Hi comrades,
I wanted to bring to your attention my caucus’ (springs of red roses) resolution: R136 - Towards an anti-zionist, partyist, political rank and file strategy. This resolution affirms DSA’s commitment to doing the hard work of organizing workers not only on economic ground, but political grounds by setting up SIOC for DSA union officers and a standard process for endorsing E-board candidates, with industrial coordination and criteria for anti-zionism.
This kind of coordination and discipline is neccesary to take on the billionaire class and construct our preferred future: democratic socialism.
Thank you for your consideration, and as always - solidarity
[Unironic, not doing a bit]: Sometimes you have to exist with the contradictions (i.e. tensions, opposing forces, etc.). There are contradictions within the membership of even ML parties that have to be handled carefully. If DSA is the only group that exists around you then it is better to join (and perhaps be a good radical influence on others ;) ) than to do nothing. There are Marxist caucuses too in the DSA. And maybe as more Marxist parties emerge in your area you can get plugged into them, and you aren’t starting from zero when you do.
Engaging in the world and doing actual practice will do good for further radicalizing yourself and others. Be sure to bring theory back to what you’re doing too, to contextualize it and think through stategy, but engaging in the world is what will drive those contradictions within DSA members to a point where they have to change and adapt to the realities of the world, or they will be left in the marsh.
1.) It’s an error to throw out all groups or people because they aren’t perfect Marxsists or whatev. You can’t avoid contradictions within our class, especially in the imperial core. Some people have shit opinions but they also will have some good ones too. People arent completelt one or the other. These tensions have to be worked through. So we all have to engage with people who may have lib takes. But not all contradictions need be antagonistic. It’s an error to make enemies of all people with bad takes. And not all antagonistic contradictions may stay antagonistic, but also vice versa so watch out!
2.) It is also an error to ignore contradictions and to pretend they don’t have an impact. Contradictions and tensions continue to evolve and hence change how the group behaves and responds to politics. There may be a point where these contradictions within the DSA make them completely unworkable. But I am not claiming that is the case with DSA at the moment.
**So I think it’s better to join than to do nothing. ** Engagement, even imperfect, leads to change and will change you and your org. You can’t ignore contradictions and you also can’t wish them away, just keep in mind that those tensions/imperfections/contradictions will continue to grow, change, and impact how the org evolves. Your own inner contradictions will also change you, too.
Working within that liminal space is a skill, but all of life is liminal anyway so it’s good to get used to maneuvering it. Maybe make some principals for yourself when things get weird: Don’t do wrecker shit to other good orgs, don’t support chauvinistic or imperialist policies, etc, etc…