the Cold War," to one of her co-workers on the railroad, who then gave her a $10 contribution to the New International Fund.
Some $1,200 was collected, and $250 in new pledges was received at a fund-raising meeting in Newark October 18. Thirty- two people attended the event, including seven new readers of socialist publications. During the fund pitch, Ellie García, a member of United Transportation Union Local 1370 at Amtrak, read the following message of support from a co-worker, Jeff Payne:
"As a subscriber to the Militant, my first introduction to the New International came through excerpts printed in various issues. I purchased my first issue, New International no. 10, `Imperialism's March Toward Fascism and War,' several years ago, and I noted in a comment to a friend the other day how accurately it has foretold the happenings of today!
"New International," Payne's message continued, "gives workers a clearer picture of the events today which adversely affect working people around the world. I would urge working people to buy an issue and if possible make a cash contribution to support its publication."
These examples are not yet the norm in every city. If they are followed, we will be able to raise the $115,000 necessary to produce New International.