Phoenix DSA has launched a massive statewide effort to repeal Arizona’s unfair anti-union laws: Arizona Works Together. Targeted for the 2024 general election, members across Arizona are working closely with labor unions to gather the thousands of signatures necessary to qualify the initiative for the ballot. DSA is proud to endorse the measure nationally and encourages members everywhere to support this crucial fight – fair terms for organizing in Arizona benefits the entire working class!

DSA is excited to join Pittsburgh DSA in endorsing Sam Schmidt for District 13, Allegheny County. Sam is a socialist, veteran and outspoken advocate for environmental and reproductive justice, and was a whistleblower against abuse during her time in the armed services.

If passed, Proposition 2A will allocate significant funds for a police training facility. DSA joins our Colorado Springs chapter in asking voters to Stop Cop City – Colorado Springs! Colorado Springs DSA is fully committed to fighting the expansion of the prison industrial complex in Colorado Springs, proudly working in coalition with other community organizations as the #StopCopCityCOS campaign.  

Join us this Sunday, October 29 3pm at the Labor Temple for some grilling, chilling, and organizing! We will be discussing how to mobilize and organize, and what’s the difference. Afterwards we will be grilling, and have some good ole Socialist Socialization! Workshop starts at 3 and cookout afterwards.

Grillidarity art is by local artist Gavin Herzog.

On October 14th, the Northeast Tennessee chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America formally adopted a Resolution to Commit Its Support to Palestinian Liberation and the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) Movement. 

While drafting of the resolution began in August, this month’s events have only reinforced our belief that achieving a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis alike requires first and foremost ending the state of apartheid and colonial subjugation that Israel daily imposes on Palestinians.

In pursuit of that end, we join our national organization in demanding No Money for Massacres, as announced by DSA’s national leadership on October 14:

#NoMoneyforMassacres Solidarity Phone Bank

We encourage members of Northeast TN DSA to join other DSA members in #NoMoneyforMassacres phone banks to end the siege on Gaza and decisively reject US military funding for war crimes. An up-to-date list of phone bank events is maintained here. As a DSA member, you can join any of the phone banks remotely. If you are not yet a DSA member, become a member today at dsausa.org/join.

We also call upon all who seek an end to violence to call on their congress members to demand an immediate ceasefire and to vote against providing further military aid to the Israeli state.

Northeast TN DSA’s Commitment

Per the resolution we have adopted, Northeast Tennessee DSA will be organizing at least one local introductory-level educational event on Palestine and BDS.

We will also be producing a list of products, companies, and institutions that are subject to targeted boycotts by the BDS Movement, which will be posted publicly at the Appalachian Liberation Library.

We are also updating our endorsement guidelines to ask that candidates seeking endorsement from the chapter pledge to refuse campaign support from pro-Israel and anti-BDS lobby groups, to use their elected position to divest any funds they oversee from apartheid and reinvest it in our communities, and to refrain from travel to Israel with the backing of the Israel government or affiliated organizations. 

Other Ways to Help

Donate to Palestinian organizations providing crucial relief and services in Gaza and the West Bank:

• Middle East Children’s Alliance
• Medical Aid for Palestinians
• Al-Awda Health and Community Association
• Hebron International Resource Network

Get involved with the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) Movement and join or support the End the Nakba Campaign organized by Progressive International. The aim of Progressive International is to combine forces across borders in order to reclaim the planet as our own. DSA joined Progressive International after our most recent national convention.

Statement from Madison Area DSA

We stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, indigenous and colonized people everywhere, and all those here in Madison and around the world who are struggling for their liberation.

Since October 7th, Israel’s military has intensified its 17 year blockade of Gaza into a full siege, blocking off water, electricity, and basic supplies. In the first 6 days of this conflict, over 6,000 bombs were dropped on the 140 square miles of the Gaza Strip. Over 1.1 million Palestinians, half of them children, have been ordered to leave their homes. This is genocide.

This violence is not new. It is the culmination of 75 years of ethnic cleansing with support from the US government.

We grieve the thousands of lives that have been and will be lost and upended in the current conflict. There is one, and only one way to end the violence: End the apartheid. End the Israeli government’s occupation. End the genocide. Support the liberation of the Palestinian people.

The Biden administration has pledged further unconditional support for Israel, on top of the 3.8 billion dollars per year in military funding they already receive. We condemn in the strongest possible terms our nation’s continued and unqualified support of the apartheid regime in Israel. We demand the end to military funding of Israel, and an end to the blockade. There must be an immediate ceasefire and provision of humanitarian aid.

We remember the devastating results of Islamophobia and dehumanization in the wake of the attacks on September 11th, and are distraught by the militaristic and genocidal rhetoric that we are seeing yet again from our country’s political leaders and in the news media. Social media is awash with this as well, as false claims spread even more quickly and easily.

Standing in solidarity with the powerless in the face of oppression is often difficult, when so many are so eager to side with the powerful. We as socialists must not back down in the face of bad faith criticism, opposition, and disinformation intended only to silence critics and manufacture consent for the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine, indigenous and colonized people everywhere, and all those here in Madison and around the world who are struggling for their liberation.

Since October 7th, Israel’s military has intensified its 17 year blockade of Gaza into a full siege, blocking off water, electricity, and basic supplies. In the first 6 days of this conflict, over 6,000 bombs were dropped on the 140 square miles of the Gaza Strip. Over 1.1 million Palestinians, half of them children, have been ordered to leave their homes. This is genocide.

This violence is not new. It is the culmination of 75 years of ethnic cleansing with support from the US government.

We grieve the thousands of lives that have been and will be lost and upended in the current conflict. There is one, and only one way to end the violence: End the apartheid. End the Israeli government’s occupation. End the genocide. Support the liberation of the Palestinian people.

The Biden administration has pledged further unconditional support for Israel, on top of the 3.8 billion dollars per year in military funding they already receive. We condemn in the strongest possible terms our nation’s continued and unqualified support of the apartheid regime in Israel. We demand the end to military funding of Israel, and an end to the blockade. There must be an immediate ceasefire and provision of humanitarian aid.

We remember the devastating results of Islamophobia and dehumanization in the wake of the attacks on September 11th, and are distraught by the militaristic and genocidal rhetoric that we are seeing yet again from our country’s political leaders and in the news media. Social media is awash with this as well, as false claims spread even more quickly and easily.

Standing in solidarity with the powerless in the face of oppression is often difficult, when so many are so eager to side with the powerful. We as socialists must not back down in the face of bad faith criticism, opposition, and disinformation intended only to silence critics and manufacture consent for the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine.

CONTACT: dsamadison@gmail.com

Enjoy your October National Political Committee (NPC) newsletter! Our NPC is an elected 18-person body (including two YDSA members who share a vote) which functions as the board of directors of DSA. This month, phonebank for peace in Palestine, sign up for a study group, join our Housing 101 training, and more!

And to make sure you get our newsletters in your inbox, sign up here! Each one features action alerts, upcoming events, political education, and more.

• From the National Political Committee — Weekend of Action
• New Electoral Website — Check Out Endorsements and Phonebanks Starting Wednesday 10/25
• Join our Housing Justice Commission Monday 10/30 and Thursday 11/2 for Housing Training 101
• RSVP for Abolition Study Group on Cop Cities Wednesday 11/1
• Quarterly Harassment and Grievance Officer Meeting Sunday 10/29
• Discussion Board Relaunch — Check it Out!

From the National Political Committee — Weekend of Action

This week, an Israeli airstrike massacred over 500 Palestinians and wounded countless more in an attack that directly targeted a hospital in Gaza. Bombing a hospital is an unspeakable atrocity. This is the latest escalation in an ongoing genocide, from the beginning of the Nakba 75 years ago to today.

We honor the lives of the Palestinians who died this week and extend condolences to their families. Since October 7, more than 3,000 Palestinians have been killed, 10,000 injured, and 1.1 million displaced — all at the hands of the Israeli military. While our hearts are with Palestinians grieving everywhere, our minds and bodies must be in action alongside them.

From the Capitol to centers of capital, comrades across the country are springing into action. Join the demonstrations scheduled in your area for the upcoming National Weekend of Action for Gaza in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for liberation.

Join an Action Near You This Weekend

Over the last week, Israeli Occupation Forces rained over 6,000 bombs on the people of Gaza, while armed Israeli settlers murdered over 50 Palestinians and burned Palestinian villages to the ground in the West Bank. The US government provides unconditional financial, political, and military support of Israel, making us all complicit in these crimes against humanity. It is our responsibility as socialists in the heart of empire to do everything in our power to force Biden and Congress to stop the genocide of the Palestinian people and end all US aid to Israel.

While the war machine is working overtime to manufacture consent for these escalating atrocities, Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib introduced a resolution in Congress to demand a ceasefire now, which we are proud to endorse.

Today more Americans stand with Palestine than ever — we must make it undeniable. Jewish comrades are fighting back against attempts to weaponize their grief to fund war and reject smears of antisemitism. DSA Labor has formed a subcommittee to coordinate the work of comrades in the labor movement in support of the demands for a ceasefire and for Palestinian liberation.

This week, DSA chapters are planning solidarity phone banks targeting politicians to demand they support an immediate ceasefire, and vote NO on additional funding for Israel to commit ethnic cleansing. Hundreds of comrades have made over 80,000 calls so far — the pressure is working, and we will keep pushing. The events are open to DSA members in good standing. Please be sure to register with the email associated with your membership.

Join a DSA Phonebank to Demand No Money for Massacres!

As DSA members committed to justice and the freedom of Palestine, it is our responsibility to stand in solidarity with our Palestinian neighbors locally as they grieve and gather. It is our responsibility to stand in support of their liberation and right of return. We’ve put together a toolkit that all members can use to stay informed, take action, and fight for liberation. It contains important guidance for members and chapters on communications, security, and what you can do right now to help.

Read our Palestine Solidarity toolkit here.

No Money For Massacres. End the Occupation.

From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.

In Solidarity,

The DSA National Political Committee

New Electoral Website — Check Out Endorsements and Phonebanks Starting Wednesday 10/25

The National Electoral Commission proudly announces our website redesign — check it out! New additions include more detail on our current and past campaigns, announcements and other news, and a listing of upcoming phonebanking and textbanking opportunities for our nationally endorsed campaigns.

Join our Housing Justice Commission Monday 10/30 and Thursday 11/2 for Housing Training 101

The DSA Housing Justice Commission (HJC) and Growth and Development Committee (GDC) are launching Housing Training 101 (HT101) this fall, open to all DSA members looking to become housing leaders in their local chapter. This training covers 2 days and will be held on Monday 10/30 and Thursday 11/2. Both trainings will be held at 8:30pm ET/7:30pm CT/6:30pm MT/5:30pm PT.

By the end of Day 1, participants will be more equipped to communicate about the capitalist housing market, outline HJC’s four pillars of social housing, and tenant organizing-centered theory of change to achieve social housing.

By the end of Day 2, participants will be more equipped to recruit peers into DSA to join their Emergency Tenant Organizing Committee (ETOC) cohort and to recruit DSA comrades into their ETOC cohort.

RSVP for Abolition Study Group on Cop Cities Wednesday 11/1

DSA’s National Abolition Working Group is hosting a study group on cop cities to develop a collective understanding of the emergence of these militarized training centers and why campaigns to oppose their construction are crucial if we are to move toward a socialist horizon. We’ll be meeting virtually on Wednesday 11/1 at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT. Texts will be emailed out to participants a week before the study group. This is open to DSA members and non-members alike. See you there!

Quarterly Harassment and Grievance Officer Meeting Sunday 10/29

Join the National Committee of Grievance officers for our next CGO gathering call on 10/29 at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT. On this call, we will be talking about how to train and onboard new HGOs and discuss ways to recruit for and retain comrades in this role. Whether you are a new HGO yourself or you want to be able to train your comrades and pass along knowledge, this will be a space to share with and learn from each other.

Discussion Board Relaunch — Check it Out!

The NTC has done a refresh of our National Discussion Board. If you haven’t logged in in a while, visit the Discussion Board here. If you haven’t signed up, create an account here! The NTC is currently looking to expand member input with our Forum Committee and our Moderator Team. There’s information on the Discussion Board for how to join those, or you can reach out to ntc@dsacommittees.org for more info!

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