Here we've compiled a list of articles by some of the highlighted speakers at the upcoming YDS conference (Feb. 17-19). We're very proud to have some of the best thinkers and activists on the Left featured at the conference. Feel feel to circulate these articles to those considering attending. They won't want to miss it!
Evo Morales, Bolivia, And Lessons For Us All
"Action Will Be Taken": Left Anti-intellectualism and Its Discontents
by Liza Featherstone, Doug Henwood, and Christian Parenti
Featherstone is co-author of Students Against Sweatshops and author of Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Worker's Rights at Wal-Mart, noted journalist for The Nation, Ms. and other publications.
Parenti's articles and ground-breaking reporting regularly appear in The Nation magazine. Author of The Freedom: Shadows and Hallucinations in Occupied Iraq, The Soft Cage and Lockdown America.
The Persistence of Poverty: Podcast of a recent forum
Corey D. B. Walker moderates a series of lectures about poverty. Walker is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and African American Studies at the University of Virginia and a member of the National Political Committee of the Democratic Socialists of America
Making Waves: Grassroots organizer Damu Smith has spent his life battling against the odds. Now he's taking on his two biggest challenges: the US healthcare system (or lack of it) and his own cancer.
Damu Smith is the Co-chair and founder of Black Voices for Peace and Executive Director of the National Black Environmental Justice Network
The War at Home: The Domestic Costs of Bush's Militarism, by Frances Fox Piven
reviewed by Geoffrey Kurtz
Piven is a distinguished sociologist at the Graduate School of the City University of New York, author of Poor People's Movements, Why Americans Don't Vote, and The New Class War, and Honorary Chair of the Democratic Socialists of America
Reds, Rads and Professors, Oh My!: On the right-wing campus thought-police
United States Student Association / Press Release
House passes budget reconciliation 216-214! Students Outraged at $12 Billion Raid on Student Aid.
With quotes from USSA President, Eddy Morales. Note: every Democrat voted against the atrocious bill. Worth keeping in mind when some falsely argue that the Dems and the GOP are "the same".
www.usstudents.org
Towards Freedom: Democratic Socialist Theory and Practice
by Joseph Schwartz and Jason Schulman. Schwartz is the the chair of the Dept. of Political Science, Temple University, author of The Future of Democratic Equality, and a member of the National Political Committee of the Democratic Socialists of America.
www.dsausa.org/pdf/TheoryPractice.pdf
Calling Activists to a Higher Standard: Point-Counterpoint: Do today's organizers have what it takes to build a lasting progressive movement? Two young activists debate and disagree.
by Gavin Leonard and Adrienne Maree Brown. Brown is the Director of Communications at the League of Young Voters and a board member of the Ruckus Society, writer, activist, singer, and co-editor of How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office.
www.alternet.org/wiretap/30361
A Sleeping Class: Young Americans fight for every case but their own. Wake up, already.
by Anya Kamenetz (Author of the new book Generation Debt: Why Now is a Terrible Time to be Young . At 25, her articles have appeared in The New York Times , the Washington Post, New York Magazine, Salon, Slate, The Nation, and the Village Voice. Go to http://anyakamenetz for her new book, blog, articles and tour info.
www.villagevoice.com/news/0422,kamenetz,53958,1.html
3) NEW KATRINA / ANTI-NORQUIST FLYER FROM YDS
The Young Democratic Socialists have produced a new flyer drawing parallels between the continuing devastation of communities affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the right-wing campaign to further dismantle government programs and institutions that benefit the public. The flyer features this infamous quote from Grover Norquist, 'Field Marshal' of the Bush Plan:
"My goal is to cut government in half in 25 years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub."
You can download and distribute the flyer here: www.ydsusa.org/flyers/katrina.pdf
FYI: The opening panel discussion at the YDS conference (Friday evening, Feb. 17) is entitled: Beyond Katrina: Continuing the Struggle for Racial and Economic Justice
4) MARCH-APRIL ACTIVIST CALENDAR
Below is a list of upcoming events that YDS supports. We encourage our activists, wherever possible, to participate in these events. Please contact us if you would like to join up with other YDSers for any of the conferences, protests or days of action listed in the calendar. Also let us know what your organizing plans are and if you would like any related materials or planning support from us.