Feeling the Bern at February General Meeting
Although many members were out of town canvassing for Bernie in South Carolina, our monthly meeting was lively as always. We were delighted to welcome comrades from the new Morehouse College YDSA. We heard a report on electoral activities, especially our independent Bernie for Georgia campaign, and announcements of many important upcoming events, and we passed the bylaw changes (as amended) that were tabled last month. We also met in working groups to get updates and engage with other members active in political education (see photo above), mutual aid, local elections, ecosocialism, Afrosocialism and immigrant justice. Chair Councilman khalid announced that he will be taking a month-long leave of absence to work directly on Bernie’s campaign; Membership Secretary Brandyn Buchanan will serve in his place. We ended by singing the traditional labor anthem “Solidarity Forever” before regrouping for a post-meeting social hour at a friendly Edgewood restaurant. Photos: Barbara Joye
Solidarity with University of California Santa Cruz graduate employees
On December 8, graduate employees at University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) voted by a landslide margin for a wildcat grade strike, refusing to submit final grades unless the administration gives them a cost of living adjustment (COLA). UCSC grad employees are asking for a cost of living adjustment (COLA) of $1,412 per month so they can afford to pay rent. Currently many of them pay over 50 percent of their wages towards rent – at a university where the president receives a $6,500 per month housing stipend in addition to her generous $400,000/year salary. At the final grade submission deadline on December 18, the administration had not met the workers’ demands and the graduate employees did not submit grades.
By February 10, as the administration had still not met their demands, UCSC graduate employees went on a full wildcat strike, putting a halt to classes, lectures, sections, labs, and office hours. Administrators have refused to bargain with graduate students or provide a living wage. University administration has responded to the graduate employees’ peaceful resistance with police force, bringing in police from other counties at the cost of $300,000/day. At least 18 supporters of the grad employees have been arrested.
Eugene DSA’s labor committee stands in solidarity with the UCSC grad employees on strike for living wages. Workers have been on a full wildcat strike for over a week now and have faced violence and threats of being fired. In an email to graduate employees on February 14, the administration threatened not to renew contracts for graduate employees who had not submitted grades, threatening not just their livelihoods but their ability to continue their education, as teaching appointments are tied to tuition reductions. This is a crucial time to show support for the strikers. Those who are able to are encouraged to donate to the workers’ strike fund on GoFundMe.
The Eugene Democratic Socialists of America oppose war with Iran, recommend fighting US imperialism at home
We the members of the Eugene chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America declare we are, as socialists have been throughout world history, against war, including any war the current administration may be seeking with the people of Iran.
As American socialist Eugene Debs who was jailed for opposing WWI said 102 years ago, “The master class has always declared the wars. The subject class has always fought the battles.”
But in all the history of the world, Debs said, we the people, have never had a voice in declaring war, and strange as it certainly appears, no war by any nation in any age has ever been declared by the people.
To resist war and stop it, we need in this country and in this town, a broad-based, worker-led antiwar movement that is led by the communities most affected by the outbreak of war. Our voices must counter those of warmongering Republicans, collaborationist Democrats and a press that repeats war propaganda uncritically.
Beyond simply declaring we are against war, we understand that people want to know what we can do to stop the march to war, given the fact our leaders aren’t looking to we ordinary working people for permission to launch still more bloody and pointless conflict.
Our members have suggested the following actions:
- Identify businesses in our backyard that profit from war as members of the military-industrial complex. This is the first step in pushing back against the influence capitalists have in pushing working folks into wars.
- Interfere with military recruitment efforts, particularly when recruiters target the young at our high schools and the University of Oregon. We want people to know they’re good for something other than cannon fodder.
- Connect with local antiwar groups and help with organization efforts when and where our input would be welcomed.
- Pressure our elected officials to cut the military budget. The Pentagon has more than it has even asked for, and the people don’t have enough. The solution is obvious.
- Reach out to the Eugene Iranian, Syrian and Iraqi population for advice and mutual aid.
- Recommend reading so we can better understand how the US’ adventures overseas have made the world a crueler place for all kinds of people. If we don’t know our history, we will continue to repeat it.
The people of Iran deserve peace, happiness, safety, health and plenty just as everyone else in the world does. No matter where in the world we live, working people have the same enemy: A ruling class that starves us, neglects us, exploits us and sends us to die in ridiculous wars.
We declare that we have more in common with one another than we do with the ruling class — propaganda be damned. Therefore, we will not stand by and let the capitalists drag us into another war that most Americans don’t want and most Iranians do not want.
No war but the class war.
The members of the Eugene chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America
January 12, 2020
THE RED TIDE: A Weekly Bulletin from Miami DSA, (2/18/20)
Monthly Meeting Time!
Join the Miami Democratic Socialists of America for our body-wide Monthly Meeting where we’ll be talking about our ongoing Bernie campaign, our working groups, and interviewing Melba Pearson, a candidate for Miami Dade State Attorney who is seeking our chapter’s endorsement. Pearson is challenging longtime incumbent Katherine Fernandez Rundle and is running on proposals such as ending cash bail, holding police accountable and winding down War on Drugs policies. Please come with questions about her platform and past experience that will help inform our endorsement process. You can read more about her candidacy here:
The meeting will be held at 2:00pm on Sunday, February 23rd at the Center for Social Change at 2103 Coral Way, 2nd Floor. Location is WC accessible. Food and drinks will be provided. There is paid street parking and a garage connected to the building.
Hope to see you there!
Miami DSA for Bernie Canvassing and Training
Join our local Bernie 2020 campaign!! Meet us at 12:00 noon on Saturday for a detailed training on door-to-door conversations, followed by canvassing at 1 p.m. We’ll be knocking on doors making the case for a Sanders presidency and for deep working-class organizing between elections. Let’s get some wins!! Event starts at the Belafonte TACOLCY Center located at 6161 NW 9th Ave, Miami, FL 33127.
Film Screening This Friday
This month’s film screening will discuss the local history and impacts of gentrification on the Black community in Miami. We will watch two short documentaries: Golden Side of the Tracks and Liberty Square: Power, History, & Race in Miami.
In addition, we will have Ms. Rose Adams, the leader of the Annie Coleman public housing project’s resident council, speak about the displacement of their residents and privatization of public housing in their Brownsville community. We are raising funds to help Annie Coleman residents keep up the fight against displacement and gentrification.
Event starts Friday at 7 PM – 10 PM at Space Mountain, 738 NW 62nd Street, Miami, Florida 33150
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Socialist Self-Care
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THE RED TIDE: A Weekly Bulletin from Miami DSA, (2/11/20)
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Seize the MTA
You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com. You can find us on our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or on twitter @nycRPM.
THE RED TIDE: A Weekly Bulletin from Miami DSA, (2/3/20)
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Jay Forth on the connection between capitalism, evangelicalism, and a state of indebtedness
Socialism at the Ballot Box with Phara Souffrant Forrest
You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com. You can find us on our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or on twitter @nycRPM.