There are actually two Freedom Road Socialist Organizations. They split some years ago.... over the Stalin question. Broadly speaking, the Chicago-Minneapolis Group takes the Stalin is a neat guy stance. I think that this comes from the strong RCP influence over this section of the group that came from the split in the RCP that occured in the late '70's. Whereas the NY centered group tends to have a more broadly social democratic approach to the question. The split could also be read in terms of the contradictions that exist in the maoist mass line concept and the philosophical idealism that one can ofter find in Mao.
I know quite a few of the Minneapolis folks and my experience is mixed. I wound up getting into a huge battle with one of their organizers (along with a bunch of other folks) over the direction of a progressive student group that we felt should be more student directed. I think that the group is made up of some decent organizers, but they are kinda weird and secretive as a group. The also occasionally have control issues, but I wouldn't say that they were as bad as the Sparts or some other groups I've come across.
Robert Wood