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.

Today, Central Indiana DSA celebrates the IPS Board of Commissioners for issuing a powerful, principled stance to preserve democratic governance and fully fund public schools in the face of Statehouse […]

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

“Nobody cares, work harder.” 

This is an opinion piece written by an individual member and was not voted on by membership. Opinion pieces from members do not reflect the opinions of other members and are not chapter approved statements.

I watch my parents work themselves to the bone, while they are constantly exploited by the people for whom they work, and the capitalists who are oh so nice enough to afford them a place to live, while taking every opportunity to take more without reason and say, “That’s just how it works.”

My people sacrifice their bodies to erect buildings for companies that will exploit and discriminate against them. They leave their homeland, ravaged by corporations, corruption, colonialism, and imperialism, to build homes they may never be able to afford themselves.

I came across a forum post in which users were venting about their frustration, no, their hopelessness, in not being able to find a job in a system that requires you to have one to afford the most basic human necessities. 

I sat back and read as many admitted they just don’t see an end in sight, and were looking at heartbreaking alternatives to ease the suffering.

But we’re told we just need to “work harder.”

“Work.” Rich, coming from those who don’t seem to understand its meaning.

“But you don’t understand, if you work hard enough, you too will one day own capital. You, too, will one day be a big shot!”

Okay, even if that were true, then what?

What happens when we’re all filthy rich CEOs? At the expense of exploiting other countries, mind you, but that’s a whole other story.

Who will perform the labor?

“You just hire others to do it for you! Better yet, you can replace them all with AI or overseas laborers and pay THEM pennies on the dollar.”

But I thought the capitalist dream was that we all become big shots?

Do you see how that’s an inherently flawed “plan?”

Our participation in this capitalist system leaves us with two options: sell our labor at a tremendous loss, monetary and quality-of-life-wise, or exploit our fellow humans.

What kind of a choice is that?

We work ourselves to death, and for what? Low wages, maybe some benefits, and to be tossed aside at any given moment while CEOs rake in the fruits of our labor.

We’re then, if lucky enough, forced into gig work, meaning even longer hours, less pay, no benefits, and still, the company giving you the wonderful privilege of “being your own boss” takes their unfair cut of your labor.

And if you manage to start your own business free of these parasitic owners, congratulations, you are now in competition with them. 

Do you see how hard we’ve been working and continue to work? Do you see how easy these corporations, these capitalists have had it at YOUR expense?

You know what, maybe we do need to work harder.

We need to work harder to take back our labor.

Our time

Our dignity

Our lives.

The post The Capitalists Are Right: We Need to Work Harder first appeared on Salt Lake DSA.

If those deploring "political violence" are serious about stopping it, let's start with abolishing ICE.

Violence is nothing new to Americans. From almost daily mass shootings to horrors funded by our tax dollars in other countries – especially in Gaza – political violence is now just another daily occurrence. Take, for example, the murders of Minnesota Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband or the shooting of CEO Brian Thompson in New York City.

How did we get here? How did we find ourselves once again in an era of political violence not seen in almost 60 years?

Violence is as American as apple pie. For the almost 250 years of America’s existence as a sovereign nation, only 15 of those years were spent without the United States being engaged in a war or conflict, so it’s no shock we are continually embroiled in ongoing political violence. Just take a look at our history.

From its inception as a settler colonial movement committing genocide upon Indigenous people to its use of slave labor of African people to power the Southern economy, America has always been entrenched in political violence. The beginning of America started with a revolution and not even a hundred years later we were at war with each other. After the Civil war ended came the KKK and the infamous Jim Crow laws. Also came the continued crack down and destruction of indigenous people and their culture. Racial violence and oppression led to a Civil rights movement and two decades of political unrest marked with violence and protest.

That brings me back to where we are now.

It seems to me the political violence of this country really never left. Today’s current state of political violence is not something that exists within a vacuum, that simply came into our time, it’s an extension of the political violence the US has experienced throughout its history. Look at what we see today domestically and aboard, Armed masked thugs known as ICE coming into communities and tearing apart families or the targeting of Trans people by the administration. We see an active attempt to stifle Free speech from suing newspapers to the removal of talk show hosts like Jimmy Kimmel. Aboard we see the threatening of Venezuela’s sovereignty and of course the American funded genocide in Gaza being committed by Israel.

How do we get out of this?

A better way is needed for the future. We must embrace each other or fall prey to fascism and its growing need to consume our freedoms.That means organizing and building our communities. That means we must speak truth to power for those who can’t speak. We must change our culture of violence and create a culture that cares for the people and not just for the wealthy. That’s actually why I joined DSA, because it offered me a connection to my community and the ability to organize. DSA works for what’s right, and chooses the better path forward; like  our National Labor Commission’s campaign for unions to organize against supporting Israel, and Las Vegas DSA’s campaign for our own city council and mayor to not work with ICE. If we wish to save ourselves from fascism we must demand better for ourselves and our community and we can’t be scared to do what’s right.