This event focused on important political questions for fighting workers, farmers, and youth today. Participants also discussed the central campaign of the YS, SWP, and supporters of the communist movement to place the book Capitalism's World Disorder: Working-Class Politics at the Millennium by Jack Barnes in bookstores and libraries as a byproduct of deepening involvement in struggles of working people.

In the first class of the conference, titled "Patrick Buchanan: the culture war and the rise of an incipient fascist movement in the U.S.," Laura Garza spoke about how the capitalist system in crisis today gives rise to ultrarightist demagogues like Buchanan, and the threat this poses to workers and farmers. "The working-class in this country has the capacity to put up a fight" that can defeat fascism and overturn capitalist rule, she emphasized.

The second class was on "The fight for Puerto Rican independence today." It was given by Cindy Jaquith, a member of the United Steelworkers of America, and Romina Green, a garment worker and YS member. Jaquith spoke of the history and struggle of the Puerto Rican people fighting colonialism. She explained how imperialism changed an island of small farmers to industrial workers, and how Washington uses youth as cannon fodder for its wars.

Green recently attended the celebration of Grito de Lares — marking the opening of the struggle against Spanish colonial rule — in Puerto Rico. She spoke about her trip and the history of struggle against imperialist domination that Puerto Rico and Cuba share.

That evening the Pathfinder Fund rally was held, entitled "Cuba — forty years of workers and farmers in power." The program was a panel of youth, workers, and farmers who have helped place Capitalism's World Disorder. Michael Martínez from Miami spoke of how he encountered the Pathfinder title Episodes of the Cuban Revolutionary War by Ernesto Che Guevara at a bookstore, which led him to find out about the Pathfinder bookstore in Miami. He later told conference participants that he wants to join the Young Socialists and help build a chapter in Miami.

Miguel Rodríguez, a construction worker from Atlanta, spoke about how he helped place Pathfinder books.

Gladys Williams is a farm cooperative member from southern Georgia and an activist in an organization called the People's Tribunal which opposes police brutality and is fighting to jail the cops who brutalized Willie Williams, a Black resident in the area. She spoke about how she helped place books in the region and her plans to visit farmers in Cuba.

Brian Taylor, a Militant staff writer and the featured speaker of the evening, spoke about the first and second agrarian reforms led by the revolutionary government in Cuba in 1959 and 1963, and how they strengthened the revolution.

A fund pitch was given by Socialist Workers Party member Tom Leonard. "Printing literature and raising money to make it possible has been a cornerstone of the political activity of communists since the publication of the Communist Manifesto in 1848." He added, "These are truly textbooks for vanguard workers, farmers, and rebellious youth, which can arm them to be more effective in their struggle." The rally raised a total of $2,456.

The Young Socialists organized a party and raffle that collected about $300 from the door donations and raffle tickets, which will be split between the Atlanta and Birmingham Young Socialists for the fund drive, boosting the YS national fund drive.

James Harris gave the final class, "Building an alliance of workers and farmers." He used the agitational pamphlet by V.I. Lenin To the Rural Poor, written in 1903, and related it to the struggles of small farmers in the United States and internationally. During the discussion Gladys Williams said, "In our area there are a lot of foreclosures…every year is a struggle. We want to see the agrarian land reform [in Cuba] and do it here in America."

David Klier, a youth from Valdosta, Georgia, participated in discussions all weekend. He, like Williams, is a member of the People's Tribunal, fighting cases of police brutality. Klier urged the YS to join the protest at the School of the Americas November 18-21 in Fort Benning, Georgia.

Martínez, the student from Miami, was asked his thoughts on the conference. "The class I liked the most was on Puerto Rico," he replied. "Some of the things that were talked about are so important for the working class and youth."

Thirteen-year-old Sonja Swanson from Miami noted, "The classes on Buchananism and Puerto Rico were the most educational. I came here to get educated and I got what I wanted. I will definitely come to more."

Robert Guerrero, a textile worker and YS member, contributed to this article.  
 
 
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