>Every few years, I think about joining the Democratic Socialists of America. And every few years, I end up leaving one of their events shaking my head in disappointment. More often than not, I end up in meetings that have nothing to do with wages, working

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Anonymous 2022-11-08 (Tue) 16:52:59 No.460209

>Every few years, I think about joining the Democratic Socialists of America. And every few years, I end up leaving one of their events shaking my head in disappointment. More often than not, I end up in meetings that have nothing to do with wages, working conditions, and other issues that socialists are supposed to care about. One of the last times I gave DSA a chance, I ended up in a discussion about "Hamilton." The socialists debated whether Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical was "reactionary" or "liberatory." It felt like an Introduction to Cultural Studies course rather than an activist meeting. My impression was compounded by the fact that I was surrounded by college students. Personally, I would rather spend my time knocking on doors and talking to voters than discussing whether a theatrical production is progressive or not. I certainly have no interest in trying to cancel one that's not.

>But some members of the DSA have different priorities. Last week, members of the Madison, Wisconsin chapter demanded that a comedy club cancel Louis C.K.'s upcoming performances. Back in 2017, C.K. admitted to sexual misconduct with five women. Four years later, these socialists believe he has no right to step back on stage. As they put it, "In addition to joking about his own abusive behavior, Louis C.K. has long gotten a pass for tasteless jokes about the Holocaust, disabilities, and transgender people. As socialist feminists, we stand strongly opposed to platforming abusers, and we believe Louis C.K. must be held accountable for his abuse and oppressive rhetoric."

>But the uproar over Louis C.K. was just the latest example of DSA members trying to cancel public events. Last year, the New York City chapter invited Adolph Reed Jr. to speak. Reed is an African American socialist who has been an activist for decades, who argues that socialists should focus less on racial disparities because this emphasis undermines multiracial organizing. It was a step too far for the DSA, somehow, and an uproar ensued, leading to the cancelation of the event. Cornel West, another African American socialist and fellow Ivy League professor, lambasted the decision. "If you give up discussion, your movement moves toward narrowness," he blasted the DSA in the New York Times….

https://www.newsweek.com/im-democratic-socialist-dsa-has-lost-its-way-opinion-1614767