October 7, 2025 marks two years of genocide in Gaza. That is two years of bombings and massacres that have killed at least 67,000 Palestinians – 3% of the pre-war population, who were already living in an open-air prison under an illegal occupation prior to October 7, 2023. The vast majority of those killed have been innocent civilians, including over 20,000 children. This amounts to one child killed every hour. On top of this, one in every 14 Palestinians in Gaza has been injured, many in life altering ways, and that is before we even consider the mental and emotional injuries living through a genocide inflicts. It is estimated that 3-4,000 children have lost one or more limbs. It must be noted that the official death statistics only count those bodies that have been recovered, identified, and have a cause of death directly related to an attack. There are likely thousands still under the rubble, unidentifiable, or who died by starvation, dehydration, disease, or lack of normally accessible care for pre-existing medical conditions. Determining the true toll will only be possible via an extensive, comprehensive study – something Israel has made impossible both through its relentless onslaught of attacks and its refusal to allow foreign press, investigators, and officials into the Strip. As ghastly as the official numbers are, there will come a day when we learn the situation was much worse all along.

Israel has also manufactured the mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza by blocking humanitarian aid. Instead of allowing the passage of the thousands of tons of food and medical supplies waiting at the border ready to be distributed, Israel has solely authorized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to carry out this task. This supposed humanitarian organization is well-documented to be a front for the IDF and foreign mercenaries to systematically humiliate and massacre the people who are forced to travel long distances through hostile territory in the hopes of collecting a meager bag of flour for their starving families. Last week, the Global Sumud Flotilla attempted to break the Israeli blockade and deliver food, medicine, and baby formula to the people of Gaza. Israel illegally intercepted the 42 civilian vessels in international waters and kidnapped 462 activists. Those kidnapped were taken to an Israeli prison where many were beaten and abused. As of writing, six remain in captivity. 

In the West, massive censorship and free speech violations have been employed in an attempt to cover up the genocide that is being live streamed to all of us and to suppress our righteous dissent. This includes the unconstitutional ICE kidnappings of green card and student visa holders who have dared protest against Israel and the buy-out of TikTok by tech billionaire, mass surveillance zealot and ardent Israel supporter Larry Ellison. While these actions can most immediately be connected to the genocide in Gaza, we can also see that they serve a larger purpose in the advancement of fascism at home, the war against the enemy within. Just as policing techniques and surveillance technologies first used abroad are inevitably deployed within the heart of empire, so too will fascist tactics used first to defend Israel be extended to support the total suppression of freedoms in the United States. We are already seeing this happen across the country, including in LA, Chicago, Portland, and now Madison as well. In many ways, we can view October 7, 2023 as the day the thin veneer of liberalism was finally shattered, laying bare the two options before us: socialism or barbarism.

Living in this reality, it is easy to give up hope and cower in fear. That is what the Trump regime is betting on – that you will eventually lie down and accept barbarism. The capitalists and their mouthpieces will tell you the other option is impossible. We know that isn’t true – socialism is winnable, but only through solidarity, organization, and our collective resolve to fight for the world we deserve. If you are feeling hopeless and scared in this moment, remember that you are not in it alone. In this week’s newsletter you will find a number of events where you can learn, protest, organize, and most of all, build the community we all need to fight fascism and win socialism, together. Check out the highlights below, and check your inbox for the full newsletter or click here to subscribe.

Tue. October 7, 6:30pm: Copaganda Book Talk with Author Alec Karakatsanis

Thu. October 9, 6:30-8pm: Marx’s Capital and Global Capitalism Today

Sun. October 12, 11am-12:30pm: Wretched of the Earth Reading Group

Sun. October 12, 5-9:00pm: Halloween Carnival & Queer Liberation March Fundraiser

Wed. October 15, 6:30-8:30pm: October General Membership Meeting

Sat. October 18, 12-5pm: No Kings! No Bosses! No Billionaires!

Mon. October 20, 6:30-8pm: Virtual New Member Orientation

Thu. October 23, 6-8pm: Organizing 101

Tue. October 28, 6:00pm: Madison Community Town Hall

Baton Rouge DSA joined its youth wing, the Young Democratic Socialists of America at LSU, to stand in solidarity with Students for a Democratic Society's No MAGA President campaign.

The Colorado Springs DSA strongly believes in the power of public education to empower and to liberate. We believe that the best people to decide how and what to teach are professional educators. We have been deeply troubled at the consistent interference from the extremist school board in District 11 of Colorado Springs as they deprive teachers of the very agency that allows them to excel. Their decisions are becoming ever more concerning. No novels in high school English classes. Pages physically cut out of health textbooks. And just last week we understand they cut from the curriculum the incredible abolitionist, writer, and orator Frederick Douglass.

Instead of cutting Douglass from the curriculum, we choose to live by his words, “I would unite with anybody to do right and with nobody to do wrong.” We choose to unite with Charles Johnson, a union-endorsed candidate for the school board in D11. We know that he is trying to do right, even as the allies of the extremists now vying for seats on the board play into the shameful, racist tradition of painting Black men as criminals by sending out a mass text showing the mugshot from Charles’s 2020 arrest. True to what we know of him, he was guilty only of, as John Lewis loved to say, making good trouble.

In 2019, a good friend of Charles, De’Von Bailey, was shot in the back and killed by the Colorado Springs Police Department. Charles organized for greater accountability for the department. At COS DSA, we know that Black history is fundamental to American history. Maybe if these extremists spent more time studying it instead of erasing it, they would know how predictable it was that Charles was then singled out for arrest by CSPD. But they don’t know, and we suspect they just don’t care.

We stand in solidarity with Charles Johnson. Charles has been a friend to many of us who are organizers and activists in Colorado Springs, and we know him to be kind and insightful. A product of D11 himself, his commitment to teachers and students in the district is an inspiration. As the Colorado Springs Education Association prepares to strike on October 8th, we call on everyone able to show teachers their support by joining them on the picket line and by standing with Charles and the rest of the union-endorsed school board candidates come the November election. Their only goal is one we all surely share; outstanding public education in this city we love.

On 10/1/2025 the Global Sumud Flotilla was intercepted by the IDF while trying to deliver life saving aid to the Palestinians living under a blockade in Gaza. A coalition of organizers, humanitarians, doctors, artists, clergy, lawyers, and seafarers across 57 countries were just off the coast of Gaza, intending to break Israel’s blockade with much needed humanitarian aid, when they were violently intercepted by the IDF. 

We condemn this act of violence against a group of peaceful humanitarians working to end the man-made famine imposed upon the Palestinians in Gaza. While Israel continues to actively and mercilessly bomb the Gaza strip to complete its goal of genocide and ethnic cleansing, the Global Sumud Flotilla was a beacon of hope to those waiting for much needed relief. The Global Sumud Flotilla poses no threat. They are unarmed and only carrying supplies needed by the population of Gaza such as baby formula, medical supplies, and food. 

To meet a peaceful convoy of humanitarian aid with such violence and little regard for human life is appalling. The response from Italy to try and force the Global Sumud Flotilla to turn away, siding with the IDF and betraying their own citizens, is shameful. The United States is turning a blind eye to the U.S. citizens that have been kidnapped from the convoy while it continues to be involved with and enable the illegal and immoral actions of the illegal occupation known as Israel. 

We are living in a moment which, when looked back on, everyone will say they have always been against these violent acts. We must keep hope, because to keep hope is to believe truly and honestly that Palestine will be free.

Israel must release all the hostages they have kidnapped from the Global Sumud Flotilla, they must ensure their safety, and they must allow aid into Gaza. As activist and arguably one of the most famous members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, Greta Thunberg, has said, “I'm not scared of Israel. I'm scared of a world that has seemingly lost all sense of humanity.” We must not lose our humanity and continue to uplift the Palestinian cause as it is just, it is moral, and it is freedom, not just for the Palestinians, but for all of us. Because none of us are free until all of us are free. We stand with the Global Sumud Flotilla, we condemn the violence and kidnapping, and we stand with the Palestinians in their hope to someday soon be truly free.

River Valley DSA is thrilled to endorse Jill Brevik for Amherst Town Council! Jill is an RVDSA chapter member who will bring her extensive organizing experience into government. She is going to be an amazing leader who will help build community power in Amherst, funding public schools, supporting strong labor unions, improving infrastructure and pushing […]

On independence day during the first year of his second term, President Donald J. Trump signed budget reconciliation bill H.R.1 into law. Dubbed by conservative lawmakers as the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’, H.R.1 was the catalyst for a tumultuous legislative cycle defined by rewrites, carveouts, and dishonesty. While the president claimed this bill would address inflation and the deficit and put money back in the pockets of Americans, realistically this bill functions as the continuation of the immense wealth transfer towards the ruling class that has been poorly masked in this country for decades. 

 

H.R.1 is abundant with cuts to multiple institutions that sought to uplift those in need. Perhaps the most dangerous of these gut the public health systems across the country, resulting in billions of dollars stripped from hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare services that millions of people rely on every day. Silicon Valley DSA believes healthcare is a fundamental human right. The Trump Administration and conservative lawmakers, who kowtow and walk in lockstep with everything the president demands, seek to deny this right to those who need adequate social safety nets to uplift and propel the community. 

 

Some of the more alarming cuts for the community Silicon Valley DSA calls home are those that impact Medi-Cal. Santa Clara County relies on approximately $3.5 billion in federal funding annually, and the cuts within H.R.1 are anticipated to cause losses of nearly 30% of that funding, which goes towards essential healthcare services within the community, including but not limited to emergency rooms, trauma response units, mental health programs, cancer treatment centers, community clinics, and the only burn unit in the Bay Area, one of only three such facilities between Los Angeles and the Oregon border. Additionally, a quarter of all residents and half of all county hospital patients rely on Medi-Cal for adequate, affordable treatment. 

 

The damage will not stop at those who rely on Medi-Cal, though. Budget cuts such as those seen in H.R.1 cause ripple effects. A loss of federal funding at this scale can devastate the infrastructure of the community’s public health system as a whole, being the impetus for longer wait times, shrinking staff and capacity, and even the closing of facilities entirely. As Santa Clara County already has the second lowest capacity emergency department (ED) beds per capita, losing this funding puts at risk the health and safety of all county residents, regardless of provider.

 

To combat what can only be described as a direct attack on the health and welfare of the American people, Silicon Valley DSA has unanimously decided to endorse Measure A, a ballot measure authored by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to be voted on during the November 4, 2025 special election.

 

Measure A is a temporary 5/8 cent sales tax increase across Santa Clara County that could raise upwards of $330 million annually to support the public health systems that are under siege by the current administration. This tax, which equates to approximately 62 cents per every $100 spent, will save lives. The generated tax revenue, while not completely offsetting the cuts, will keep hospitals open, keep medical professionals and facility staff employed, and protect access to care for hundreds of thousands of Santa Clara County residents. Measure A would expire in April 2031, and independent audits and strict oversight will seek to ensure this generated sales tax revenue will be allocated appropriately. We feel it’s also important to note that, per Regulation 1602 Sections 6091, 6353, and 6359 of the California Revenue and Taxation Code, groceries, prescriptions, and other necessities are exempt from sales tax, meaning these daily bills will not be impacted were Measure A to pass this November.

 

We recognize that a sales tax is a regressive funding mechanism and isn’t the ideal answer to the circumstances we now face, but the urgency and severity of this crisis brought on by our lawmakers requires swift action. While imperfect, Silicon Valley DSA implores the community to vote ‘YES’ on Measure A during the November special election, and we intend to mobilize members, along with our allies in labor unions, community organizations, immigrants rights groups, public health advocates, and beyond to ensure its passage. Our initial campaigning efforts to help Measure A gain the momentum it needs have included phone banking and canvassing in collaboration with the South Bay Labor Council throughout September, and we will continue these efforts weekly until the election. We invite you to come join us. Find details on our calendar at https://siliconvalleydsa.org/events/.

 

In the meantime, recognition that this is not a permanent solution means continuing to push forward in our work garnering support for the ultimate goal of a fully funded, publicly owned, and democratically run healthcare system that ensures quality, timely care for all in need, as it has been proven time and time again private equity without fail negatively impacts healthcare. 

 

Our fight is against both Democrats and Republicans who continue to diminish the rights and voice of the constituents they promised to serve to instead benefit themselves and their billionaire corporate donors. DSA believes a better world is possible, one where we democratically decide on how society is structured for the common good rather than the profit of a few. Join us at https://siliconvalleydsa.org/join/.

The post SVDSA Supports Measure A to Protect our County Hospital System appeared first on Silicon Valley DSA.

A Metro DC DSA members writes about a chapter proposal to invest in a new part-time staffer position.

Thanks to all who attended the Labor Day rally in Burlington, one of countless major protests across the country on Sept 1. We were proud to stand side-by-side with so many unions and activist organizations demanding an end to America's oligarchy.

Vermont's labor movement is growing more powerful, unified, and assertive. Right now, in St. Albans, workers want their milk money.

They also want shorter workdays and better health and retirement plans. Last week, members of Teamsters Local 597 went on strike against their employer, the Dairy Farmers of America. The processing plant, which supplies Cabot and Ben & Jerry's, brought in scabs.

If you can, please show your solidarity with the workers, as several Green Mountain Democratic Socialists already have, by joining the 24/7 picket line at 140 Federal St., St. Albans City, VT 05478. You can even ask them about donating to their strike fund.

Sept. 1 in Burlington
Sept. 27 in St. Albans

And if you want to help build working-class militancy across the country, join DSA. In Vermont and everywhere else, we are fighting to organize workplaces, win elections, and advance a better world for all.

With that in mind, please consider marking your calendar for our next general meeting (10/11). Details below.

GMDSA MEETINGS AND EVENTS
🚲 Our Urbanism Committee will meet on Monday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. on Zoom.

🔨 Talk about your job and learn about shop-floor organizing from peers at Workers' Circle (co-hosted by the Green Mountain IWW) on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, including Oct. 8, at 6 p.m. at Migrant Justice (179 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington).

🤝 GMDSA's East and West branches will come together for another general meeting on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. at Burlington's Fletcher Free Library (235 College St.), where we'll continue last month's discussion about forming a chapter-wide priority campaign for 2026. Newcomers can show up at 10 a.m. for an optional orientation.

🧑‍🏭 Our Labor Committee will meet on Monday, Oct. 13, at 6 p.m. on Zoom.

🗳️ The next meeting of our Electoral Committee will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. on Zoom.

👋 Find out how you can help our Membership Committee improve recruitment and involvement in our chapter on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 6 p.m. on Zoom.

STATE AND LOCAL NEWS
📰 Striking school bus drivers in Windham County returned to work, subsequently ratifying a new union contract.

📰 A Burlington musician has launched a campaign to become Chittenden County sheriff on a promise to refuse to carry out unjust eviction orders.

COMMUNITY FLYERS