About this blog

About this blog.
Our Struggle/Nuestra Lucha is the newsletter of the Anti Racism and Latino Commissions of DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). Since 1983 we have existed in order to educate and influence DSA in the direction of anti racism and self determination. This blog is a continuation of that effort.
The decline of left in the U. S. requires a re-examination of our goals and our strategies. The goal of the commissions has been to educate and organize within DSA, but the nature of DSA itself has changed from a political organization to that of a network. It follows that the nature of the commissions need re-examination. A network is different than a political organization. The nature, process and goals of the Commissions themselves should be reconsidered and re-designed to be useful in this new terrain of DSA as a network rather than a political organization
For communications we will use this blog and our e mail lists. You can see our past work at
http://www.dsausa.org/antracism
What is happening (or not happening)on the left to produce this decision?
The nation, and particularly the young, have a general distrust of political parties- and the parties deserve this distrust. As Michael Moore has commented, we have two parties both of which well represent the top 10% of our society. The working people do not have- in most cases- representatives in our government nor a party which fundamentally represents our interests. Both mainstream parties are dominated by corporate interests, as illustrated by their unity on ‘free trade”, privatization, tax cuts, and the promotion of a corporate agenda.
In a sense both parties have failed the people. Elected officials have at least a minimal responsibility to protect our democracy. They have not done so. Instead, members of both parties redistrict, gerrymander, and conspire to gain a few more seats at the table by adopting the corporate agenda to buy TV time, and, our democracy is weaker for this. In response millions, about half of the eligible voters, do not even vote. They do not believe that participation matters- and to some frightening degree they are correct.
Political organizations usually exist to develop projects and carry out political work . In an era like ours when there are dozens and hundreds of local progressive projects, there are a large number of practical projects to which activists could contribute.
You can find out more about Democratic Socialists of America at
www.dsausa.org
Sacramento has been one of the activist locals in DSA since the 1980’s. and it has been the organizational seat of the Anti Racism and Latino Commissions. We have conducted several electoral campaigns around California propositions attacking communities of color : No on 187 (illegal immigration) No on 209 (eliminate affirmative action), No on 227 (eliminate bilingual education). More recently we worked on No on Prop.54 (extension of Prop. 209). And we won!

Our struggle is to bring social, political, and economic justice to our nation. This page is published by the Anti Racism Commission and the Latino Commission of Democratic Socialists of America to share our work with others.

Our effort is to contribute to building a grassroots, democratic left organization, united around anti corporate, egalitarian, social justice politics. We seek to unite trade unionists, feminists, people of color, gays and lesbians, and other radicals around a common agenda.We believe that only a multi-racial organization, and only multi racial coalitions can create a new, progressive majority in our nation.

Duane Campbell
Sacramento, California