Left unity championed at New York meet

[Starry Messenger]

http://peoplesworld.org/left-unity-championed-at-new-york-meet/

It was a rare occasion for the U.S. left. Several socialist organizations came together last week to discuss how to better unite the left.

On June 5, the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (CCDS), the Communist Party USA (CPUSA), Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and Freedom Road Socialists (FRSO) hosted "The future of the Left - A Conversation on Socialist Unity" (video) to a full house at SEIU 1199 United Healthcare Workers East union hall in New York City.

Mark Solomon, a member of CCDS, opened the panel discussion by presenting the arguments of his recent article "Whither the Socialist Left? Thinking the 'Unthinkable'" Solomon called for an realignment of the left around a new organization and suggested that groups like the organizations participating in the panel could perhaps form its core, clarifying that it was be "an absolutely inclusive project." Emphasizing the important role of the left in making social change, Solomon lamented the weakness of today's left in the face of the immense challenges and needs.

Solomon argued that "the structural crisis of world capitalism, [which] reflects an economic crisis, an environmental crisis, a crisis of work" makes the project of uniting the left a particularly urgent one.

<snip>

Link to video here: http://www.organizing20.org/2013/06/05/the-future-of-the-left-a-conversation-on-socialist-unity-livestream-page/

[socialist_n_TN]

1. Thanks Starry.......

I wish there was better sound on this, but I think I got the gist of it. I was surprised at Freedom Road. They sounded quite militant and fundamentalist Bolshevik. In Workers Power, we consider them to be centrist, so they must be taking a left turn.

We had a choice as to whether to attend this meeting or not, but we weren't able to make it. There are a LOT of interventions we're taking on this month and something had to get chopped and this was the one. I argued for it, but I lost. Maybe next time.

[Starry Messenger]

2. I'm watching it in small chunks, I wish teh sound was better too.

I know there are two Freedom Road organizations, FRSO is more militant than FreedomRoad (which I think Bill Fletcher is in? don't quote me on that).

[socialist_n_TN]

3. And I didn't know about that..........

Two Freedom Roads? Are they related from the same tradition or just both liked the same name?

[Starry Messenger]

4. They split off from each other in 1999.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Road_Socialist_Organization

I'm typing from my phone, so I can't paste the relevant part there, but it gives the links to both orgs. and tells a little background.

[socialist_n_TN]

5. Thanks Starry.....