I’ve been feeling a little antsy lately; both socially and just feeling like I need to do more. I live in a pretty major city but I also feel like people have been leaving DSA in droves and a lot of the work they do seems to be just canvassing for local candidates. Interested to just hear the thoughts of others who are still active in their local orgs to see if I’d be wasting my time joining.

  • kot [they/them]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    We believe there are many avenues that feed into the democratic road to socialism. Our vision pushes further than historic social democracy and leaves behind authoritarian visions of socialism in the dustbin of history.

    I would stay away from any organization that is explicitly revisionist and who doesn’t believe in revolutionary action. You should definitely get organized though.

  • Babs [she/her]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    Some DSA branches are way more radical than national, but those cities probably have actual communist parties you can join.

  • oscardejarjayes [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    you should be in some org, even if it isn’t the DSA. IWW, PSL, some local anarchist group, etc. Make your own splinter org! join a union!

    it’s a great way to meet local comrades, and “organizing” is most of the point of being a communist. it’s a shame DSA does so much electoralism though.

  • Evilphd666 [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    Democrat Sympathizer Assimilation? Where leftism goes to die. They are a de facto captured org of the moderate wing of fascism. The DSA is just more life support for the Does Not Care party.

    Is there anything else in your area not tied to the hip to the Democrats?

  • 420blazeit69 [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    For all the criticisms of the DSA, it’s the only remotely leftist org that remotely approaches the scale of a mass movement. There’s at least some utility in a large, nationwide org that is explicitly left of the Democratic Party and has “socialist” in the title. There really hasn’t been anything comparable since, what, before McCarthyism?

  • itappearsthat@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    If you aren’t part of an org DSA is a good starter org. You aren’t gonna get into any of the cooler orgs if people have no idea who the fuck you are. I mean yeah the DSA itself sucks shit and is full of nerds who can’t put the “social” in socialist to save their lives but definitely join if you have nothing else going on. Good orgs don’t just fall into your lap if you aren’t plugged in at all.

  • radiofreeval [any]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    Is there literally any better org? If you have a PSL, FRS, FNB or even CPUSA chapter in your city go for that. DSA is better than nothing but worse than most other orgs.

    Or join a trot sex cult where you sell newspapers like 1920’s 6 year olds.

  • Procapra [comrade/them, she/her]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    I personally don’t think you should join a party/org unless you agree with >85% of their party program. For most people on hexbear, DSA is way too reformist to actually take them seriously.

    No party/org is going to be perfect, but I would say FRSO is one of the better ones and likely would be worth your time. If you decide you ideologically don’t agree as time goes on, nobody is going to force you to stay.

  • Greenleaf [he/him]@hexbear.net
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    5 months ago

    Some local chapters are good, some aren’t. My local chapter is pretty based and would never dream of supporting any dem candidate, even local ones. Others aren’t. I think it’s definitely worth at least investigating.

    And IMO DSA is getting better, not worse. Marxist Unity is making a lot of headway.