January Dispatch — Time to Build Mass Democratic Power
Enjoy your January Dispatch! In this issue, fighting white nationalism and building power for the multiracial working class; events from our Housing Justice Commission, BDS and Palestine Solidarity Working Group and National Political Education Committee; and open positions at DSA. Read on for more!
- From Maria: It’s Time to Build Mass Democratic Power
- TONIGHT, Thursday 1/14 — How Do We #CancelRent in 2021?
- DSA is Hiring! Application Deadlines Friday 1/15 and Monday 1/18
- Saturday, 2/6 — DSA, BDS, and Palestine Solidarity: A Panel Discussion
- National Political Committee and Young Democratic Socialists of America Statements on Jan 6 Attempted Coup
IT’S TIME TO BUILD MASS DEMOCRATIC POWER
Last week was a roller coaster. Black Lives Matter organizers and union members won both Senate races in Georgia, giving the Democrats control of the Senate. But the very next day, organized white nationalists in and outside our institutions at every level continued their attack on our already weak democracy by assaulting the Capitol.
DSA members in Congress understand power. Rep. Cori Bush immediately wrote a bill to investigate and expel the Republicans who incited and aided the attack. Rep. Jamaal Bowman wrote a bill to investigate white nationalists in the Capitol Police and the preferential treatment they handed out last week. And DSA chapters mobilized to pressure their Congress members and organize their unions to come out in support, because we know if we don’t hold the fascists in high places accountable, they will continue inflaming and organizing a far-right base. Capitalism makes it easy for them.
But capitalism also makes our choices clear: socialism or barbarism. COVID is now taking 4000 people a day. Jobs aren’t coming back but rent is adding up, our kids are hungry, and the cops are killing us, unlike the white small business owners who stormed the Capitol. We spent blood, sweat and tears to mobilize voters and defeat Trump and the Right, not overpaid Republican consultants and Wall Street Democrats. We organized in our workplaces to win the PPE and hazard pay we need to live. We have what it takes to break the fascist threat, the neoliberal austerity, and the institutionalized white supremacy that allows it to grow! We must continue to build mass democratic power, and build mass solidarity. That is how the multiracial working class will win relief and justice, and build the world we deserve!
In Frederick Douglass’s famous words, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand.”
If you’ve spent the last week anxious about the future, now is the time to become active in the struggle. Make the choice to take that first step and look up your local DSA or YDSA chapter and sign up for an event, or get on one of our national calls listed below.
Maria Svart
National Director
TONIGHT, THURSDAY 1/14 — HOW DO WE #CANCELRENT IN 2021?
It’s 2021, and our homes, jobs, and health are still on the line. COVID-19 is surging and unemployment is at historic levels, while eviction moratoriums are due to expire across the country. The call to cancel rent is more urgent than ever.
So how do we win and what is DSA’s role in the fight? Chapters big and small have organized tenants to go on rent strike, and joined coalitions to try to sway lawmakers to stop evictions. What strategies are working? Is #CancelRent a demand that we can win from lawmakers, or by building power through collective action?
DSA IS HIRING! APPLICATION DEADLINES FRIDAY 1/15 AND MONDAY 1/18
DSA is hiring! We are looking for a new Field Organizer (region to be determined by the right candidate), an Organizing Tools Coordinator, a Full Stack Developer, and an Office Coordinator. Please check our career page for the job postings. The deadline to apply for the Field Organizer position has been extended to Friday, 1/15. The deadline to apply for the Organizing Tools Coordinator position is Monday 1/18.
SATURDAY, 2/6 — DSA, BDS, AND PALESTINE SOLIDARITY: A PANEL DISCUSSION
Palestine is not a humanitarian issue, nor is it only a Palestinian issue. Palestine is a political issue with serious consequences at stake for both Palestinians and average US residents. As socialists, we recognize the interconnectedness of our struggles under capitalism. In solidarity with Palestinian civil society’s nonviolent struggle for equality, human rights, and self-determination, DSA adopted a resolution at our national convention in 2017 in support of the the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In 2019, DSA reaffirmed its commitment to the BDS movement by voting to establish a BDS and Palestine Solidarity national working group.
Join us on Saturday, 2/6 at 3pm ET/2pm CT/1pm MT/12pm PT for a discussion and Q&A with special guests, including BDS Movement co-founder Omar Barghouti, to discuss the growing and vibrant global BDS Movement, Palestine solidarity, censorship, and how you can fight back! Co-sponsored by the BDS and Palestine Solidarity Working Group and the National Political Education Committee.
NATIONAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE AND YOUNG DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA STATEMENTS ON JAN 6 ATTEMPTED COUP
DSA’s National Political Committee (NPC), an elected sixteen-person body which functions as the board of directors of DSA, has released a statement on the attempted coup Wednesday, 1/6. You can read their statement here.
Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA), the youth and student section of the Democratic Socialists of America, has also released a statement. You can read their statement here.