One highlight of the two-day effort was a Militant Labor Forum celebrating the publication of Pathfinder’s new book October 1962: The ‘Missile’ Crisis as Seen from Cuba by Tomás Diez Acosta. The featured speaker was Martín Koppel, editor of the Militant and Socialist Workers candidate for governor of New York.

Koppel explained that the book is "not simply something of interest to historians, but has everything to do with today and the future, showing how working people can overthrow imperialist domination and capitalist rule and transform the world."

He said, "The Socialist Workers candidates are campaigning not against ‘war’ or even primarily against the war on Iraq, but to explain the need by workers and farmers to take political power in a revolutionary struggle to end imperialism--the source of all these wars. "We invite young people repelled by the brutality of capitalism to join us in activity every week, campaigning for a communist perspective in the interests of the working people of the world."

Don Mackle, the SWP candidate for governor of Michigan, introduced Koppel and reported on a student conference on Palestine that he had participated in that day at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where Pathfinder books were well received by many of the 400 participants.

Two dozen people attended the fund-raising forum held at the Pathfinder bookstore, including eight high school and college students, and several workers interested in socialist politics.

The discussion period following Koppel’s presentation was wide-ranging, including questions and comments about the nature of the Cuban Revolution, the fight to bring down imperialism and the U.S.-led war against Iraq, and the meaning of former president James Carter receiving a Nobel peace prize.

On October 13, a worker from a meatpacking plant in Detroit’s Eastern Market opened his home to fellow workers, most of them Mexican-born, to meet and discuss politics with Koppel. The occasion became a rolling discussion that lasted about four hours, with workers dropping in throughout.

Koppel used a large display with photos from the October 1962 book to highlight some of the revolutionary measures taken by Cuba’s workers and farmers government and how working people organized in the face of imperialist assaults in April 1961 and October 1962. "The conscious mobilization of hundreds of thousands of working people to defend their revolutionary power and social gains--if that is not real democracy and mass participation, what is?" he asked.

At the end of the discussion, the gathering’s host asked for a "cooperación"--a collection for the Pathfinder Fund. On the spot, two workers contributed $20 each and another made a pledge. Several of the workers who attended the weekend events volunteered to help staff a socialist campaign literature table that features Pathfinder books in the working-class district where the Pathfinder bookstore is located.
 

In Atlanta the Pathfinder bookstore was packed for a fund-raising dinner and program featuring Sam Manuel, Socialist Workers candidate for mayor of Washington, D.C., on Pathfinder’s newest title, October 1962: The ‘Missile’ Crisis as Seen from Cuba. Among those attending were five students from Spelman and Morehouse colleges who have been helping to organize a speaking tour in Atlanta for Cuban revolutionaries Víctor Dreke and Ana Morales for the end of October. Dreke is the author of From the Escambray to the Congo: In the Whirlwind of the Cuban Revolution, another recent Pathfinder title. Nearly $1,500 was collected for the Pathfinder Fund at the meeting.

As a result of a special effort to sell October 1962 and other Pathfinder titles, Pathfinder sales representatives have made 137 visits to bookstore and library buyers across the United States.

With five weeks remaining, the Pathfinder Fund stands at $36,000--34 percent of the $105,000 goal.

Contributions to the fund can be sent to the Militant, 410 West Street, New York, NY 10014, with checks made out to Pathfinder.
 
 
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