MADSA and YDSA joined a march against racism hosted by the Alliance for Black Lives. We marched with our banners, flag and signs together with 200-300 people representing 34 organizations. Speakers addressed many aspects of the struggle, from mass incarceration and police murders to immigrant justice, expressing hope that “together we can end the structural racism that contributes to police brutality, mass incarceration, injustice, economic oppression, and inequities.”
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Photo: Reid Freeman Jenkins Reid photogrphing. Photo: Steve Eberhardt
Sixteen of us attended the DSA national convention in downtown Atlanta Aug. 2-4 as elected MADSA delegates, and a slew more volunteered to help make the event a success. We came from many different perspectives but shared a common goal: To continue the momentum that grew our organization from a brave remnant of about 7,000 members a few years ago to about 56,000 today, including 29 federal, state and local elected officials. We are fighting for social justice and economic democracy – can’t have one without the other we socialists say – and changing the political dialogue in this country. Our City of South Fulton comrade Councilman khalid gave both an opening and a closing speech, and several of us were quoted by the New York Times, the Atlanta Constitution, the Guardian (UK), CNN and other news outlets. We passed too many resolutions to summarize easily here; come to our monthly meeting Aug 24 for a report. Photo: Steve Eberhardt
The American political establishment has a long history of cynical attacks based on race, gender, national origin, sexuality and more to divide working people against each other. President Trump’s recent statements are the latest chapter in that shameful history. While the animus dividing our society didn’t begin with President Trump, we are seeing from him now a dangerous escalation in targeting both specific elected officials and entire communities, such as the recent ICE raids on undocumented persons. The President, clearly unbothered by the humanitarian disaster he’s created at the border and many other crises, has taken time to attack Representatives Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes, and Ayanna Pressley.
While President Trump has gleefully had TV sparring matches with many prominent Democrats, these women and their agenda clearly pose an existential threat for him and his political establishment. His attacks this week included telling these women to “go back” to the country they came from. All of them are American citizens and three were born here.
Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America makes clear our full support for Reps. Omar, Tlaib, Ocasio-Cortes, and Pressley and our opposition to these attacks by Trump and the Republican Party. Most Republican party officials and Republican media outlets have sadly and predictably either joined with Trump or excused his actions.
We also denounce statements by Democratic Party members drawing false equivalence between Trump and these representatives, or implying that their anti-capitalist or anti-imperialist positions warrant such attacks. We also encourage the progressive caucus to stand united in solidarity, and not cave to any pressure to denounce each other.
This kind of dehumanizing language doesn’t belong in a locker room, let alone the halls of power. We would defend anyone against attacks like these, but the political and personal courage of these representatives deserves particular acknowledgement. They are at the forefront of the struggle to democratize the economy, rebuild and strengthen our safety net, and protect the vulnerable.
We invite people disgusted by these attacks to not just work towards President Trump’s removal next fall, but to also join us right now — organizing against facism, racism, neoliberalism, xenophobia, and every other form of oppression that has empowered him and his accomplices.
Georgia organizations wishing to co-sign this statement can send an email to info@madsa.ga.
Hundreds protested the Trump administration’s atrocious treatment of legal asylum seekers and other immigrants, especially children, at the “Lights for Liberty: A Vigil to End Human Concentration Camps” at Plaza Fiesta in Chamblee July 12, despite the heat and a rain shower. The New Sanctuary Movement of Alanta and about two dozen social justice and immigrant rights organizations sponsored the event, joined by other progressive organizations and many MADSA members. Ga. Representative (District 99) and candidate for Congress Brenda Lopez Romero was keynote speaker. Other speakers included several faith leaders; Roxana Chicas of New Sanctuary; Carlos Medina of the Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR); two candidates for the U.S. Senate: former Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson and Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry; and Amilcar Valencia, Executive Director of El Refugio, among others. See Lopez Romero’s speech here.
The Lights for Liberty event took place as Atlanta braced for a weekend of raids on immigrant families announced by President Trump. GLAHR is organizing “ICEwatch” patrols to follow (not confront) ICE and document its activities. Some MADSA members participated Saturday morning. “Ice patrol with GLAHR was great,” says Jeff R. “They’re going all this week in the morning and they think immigration raids will start [Sunday].”
ICEwatch patrols meet 6am at the GLAHR office. To volunteer, contact Kevin Joachin (229-646-0045). Members please say you’re with DSA. Do not volunteer if you are undocumented.
Another protest against the immigrant concentration camps: “Never Again,” will take place at noon on Monday July 15 in front of the ICE office in downtown Atlanta, in coordination with actions nationwide led by Jewish groups, including some against banks that finance the private detention centers.
Today, April 19th, is the 76th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It was the largest single revolt by Jews during WWII and it was mostly organized by the Bund, a secular Jewish socialist movement. Irena Klepfisz was born in the Warsaw Ghetto and fled with her mother to the United States when she was eight. She is now a noted poet, writer, Yiddish translator, anti-occupation activist, known for her work in lesbian, feminist and Jewish spaces. This personal interview touches on Irena's childhood, the "zeitgeist" of American Jewish bundist life, coming out in the 1970's, her activism against Israel's occupation, and how she makes sense of the contemporary resurgence of interest in Yiddish. Part 2 of this interview series will feature Daniel Soyer, who will provide a historical and academic perspective on the Jewish Labor Bund.
How do we fight the demonic principalities behind climate change? Shay O’Reilly is an organizer for renewable energy in NYC, a DSA member, a Lutheran, and a graduate of UnionTheological Seminary. We chat with him on why he believes in demonic powers (see: white supremacy), why fighting climate change necessarily means fighting for socialism, how he got into environmental issues through anti-poverty work, as well as his experience of converting to Christianity shortly after coming out as trans and gay. Yes, it’s a packed episode! Follow him on Twitter @shaygabriel
At our March 3rd meeting the members of Charlotte Metro DSA engaged in the debate facing all of our fellow 60,000 comrades: whether to affirm the demands of the National Political Committee (NPC) and provide financial and labor support for Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign, and more broadly, what Bernie Sanders and his bid for president means to the burgeoning and resurgent Socialist movement in the United States. Naturally, as good Socialists, we held a structured and comradery debate about what our role nationally is in relation to electoral politics and what our capabilities as a chapter are to affect change locally through elections and campaigning. Our conversation about local needs and capabilities transitioned to why the national debate was happening so early in the 2020 election cycle, and was seemingly predetermined by the NPC, when an opportunity to decide this more democratically and transparently is only months away.
Regarding the endorsement for Bernie Sanders for President set forth by DSA NPC, Charlotte Metro DSA decided to delay our decision whether to endorse in order to better focus on issues that affect our local communities and allow us to build a broader working class movement in the Charlotte Metro area. We also call on the NPC not to endorse at this time, especially under the current conditions of the endorsement presented. This endorsement is too important and impactful to be decided by so few individuals and without the transparency necessary for a democratic organization. Additionally, we are concerned that in its current form the endorsement will pull too much money away from other more necessary DSA-led endeavors to continue to build our movement, particularly by chapters outside of major metropolitan areas. Due to the lack of horizontal participation and likely cost to Charlotte Metro DSA, we cannot at this time and in good conscience endorse Bernie Sanders for President, and we ask for the NPC to call off its vote for an endorsement and to instead let it be determined at the General Convention this August in Atlanta.
2018 was our second year in existence, and one that saw a lot of change and action. Firstly, our charter and bylaws were accepted from DSA National and we transitioned from an organizing committee to an official chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. With official chapter status, we were able to hold our first officer elections in November, and now we can start the process to become a non-profit, open a bank account and receive a percentage of our dues back from national’s coffers.
Last year, we hosted several political education events to increase consciousness around issues important to building working class solidarity and power in our community. In January we hosted Medicare for All expert, writer and fellow DSA member, Tim Faust, for a rousing speech and Q and A session about Health Care justice. In May we put on a labor week with help from local unions and hosted two events at the IBEW hall. The first of the events was a panel discussion with local union officers and labor organizers, where the speakers dissected local peculiarities of organizing labor in the South and problems facing unions in Charlotte. To cap off the week we hosted the creators of the documentary “Union Time” about unionization of a Smithfield plant in eastern North Carolina.
Mutual aid is also an important part of building working class power. Our chapter hosted 6 brake light clinics last year, because broken or burnt out taillights are one of the most common reasons for traffic stops. By offering free light changes, we can help folks in marginalized and exploited communities avoid police interaction that can lead to arrest or violence. We also assisted Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy in their upkeep and maintenance of their office space so they can continue advocating for their clients. Helping CCLA allows Charlotte Metro DSA to increase local ties and help out a wonderful organization that offers legal assistance to the most vulnerable in our community.
To continue building an effective chapter, many of our members have gone to regional trainings in Atlanta, Asheville and Knoxville. We have learned skills to help us organize our membership, develop leadership in the chapter and assess obstacles to change locally. These trainings also led to the creation of the Outreach and Retention Committee to continue these lessons and build a sustainable and effective chapter.
There are already many plans in motion for 2019, and more to come. Housing will be our chapter’s focus issue in 2019, and in February we had our first Housing Committee meeting. In less than 18 months, the RNC will be in our city and we have begun strategizing how to be most effective during the convention. This year we will also have our first May Day picnic to celebrate International Worker’s Day. There will certainly be more to come!
This is an equal parts hilarious and insightful episode of Religious Socialism podcast. Kelli Dunham is an author, comedian and storyteller — she’s the founder of Queer Memoir, a storytelling series for the queer community and stand-up comedian. But in this podcast, she recounts her religious history — from her childhood attending drive-in churches in Florida, her time at a gay conversion camp, and seven years as a nun in the Missionaries of Charity. Between laughs, she reaches some poignant truths about similarities in the socialist ethic among churches and queer communities, and how laughter can be a healing force. See below to learn more about Kelli Dunham and the podcast:
KelliDunham.com
Religioussocialism.org/podcast
Religious Socialism Podcast is hosted by Sarah Ngu and produced by Devin Briski. Our music is “Made and Broken” by Hugel.
Rabbi Michael Feinberg is the executive director of The Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, whose goal is to build a long term alliance between the faith community and labor movements in New York City. He's spent decades as a multi-faith activist building diverse coalitions to advocate for workers' rights. In this interview, we discuss why he prefers the term "multi-faith" to "interfaith," what he learned from Father Daniel Berrigan's radical anti-nuclear protests, the heritage of Bundism (historical secular Jewish socialist movement), and what he thinks the role the faith community can play in the fight for worker's rights.
