Vol. 76/No. 19      May 14, 2012

The Militant depends on readers’ contributions to pay operating expenses, including rent, printing costs and reporting trips to respond to workers’ struggles and international political developments.

When socialist workers from Philadelphia explained that the price of subscriptions alone couldn’t entirely sustain the operating expenses of the paper, Douglas Vera, a factory worker who retired from Armstrong Industries after 35 years said, “I was wondering about that.”

Vera, a supporter of Steelworkers Local 285/441 during a hard-fought five-month-long lockout by Armstrong last year, first signed up for a subscription when Militant supporters knocked on his door in Marietta, Pa. After discussion about how the Militant is funded by workers like himself, Vera kicked in $5 for the fund in addition to renewing his subscription.

Philadelphia has taken a goal to get 10 more first-time contributors and an additional $100 for the fund from sales tables by the end of the drive.

Supporters of the Militant in France boosted the effort this week by getting on the scoreboard with a goal of $320.

Contributions to the Militant Fighting Fund are ahead of schedule in Miami following a fundraising forum titled “From the Trayvon Martin Lynching to Bosses’ Attacks and Long-Term Unemployment: Capitalist Reality and Working-Class Resistance,” with featured speaker Sam Manuel, a longtime leader of the Socialist Workers Party.

Manuel Jerez, a factory worker originally from Cuba spoke in the discussion and contributed to the fund for the first time. “We’re working 10-12 hours a day, six days a week and for the last three years our wages have been frozen,” he said. Jerez mentioned that he used to subscribe to El Nuevo Herald. “It lies a lot and didn’t inform me of anything. I got the Militant and then renewed for a year.”

“Now our challenge is to keep reaching out toward a goal of not only raising $3,200 or more, but also gaining at least 10 first-time contributors,” writes Naomi Craine from Miami.

Total pledges of $118,670 are just $1,330 short of the goal. Supporters of the paper in local areas can raise their goals and close this gap.

Every contribution counts. Contact distributors of the Militant listed on page 6, or send a check or money order, made out to the Militant, to The Militant, 306 W. 37th St., 10th floor, New York, NY 10018.
 
 
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‘Militant’ Fighting Fund April 14 – June 4 (week 1) (chart)  
 
 
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