This vibes anecdotally with my local chapter. In the face of overwhelming membership solidarity with Palestinian liberation, the social imperialist reactionaries are purging themselves.
Eat shit Zionist dog.
This should be in c/the_dunk_tank. Entryism is when people join my org. Imagine the DSA being too radical for you
Amazing how this just hits pretty much every radlib talking point.
- “we need to work with the Democratic party”
- “the left wing of the possible” aka “pragmatism”
- “Marxists are evil dictators”
- Zionists
- “Israel has a right to defend itself”
- “Israel has a right to exist”
- “RUSSIA RUSSIA RUSSIA, we have to support the Nazis in Ukraine!”
- Uyghur “genocide”
- “purity tests”
- believing the IOF’s claims of Hamas’s actions
Also, you don’t have to read the article now, I just summed it up. Unless you really want to read about the radlib history of the DSA.
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the horrific Hamas October 7 anti-Jewish pogrom
That is a wild way to frame an attack from within a ghetto against the nation that starves them in a ghetto
Its the same way we’d phrase a prison break here in the US.
The prisoners used violence against the guards, which is an unacceptable reversal of roles. The inmates that broke out have condemned everyone in the jail, since anyone might have shown them aid or even sympathy. The inmates are presumed dangerous, presumed deserving of punishment, and presumed less than human. Hell, its not far off from the way we described New Orleans residents fleeing Hurricane Katrina. Or Haitians escaping their own island prison.
What we’re witnessing in Palestine isn’t far from what American politicians want to implement at home. That’s what is so fucking chilling about all this. Palestine is our future.
Unknown numbers—hundreds, perhaps more—started joining in 2016, some of them former members of defunct Marxist-Leninist groups, others (in violation of DSA by-laws) still belonging to and carrying out the agendas of such groups.
(emphasis mine)
I remember being confused about this language in the sample new-chapter bylaws when I was trying to help form a chapter in my town! Our organizing committee really didn’t care about this language and removed it from our original submission, but we were told it was required. I asked the others on the organizing committee about it and didn’t get an explanation, just “oh well, it doesn’t apply to any of us anyway, who cares,” but now I finally get it. It also makes some of the tension on the forums make a little more sense.
Edit - so, as I continued reading, I was struck by something that seemed a little contradictory, but maybe I’m thinking about this the wrong way? He’s celebrating all these tens of thousands of young people joining DSA just because it’s big and has “socialist” in the name - not because they inherently care about DSA, but just because they liked what Bernie had to say politically and wanted to group up with other people with similar politics. He’s also simultaneously bemoaning the large but mysterious number of multi-org people joining DSA because it’s big and looks like a place to group up with other people with similar politics.
Am I just totally not understanding? I get that I’m oversimplifying a little bit here, but basically: he’s mad that the second group is loud, active, growing in popularity, and doesn’t share his politics?
It kinda comes across like the jealous, shitty partner who is mad about anybody giving you any kind of positive attention, especially your wonderful friend with the giant crush on you. What if you realize you have more in common with them and leave?!? They found you first, fair and square - you’re in Isserman’s DSA now, and it’s not okay for other orgs to look at you or talk to you!
Edit 2: are other orgs like this? is this common? DSA is the only org I’ve been in. I’ve been wanting another, but my first experience sucked enough that joining another seems daunting.
This sentence in his bio also makes me 🤔
His next book on the history of the American Left, Reds: The Tragedy of American Communism, will be published by Basic Books in June 2024.
The by-law technically isnt a prohibition on dem-cents but does mean you can be kicked at any time if you are. Weirdly phrased but its meant to prevent some dem cent org from hijacking the org.
But regardless. The author is mad that these so called vocal minorities picked an issue that was extremely popular with the new base.
So it is a prohibition on effective demcent
Wrong, its a prohibition on multiple demcent factions splintering the org like they did with SDS.
You’d like to imagine you’re ML faction should be at them helm but then you learn there’s also a maoist faction and half a dozen trostskite factions who think differently. So its either get along or get the wall.
edit: “effective demcent” would just be to be demcent.
Oh, so the organization can just be turned demcent without this factoring in? If your thesis had the slightest bearing, you’d think the policy would be oriented toward reconciliation for the sake of big tent politics instead of just terminating chapters, since you can’t merely make the whole org demcent with the wave of a wand, nor can you be ideologically neutral in the developmental stages, meaning any attempt at demcent can be very easily cast as splitting.
At what point was I advocating for making DSA demcent? The rule prevents any demcents from making a coup attempt so being a hazard for them if they succeed is a positive. Its like a corporate poison pill clause enforcing the holy command: Thou shalt not splinter the org.
PS
If your thesis had the slightest bearing
Tone down the debate bro energy
So then it is anti-demcent
I quit DSA because it wasn’t Leftist enough.
You quit DSA because it wasn’t Zionist enough.
We are not the same.
Maybe it’s worth checking out again now
It sounds like it’s moving left, though it also sounds like this has only been possible due to a mass drop in membership following the failure of the Bernie campaigns. Marxist Unity Group seems like their worth checking out as an internal bloc to the DSA and where it could go
Funnily enough, the 3 he listed (Red Star, MUG, and Commie Caucus) are the 3 I’d most recommend people check out. Unless you have a strong preference for one of them I’d just join whichever is most active in your area.
