EDIT: The original article I posted kinda sucked. I’ll keep it here for posterity if people want to read it, but I’ll replace it with a link @RedWizard posted with original resignation letter and the PSL internal response. If you want to read just the resignation letter with the PSL criticisms without any preamble, it is here.
EDIT 2: Here is the leaked PSL internal response.
Comment by @chana in the general thread: (Sorry to copy your comment here but it’s the only comment I’ve seen so far on this and it’s a good way to start off the discussion, along with summer discussion questions I’ll add below)
Comment text
Notable resignation and letter from PSL Central Committee member and related fomenting split in Brooklyn over PSL being run as a bureaucratic clique (which many will already be aware of from speaking with various PSL members trying to do more than participate in protests). PSL is good at specific local levels despite the national level dysfunction, and the vast majority of its membership good comrades. But the criticisms certainly ring true to me and are reasonable to cite as existential flaws. There is a bit of clown nonsense from the top on a regular basis (like the call for a general strike, cited in the resignation letter, lmao that is baby liberal idealism stuff).
If you’re currently unorganized don’t let this stop you from joining, it is more important to be active and learn locally from any non-abusive left space than to do nothing organized.
Discussion Questions:
- There’s a lot of PSL fans or members here so what do you think? Like overall on this news?
- Do the complaints have merit, or not? Do some do, and some don’t? Which ones? – If so, what does this mean for the left in the US? What are the solutions and what is the path from here? – If not, why don’t you think so? And what does it mean for the left in terms of factionalism and splitting?
- Do you still recommend the PSL as an organization to join? What about the DSA? Join the Democratic Party? FRSO?
Unfortunately these are the things you have to argue against when people new to organizing are asking what org they should join. But you are 100% correct. I’ve organized with many PSL members, and haven’t found many of his complaints to be true on an organizational front.
For example, I forget if it was in this letter or the reddit thread or both, but I’ve seen people complain that they find other orgs that make protests and then hijack them. But they tend to be the first to organize these protests and when they do join protests organized by others, they bring actual organization and professional, including signs, bull horns, safety officers to protect the people, microphones for speakers, etc. This is experience on the ground vs online.
This part is weird to me, too. How is someone part of an ML org for so many years and not have the same line on Leninist thought on this kinda stuff? Did they skip their organization’s own education or not internalize it, or what?