Vol. 73/No. 17      May 4, 2009

The Militant subscription campaign now stands at 902 renewals and new readers. To be on schedule the campaign should be at 57 percent, or 1,226 subscriptions in hand. So there is some ground to make up.

In New York, supporters of the paper project selling 120 subscriptions between April 25 and May 3. Plans for the week will include sales at a number of political events, door-to-door visits in working-class communities, and street campaigning with the Socialist Workers Party candidates. Socialist campaigners in New York plan to participate in a number of rallies on May Day in support of legalization for all immigrants where they will introduce the Militant to workers and students.

In one working-class community in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood a number of Haitian workers picked up subscriptions to the Militant last weekend and learned about the May Day march from socialist campaigners. One Haitian worker also bought Capitalism and the Transformation of Africa and Is Socialist Revolution in the U.S. Possible? as well as several other books, wrote Kevin Dwire. “He left to get a bag to put them all in. When he got back he bought two more books and joined the Pathfinder Readers Club!”

Many areas are also taking advantage of other protests by workers and students against the effects of the capitalist crisis. “We just posted five new subscriptions sold at a protest against budget cuts at Seattle Central Community College,” wrote Edwin Fruit. One student also bought New International no. 12 featuring the article “Capitalism’s Long Hot Winter Has Begun.” He said, “I want to know what working people can do about this.”

Supporters of the Militant in Des Moines, Iowa, will be participating in Asian American Heritage week activities at Iowa State University, and other campus activities. They will also be organizing several regional teams to reach out to meatpacking workers.

Reports from every area confirm the opportunities to discuss politics and convince workers and youth they need the Militant now to understand the world and how to fight. The May Day marches will be an opportunity for many more supporters of the Militant to participate in activities where workers and young people can meet socialist campaigners and get a subscription to the paper, along with books that discuss the working-class line of march toward political power.

A day-by-day chart of subscriptions sold during the April 25 through May 3 weekend will help areas to measure their momentum.

'Militant' Subscription Drive: Week 4