Features
So You Just Joined DSA, What’s Next? – Bob M, Membership Chair
If you are like the thousands of new members nationwide who have joined DSA in the last few months, welcome to the largest socialist organization in the country! As your chapter’s elected officer for membership, I’m here to help turn your excitement or anger into organizing and action. We have so many members from all walks of life in our chapter (you probably have friends who are already members), and to see working people share a little bit of their time and resources to the greater fight is inspiring, so thank you for joining us!
Here’s my brief guide for new members ( and anyone else still looking to get more involved):
- Join the Discord server where we discuss and debate proposals between meetings, manage requests for help from our communities, share pictures of our animals, and so much more. Our Discord is primarily for members, but we do have a small space for non-members who want to stay informed.
- Pay local dues! National dues are required for membership in good standing, and the chapter does receive a fraction of those. Please consider chipping in a few more bucks a month for local dues. 100% of our local dues go straight to our chapter for renting our new office space, purchasing supplies for our brakelight and health clinics, printing materials, and more.
- Come to a New Member Orientation the first and last Sunday of every month, 8pm online. We will cover the basics of DSA and our local chapter, as well as give you space to ask questions and meet other new members. Our next two NMOs are July 27th and August 3rd. If you can’t make it, schedule a call to chat! Block off some time on my calendar to chat about why you joined, what matters to you, and how you can help our fight for a better New Orleans.
It’s been great speaking with people who are looking to do something against the rise of fascism, and I know we will win the more we are able to come together with the rest of the working class in New Orleans. And now that you’ve joined, it’s time to get your friends, allies, and co-workers to join us in the fight for a better society.
Do Not Be Tense; Be Ready
With the Supreme Court deferring to the Trump Administration’s whims, the full-on grab for power is well underwayin swing, barely six months into this four-year term. The machinations of this administration will increasingly expose the contradictions our society rests upon. For example, the revolutionary impulse of the working class has historically been kept in check by the middle class. However, the DOGE cuts to government jobs were not about trimming the federal budget; they were about conducting class warfare against the middle class. Maybe the bourgeoisie has another plan for controlling the masses.
The Imperial Boomerang has come to the US in the form of a tripling of the ICE budget. History shows us that government agencies only grow over time; they never seem to wrap up their work and disband. This begs the question that once the so-called “immigrant problem” is resolved, who will become the next out group, subject to government repression? And the next after that? Fascists always need an out group, and if you think you’re safe because you are not in the out group, well it might be that you’re just not in the out group for now.
The US could become a generation-long military dictatorship (à la Brazil, South Korea and Taiwan), but even before that happens, we need to prepare and act. We must develop our resources, organize our comrades, families, neighbors and friends, and call out the fascists for every fascist thing they do. In many ways, Trump and his ghouls will make our lives harder, but in doing so, they will make our work easier. We have to be smart, brave, and diligent.
As our good friend Bruce Lee reminds us: a good martial artist does not become tense, but ready.
Red Rabbit Recommendation – Keep It Casual, Comrades
One way we tighten up our operational security is to address each other by first name and the first letter of our last name. We all know that Karl M and Fred E are very important to our organization, but we don’t need to let those outside our organization know what their last names are. Ok, maybe we can let folks know about those two, but the rest of us shouldn’t use last names when we talk to or reference each other. Last names are superfluous to our work, and maybe we should keep an eye on someone who seems overly interested in learning everyone’s last name. We owe it to each other not to make anything easy for the class enemies.
Bulletins
School Supply Drive with the Direct Service & Health Justice Committee
We’re planning a school supply drive for the August 9 Brake Light Clinic & Health Fair. Chip in for supplies at our School Supply Drive Wishlist, or bring your own to our next General Meeting where we’ll assemble the kits.
Fundamentals of Workplace Organizing: EWOC Training Series on How to Unite and Win
Come join Worker Power Louisiana for a four-part training on fundamental principles of effective shop-floor organizing. Sessions continue with The Organizing Conversation (July 19), The Arc of the Campaign (July 26), and Inoculation and the Boss Campaign (August 2). All sessions are from 3:00-4:30p Central. Sign up here to get started.
City Council Endorsement HQ
Election Day is October 11 and New Orleans DSA has three endorsed members running for City Council. Keep up with Danyelle Christmas, Jackson Kimbrell, and Bob Murrell’s campaigns at Endorsement HQ. Volunteer, donate, follow on social media, and fill out the Campaign Outreach Survey to get involved.
We’ve Moved to Discord!
New Orleans DSA members should get on our Discord server to keep up with your comrades and our efforts. We’ve phased out Slack and will migrate old conversations over.
Community Calendar
Friday, July 18
Free Palestine! Abolish ICE! Weekly Lunch Hour Rally
12:00pm – 12:45pm (every Friday) – Immigration Court, 365 Canal St
Saturday, July 19
Fundamentals of Workplace Organizing: The Organizing Conversation
3:00pm – 4:30pm – Rosa F Keller Library, 4300 S Broad St – Sign Up
DSA Space-Warming Party: Home is Where the Organizing Is
6:30pm – 8:00pm – New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St Claude Av, Room 258
Sunday, July 20
Monday, July 21
Tuesday, July 22
Wednesday, July 23
Indivisible Wednesday ICE Protest
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm (every Wednesday) – ICE Field Office, 1250 Poydras St
Municipal Action Committee Meeting
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm (fourth Wednesday) – Meet
Thursday, July 24
Friday, July 25
Free Palestine! Abolish ICE! Weekly Lunch Hour Rally
12:00 pm – 12:45 pm (every Friday) – Immigration Court, 365 Canal St
Saturday, July 26
New Orleans DSA General Meeting
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm – New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St Claude Av, Suite 258 – RSVP
Knock Doors with Bob Murrell
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Sign up
Fundamentals of Workplace Organizing: The Arc of the Campaign
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Rosa F Keller Library, 4300 S Broad St – Sign Up
Sunday, July 27
Knock Doors with Bob Murrell
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Sign up
Chapter Orientation
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm (first and last Sunday) – Meet
Down the Road
August 2 – Fundamentals of Workplace Organizing: Inoculation and the Boss Campaign
August 5 – Rank & File Project Meeting
August 6 – Health Justice and Direct Service Meeting
August 8-10 – DSA National Convention
August 9 – Brake Light Clinic & Health Fair
August 14 – Local Council Meeting
August 19 – Sports Drink Community Night: Local Politics
August 21 – Poli-Ed Reading Group
October 11 – Municipal Open Primary Election Day
November 15 – Municipal Runoff Election Day
Solidarity Means Action is the weekly newsletter of the New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America. Subscribe for updates every Friday at 8:00 am Central.