Chapter Convention is Coming. Let’s Debate!
Our local chapter convention is just around the corner on June 17th. How can we use this newspaper to prepare for it?
Whether you’ve been paying attention to the newsletter, had a pleasant conversation with one of our phone bankers, or have seen our chapters’ Slack popping off with updates and debates, you’ve probably noticed something: we’re having our first ever Metro Detroit DSA chapter convention on June 17th at Wayne State University!
Well, not our first ever convention, but this will be the first one in recent history of its kind. Like in previous years around June, we will be electing the next Steering Committee, to serve over the next year from June 2023 to June 2024. However, unlike previous years, we will also be voting and debating chapter priorities for the next year. We’ll be deciding democratically not only who we want to administer and lead our chapter, but what kind of work we as a collective will be committing to over the next year.
Here’s how voting on priorities will work: different committees within the chapter have already submitted planks laying out their goals for the next year, including the Labor Working Group, the Electoral Committee, the Ecosocialist Working Group, and the Political Education Committee. These planks have been assembled into one large consensus document.
However, the heart of the debate at the convention will happen over the amendments proposed to this consensus document, which can be seen here at this proposal hub. After a period of debate, each amendment to the document will be voted up or down. Here’s the list of amendments that will be on the floor:
- CC1: Strike-Ready Electeds
- LAB1: Grow Our Ranks in Key Sectors
- LAB2: Building Power in Key Sectors and Beyond
- CC2: Build Worker Power Amendment
- ELE1: Supporting Socialists in Office for Policy Wins and Beyond
- ELE2: Organizing-focused Socialists In Office (SIO) Committee
- ELE3: Expanding Accountability
- ECO1: Sharing knowledge about our Coalition Work
- ECO2: Building Ecosocialist Power with Endorsed Electeds and Beyond
Other amendments/resolutions (see the proposal hub)
- R1: Building Coalitions that Last
- R2: For strong coalitions, internal democracy, and sharing knowledge
So June 17th will be a pretty big day for the chapter, so all members are encouraged to come. It’s a lot like Christmas Day for church-goers: if there’s one day a year you’re going to come to, this ought to be the day!
What role does The Detroit Socialist have in the convention?
With the agenda published and amendments circulating, there will be lots of debate happening before and during the convention. Much of this will be happening in places that are hard for most members to see — personal messages, phone calls, committee meetings, Slack threads, Twitter posts, the Facebook page, etc. The nature of social media can heighten the hostility of these disagreements, making it harder to have proper political discussion about them.
That’s why we want to try something new with The Detroit Socialist this year: we want to allow all chapter members to get up to speed on what the stakes are in the two weeks before the convention by publishing arguments For or Against the amendments.
Writing is an important skill for organized socialists to learn. Authors can use this chance to formulate their positions, sharpen their rhetoric, and prepare their arguments for convention day. Maybe even make a strong argument that will convince readers to vote one way or the other!
Most successful socialist organizations everywhere always had newspapers. They were used not just to reach the broader working class, but to keep their own members informed on what was happening within the organization and to facilitate debate.
What are the requirements?
- No more than 1500 words, but please try to keep it under 1000. A lot of us became leftists through social media…which means a lot of us have posters’ disease. We type too much! We should use this opportunity to exercise brevity.
- Keep it comradely! Scathing polemics will not be published. Disagreement can be sharp, but we’re trying to move away from the culture of vicious, personal, public attacks that we are inundated with on social media, which make it hard to have free, democratic debate.
- The Editors’ Committee will edit each statement before publishing, but we will only use a light touch. We will be looking for spelling errors, grammar errors, and awkward turns of phrase.
- Please list your name as you would want it to appear in the article: you can use your full name, first name and last initial, your initials, or a pseudonym if you’re really worried about security (though we don’t suggest it unless it feels absolutely necessary). These will be published publicly on The Detroit Socialist website.
Expect each statement to be published within 24 hours of submission. Submit them through this statement form!
We look forward to every submission we get from our members, and to a vibrant debate at the convention!
The Detroit Socialist is produced and run by members of Detroit DSA’s Newspaper Collective. Interested in becoming a member of Detroit DSA? Go to metrodetroitdsa.com/join to become a member. Send a copy of the dues receipt to: membership@metrodetroitdsa.com in order to get plugged in to our activities!
