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The DSA chapters seem to very... city centric, right now. Is that just a consequence of that being where people have started chapters, or do they prefer as an organization those larger more condensed organizational meetings?
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Jan 31, 2017 15:41
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| # ¿ May 7, 2024 01:49 |
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jarofpiss posted:my understanding is that you can start an organizational committee with 5 people just about anywhere but that you likely will be under the umbrella of your closest city chapter. you have your own meetings and plan your own work and everything though. a local group thats actually close enough to attend easily and often but is under the umbrella of the city group would be perfect really. Its just looking at a lot of these states theres lots of dead space for hours and hours outside the major cities.
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Jan 31, 2017 17:01
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What do the different membership tiers mean? Like there's an Introductory one on the site but not in the OP, what's up with that one.
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Jan 31, 2017 20:51
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Nitrousoxide posted:I'm a libertarian, so I clearly disagree with like 90% of the dem socialist's economic points. Why not be a libertarian socialist  Cool, though.
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Feb 3, 2017 20:59
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ChickenOfTomorrow posted:the DSA slack needs more SA smilies. I keep wanting to respond with 
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Feb 3, 2017 22:17
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Be the agent of change you want to see
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Feb 3, 2017 22:17
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Boston general meeting this Saturday right? I hope to be there - I'll be the goon with the kid trying to figure out how I can convince the DSA to have an event nursery of some sort if they don't already have one.
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Feb 7, 2017 06:43
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Taran posted:In fact, this very topic came up at the meeting tonight -- they are searching for babysitting options for this thing now! Great! I'm glad someone brought it up. I mentioned before that it was the main reason I haven't been able to attend a meeting before. If they need volunteers, I wonder if I need to get licensed or something first to volunteer... I am guessing a background check would be the bare minimum.
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Feb 7, 2017 14:04
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Pener Kropoopkin posted:The anti-imperialist aspects of a socialist America are seriously underplayed in favor of the welfare side of things. Anti-imperialism is the one thing a socialist state can guarantee, which no other political party or movement is even capable of. Capitalism engenders imperialism by necessity, and the most bleeding heart libs are never going to give it up. I'd rather not talk about this at all ever because every "socialist" I've met that also claims to be primarily an "anti-imperialist" is in fact a raging imperialist that supports any imperialism that isn't American and gives lip service to any actual socialist ideals beyond "and I think I should be in charge". Personal experience, though, I know, maybe I'm wrong and I've just been unlucky but it's left a sour taste in my mouth. GlyphGryph has issued a correction as of 20:10 on Feb 7, 2017 |
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Feb 7, 2017 20:06
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quote:The inherent double-standard of American liberalism, not all Muslims are terrorists but all Nazis deserve a beating. 
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Feb 9, 2017 16:04
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Anyone doing the Discord Channel for the combined DPP/DSA threads, new link here: https://discord.gg/CuVNusq We had a small invasion of anime nazis and other miscreants earlier so uh, you'll also need to ask to be vetted. GlyphGryph has issued a correction as of 04:15 on Feb 10, 2017 |
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Feb 9, 2017 22:08
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MShadowy posted:I am an anime; alas. Sorry, I mispoke, I meant anime nazis, not animes AND Nazis. Leftist animes are welcome.
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Feb 10, 2017 04:15
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Oh also I finally paid my dues and am now an official member of the DSA Put me in the OP for MA!
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Feb 10, 2017 04:27
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Thunder God Biden posted:Telling us to support democrats, apparently. He said to work in and with the Democrats. Which yeah that is definitely a thing we should be doing. How else are we gonna take 'em over? In other words: We should support Democrats that support the DSA, and if they don't exist, become them. Which I'm pretty sure is actually the official stance of the DSA. Because smh if you're part of an activist org and you aren't running for office, convincing people to run for office, helping someone running for office get into office, and at least supporting those in your org doing any of the above. GlyphGryph has issued a correction as of 18:51 on Feb 10, 2017 |
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Feb 10, 2017 18:39
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Unbelievably Fat Man posted:Just got back from the Boston general meeting. drat that was a shitload of people crammed into a tiny space. Very well run though. Yeah it was pretty good. I was there too, the one with the annoying kid.
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Feb 11, 2017 23:51
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lancemantis posted:I feel pretty far from my chapter so it feels harder to participate Be What You Want to See
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Feb 12, 2017 03:12
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DOCTOR ZIMBARDO posted:DSA people who think the Dems can be reclaimed should carefully study what happened to the Rainbow/PUSH coalition between 1984, when Jesse Jackson ran for president on a platform of multiracial social democracy (at the helm of an energized left wing coalition that even included Maoist factions), to 1992 when Bill Clinton won the general election thanks in no small part to Jackson's leftist activists, to 1994 when the same Bill Clinton signed the crime bill and enacted welfare reform. Maybe you should teach us, because I was not aware of any serious attempt by Jacksons Org to "reclaim the Democratic Party" in any meaningful way. Meanwhile, the folks who did try to reclaim their party have someone in the white house. Your argument that we should give up and continue to leave power in the hands of people who dont particularly like us seems weak at best.
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Feb 12, 2017 13:31
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HorseRenoir posted:maybe instead of complaining that bad dems won't literally roll over and resign in shame, you should run good candidates for office and convince more people to vote for them than the bad dems so you don't have to deal with their bullshit anymore
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Feb 12, 2017 13:38
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Zimbardo, where in those links does it talk about a serious attempt at entryism or reclaiming or taking over the party. I only read all the way through the first one and it didnt even tangentially touch on it so I am just assuming they are all equally bullshit right now.
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Feb 12, 2017 15:52
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DOCTOR ZIMBARDO posted:well these guys ran candidates at all levels and negotiated over the party platform, mobilizing millions of people in an inside/outside campaign to push the party to the left but that doesnt seem relevant to taking over the party so i guess youre right Maybe the problem is you if they did but you cant actually demonstrate that.
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Feb 12, 2017 16:09
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DOCTOR ZIMBARDO posted:what in your mind constitutes a "serious attempt" to "take over" the party Taking as many seats as possible by primarying incumbents, challenging other factions, replacing them with your own loyalists, converting those who are already sitting to your faction; doing that and continuing to do that for as long as possible. I don't think that's going to be an unconventional understanding. Maybe he did that, or at least tried to. If what you said here was true... DOCTOR ZIMBARDO posted:well these guys ran candidates at all levels and negotiated over the party platform, mobilizing millions of people in an inside/outside campaign to push the party to the left but that doesnt seem relevant to taking over the party so i guess youre right Then it should be pretty drat easy to demonstrate. Then you need to follow that up, if you really want to back up your original point, with an explanation of how that made things worse for us rather than better, since your first article (which again, is the only one I read since reading it did no favours for your credibility) argued the exact opposite.
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Feb 12, 2017 16:35
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Fullhouse posted:it sounds like all those people did it wrong, but us, we're gonna do it right Revolutions generally dont work until they do, but sometimes they do. Effort doesnt guarantee success, only chances, and any victory will not come easy, quickly, or unopposed.
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Feb 12, 2017 18:52
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Read the article. For my own part I think Jackson was right, and did good especially with PUSH, and actually managed to accomplish quite a bit, so I am not entierely sure why you think he was so wrong and ineffectual. Honestly if anything it just sort of convinced me the approach was correct so uh... good try?
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Feb 12, 2017 19:11
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According to slack, Boston was at least 167
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Feb 13, 2017 06:26
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Top City Homo posted:with Internet communism you take what you need friend Just quoting this. I am a huge advocate for entryism to empower political pressure by having people on the inside. Historically speaking, the only ways to achieve lasting success are either through a major entryist push... or via the creation of alternate institutions that can operate outside the system and apply pressure to it like those mentioned here. If you can't reform the government, you replace it. (And the two strategies actually support each other rather effectively, so it's not like you have to choose one or the other)
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Feb 16, 2017 03:25
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Also add the discord to the OP maybe? https://discord.gg/CuVNusq
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Feb 16, 2017 03:34
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Ruzihm posted:let me in, I'm ruzihm#0421 Who's the other ruzihm I wonder Ace of Baes posted:I didnt put it in the OP because it's been rapidly growing and I figured it would cut down on trolls/infiltrators if it took asking for a link/lurking/digging through the thread. No one reading this thread is the sort of troll/infiltrator we are worried about. Also we have a flawless extreme vetting process now.
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Feb 16, 2017 05:27
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Okay, I've officially submitted my stuff to start a local DSA chapter mostly because gently caress commuting, and now I get to start recruiting.
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Feb 17, 2017 05:04
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ChickenOfTomorrow posted:the American Revolution was one set of bourgeois versus another, I'm interested to see what you can find about it that's socialist In terms of the revolution, you're talking about people who were willing to fight and give their lives for the benefits of their neighbours; people who regularly set up the sort "alternative institutions" talked about in this thread to service those in need; people who set a model for successfully overthrowing an oppressive imperialist power. I feel like if you can't spin that into something compatible with socialism, something that draws people in, you're not trying hard enough. And any socialist movement that classifies the members of the petite bourgeoisie (the "bourgeoisie" of farmers, blacksmiths, bootmakers and carpenters largely responsible for sowing the seeds of the revolution) as intrinsically composed of enemies is worthless, imo - and it's especially funny when you consider that the DSA is dominated so heavily by those who come from such a background. Capitalism wishes to destroy and exploit them just as much as it does those who labour for wages - why hate those who have already achieved some measure of control over their own labour? To quote the LCS on the nature and preconditions of socialism: quote:In the revolutionary overthrow of the social system based on wage labour, the working class plays a crucial role but the participation of many other sectors of the population is vital as well. Housewives, children, pensioners and non-working-class people such as farmers, students, professionals and other members of the petty-bourgeoisie have important roles to play as well. Revolution must be the work of all oppressed people, not the working class alone. This is especially true in countries where the working class does not comprise the majority of the population. But in the end, maybe your right. It's experimental, an attempt to bring more people into solidarity. Even if it fails, I feel like things of value will be learned.
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Feb 17, 2017 16:14
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ChickenOfTomorrow posted:I am glad you have thought this over and have an answer. There are some. But then, we're targeting rural/semi-rural New England. There are limits to how much diversity in terms of ethnicity we can genuinely foster. It's not an easy problem, and it's one every local progressive group is looking at. I don't think there's much here to alienate them, either, at least, especially with the local focus and the elevation of Paine in our literature and the "gently caress the southern plantation owning slaver class for ruining our revolution by sprinkling tyranny on top!" stuff Top City Homo posted:Get a grant from a community development institution partner with coop biz development advisors ( generally part of the same grant institution) and deduct new member equity stake from their patronage (that's another word for surplus) and wages over a long period of time. 
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Feb 17, 2017 21:26
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Phi230 posted:How do we get complacent liberal cowards to believe in true revolution again though. Socialism is diverse. DSA seems willing to embrace that diversity. Find the specific socialist subtypes and arguments that you think will resonate with them in particular and light the path for them to greater understanding. Combine it with some kind of clear sign that their complacent life is in clear danger of being upturned, and them losing what they have gained, if they fail to take action. Nothing motivates like feeling like you're losing what little you had thought secure.
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Feb 17, 2017 21:33
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Phi230 posted:The DSA worries me in one regard. They claim, at least at my chapter, to not be a political party. What. The DSA is specifically a political organization, but specifically not a political party - in other words, that they do not organize and run campaigns under their own name, but instead encourage people and support people in running as Democrats. They are explicitly endorsing candidates on the nation level, like Ellison. They have active working groups to convince members to run as Democrats (or as SA where Socialist Alternative has a chance of gaining seats). Like if they're trying to avoid politics, they are very much not living up to the point of the organization as I understand it. What do they think the point of the Chapter is if Direct Action and Politics are both ruled out? I mean, maybe they have other stuff, useful stuff, they are doing instead and the chapter isn't large enough to support multiple working groups... but if it is, and you don't have one, you should totally start an electoral change working group yourself. GlyphGryph has issued a correction as of 21:39 on Feb 17, 2017 |
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Feb 17, 2017 21:37
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lancemantis posted:Cathartic conversations with other leftists Catharthic conversations are an opiate that precludes change and weakens movements. If they're having conversations, they should be ones intended to disturb and destabilize feelings and so motivate to action, to to soothe them!
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Feb 17, 2017 21:59
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OhFunny can you tell us more about how you got started? A few of us are trying to start up our own chapters and maybe your guidance would be useful
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Feb 20, 2017 15:48
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All the real DSA work gets done by the work groups. The general meetings are just there for them to recruit from. At least thats the feeling I get locally.
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Feb 21, 2017 05:26
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blue squares posted:I'd love that. Maybe that's the case usually. This time it was almost all people from outside groups, making me wonder what the hell the DSA even does. The only committee that talked was the tech committee and their report was "oh god please help us make a website" Yeah your single issue thing is how smaller chapters are supposed to operate and then yeah thats supposed to be big chapters. It may be your local chapter is very new and very incompetent and desperately in need of leaders and organizers. In which case, well, theres your call to action. I am still a BIT frustrated with mine, but thats only because I think they need to be engaged in active recruitment and expansion.
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Feb 21, 2017 13:04
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blue squares posted:I typed up a first draft of my proposal for a new members committee. I'd love some feedback before I submit it. I'd go one step further here - if you're collecting survey data, distributing information on opportunities is nice... but most people prefer active guidance. Using that information (combined with the needs of your org) to suggest which groups and projects could best use their services might be a good part of this groups responsibilities. Actively work to find them a place, hook them up with the right people, help them figure out how they'll be able to participate, and get them any needed invites and permissions, do followups and make sure no one falls through the cracks (I took me weeks to get added to my working group's actual online group platform, something I didn't even know existed and which is used to schedule ALL OUR MEETINGS, meaning I already missed at least one I could have attended) Right now that is something the DSA does - but it's largely done in one on one meetings with org leadership who (in many ways) have lots of other demands on their time. If you can demonstrate your group would be able to accomplish the same goal as well as they do, but without them having to spend their time doing it, that might be appealing. And lots of people are ignorant, and know they're ignorant, and want to be pointed in the right direction. Offering opportunities can be good - but especially in groups with lots of them, it can also be bad if it doesn't come with clear next steps and expectations!
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Feb 22, 2017 15:19
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blue squares posted:I really like this idea. Given that there are over 100 new members to my chapter, possibly as many as 200 new people who have turned up at meetings since the election, I don't know if that's doable as a stated, 100% effective service for past members, unless I get some people who sign up to join the committee and help. What I'll do is add this as a goal of the committee provided I get additional people to help with that project. Which is great, because then I have tasks beyond just me for anyone who wants to help with this committee! Well if there's anyone that would be perfectly situated to grab new members to swell their own ranks, it seems like it would be you! And after the backlog is dealt with, you'd also be perfectly placed to pass them along. So yeah I wouldn't bother adding the conditional "if I get enough people", just mention that obviously your priority would be packing your own workgroup until you have sufficient manpower to place everyone who needs to be placed.
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Feb 22, 2017 15:32
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jarofpiss posted:also everyone donating to national that's awesome but talk to your local chapters about donating to them. we receive no money from national and often spend out of pocket on printing and other stuff. Wait, really? Money only flows upstream, never down? That is seriously lame!
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Feb 22, 2017 17:33
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| # ¿ May 7, 2024 01:49 |
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This was shared with me on the DSA chat. I think it's a very good read. It's not what you'd normally associate with the term "Accelerationist", so keep your mind open. #ACCELERATE MANIFESTO for an Accelerationist Politics GlyphGryph has issued a correction as of 22:29 on Feb 23, 2017 |
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Feb 23, 2017 22:26
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