Vol. 75/No. 8      February 28, 2011

A big highlight of the campaign was efforts by socialists to sign up their coworkers to renew. Teams of Militant supporters also responded to demonstrations in their cities in solidarity with the protests in Egypt. Many introductory and some long-term subscriptions were sold at these actions.

By working to expand the long-term readership of the paper, socialists are meeting workers and youth who are interested in working-class politics and strengthening the fight to defend workers' rights.

Following are some of the notes from our distributors about the success of the renewal campaign.
 

The Young Socialists at the State University of New York at New Paltz got two renewals. Both were from current readers of the paper whose subscriptions hadn't yet expired but wanted to renew early to be part of the campaign. One reader, Zach Anderson, learned about the Prisoners' Fund when he was renewing and donated $3. The Young Socialists have decided to order a weekly bundle of seven papers.

—Harry D'Agostino
New Paltz, New York

Among the renewals are three students and a professor at Concordia University. One first-time subscriber, who is from Iraq, renewed at a demonstration to support the struggle in Egypt. A former subscriber decided to renew after attending the meeting at the University of Quebec February 10 on Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power, featuring Steve Clark, one of the coeditors of the book by Jack Barnes.

—Joe Young
Montreal, Quebec

At the glass factory where I work with another supporter of the paper we sold seven subscriptions in the fall drive. Four of those coworkers have decided to renew. There is lots of interest in the events in Egypt.

—Betsy Farley
Chicago

Two barbershops near the campaign headquarters of the Socialist Workers Party here renewed their subscriptions. One barber, Marvin Newsome, said he enjoyed reading the paper, as did many of his customers. Newsome pointed to the Militant's front-page headline on Egypt and said, "I wish we had some of that protest here."

Also, a former coworker at JBS meatpacking, Raul Díaz Castro, renewed for six months and bought a copy of the new Pathfinder title Soldier of the Cuban Revolution.

—John Staggs
Philadelphia

The high point in the renewal drive this week was when supporters of the paper did a sale at a factory gate where they used to work and met up with a Kenyan worker afterwards. He renewed and wanted to get the latest coverage on what was happening in Egypt.

—Linda Harris
Sydney, Australia

Socialists who work at a large pharmaceutical plant in the Bronx organized by the Teamsters had a goal of five renewals to the Militant. Seven renewals were sold including one to a coworker who went on the union bus to the October 2 rally in Washington, D.C., for jobs, and got his first subscription upon returning.

—Francisco Cambero
New York

Two workers renewed when we arranged to meet up with them at a protest against the anti-immigrant "Secure Communities Program." Another worker at the protest arranged for a home visit the next day where he renewed his subscription and bought Soldier of the Cuban Revolution in Spanish. His sister bought the Spanish edition of Malcolm X, Black Liberation, and the Road to Workers Power.

—Laura Garza
Boston

Two more coworkers renewed their subscriptions following a discussion we had before work on the Militant editorial on Egypt. Another coworker decided to subscribe for the first time.

—Amanda Ulman
Houston