Workers World newspaper:
A powerful tool for demystifying society's ills
By Pat Chin
From a talk at the Sept. 21-22 Workers World Party
conference.
What won me to Workers World Party was when someone handed
me a Workers World newspaper at a protest against the U.S.
invasion of Grenada back in the 1980s. Workers World newspaper
is a powerful vehicle for demystifying the ills of
society--from racism to other forms of oppression that result
from the capitalist system.
This paper continues to grow in popularity. Around 100,000
people, in this country and worldwide, read the online edition
of Workers World each month. Thousands more get articles sent
to them every week by email.
During times of political crisis, the numbers of readers
soar. In the month after Sept. 11, 2001, the online edition of
Workers World newspaper with its strong and consistent
anti-imperialist viewpoint received a million hits.
When you look at the power of the capitalist media in
shaping reactionary public opinion it is easy to understand why
a fighting party like ours must have a revolutionary
paper--from both an international and domestic point of view.
Without it, our party would not be able to function. Workers
World newspaper is in fact the voice of the vanguard.
Our newspaper is the voice of the party, getting out our
ideology in the period of attack on Marxism since the collapse
of the Soviet Union. It reflects our belief that the working
class is the main agent of revolutionary change. While others
have diluted their politics or fallen by the wayside, Workers
World Party stands firm.
Workers World newspaper is linked to the oppressed
communities, reflecting our unique understanding of national
oppression. We cover the workers' struggle, including that of
migrant laborers. The paper reflects our unwavering support for
the struggles of oppressed nationalities and others, including
women, lesbian/gay/bi and trans people.
The paper is very important to a revolutionary organization
like ours, and we put top priority on getting it out each week.
Party branches and individual subscribers can always count on
receiving it. This becomes even more important during a crisis
like the invasion the U.S. would like to carry out against
Iraq, and the movement pays attention to what we say.
Since 9/11, and the so-called war on terror with its
repressive Patriot Act, in addition to the deepening economic
crisis, workers are awakening to new class consciousness. When
the workers act upon this class consciousness is all a process.
The paper can help deepen this consciousness.
Around Labor Day in New York City, thousands of Workers
World newspapers were distributed at an anti-war rally. Workers
of color and white workers were snatching them up with the
front page headline against the war on Iraq. This response
shows that workers are beginning to question what the Bush
administration is doing. The world is hungry for class truth.
Workers World not only tells it like it is; it shows what can
be done.
Workers World newspaper reflects our Marxist view of
interpreting social phenomena as they unfold and linking this
to our general view of why socialism is the only answer to the
capitalist system.
Reprinted from the Oct. 24, 2002, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyrighted
under a Creative
Commons License.
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Email: ww@workers.org
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