Our latest episode of "Heart of a Heartless World" is a recording of the latest webinar put on by the Religion & Socialist working group. On July 16th, Linda Sarsour, the co-founder of Until Freedom and former co-chair of the Women’s March, spoke with Rev. Andrew Wilkes, a pastor, policy director, and member of Religious Socialism’s editorial group, about how faith traditions can help undergird abolition, undo structural racism, and push toward a fundamental restructuring of our political economy. This Thursday, August 20th, at 7:30pm EDT, Rev. Wilkes will be in conversation with Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, National Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, on how to build an inclusive movement for economic justice. We hope you enjoy the podcast, and can join us at the webinar! Go here to RSVP: https://act.dsausa.org/survey/Building_Inclusive_Movement_Economic_Justice_Liz_Theoharris/

STATEMENT REGARDING ALEX MORSE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

August 15 2020

The failed entrapment scheme of MA-1 candidate Alex Morse by members of the College Democrats of Massachusetts, apparently with support of others in the Democratic Party, has been exposed extensively in the media. In the process, members of the press and laypeople have been responsible for spreading inaccurate information about where the DSA stands on this—not without some reason, but in our view, without due care. The leadership of the DSA locals involved would like to set the record straight. 

The DSA chapters covering MA-1, and DSA generally, have not “unendorsed” Morse. 

Berkshires DSA endorsed Morse in the spring, and continues to. 

Pioneer Valley DSA narrowly voted not to endorse Morse in June, for political and material reasons that have nothing to do with this current situation. In point of fact, a majority of the chapter voted to endorse, but Pioneer Valley requires a two-thirds vote in an endorsement case. 

DSA’s national electoral committee was never involved at all.

Some social media posts on the College Democrats issue made early last week by Merrimack Valley DSA—a neighborhood branch of Boston DSA, which is not in Morse’s district and never endorsed him in the first place—were quickly taken down, and apologized for, when members of Pioneer Valley and Berkshires raised concerns. But it seems that those posts were the source of a rumor that DSA “unendorsed” Morse, which resulted in DSA being fodder for a theory of leftist discord or self-sabotage. Attempts were made early on to correct these mistakes via direct communication; some gestures were made to publicize this by a few in error. Despite that, we’ve found there is still a motivated misreading by those who wish to keep this “the Left is eating itself” theory alive, and implicate the DSA in it. 

Many who’ve presented themselves as analysts, who have made inaccurate claims about DSA and have traded in conjecture and errors about Western Massachusetts generally, haven’t reached out to either of the chapters actually in MA-1. We ask that they consider that lack of thoroughness and dismissal of local perspectives and details in light of the subject at hand. 

And, since people seem to think we need to weigh in on the subject at hand, let it be clear. What the College Democrats, an arm of the DNC, tried to do to Alex Morse is reprehensible, but rather unsurprising given the way the Democratic Party runs, and the low regard some of its operators seem to have for voters and for much of its own most promising political talent. From what’s come out, it appears that the Democratic Party establishment and its instruments—some college students with questionable ethics, trying to get into the Democratic Party job pipeline—attempted to capitalize on a cynical theory that voters in MA-1 are sex-panicked homophobes to “sink the career” of a progressive candidate of growing popularity, and keep one of their own in power. We’re pleased this crude, disgusting ploy is blowing up in their faces, and are pleased Alex Morse is vindicated by his actions and the factual record, which he has spoken about himself in recent days. We think it’s absurd he was ever forced to defend himself at all. 

Signed,

Pioneer Valley DSA Executive Committee

Berkshires DSA Executive Committee

Boston DSA Coordinating Committee 

For Immediate Release

August 19,  2020

PRESS RELEASE: BERKSHIRES DSA ENDORSES SENATOR ED MARKEY, CONDEMNS CORPORATE HIJACKING OF DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM

Pittsfield, MA — The Berkshires chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America proudly announces their endorsement for Senator Ed Markey in his reelection bid.

Senator Markey has been a long time champion of progressive legislation, as he was an original cosponsor of Medicare for All, and co-author of the original Green New Deal resolution. Berkshires DSA also strongly values Markey’s belief that public colleges should be tuition-free.

“We originally organized to work on more local issues,” said Christian Kennedy, Co-Chair Berkshires DSA. “Over the last year with the Bernie campaign, and now Alex Morse and Ed Markey’s campaigns–these are fights that we want to put our weight behind for both ethical reasons and because both candidates strongly back policy in line with Berkshires DSA’s core concerns, from climate change, to corruption within the corporate hijacked Democratic party machine.”

If Morse and Markey win, Berkshires DSA and national DSA should have a better platform for advancing their demands in ecosocialism, fighting racism, defunding police, making healthcare and public school free and accessible for our community.

“At this time our chapter is fairly small, and so our coverage of issues facing working class people, the homeless, and, really everyone, is difficult to stay on top of,” says Kennedy, Co-Chair Berkshires DSA. “Of course, we aim to increase our membership, and in the meantime, we want to encourage our members and the community to canvass and phonebank for Morse and Markey.”

In the fight to save our democracy for the people, Berkshires DSA believes that reelecting Senator Markey and electing Mayor Morse to Congress allows the two to fight the progressive agenda across the nation and at home. Berkshires DSA strongly condemns interference from the state and national Democratic parties whose real benefactors continue to be the capital holders in our system, and not the people who are crying out for protection from police brutality, healthcare rip-offs, and an all around failing system that leaves millions of people behind, while not responding to climate change quick enough. 

The DSA is the largest socialist organization in the United States. DSA’s members are building progressive movements for social change while establishing an openly democratic socialist presence in American communities and politics. We believe that working people should run both the economy and society democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few. DSA members use a variety of tactics, from legislation to direct action, in the fight to empower working people.

For media Inquiries, please contact Amillie Coster (413) 854-5611, amilliedelphina@gmail.com

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

Eugene DSA decries the July 30 statement made by Peter Defazio which calls for the separation and arrest of Anarchists fighting against racial and socioeconomically prejudiced police brutality seen in Eugene and Portland, nationally and around the world.

Anarchism is a political philosophy that aims to remove all unnecessary and forced hierarchy in society. Anarchists believe that the State (a political entity that claims a monopoly on violence e.g. use of police, military, ect) is the highest form of forced hierarchy and so they seek to abolish it. It is a political philosophy that spans hundreds of years and is far more advanced than mere bomb throwers wanting no rules and absolute chaos.

“For more than 150 years, black anarchists have played a critical role in shaping various struggles around the globe, including mass strikes, national liberation movements, tenant organizing, prisoner solidarity, queer liberation, the formation of autonomous black liberation organizations, and more,” states the Black Rose/Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation,  “Our current political moment is one characterized by a global resurgence of Black rebellion in response to racialized state violence, criminalization, and dispossession.”

Anarchists in our region are not “outside agitators” looking to sow mindless chaos but other anti-racists protestors joining in our common struggle against state violence against people of color and other disenfranchised groups, including LGBTQ+ communities and the unhoused. And labeling them as outsiders completely invalidates the unjust struggles his constituents experience everyday as a result of their identity-markers. It also feeds into the idea of “good protesters/bad protesters” which in turn is wedded to the racist idea that “good” black protesters obey every order, play nice and do everything in a sanitized legal fashion and that “bad” black protesters are bad for doing what anyone would do after hundreds of years of systemic murder, rape and pillaging by the State.

DeFazio rightfully recognizes the chilling presence of federal agents, an arguable extension of the national military force, incommitting unconstitutional and unjust actions against Oregonians and U.S. citizens nationwide. We call on Defazio to recognize that these same actions–well before the Trump presidency–continue to be committed by Oregon police, and that the brutality of the state won’t disappear once Trump leaves office unless bold action is taken.

If DeFazio was truly worried about violent people sowing destruction and division, then perhaps he shouldn’t have voted Yes on the National Defense Authorization Act, which gives a billion dollars to corporations serving the US imperialist army who has stifled democracy, bombed civilians, tortured dissenters and continues to export brutality across the world.


Defazio cannot decry the state violence seen in Portland as something “of an authoritarian regime” in one sentence and then with his National Defense Authorization Act vote, approve of the state to committing the same violence against lawful anti-racist demonstrations. Let us be clear here. It is the onus of the State to stop their violence. To denounce the actions of civilians under attack by heavily armed local police and yet still support the local police as they brutalize Oregonians every day is the act of a coward who doesn’t have the guts to demand a safer and more equitable society.  We demand Defazio reach out and listen to police and prison abolitionists here in Oregon such as Freedom to Thrive and nationwide organizations such as Critical Resistance. 

Democratic Socialists of America chapters across Indiana have been working alongside other activist groups in Indiana toward a rent jubilee since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown in mid-March. Hoosiers have sent […]

Buffalo DSA’s new steering committee is passionate about building vibrant workgroups that check in with each other at general meetings. These workgroups give volunteers opportunities to participate in, learn about, and truly advance socialist initiatives in a variety of different meaningful ways. Please contact info@buffalodsa.org to be connected to a workgroup!

Labor: Advances political education and truly local support for worker’s rights & strikes, labor organizer training and support

IT: Facilitates internal data, safety, and technology initiatives

Healthcare: Organizes campaigns to pressure local politicians to co-sponsor legislations such as Medicare for All, the Emergency Healthcare Guarantee Act, and the New York Health Act, alongside political education on the material benefits of healthcare reform

Electoral: Organizing around a long-term political infrastructure and electoral strategy to gain socialist power

Ecosocialist: Political education and organizing around the need to center the working class in a Green New Deal to transform our climate policy and economy

Political Education: Reading and discussion groups on vital literature to the socialist project

SocFem: Organizing on local material socialist feminist issues, as well as reading and discussion groupsHousing: Advancing tenant organizing, rent control, and a tenant’s bill of rights in our communities.

Media: Developing a socialist newsletter, compiling media to advance political education of the public, and running social media channels.

We Need a Just Green Stimulus for Massachusetts

Our state faces three converging crises: the COVID19 pandemic and the inevitable economic recession; the climate emergency; and extreme inequality backstopped by white supremacy and racist policing.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed systemic inequities and the deep web of interconnections between the climate crisis and our economic and health systems. Low-income communities and communities of color suffer from asthma at higher rates and are therefore now more vulnerable to COVID-19 (https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/29/metro/chelsea-deadly-consequences-dirty-air/). As protesters take to the streets to protest police brutality against Black people, they are doing so in the context of a pandemic that has already taken the lives of an appalling 1 in 2,000 Black Americans) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/29/opinion/george-floyd-minneapolis.html).

The same systems that deprive Black people, communities of color, and poor people of healthcare and expose them to the ravages of COVID-19 also make them more vulnerable to extreme weather events (https://www.jstor.org/stable/41555165?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents).

Unemployment is rising at the fastest rate since the 2008 financial crash and could eventually reach 20% (https://www.frbsf.org/economic-research/files/wp2020-18.pdf)
— twice as high as the Great Recession. We need immediate and sustained intervention to protect people’s health and economic well-being with a particular focus on redirecting resources from police to communities facing environmental injustice and especially Black communities. The Environmental Justice Policy (https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/11/29/2017-environmental-justice-policy_0.pdf) – as adopted by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs in 2017 – has not been rigorously enforced across all entities under Secretary Theoharides authority. The EEA Agency Services enumerated therein must be reviewed for progress by the legislature and re-written to codify their centrality to all future climate legislation and executive orders. The review of this policy should complement the principles and framework of S.453/H.4264: An Act Relative to Environmental Justice (https://182f41b2-1484-4ecd-9921-6ed5c4dab5e1.filesusr.com/ugd/55c6cb_865d8a87d4354c969363cbcab26dc0d7.pdf). We must also begin planning our economic recovery in a way that protects us from the impacts of climate change and lifts up workers and frontline communities.

To tackle these issues head on, we need a Green Stimulus Plan (https://medium.com/@green_stimulus_now/a-green-stimulus-to-rebuild-our-economy-1e7030a1d9ee) for Massachusetts. We need hundreds of thousands of good paying, green union jobs to create safe and healthy homes, build renewable infrastructure, and create community resiliency that simultaneously restarts our economy and tackles climate injustice. These jobs and resulting investments must be made available to the communities hit hardest by both the climate crisis and the COVID-19 crisis. Importantly, this immediate stimulus must be paired with a long-term green jobs program so that we can both recover from this crisis and build a just and sustainable economy. If the Commonwealth receives federal money for COVID-19 relief in an upcoming stimulus bill, it is imperative that our political leaders help put people to work under an equitable and sustainable framework that offers a brighter future for all.

Please sign the petition for a Just Green Stimulus for Massachusetts! https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/a-just-green-stimulus-for-massachusetts

Central Indiana Democratic Socialists of America and other activist groups in Central Indiana have been working since the coronavirus pandemic shutdown in mid-March toward a rent jubilee. Hoosiers have sent […]

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 websites revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com or rednet.socialists.nyc as well as on twitter @nycRPM.