A link for those "far lefties" who feel disenfranchised right now...

[readmoreoften]

There's a socialism conference every year in Chicago (now also a second one in San Fran). Amy Goodman, Jeremy Schahill, and Mike Davis were at the last one. It's put on by Haymarket Books, the same people who publish Noam Chomsky and Goodman's books. Last year the number of attendees at the conference doubled from the year before (the conference in Chicago was the same size and the new California convention was just as large). There were about 1000 people at each conference. It was incredibly informative and empowering. It's largely a US conference, but people were there from all over the world.

Just wanted to let people know that there is a growing movement, and I find hope in that. Granted, it's not going to be everyone on DU's cup of tea, but I'm betting that there might be some progressives who are interested. Local groups work to try to give informal "scholarships" to people who can't afford to go. I paid for my registration and someone local bought my airfare and paid for my hotel spot. This year if I have a little extra, I'm going to try to help sponsor someone. You don't have to be a socialist to attend and the event has NOTHING to do with "Democrat bashing". I'm sure many of the attendees voted for Obama (I did. Not sayin' I'll do it again tho...) Many of those in attendance were leftist unionists (Republic of Windows and Doors folks were there!), international journalists, leftists soldiers and veterans organizing against the wars, people planning the LGBT march in Washington.

One really inspirational thing I saw happen: the family of a young man who was brutally murdered by police in California (it was a case that had national attention, would rather not name it) was being hounded by the FBI to not press the issue. Everyone had abandoned them except for a local socialist organization and their contacts were white and LGBT. This opened up a beautiful discussion where one of the male family members confronted his own homophobia. That opened up discussions between LGBT people of color and straight people of color, and then the conversation moved to bring in white LGBTs and white straights about confronting their own racism and challenging institutional racism and how everyone could work together. It was awesome to see that kind of solidarity happening.

I'm a pretty cynical person, but it really gave me a lot of hope--and a lot of contact for organizing. I expect there will be many more people there this year.
If you're feeling desperate and "want to do something" this is definitely a place to find something to do.

http://www.examiner.com/x-8962-Seattle-Liberal-Examiner~y2009m7d16-Socialism-Conference-2009-is-this-their-time

http://socialismconference.org

[Howler]

1. Thank you RMO! n/t

n/t

[xchrom]

2. Recommend

[pscot]

3. Social Democrats

as opposed to corporate Democrats. I like it.

[Libertas1776]

4. I think we're about a century overdue

for a socialist comeback.

[paulsby]

5. lol, on socalism as a "growing movement"

hey, even tumours can grow

[readmoreoften]

6. That's totally what Glenn Beck said!

:eyes:

[paulsby]

7. if that's true

that's damn funny.

wow. even people with disparate political views can agree that socialism is like a tumour.

not surprising.

socialism is the failed experiment of the 20th century.

that people are still espousing it in the 21st century is pretty amusing

what next? phrenology?

[Ohio Metal]

8. Why would you say that?

Do you have an irregularly shaped head? Is it a little pointy?

[readmoreoften]

9. Well then, enjoy your agreements with Glenn Beck. You might be surprised at the other things you

agree on.

I'll save my conversations for people who are well-read on the subject as opposed to wannabes who repeat right-wing cliches and empty attacks.

[paulsby]

18. it's not a rightwing cliche that socialism has been a miserable failure

the miserable failure of socialist countries (that invariably devolved into authoritarian nightmares is evidence enough).

i probably agree with beck that las vegas is hot, too

the obvious is the obvious.

[JetCityLiberal]

10. 'disparate political views'?

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

your posts fit right in with that slimebag beck.

[paulsby]

19. i wasn't aware beck was pro-choice, pro marriage equality, pro mj legalization and pro universal

health care.

that's fascinating

[JetCityLiberal]

22. sure paulsby....

I am so sure you vote and speak up and out every single day for those things....

Tell us how you fight and work for all of those things.

[paulsby]

23. tell me how you do

i don't have to establish my bona fides with "jetcityLiberal". i've made numerous posts HERE supporting those causes.

but that doesn't change the fact that socialism sucks. doesn't work

[JetCityLiberal]

27. point me to those posts

the crap you post is right out of glen becks playbook.

Working right now to get that slimy bigoted piece of shit Mike Hope unseated. He is scum of the earth personified.




Socialism doesn't suck at all but the right wing lunatics will always say it does.

And they will always be right wing and lunatic.

Have a good evening, don't wanna hijack a great thread messing with typical right wing crap posts.

[paulsby]

28. here's one

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=7525354&mesg_id=7525442

you can find the rest yourself.

lots of democrats criticize socialism

are you confusing socialism with social democracy?

i would hope not

if you believe that private citizens should be able to own the means of production, you aint a socialist.


here's a decent definition. first paragraph of wikipedia entry on socialism

"Socialism refers to the various theories of economic organization advocating public or direct worker ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources, and a society characterized by equal access to resources for all individuals with a method of compensation based on the amount of labor expended.<1><2><3>"

[lunatica]

13. Socialism is alive and doing quite well in the 21st Century

Especially Democratic Socialist countries like Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. People pay taxes just like we do only they get much more than we do.

Perhaps you're getting your isms confused. Communism is the failed experiment.

[anonymous171]

15. I'm pretty sure those countries are still capitalist. They just have welfare states.

If the workers do not own the means of production then it is not socialism.

[paulsby]

21. that is correct. they are social democracies, not socialist countries

socialism, is, as you say, a lot more than having a good social safety net and universal health care (both of which i support)

[paulsby]

20. um, no

none of those countries are socialist.

social democracy is not socialism

[Starry Messenger]

11. Bookmarking.

[anonymous171]

12. Socialism will triumph when its followers stop calling it "revolutionary"

[mdmc]

14. and start calling it

:shrug:
(the best I could think of was 'the way it should be')

[anonymous171]

16. "Economic Liberty" or just "common sense"

[Odin2005]

24. I agree.

It isn't "revolutionary", it is JUSTICE.

[readmoreoften]

29. The term "revolutionary" is used to differentiate between the Bernsteinian idea of

electoral progressive socialism (social democracy)--that through small incremental changes, one can "sneak" socialism past the ruling class. Unfortunately, the ruling class is a bit smarter than that. They do seem to notice when we try to pass initiatives like single payer, etc.

The goal of a revolutionary socialist organization is to build an international network of workers and soldiers towards mass global strikes and workplace occupations, after which local strike committees would be formed to reactivate production for the benefit of people. This particular organization is not Maoist or anarchist. It does not believe in using small bands of terrorists to "act for the people." It's goal is to work with other leftist organizations to put together the largest mass movement possible towards changing the system.

I agree with you, however. It is justice. And, unfortunately, we can't "vote" someone into office who is going to take care of this for us. I believe we have to change this system ourselves. Some people think "revolution" is utopian. I think its utopian to believe you're going to get any good out of this nightmare of a system.

[readmoreoften]

30. The term "revolutionary" is definitely overused and romanticized, but in purely pragmatic terms

it simply clarifies the difference between those who think the system can be changed through the ballot (Edouard Berstein's social democracy) and those who believe that the system needs to be materially dismantled through strikes, occupations, and physical reclamation of the commons.

Revolutionary socialists are not advocating running out there with guns wearing berets and behaving like the Symbionese liberation army. The goal is to create an enormous mass movement through patient organizing, movement work, and work with leftist troops and anti-war veterans. There is nothing romantic about long term movement work towards revolutionary struggle. It is far less romantic than, say, the hysteria generated by the Obama campaign.

[leftstreet]

17. K&R

[Odin2005]

25. K&R!

[Vidar]

26. K&R.