Young DSA chapter formed at WSU, Socialist Party USA members meet with DSA

By SJ Otto

We heard from a member of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, during the Wichita Democratic Socialist of America's (DSA) monthly meeting, last Sunday. We also heard from some members of the Socialist Party USA, who came there just to meet us and discuss possible activities which they may want to help out on.

I wrote a couple of week ago about some DSA students who wanted to start a chapter of Young DSA at Wichita State University (WSU). According to the WSU The Sunflower (student newspaper):

"Student Government Association introduced a bill Wednesday (Sept. 5) that would recognize a chapter of Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) at Wichita State.

YDSA is the youth and student section of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which was founded in 1982 by American author and activist Michael Harrington.

Alex Tackett, president of the current unrecognized YDSA club, spoke during the meeting.

'The goal of the organization is to help educate and organize young students on campus who like to participate in the democratization of all things, be it society, the economy, the government,' Tackett said."

The first meeting of YDSA, assuming they will be an officially recognized student organization will be this coming Friday. One of their first actions will be to canvas the dorms for a "Medicare for all" campaign.

Members of a local group of the Socialist Party USA came to the meeting to discuss some possible cooperation on various issues that the feel both parties have in common. The main difference between SP USA and DSA is that the Socialist Party does not endorse or work with the Democratic Party. The Socialist Party started as a Facebook group of local Marxist-Leninists who were interested in forming some kind of political organization to work locally. The group is interested in working on issues and campaigns here in Wichita. They will probably work with DSA on the issue of universal health care.

The group is called Socialist Party of Wichita Metropolitan.

DSA is working on a campaign they call "Break Lights," where members who are good at fixing car problems can be called on in emergency situations to help poor people who need car repairs.

DSA will have a table at this year's Pride Festival, at the Mid-American Indian Center, Sunday, September 30, from noon to 6pm.

DSA is in the planning stage of an Ice Cream social to raise money.

DSA members worked with union members who held a strike, the union was represented by an IAM, Machinist local, against Jobbers, a company on the south east of Wichita. The strike is over now. A new CEO tried to lower pay, get rid of seniority and ignored issues of working conditions. The company tried to break the strike. Some truckers would not cross the picket line and at one point the CEO was unloading and doing his own dirty work. The strike ended when the company gave in on SOME of the union's demands. It was a partial victory to the union. Many of the  union members are planning to work elsewhere, but at least the union was not broken.

 DSA members at the meeting stressed the importance of supporting unions and working with them.