Forward Together or Going it Alone?

The following is a statement on behalf of the North Star Caucus Steering Committee

No Kings Day turned out to be an event of massive historical as well as political import. With estimates of participation ranging from 3 to 5 million in communities large and small across the US, it was both the largest demonstration in US history and a truly national mass mobilization. While many DSA Chapters across country turned out in support, they did so without the endorsement or support of their own national leadership. Amid the near unanimous chorus of endorsements for the action DSA was conspicuous by its absence. While it seems the NPC did indeed take up the question of endorsing/supporting No Kings Day, it was defeated by a narrow majority comprised of Red Star, MUG and Bread and Roses who argued that the call encouraging people participating in No Kings Day to display US flags meant that DSA would be endorsing a demonstration where the US flag, symbolizing US imperialism, would be displayed. This was taken to mean that endorsing the demonstration would be tantamount to endorsing imperialism.

Apart from the argument that could be made in support of the idea of “taking back” the symbol from the Right--as in declaring the flag to represent equally the flag of anti-Monarchism, abolition and emancipation,  and the modern War Against Fascism--what strikes us about this decision is that it implicitly elevates symbolism (symbolic politics) over consideration of the actual political context (real politics). This seems to reflect 1) a shockingly faulty analysis of the current political context and 2) a problematic or non-existent idea regarding the political strategy and action required to address it.

The political context is the rise of a fascist movement and the election of its leaders to power, bringing dire threats of authoritarian suppression of what remains of democratic protections and rights for our people as well as massive transfer of wealth and power to an oligarchic, kleptocratic ruling class. The situation is urgent both because of the immediate harm being done to multiple vulnerable groups as well as working people as a whole and because of the long term prospect of an entrenched right wing authoritarian power that will do untold damage to people and the environment throughout the planet. The urgency of opposing this outcome seems to have been completely ignored by the NPC.

The political strategy that seems obvious at this moment, and has been articulated by other DSA members as well, is the need to be part of the broad coalition/movement to defeat MAGA and oppose the 60 years of growing reactionary Right roll back of liberal reforms and movements. DSA would need to constitute an organized radical force within that movement that grasps the deep roots of the problem and has a more comprehensive vision of the necessary social transformation required. This is necessary not only in order to fight for that transformation in the long term, but to prevent in the short term the Democratic party engaging in a superficial and opportunistic defeat of the Right electorally while offering nothing to the people that would modify the nihilism and despair regarding democracy and prospects for change that has seized a large part of our population and made them vulnerable to fascist ideas.

As shown by the recent campaign and success of Zohran Mamdani in New York, a broad-based political strategy is necessary, one that directly confronts this failed strategy of the Democratic Party. Our campaign having demonstrated our power to inspire the larger population regarding the possibility of a better life for all, it is now critical  for our organization to assume a leading role as the voice of radical transformation. Without this voice the movement against MAGA may fail and we may also lose an historically vital opportunity to advance a socialist agenda. Avoiding both such outcomes must be held in awareness and inform of our current strategy and action.