On Behalf Of Doug Henwood
>If Sweeney is a socialist, I'll eat my UAW card.
> Maybe Steinem thought she was signing up for Democratic Socialites of
> America.
> Doug
What is it about some leftists that they have to excommunicate as many people as possible in order to feel righteous in their own politics?
During his campaign for the AFL-CIO Presidency, Sweeney rather publicly took out a membership card in the Democratic Socialists of America as one of the marks of his break with the past. Since Samuel Gompers left his socialist origins back in the 19th century, no President of the AFL had been a member of a socialist party or organization. This was a relatively dramatic gesture, especially against many of the old-line anti-communist leadership in the union federation.
DSA is the largest socialist organization in the United States, the main affiliate of the Socialist International, and have more labor leaders and social activists in its membership that any other socialist-named organization. You may disagree with its strategy (as do many of its members), but if Sweeney embraces DSA and DSA embraces Sweeney as a member, why would you argue Sweeney is not a socialist?
If being a card-carrying member of a socialist organization does not make you a socialist, what does?
-- Nathan Newman