I want to vote for them, but I spent at least an hour looking of proof that they've done anything other than paint all their stuff red and couldn't. All I could find is people complaining that they tanked other local socialist chances in local California races (no idea how valid) and my friend in Oakland saying in the George Floyd protests they were out signing people up, but not looking to really help out in any way.
Like they post articles and books which is cool, but I see people online making it seem like you're a fool for not immediately voting for them. Have they changed people's breaklights, handed out food, or help tennants/workplaces organize? Cus if not they've done less than the libs at DSA.
Sorry for the long-winded rant. I just don't see what they've done other than have socialist in the name and get on the ballot so I'm genuinely curious.
Yeah they do all of that lol, they just don't typically nationally broadcast their regional/local work with other movements of the people.
There are several reasons for this. It protects the individual actions from the currently somewhat harmful public association with revolutionary parties, which most people participating in the actions aren't quite ready to embrace. It also makes it harder for the State to track the PSL's movements/actions, and allows them a little more flexibility in where they throw their energy. Finally, it is not the Party that commands/leads the people in these actions, the party is merely a voice that is to make coherent and vocalize the people's needs. They can't do that if they're out there taking credit for the real progress that the people themselves have made in building mutual aid.
Also: the fact that the State hunted down 4 cadre and threw trumped-up kidnapping charges at them for protest organizing and left them without bail hearing for a week should tell you all there is to say about the fact that they’re doing something.
Not asking them to display a giant poster of an empty thermometer that said "praxises"over it that they fill in with red sharpie every time they do something.
Just legitimately asking for firsthand experience with them because I haven't had any and couldn't find anything online.
Yeah that's totally fair, didn't mean to seem combative. Another reason you're not gonna find the kind of examples you're looking for is because that's all handled at the regional/local branch level, and the national structure has its own purposes.
I know the branch around me does a lot of work with the tenants unions, BLM protest organizing, worker organizing, and various housing activities. But to get more detail you'd probably get a better answer contacting the PSL via email/web submission or finding cadre locally that can discuss what they do and what you as a member would be involved in.
No worries. Call me a simp, but all the responses here seem to be that people see them doing grassroots organizing which is enough for me.
Not a problem, good to see people evaluating organizations with a little more care these days :fidel-salute:
:heart-sickle:
yeah i bring this up a lot here in CO, that wasn't far away from us in the mountains. it makes me nervous organizing and that chilling effect is a good reason why PSL isn't super loud about what they're doing. look at Black Lives Matter, the "Marxist organization", I'd be interested in seeing how recent attacks from the media and the Feds has effected BLM support. i hope that it really doesn't chill people as on fire as PSL and other comrades.