SDS Upholds International Women’s Day

Students for a Democratic Society celebrates International Women’s Day – March 8! Less than a week ago SDS chapters all over the country organized or co-hosted events celebrating women all over the world in their struggles, past and future.

National SDS Rallies Against Police Brutality Week of March 6th, for Justice for Abdi Mohamed and Akil Denkins

National Students for a Democratic Society will be hosting a Week Against Police Brutality on the week of March 6th, highlighting police crimes targeted against African-Americans and the specific cases of Abdi Mohamed in Salt Lake City, UT, and Akil Denkins in Raleigh, NC.

Students called this Week of Action on the heel of these two police crimes, the one in Salt Lake City occurring on Saturday, February 27th, and the one in Raleigh earlier today, on Monday, February 29th. In both cases, the victims were unarmed African-Americans, and the police were armed and on the offense. SLC's 17-year-old Abdi Mohamed was seen holding a broomstick while in an argument and was shot by SLCPD, and he is currently in a coma fighting for his life. Raleigh's 23-year-old Akil Denkins was running from police, empty-handed, his back turned to them, when Raleigh PD shot him. Raleigh PD still will not confirm whether or not the shooting was fatal.

These two cases are only two more to add to the  list of unarmed African-Americans, particularly youth, murdered by police officers. It is especially poignant that this last Friday, February 26th, was the four-year anniversary of the death of Trayvon Martin, whose killer, the racist vigilante Zimmerman, was not arrested until after 40 straight days of nationwide protests. Working class African-American adults and youth have witnessed the acquittal of the police officers who murdered Eric Garner and Michael Brown, officers who faced no charges after grand jury secret trials. They also witnessed nationwide cries for justice for Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, and Jamar Clarke, which were unmet with charges of murder or manslaughter.*

Uprisings erupted in Ferguson, MO, and Baltimore, MD, with African-Americans demanding the end of racist police crimes and racial discrimination in society. These protests faced brutal repression from police and the National Guard, with tear-gassing, sonic bombs, and chemical weapons. Police attempted to justify their brutality with the same racist rhetoric that they use to demonize the African-American youths whom they kill. As protesters marched for justice for Jamar Clarke in Minneapolis, white supremacists shot into the crowd occupying the police HQ precinct, and police officers watched and took no action.

Meanwhile, police officers incarcerate African-American and Latino people at disproportionately higher rates than white people for nonviolent felonies, such as traffic violations. They are thrown into prisons where prisons often put to work for little to no wage, planting produce for Wal-Mart, sewing underwear for Victoria's Secret, and making food and supplies for McDonald's and Whole Foods. It becomes increasingly clear, especially to African-American students and youth, that the legacy of slavery and profit motive are alive and well. The prison system, gentrification, and racial discrimination are achieving what Jim Crow did decades before.

Students for a Democratic Society stands for justice for Abdi Mohamed, Akil Denkins, and the countless other victims of police crimes. We will have actions next week targeted against police brutality, and in solidarity with the victims and their families. We will not stop marching, protesting, or organizing until this justice is won. We also stand against the prison system, discriminatory policies, and housing and loaning practices that throw African-Americans into jail and bar them from universities. We will not stop organizing until the African-American people in the United States, particularly those concentrated in the South, are free.

*Sandra Bland's killer was indicted with perjury and fired from his job. Jamar Clarke's killers will go to grand jury, which are notorious for never convicting police officers. 

SDS Stands with the Struggle Against Student Debt

On the night of Saturday, Feb. 27th, dozens of students led by the People’s Collective at St. Cloud State University in central Minnesota blocked traffic at a chokepoint leading to the University’s ice hockey arena in opposition to soaring and unsustainable levels of student debt and economic inequalities in higher education. For over an hour, students shut down traffic and rallied outside the nationally recognized Division-1 men’s ice hockey game, resulting in a large amount of commotion and the arrest of two protesters. National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) stands with these organizers and the struggle against student debt and economic inequality in higher education.

Tuition at many public colleges has doubled almost every decade for the last half-century, which, alongside state budget cuts and skyrocketing administrative spending, has propelled student debt to astronomical and unsustainable levels. Right-wing legislators use the deepening economic crisis as an excuse to defund public education and cut scholarships, and like-minded administrators then use budget crises to hike up tuition beyond students' affordability. Students then take out tens of thousands of dollars in loan debt, while administrators grant themselves ever-increasing bonus pays and legislators pass laws that protect their corporate backers.

SDS demands that instead of cutting classes (especially ethnic studies courses, foreign languages, and humanities) and hiking up tuition, administrators should "Chop from the Top" and end the lavish bonus pays and record-high salaries. Instead of cutting public education and scholarships, SDS demands that legislators stop increasing funding to US wars and border militarization and start prioritizing health care and education. SDS commends the actions taken by students in St. Cloud, MN, and around the country to protest these injustices and fight for what that administrators and legislators will not: economic justice at their universities.

Students for a Democratic Society calls for students to get involved in the activism groups like the People’s Collective in St. Cloud and UMN SDS (Twin Cities) are leading and for an end to the student debt crisis.

SDS STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH SLC VICTIM OF POLICE BRUTALITY

On Saturday night, 17-year-old Abdi Mohamed was shot by Salt Lake City police. Mohamed had been holding a broomstick while involved in an argument. Police ran up behind him, guns already drawn, and after giving one warning to “drop it”, they immediately shot him four times. He was taken to the hospital following the shooting. The event sparked protests from the community, as hundreds took to the streets. The protests were quickly met with repression from nearly 100 police officers in riot gear.

Students for a Democratic Society condemns the racist police terror carried out by these officers against yet another unarmed black teen. We also condemn the state repression of community protests. We stand in solidarity with Mohamed and all victims of police brutality.

Utah Against Police Brutality is holding an emergency rally tomorrow night at 6PM at the Wallace Bennett Federal Building in Salt Lake City. Students for a Democratic Society at University of Utah will be participating in the rally and encourages all other national chapters to hold solidarity events.

SDS Stands Against Enviromental Racism in Flint

Students for a Democratic Society condemns Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and all politicians involved in the Flint Water Crisis. In 2014, to save water, the City of Flint switched their water supply from Detroit to the local Flint river. For decades, the Flint River has been polluted by the auto industry. The Flint water was not being treated, and as a result the water was 19 times more corrosive than the Detroit water. Additionally, half of Flint’s pipes contained lead, and were not treated to prevent the leaching of lead into the water supply. A combination of all these things results in water so polluted by iron that it is brown in color. State emergency financial manager Darnell Earley oversaw this change in 2014, while Edward J. Kurtz replaced Flint’s democratically elected mayor as an emergency financial manager in 2011. Emergency financial managers can ignore local policies for financial reasons, essentially valuing money over people. The devastating effects of this can be seen in Flint today, where many citizens are suffering from hair loss, vision loss, rashes, memory problems, and even lead poisoning. In addition, Governor Snyder blamed the lead contamination on pipes alone, and then only in some homes. He lied about the conditions in Flint and failed to take appropriate measures to protect the health and well being of Flint citizens.

SDS Stands Against the Return of Kings, Sexual Violence and Defenders of Misogyny

Return of Kings "Canceled" Their Pro-Rape Meetings, SDS to Proceed with Feminist Rallies

The Return of Kings is a small but vocal “neo-masculinist” group that has made recent headlines with egregiously misogynistic and homophobic behavior, along with their goal of a nationwide legalization of rape. They recently announced that their chapters would hold their first in-person meetings, along with published addresses, and progressives and feminists -- including SDS members -- all over the globe have responded with counter-protests. Recently, the Return of Kings has announced that they are "canceling" their event, in light of the threat of "violence," but SDS chapters will proceed with their feminist rallies.

2015 National Convention Resolutions

These are resolutions and statements passed at our 2015 National Convention hosted in Milwaukee, WI. These resolutions and statements will help shape our politics and campaigns in the following year to come. These resolutions can also be printed out and used when tabling and flyering for your SDS chapter.