It always shocks me when people take pride in their ignorance. As Democrats we are a very diverse coalition and I do not pretend to know all the shades of our rainbow, but I certainly am not proud of that ignorance on my part. There are some parts of our band of brothers and sisters that span history and have always been a significant force in what we do. Socialism is even a spectrum of groups and shades of meaning yet we in the Democratic Socialists of America like to think we are special. History is one of the reasons. Our fiftieth anniversary is this year:
A three year project of the DSA Fund, marking the 50th anniversaries of Michael Harrington's The Other America, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and the War on Poverty signed in to law by Lyndon Johnson. The project goal is to counteract widespread public misunderstanding regarding both poverty's cause and possible solutions, in order to promote broader class awareness and strengthen the social commitment to eliminating poverty in the United States.
I suspect that few of us are as aware as we might be of the role
Michael Harrington has played in my lifetime.
an American democratic socialist, writer, political activist, political theorist, professor of political science, radio commentator and initiator of the Democratic Socialists of America. During the 1970s he invented the term neoconservatism.
I am a charter member of DSA mainly because of Michael and his influence on JFK. He was cofounder of DSA in 1983. Read on below and I'll tell you more about why we are ba strong part of what we all are working for.
First of all we do not run candidates. Therefore most of us are a legitimate part of the big coalition that supports democrats. That out of the way, what is it we stand for?
Democratic Socialists believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few. We are a political and activist organization, not a party; through campus and community-based chapters DSA members use a variety of tactics, from legislative to direct action, to fight for reforms that empower working people.
We support Labor very actively in many ways. Here is one:
Talking Union, Blog of the DSA Labor Network.
Then there isDemocratic Left DSA's blog and quarterly print magazine.
The ActivistBlog of the DSA youth section, the Young Democratic Socialists. is another important visionary outreach aimed at the young.
I will hope your curiosity will take you further into these links. Meanwhile I hope my meager efforts here have helped you know what your party is really all about. A very diverse group indeed and full of interesting history.