I’ve been trying to find an organization to get involved in but a lot of the bigger Leftist orgs in America have some kind of controversy related to them and that’s a bit off-putting.
Freedom Road Socialist Organization is the only one I’ve heard of that doesn’t appear to have any stains on it and that’s piqued my interest. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are they a good org?
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Orgs in the west in general are just not that great. Frso rejects the settler colonial character of the USA as per J sykes essay on it, and they’ve been a pre-party formation for over 30 years now. The few Frso members I’ve interacted with online were very keen on recruiting new members which is not where priorities should lie for an org. Members will come if you do good work you shouldn’t have to be doing recruitment drives.
Our party is having this period in which it is more of a MLM scheme than a party because all they keep asking for is new members or signing petitions and it is wearing me out really. What if we, you know, actually did something? Set up a local inititative or whatever? But nobody seems to really listen.
Yeah, Western orgs do seem kinda pathetic these days. Very disappointed to hear they reject the obvious settler-colonial structure of America. How any Marxist can come to that kind of conclusion I have no idea. Patriotic Socialism maybe?
I kind-of agree on the recruitment drive thing but also it’s a lot easier to do good work the more people you have. But yeah, recruitment shouldn’t be their first priority. That kinda gives me Kautsky vibes.
They are just doing the classic class reductionism analysis, I don’t think they are pat docs. They just want to think of themselves as equally exploited as everyone else instead of as the labor aristocracy that they are inherently as settlerz
FRSO are settlers who reject the theory that the US is settler colonial. A comrade joined and their chapter recently organized for a local liberal political candidate, this plus their org’s line on decolonialism was enough for the comrade to leave.
If they are the only ML group in your area, might be fine to try, but I would choose PSL over them if they were both options.
That is troubling, but it could just be a chapter issue rather than the org as a whole.
I was interested in PSL for a while - especially during the election when they first came to my attention - but I’ve worrisome stories about senior members abusing their authority to sexually harass female members. As a woman myself that makes me hesitant to throw in with them.
The anti settler colonial issue is their national position written by their thought leader, the liberal local politician could certainly just be a local chapter issue but also a good national org would know about it and push back on why the local chapter is using resources that way instead of in another manner. It’s a ML org not DSA, there should be more oversight over these things.
Yes I am familiar with the PSL issues you are describing and they were also a primary reason why I never joined. I was lucky enough to have a local org option that worked for me. I will say that I haven’t heard of new cases of this happening in years and hopefully it was resolved quietly by the organization with the individual problematic members. For an org as big as PSL, there hasn’t been enough cases to suggest it’s really a widespread issue, although I think the way the specific cases were handled should have been better. It’s a valid criticism and reason to be wary but it would also be chapter dependent. I know a lot of non-men organize in PSL although I’d love some hard data on these things
That’s disappointing to hear. Any serious communist org in the US should understand how important it is to be an anti-colonial movement.
That’s good to know about PSL, though. I might give them another look, thanks.
I met a group of people from FRSO on a trip recently. Solid people with knowledgeable and agreeable things to say. From what I looked into after meeting them is that its a good org with a good understanding of theory, I prefer them over PSL. If there was a chapter in my city I would join since they are specifically ML.
I’ve heard good things as well. Basically the only reason I didn’t join them was their small size in my local area. Curious to see what other people have to say about them as well.
I was thinking of joining FRSO as well. The folks in my local are really good MLs. And I was surprised to see the comments about their stance on settlers.
Does anyone have a link to it? At least their official program sounds decent: https://frso.org/main-documents/immediate-demands-for-u-s-colonies-indigenous-peoples-and-oppressed-nationalities/
Marxism-Leninism and the Theory of Settler-Colonialism in the United States - FRSO’s Statement
The Settler J. Sykes and the FRSO - Red Clarion’s analysis
Worth noting that Red Clarion generally considers FRSO to be one of the better US orgs, but is generally negative on the present state of orgs in the US, both theoretically and strategically.
Worth noting that Red Clarion generally considers FRSO to be one of the better US orgs, but is generally negative on the present state of orgs in the US, both theoretically and strategically.
And since they don’t organize and have no organizing experience their heavy handed criticisms of people who do organize are virtually worthless
I don’t entirely disagree with the idea that Red Clarion’s critique is flawed due to not being an org proper, but these two articles are the main points of contention being brought up on this post, so I figured it would be helpful for me to link them so those unfamiliar can read up on it.
I don’t think their article is the main point of contention, Syke’s article is. here’s a comment I made about his article 8 months ago: https://hexbear.net/post/4043628
I think anyone here can read Syke’s article and come to the same conclusions without some grifter larper’s newspaper being circulated.
I know you are just seeing an opportunity to be helpful, I’m not criticising you for it and give you much props for always being helpful
No worries! I know you didn’t mean anything negative. To my knowledge, over here, many people generally agree with Red Clarion’s analysis, and see it as a worthwhile org to read. I agree that it wasn’t the main point of discourse, and I could be wrong, but I do believe RC’s response has had some influence on how people see FRSO’s take on settler-colonialism, hence my desire to put both out in the open.
Personally, I see RC as about 70% right. Sometimes they are overly critical, sometimes they are a bit disconnected, but they do tend to at least highlight genuine problems. I agree that FRSO’s take on settler-colonialism is pretty poor, I understand where it comes from but it oversimplifies the class struggle and as a consequence does more harm than good by minimizing the real and continuous impact of settler-colonialism in the US.
Thanks for your input!
To my knowledge, over here, many people generally agree with Red Clarion’s analysis, and see it as a worthwhile org to read.
Yeah this is why I make it a point to comment about how they are run by an abusive, wealthy Twitter power user who started a cult around himself in the guise of a party and then rage quit after the women and particularly trans women complained about him being a misogynist too many times. Red clarion is his attempt at starting a new cult around himself
This I did not know. Is there somewhere I can read more about this?
i’ve heard nothing but bad things about frso, for whatever that’s worth. i had a friend who was in it for a little while and she was always a little bit embarrassed to talk about it
What bad things have you heard?
i think i heard they were class reductionists? i’m not entirely sure; i just remember thinking i was never gonna join frso lol
If you are not blinded by identitarism, id suggest you try to know PCO
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I’m not familiar with this acronym; who are they? Can you tell me anything about them?
https://en.causaoperaria.org.br/home-page/
Yes, what subjects you want to know about?
For starters ill just say its the only party that openly supported hamas from the 8th of october, and we still do
This appears to be a Brazilian party. I asked about a U.S. org as I live in the USA. I can’t really directly participate in an organization in another country, much less one on an entirely different continent.
PCO have some people over there, you can join if you want, or just get in contact to know better
