Iraq Moratorium Kicks Off YDS Members Around the Country Joined the First Iraq Moratorium   Friday, September 21 marked the first Iraq Moratorium.  The Young Democratic Socialists united to strenghten the anti-war movement as YDS chapter members wore black armbands and sported National Youth and Student Peace Coalition's "Books not Bombs" buttons.  The Iraq Moratorium repeats on the third Friday of each month until the war is over.  YDS chapters and others will participate in future events in their communities and should list their actions on the Iraq Moratorium website so others can join.    DSA member Bill Fletcher Jr., a leading trade union activist and former president of the TransAfrica Forum, is a strong supporter of the Iraq Moratorium.  You can read his article, "Black Americans Call for Iraq Moratorium," here.  Pictured: Wichita State University YDS participating in the Iraq Moratorium.  Iraq War veteran Chris Rayl, a WSU YDS activist, wrote a passionate Plea for Peace on The Activist blog.

50 Years After Little Rock: Building a Movement Against Cultural Apartheid 3rd Annual Mid-South Conference of the Left hosted by UCA YDS    The University of Central Arkansas Young Democratic Socialists is hosting an activist conference in Conway, Arkansas October 5-7 that will bring young progressives from all around the region for a weekend of fun, activism, and education.  If you are interested in learning more about the event and/or would like to attend contact Kenneth Grand at kgrand3@gmail.com.    One theme of the conference will be assessing the lingering effects of cultural apartheid.  The recent events in Jena, La. alone show the lasting impact of Jim Crow.  When black students "violated" white students supposed turf, they were threatened with nooses.  While white students went essentially unpunished, six black students now face exaggerated criminal charges.  A clear sign of racial prejudice.    Twelve UCA YDS activists joined more than 35,000 protesters in Jena September 20 to demonstrate their support for fairness.  Dr. Anthony Asadullah Samad writes in the Black Commentator that outrage over the Jena Six is helping engage a new generation of activists in the struggle for racial justice.  You can read the article here.

Stop University of Minnesota's Union Busting YDS Statement in Support of Striking AFSCME Workers   The University of Minnesota is attempting to destroy its staff union.  While management gave themselves large pay raises, they refuse to give the workers the state negotiated 3 percent pay increase.  You can learn more about the strike at the solidarity website here, you can donate to the strike fund here, and read a YDS member's personal experience in the strike on The Activist blog here.    We have issued the following statement of solidarity:    The Young Democratic Socialists stands in solidarity with striking AFSCME Technical, Healthcare, and Clerical workers at the University of Minnesota.  We recognize that university workers are an indispensable part of higher education.   The corporate assault on higher education has left none of us unaffected.  Students are forced to go into debt in order to get an education that is becoming increasingly without value.  Workers at universities have witnessed a decline in their quality of life as their wages do not keep up with inflation.  As democratic socialists, we recognize that all of our struggles are connected.  If we as students and young people do not stand up for workers now, who will stand up for us when we go onto the job market?  We call on President Bruininks and the University of Minnesota administration to return to the negotiating table immediately and to offer the striking workers a living wage.

In other immigration news, US courts prevented Bush's plan to have all workers (including many non-immigrants) fired if their Social Security numbers were invalid.  This was a direct attack on undocumented workers, on that would have resulted in massive lay offs around the holidary season.  DSA member David Bacon reports in The American Prospect about the success - for now - in preventing this injustice.  Read about it here.