BY PETE KENNEDY
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom - In response the Militant's
request for accounts of promoting the paper and "Washington's
assault on Iraq - The Opening Guns of World War III," this is a
story of how a young worker at the large postal depot where I
work came to buy New International no. 7.
Our employer, Royal Mail, makes a point of implementing the November 11 "Armistice Day" commemoration with a work stoppage and two-minute silence, as directed by the government for the last couple of years. Workers are encouraged to join the bosses in wearing poppies, rallying around the flag, and gathering around a statue to the dead of two world wars.
When it became known that I opposed the event, one young worker, Terry, approached me and asked: "I've been told this is just out of respect for those few men left alive today from the '14-18 war, so what's your problem with it?" I suggested that "respect" was not a feature of the ruling classes' approach to these men, either during the imperialist slaughters, or any time since. And that they wouldn't think twice about squandering the lives of working people all over again for their profits. I asked him why he thought they had introduced this practice into the factories right now, today, after all these years. When he couldn't find an answer, I argued that the hypocritical event was really designed to tie us to their war chariot for the next wars, like the one being prepared against Iraq.
He asked my opinion on the conflict in the Gulf. I keep a copy of New International no. 7 handy on my workframe, where it gets borrowed and bandied about a bit and has become known among some of the workers. I showed it to him, explaining its stance. He read the back cover. When I told him the magazine argued that we needed to take the power out of the employers' hands if we were to stop such wars, he immediately moved the discussion to the Russian question and whether workers could successfully hold power. We discussed this a little and I encouraged him to get the magazine. Another worker who has been reading this copy intervened and advised him to get a copy, "especially now, with what's happening in the Gulf."
Terry bought a copy of the Militant a few days later, and decided to buy the New International two days after that.
A young Tibetan student attended a Militant Labor Forum on Iraq the same evening, at which the NI no. 7 was promoted. When he heard how this young worker had bought it, he said, "I think Íd better get one too," and then bought a copy.
COLUMBUS, Georgia - Supporters of the Militant from Atlanta attended a protest against the U.S. Army School of the Americas (SOA) here November 21-22. Organizers estimated that 7,000 joined the weekend protest. The School of the Americas trains military personnel in Latin America in techniques of repression and is located inside the Ft. Benning Army base. "Close the school of the assassins!" was a popular sign held by demonstrators. Most participants were young, many coming in groups by bus and van from college campuses across the United States.
We set up a table with signs opposing U.S. aggression against Iraq and inviting youth to attend the December 4-6 Young Socialist convention in Los Angeles.
More than 50 people from 17 different states signed up to be contacted by Young Socialist chapters and Socialist Workers Party branches near them. Several had been to Cuba or were planning to go within the next few months. Matt Skiba, from Wilmington, North Carolina, came by the table both days, encouraging other young people to stop and pick up one of the many books by Che Guevara or Fidel Castro that were prominently displayed. Many youth were impressed that the YS defend the Cuban Revolution and join with others in organizing tours of young communists from Cuba to the United States to meet and exchange ideas with young fighters.
Participants in the weekend bought 50 single issues and 9 subscriptions to the Militant, as well as 59 different Pathfinder titles worth more than $600. Nearly every book by Che Guevara was sold, as well as 10 copies of the Marxist magazine New International.