What is DSA Doing? 10/01–10/07/2017
Hello friends and welcome to another weekly rundown of what the Democratic Socialists of America are doing to make this country a better place. I am doing this series because, in the words of Lenin: “The art of any propagandist and agitator consists in his ability to find the best means of influencing any given audience, by presenting a definite truth, in such a way as to make it most convincing, most easy to digest, most graphic, and most strongly impressive.”
Please note with all of these posts that many of the events and work of these DSA chapters came out of trainings. Political education, know your rights, organizing 101, they come in many forms touching on many tactics and topics, and they are absolutely essential to any serious socialist movement. It isn’t glamorous work compared to being in the field but any experienced organizer knows the horror that comes from realizing you didn’t do enough training midway through a campaign.
October 1: Some areas like Pioneer Valley had their March For Racial Justice on the 1st rather than September 30th to avoid conflicting with Yom Kippur.
October 2: Seattle DSA confronted the practice of anti-homeless sweeps by engaging with those affected and producing a piece.
October 3: Harrisburg DSA fought for police accountability at their City Council’s Civilian Police Review Board meeting. Saint Louis DSA continues to support the protests in their city over the Stockley verdict and have a bail fund you can support.
October 4: YDSA Hofstra had a screening of the movie Invisible Heroes about Black soldiers in the Spanish Civil War. DSA San Francisco continued their campaign against tasers with an appearance at the Police Commission meeting.
October 5: DSA Phoenix is going to start canvassing for Medicare For All. DC DSA has been proposing resolutions at their Advisory Neighborhood Commissions to divest from Wells Fargo. DSA Louisville said to their city council no soccer stadium without guarantees of good jobs. DSA Los Angeles supported DACA protesters, including raising some emergency funds to bail out one comrade held on an unpaid traffic ticket.
October 6: Marquette Area DSA once again proved that fighting for socialism is 24/7 when they got up at 4 AM to support striking nurses. Anchorage YDSA and Anchorage DSA Women’s Caucus are putting together a coat drive. DC DSA finished their Anti-Eviction Operations Manual. University of Oregon YDSA shut down the “CEO” of U of O for running the university “like a business firm.”
October 7: Bux Mont DSA canvassed for Medicare For All.
