Like many members and chapters of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) nationally we have been disturbed and disappointed with the recent decision by the National Political Committee (NPC) to terminate the national BDS-Palestine Solidarity Working Group (WG) in what we see as a very undemocratic process.
The way this proceeded has created dangerous rifts within DSA and led to the resignations of numerous active members. This is a dangerous development which would rend the fabric of DSA itself. The fact that the NPC has recently decided to recertify the group is a step in the right direction but we call for the dropping of all restrictions on the abilities of the BDS Palestine Solidarity WG steering committee to resume its functions in that role. We also see what has happened as symptomatic of deeper, structural issues within DSA which need to be addressed immediately in order to build a DSA which functions in a truly democratic fashion and grows and strengthens with unity across the chapters and working groups in the country. Therefore we see several issues which must be dealt with immediately.
- One of the lessons to be learned from this development is the glaring lack of any forum or procedures for dealing with such issues when they arise. As there is no discernible process for dealing with such grievances those involved had to resort to the use of media to express their concerns and suggestions for resolution. Such a mechanism, a process, for addressing such conflicts needs to be created as a clear and easy to follow process. This process must be open to the members of DSA who wish to participate freely and must be well known among the members. Whatever form this would take must be democratic and open. The process as it did take place has led to the resignations of several members of the NPC as well as members of chapters around the country. There needs to be a set of procedures whereby these people can find that their concerns are dealt with honestly, openly and directly.
- We recognize there also needs to be a set of procedures created whereby members, Working Groups, and chapters which may have overstepped their roles, e.g. acting as if they represent DSA as a whole, can be dealt with in a fair, above board and transparent manner.
- While this current issue revolves around the decision by the NPC to terminate the BDS Palestine Solidarity WG the ways this has been processed and dealt with demonstrate clearly the need to create better avenues and procedures for carrying out such processes. These need to include more transparency and a much more democratic way of proceeding in such cases.
- We have decided to be a multi-tendency Socialist organization and as such we encourage socialists of many different tendencies to join us and work with us. The NPC/steering committee and other Working Groups around the country need to respect and act upon these basic points of unity.
- Particular to this current episode is the need to reiterate strongly and clearly that we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian People in their on-going struggles for justice and a truly democratic society in Palestine. We identified this as one of our core values at our last national convention and created a special national working group to work with others in the Palestine solidarity communities both here in the United States and abroad. It is important that we continue to be public and loud in this support and not damage that with infighting which should be handled in a much better and structured way. The initial plan to subsume Palestine work into the International working group was a step in the wrong direction and the fact that this has been reversed and the BDS Palestine solidarity WG has been reinstated is an important step toward being able to do that work. Reinstating the working group’s leadership is equally important and we call for that to happen immediately.
- We understand similar issues have arisen within several local chapters yet the NPC has been unwilling to take action to work with the parties involved to solve their differences. These cases again point out the need for a clear and well-thought-out process like the creation of forums for having real debate within the organization.
- We recommend that national reconsider the creation of Assemblies of Locals which to a large extent would replace the NPC and its decision making, assemblies which would include delegates from all local chapters which can then decide many issues in a more democratic and open process. At this time there appears to be no real way for input on NPC actions and decisions short of the bi-annual national assemblies. Such a process needs to be created.
- Another issue which is part of the current censoring of the BDS Palestine Solidarity WG is the issue of accountability for elected officials who represent themselves as members of DSA. There needs to be a national discussion of such questions of how do we hold such elected officials accountable to our platform? We need clear guidelines for how to deal with elected members or endorsees who do not keep to the principles of our chapter and our public positions. There must be consequences for stepping away from our principles and public positions. These consequences do not need to be only the option of expulsion but, again, the guidelines for such procedures and actions need to be established clearly and be made public.
- Another issue which comes to light during this current disagreement is the question of the prioritizing of electoral politics over more radical actions. There is much disagreement about this issue within DSA nationally and as this is crucial to our future plans it must be addressed in a public forum.
- In order to make the changes we call for here we also call for an emergency national convention to be held as soon as possible to address these and other immediate issues which have or may come up. The national convention is our primary decision-making body and thus these changes must be discussed, debated and agreed upon in such a forum as soon as possible.
- We call on other chapters and working groups to participate in what we hope will be a conversation about these issues so that we can move ahead as we create a socialist option to the one-party capitalist, racist and misogynist society in which we live today.
- In this statement, we are reasserting a resolution passed in 2019 which states the utmost need for the DSA to separate from the Democratic Party and to form a truly independent working-class party as a base to reenergize the labor, anti-imperialist and socialist movement in America. Our chapter is one of many chapters that oppose the NPC’s undemocratic impulses. Their decisions in regards to both the BDS-Palestine working group and Bowman have proven that the NPC cannot differentiate itself from the Democrats and has failed to commit itself to independent working-class politics.