In This Issue    Young Democratic Socialists Update: March 29, 2007
Student Labor Week of Action is HERE!
 
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Student Labor Week of Action is HERE!
Time to Put Our Beliefs into Action
 
March 28th marks the beginning of the Student Labor Week of Action, when student activists across the country organize to strengthen workers? rights and the labor movement, a crucial element of the greater progressive coalition.  YDS chapters, organizing committees, and members have committed to do activities all over the country.  For example, in Colorado,  Kansas, and Virginia they?ll be screening films to celebrate the social and economic justice legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Others will be showing solidarity with fellow labor justice groups like at Michigan   State   University or promoting the Employee Free Choice Act at Wooster College in Ohio.  You can support the Employee Free Choice Act today by e-mailing your senators.  The bill hits the Senate today and we must rally support to avoid a filibuster.
 
An important part of the follow up to the Student Labor Week of Action will be YDS? National Immigrant Rights Project.  There is a disturbing trend of capitalist bosses and their allies (such as Lou Dobbs) reaching out to American workers in order to weaken immigrant rights, by taking advantage of the economic uncertainty American workers face, and to our history as a white supremacist state.  As socialists we know that when any worker lacks rights, every worker?s rights are undermined, and the future of all workers depends on how well we defend the rights of immigrant workers.  You can help counter this trend by leading a discussion group with the YDS Immigrant Rights Study Guide and inviting a wide section of your student body to participate.  The discussion guide is available here.
 
Youth and Student Movement Update
The 2007 "Young People's Agenda" for America 
 
It is time for a unified youth agenda and coordinated movement in America! The ?Young People?s Agenda?, drafted by the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC, of which YDS is an active member organization) with allies such as 1199 Young Workers and Choice USA, addresses the issues that most impact American youth.  Announced on the 4th anniversary of the war, this unified agenda will help the student and youth peace movement tackle the different, but interconnected, social justice issues.  YDS believes in principled coalition building to help develop a strong majoritarian movement for democratic socialism.  One of the first coordinated days of action in this agenda is 2007 McDonalds Truth Tour by Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Chicago.   YDS members from as far away as Kentucky intend to rally, so don?t miss out! 
 
You can also check out this Nation article for some great anti-war ideas as well.
 
On the 4th Anniverary of the Iraq War, MSU YDS rocked the NYSPC "Books Not Bombs" buttons. 

 
YDS Leadership Opportunity Deadline Fast Approaching
Apply to Be on the Coordinating Committee
  

Applications for women to apply to the Coordinating Committee (the national elected leadership of YDS) vacancies is April 2nd.  To obtain the short application (it won?t take you more than 20 minutes to complete) please send a request to yds@dsausa.org.  This is a unique chance to be national leader in youth and student movement.  If you want to learn more about the CC, check out the YDS constitution here.  

 
Articles on Immigrant Rights
Educational  Articles on Current Debates in the Immigrant Rights Movement
  
As part of our larger Immigrant Rights Project, it is critical that we be prepared as activists to articulate the complexities of it in the current immigration debates.  Here are two articles that tackle important subjects: 1) Guest Worker Programs and 2) Why Populists Should be Pro-Immigrant.
 
David Bacon (Fantastic photojournalist and member of Democratic Socialists of America) has this article in Tom Paine on how any Guest Worker Program will undermine worker rights and bargaining power for all. The article also appears in our David Bacon Reports section.
 
This article from the Drum Major Institute exposes how the right-wing uses nationalistic and racist populism to divide citizen workers from immigrant workers, which ultimately drives down standards for all workers, documented or not.
 
 
 
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