Fighting Fund Appeal—April 2015

On Sunday, February 22, 2015, in an article in the New York Times about the Syriza government in Greece making concessions to the European capitalists, there is a paragraph that reads: “Communist Tendency, a small far-left group inside Syriza, denounced the commitment as a betrayal of the working class and ‘submission to the blackmail of the troika.’”

Some of our readers might not know that Communist Tendency is the name of the International Marxist Tendency in Greece. Although we should not exaggerate the mentions in the NYT, as well as in Al Jazeera and The Guardian, the fact that the serious bourgeois press is starting to take note of our comrades shows the potential influence of our ideas. As the IMT grows around the world, we will gain more publicity and this will mean we can begin to influence events.

This year, it is our duty as Marxist internationalists to increase our financial support for the IMT’s work around the world and build our section here in the “belly of the beast.” In order to build, we need an infrastructure capable of supporting a larger organization. This means we need a national office for all of our volunteers and future paid staff and a place to house Socialist Appeal and MarxistBooks.com. We also need more travel to the various branches and comrades, especially as we have seen an increase in correspondence from around this enormous country.

All of this costs money and it depends on all of us: the members and supporters of the IMT here in the USA. We are making great progress and have many plans to increase our membership, paper and literature sales, as well as raising more money for our Fighting Fund this year. But our first step on this road is an appeal to all comrades, friends, and sympathizers to send in all or part of your income tax refund this year.

We can all find other things to do with this money, but what would provide you with the most satisfaction? A new shirt or cell phone? Or a chance to play a role in changing history? Under socialism, we will have plenty of great consumer goods—for everybody, not just the rich.

Our Canadian comrades are an example to follow. They have asked members to sacrifice, including donating tax refunds, and they now have a national office. A national office in NYC will be a huge step forward for building the forces of Marxism. This in turn will lead to further growth of our organization across the country.

Let’s not miss this opportunity. Our comrades in Greece, who face tougher living conditions than we do, have shown tremendous sacrifice, as have the Pakistanis and the Nigerians. We must build up before massive struggles break out in this country. Occupy and Ferguson were just small previews of what is ahead as the crisis of American and world capitalism continues to unfold. Marxist ideas are essential in the struggle.

We have a goal of raising $25,000 in Fighting Fund this year. As of the end of February, we already brought in over $2,200. Please send in all or part of your tax refund and let’s get on track to surpass our target. Help us move forward to socialism!