Update from the Young Democratic Socialists
September 28th, 2006
In this YDS EMAIL UPDATE you will find:
1) YDS IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT
2) DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PERSPECTIVES
3) MONTH OF YOUTH ANTI-WAR ACTIVISM
4) "I HAD AN ABORTION" PETITION
5) CO-OP CONFERENCES & YDS IN THE SOUTH
6) ADD YDS TO YOUR MYSPACE & FACEBOOK!
_______________________________________________________________
1) YDS IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROJECT: ON-LINE RESOURCES
YDS has committed to prioritizing immigrant rights activism this year as part of our broader social justice work. We've compiled a comprehensive list of ideas for how you can get involving in defending immigrant communities and fighting for the rights of all workers.
RESOURCES ON-LINE: www.ydsusa.org/aboutyds.html#do
Read about the connections between U.S. foreign policy, capitalist globalization, the domestic low-wage economy, and the scapegoating of immigrant workers. And check out our ideas for: Activism, Public Socialist Education & Internal Political Education.
2) DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PERSPECTIVES
The Enablers: When push comes to shove, moderate Republican senators like Chafee and Snowe provide no check on their party's essential extremism. To the contrary.
by Harold Meyerson (DSA Vice-Chair, editor of American Prospect)
www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=12065
The Shame Game: Shame hangs heavy over the economic landscape: the shame of the newly laid-off, the shame of the chronically poor. It's easy enough for enlightened members of the comfortable classes to insist there's no reason for shame: You didn't bring the layoff down on yourself; you didn't determine that the maximum wage in your line of work would be in the neighborhood of $8 an hour. Snap out of it, I want to say, blame the economy or its corporate chieftains. Just don't blame yourself!
by Barbara Ehrenreich (DSA Co-Chair and author of many books)
http://ehrenreich.blogs.com
3) MONTH OF YOUTH ANTI-WAR ACTIVISM
Call to Action from the National Youth & Student Peace Coalition (of which YDS is a member organization). Contacts YDS for ideas/resources for getting involved!
the problem is priorities, not money
Demand Books Not Bombs this November 7th!
www.nyspc.net
We Will Join Together for a Month of Education, Organizing, and Action!
- October 10th-October 15th Books Not Bombs Kick-Off to Kick Out: Examine the US war budget and demand spending on education, job training, veterans' benefits and health care. Kick out Congress people that don't prioritize our needs! Sign the Books Not Bombs Petition!
- October 16th-October 22nd Teach-Ins & Film Screenings: Resources and ideas for local education events available soon at www.nyspc.org
- October 23rd-October 29th Student Solidarity with Iraq Veterans Against the War: Invite Iraq Veterans Against the War members to speak on your campus and support their resistance as they march to Washington, D.C.! For more information, visit www.ivaw.org
- October 30th-November 3rd Turn Up the Heat Week: Make yourself visible and your voices heard at public events, rallies and candidate engagements demanding "Books Not Bombs"!
- November 3rd-November 6th Peace Parties: Be social with your actions! Celebrate cultural resistance through art, spoken word, hip-hop, and partying! Get together, devise strategies to end the war and build community!
- November 7th Walk Out to Get Out of Iraq!: National youth walk out. Mobilize to show the opposition of young people to a war that is killing our peers. Be creative, help people get to the polls and speak out!
4) "I HAD AN ABORTION" PETITION
This petition is particularly important in light of draconian federal legislation moving towards law that targets young women specifically. The House just passed a bill making it illegal to help a minor cross state lines to get an abortion without her parents' knowledge. The Senate passed a similar bill this summer, but what's worse about the House bill is that it also makes it illegal for a physician to administer an abortion for a minor without her parents' knowledge. Essentially, these bills make it impossible for young women to control their own bodies, whether in the case of incest, abuse from parents, or a simple desire for autonomy.
Forward the Ms. I Had an Abortion Petition to a friend:
www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/feministmajority/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=1041
It is time to speak out in massive numbers – and to make politicians face their neighbors, influential movers and shakers, and yes, even their own family members. We cannot, we must not lose the right to safe and accessible abortion or access to birth control for U.S. women and the women of the world.
As right-wing ideologues are pushing passage of abortion bans – and we fight in South Dakota - we urge those of you who have had abortions to step forward and lend your name publicly to the Ms. Petition.
Ms. will send the signed petitions to members of Congress and state legislators. Sign the petition now – and send to your friends – so we can build to October 10th.
And we ask you to make a contribution so Ms. can promote the petition and provide needed funds to fight abortion bans and support targeted abortion providers, such as the sole remaining women's clinic in Mississippi.
For Women's Lives,
Gloria Steinem (an Honorary Chair of the Democratic Socialists of America)
5) CO-OP CONFERENCES & YDS IN THE SOUTH
Some varieties of democratic socialism place a heavy emphasis (and great expectations) on cooperative enterprises as an alternative to capitalist production.
Check out the following unique events to see for yourself: www.nasco.coop
2nd National Worker Co-op Conference: "Celebrating & strengthening workplace democracy & worker ownership"
New York City, October 15th
NASCO Institute 2006: "Our Story: connecting the threads of cooperative experience"
Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 3rd
(if interested or planning to attend, please contact Eric Ebel, a long-time DSA activist, at
eebel@voyager.net )
Heads Up: The University of Central Arkansas Young Democratic Socialists will be hosting the second-annual Mid-South Conference of the Left from October 27-28th. It is an activist education/community outreach event open to the general public. Admission is free and housing can be arranged for those who need it.
FULL DESCRIPTION: www.geocities.com/smoot43//workshoplist.html
6) ADD YDS TO YOUR MYSPACE & FACEBOOK!Add yourself as a "friend" to our new profiles! Spread the word!
YDS on FACEBOOK:
www.facebook .com/group.php?gid=2205133680
YDS on MYSPACE: http://groups.myspace.com/ydsusa
Young Democratic Socialists
c/o DSA 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 505
New York, NY, 10038
office: (212) 727-8610
fax: (212) 608-6955
yds@dsausa.org
www.ydsusa.org
JOIN YDS!
It's easy, it's cheap, and it connects you with other democratic socialist activists around the country. Click here to read more about why you should consider joining: www.ydsusa.org/getinvolved.html
SPAM/JUNK MAIL REMINDER:
To make sure that our updates are not erroneously transferred into a junk mail folder by your anti-spam program, you should add the following email to your address book or approved contact list: yds@dsausa.org
GOT NEW CONTACT INFO?
Using a new email account? Got a new mailing address? Have a new phone number? Send us your latest contact info. and we'll keep you in the loop.
WANT TO JOIN THE YDS DISCUSSION LISTSERV?
Debate, strategize, and get your learn on with young democratic socialists around the country. Click here for instructions: http://lists.topica.com/lists/yds-discuss/
KNOW OTHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO GET OUR EMAIL UPDATES?
Send in the email addresses of YDSers and sympathetic contacts on your campus or in your community and we'll add them to our weekly blast.