Vol. 73/No. 42      November 2, 2009

Supporters of the fund in every area are discussing how to get on schedule and raise pledges to close the gap between the current amount pledged of $92,200 and the fund goal of $95,000. Examples to be emulated are the decisions by supporters of the fund in Boston to raise their quota by $400 and in San Francisco by $500.

The purpose of the party-building fund is to aid the work of the Socialist Workers Party in bringing a revolutionary perspective to workers and young people.

“New York is now at $15,570 pledged, getting closer to our goal of $16,000,” wrote Seth Galinsky, organizer of the fund drive there. Galinsky reported that a fund supporter in New York sent in a letter with an increased contribution explaining, “The spectacle of a Nobel ‘peace prize’ being awarded to the sitting president of the biggest imperialist power—while an increase of troops in Afghanistan is being planned to boot—well, this highlights the need for the Socialist Workers Party. I was convinced to raise my contribution from $300 to $400.” Another contributor upped her pledge by $100, Galinsky wrote.

On October 10 supporters of the fund in Washington, D.C., held a fund meeting titled “Iran: Struggle for Democratic Rights / Working People in the U.S. Must Demand ‘Imperialist Hands Off!’” The featured speaker was Ma’mud Shirvani. Fund organizer in Washington Paul Pederson wrote that there were 22 workers and students at the meeting. “Participants came from Pittsburgh; Frederick and Baltimore, Maryland; Lorton, Virginia; as well as the Washington metro area. The audience included four students from area campuses. Those present made $1,250 in new contributions and pledges,” he wrote.

In Seattle 42 people attended a party-building fund event where James Harris, co-organizer of the party-building fund, spoke.

Participants in the meeting engaged in a wide-ranging discussion after Harris’s talk. Chris Rayson, a railroad worker in the audience, described how the bosses’ attacks on safety and crew size added up to increased deaths of rail workers in the United States. Rayson said that 25 railroad workers lost their lives in on-duty accidents during 2008, up from 10 in 2007. So far this year 11 rail workers have died on the job.

Another participant asked Harris to explain who were the Deacons for Defense. In his talk Harris had referred to the group that organized armed self-defense against the Ku Klux Klan. Harris responded, “If you read the excerpt in the Militant from the new Pathfinder book Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power you will know more about the civil rights movement—and the working-class fight it really was—than many of those who claim to be experts. Plus, you will know the truth and see it in connection with the whole working-class struggle.”

Harris’s presentation was “right on the mark” said Robyn Tarbet, a seamstress for many years. “Where I work they have a callous attitude toward workers. I am sure that it can get worse. I’ll be back here,” Tarbet said.

“The initial effects of the economic crisis on the working class are devastating and initially workers are stunned,” said Harris. “But we will learn. There are few places where workers can come together and have a civil discussion on the economic crisis of capitalism; what we face and what we need to do. Having this kind of discussion is extremely important. But we also have to carry out successful actions together with other workers to gain the confidence needed to see that our class is capable of defending itself and winning.”

The meeting raised $1,900 toward the quota.

Party-building fund: Week 4 of 8 (chart)