Bylaws and Resolutions

Bylaws

Resolutions

Framing Document for GBDSA (2018)
Introduction

The Afrosocialists & Socialists of Color Caucus was enacted by vote at the national Convention of the Democratic Socialists of America in August 2017. The underlying purpose of the Caucus was to successfully build working class power, stating, ​“We, of the Afro-Socialists & Socialists of Color Caucus, believe that DSA must ally with groups fighting for Black liberation…Without this effort we won’t actually empower the working class of today.” ​The resolution establishing the Caucus further addressed the tendency, within DSA, to dismiss “identity politics,” reducing racial injustice to class-based paradigms. A warning was issued that, if we do not address the institutional semblances of white supremacy, within our internal configuration as an organization, ​“we risk replicating structural injustices within our own revolutionary activities.” ​In order to genuinely dismantle capitalism, we must acknowledge, as democratic socialists, that it is impossible to do so, in a comprehensive way, without confronting racist systems of oppression that fuel class-based disparities.

In October 2017, the Greater Baltimore chapter voted to create its own People of Color Caucus – locally affirming DSA’s intention to operate as an organization grounded in racial equity. This was an important stride in actualizing our commitment to dismantling white supremacy as socialists. However, to meaningfully conduct organizing in Baltimore City – a majority African-American metropolis (63%) – we must expand the scope of our commitment to racial justice beyond words, to concrete structural and cultural actions within GBDSA.

Baltimore harbors a profoundly rich, complex, and troubling history. For centuries, systemic racism has characterized our city’s sociological makeup – from the days of slavery, to birthing FHA-sponsored red-lining in the 1930s, cultivating a racialized dearth of employment in the wake of the closures of Bethlehem Steel and many other manufacturing plants, and igniting an Uprising to confront Freddie Gray’s extrajudicial death. Racial paradigms have consistently undergirded socio-economic disparities in Baltimore. Conversely, economic woes and social immobility are inseparable from racist policies and dynamics that continue to characterize Baltimore as an intrinsically segregated city.

If we are to be credible socialist organizers in Baltimore, devoted to dismantling white supremacy, along with capitalism, we must ensure that principles of racial equity infuse all committees, working groups, campaigns, and ongoing initiatives undertaken by GBDSA. Contained within this document is a Mission Statement, Values, and, Vision, encompassing a Framing Document for the Greater Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America, that centers all of our work in race equity and intersectionality, to be reviewed by the collective authority vested in all chapter members. The proposals herein are ultimately subject to the purview and discretion of members gathered at a General Body Meeting.

The People of Color Caucus has taken the initiative of drafting a concrete mission statement and organizational vision for the Greater Baltimore Democratic Socialists of America that will guide our future work and serve as a visible testament of our ideals as democratic socialists, for prospective and current members, potential partnering organizations, + and interested observers seeking information about the chapter. Absent the guidance of a mission statement and organizational vision, the effort of building working class power will be necessarily fractured, and inefficient in its use of resources +and labor toward a poorly understood goal.

Mission
​Building working class political and economic power to end capitalism and white supremacy, for a
socialist future in the Greater Baltimore region.
Values
Grassroots Socialism – ​We believe that the working class should have ownership over the levers of the
economy and politics. Our analysis of “the working class” includes un/underemployed workers and
workers in the informal economy, including unpaid domestic labor and sex work. We also believe that
those who feel the impact of capitalism the hardest should hold the reins of the movements to undo it, and
are committed to supporting existing struggles for liberation.
Racial Equity – ​We believe race and class are inextricably intertwined under capitalism. An anti-racist
practice of non-discrimination does not go far enough. We must account for the specific mechanisms that
fix people of color in an economic underclass, and work to undermine them, both in the work we do to
advance socialism and in our internal operations. Our chapter is committed to supporting black-led and
grassroots organizations engaged in building power with working class Baltimoreans, both in labor unions
and work places in general.
Economic Equity – ​We believe that resources should be allocated according to community need, and not
for the profit of a few. Intentional neighborhood disinvestment has led to a hyper-segregated city – that
benefits “the white L” at the expense of “the black butterfly.” Communities should control budget
allocation, through the expanse of participatory budgeting and worker co-operatives.
Humility – ​We recognize that ongoing grassroots activism and organizing efforts have defined Baltimore
for decades. It is imperative for us, as DSA and GBDSA members, to check the manifestations of white
privilege present in our local and national composition in order to credibly and effectively build power
with working class Baltimore residents. Social justice activism has a rich history in Baltimore. Many of us
are newcomers to joining this movement in our city and begin any campaigns, proposals, or initiatives for
socialist organizing with a demeanor of humility, accompanied with an eagerness to learn from seasoned
Baltimore activists and organizers.
Collective Action- ​We understand that the problems inherent in capitalism are not individual in nature,
and will not be solved through individual action. Collective solutions are imperative to build a socialist
future, and a focused and strategic organizing discipline, rooted in relationship-building, is essential to
galvanizing a critical mass of organized and engaged residents with the institutional leverage required to
shift power away from the clutches of organized money.
Participatory Democracy – ​We believe that our political system should benefit the working class, and
not corporate interests. People should collectively determine their own fates and control how resources
are allocated and policies are applied in social and economic contexts.
Working Class Self-Determination – ​Our economy should operate in pursuit of the common good.
Development can never be synonymous with gentrification or forced displacement. Workers should
control the means, production, and fruit of their own labor. A living wage should be an economic reality
that guarantees the human dignity of all workforce members. We believe that the ability of workers to
organize for collective benefit is the most robust safeguard against occupational exploitation.​ ​People and
communities have the right to determine how economic development unfolds in their lives.
Intersectionality – ​We understand that capitalist exploitation does not affect all communities equally, and
that we must account for the compounded impact on marginalized identities including, but not limited to,
race, class, sexuality, age, country of origin, or ability. We commit to ensuring that our movement
building and internal policies and practices take into account these inequities and work to eradicate them.
Political Education – ​We recognize that in order to dismantle the systems of capitalism and white
supremacy we need to understand the mechanisms that allow them to flourish. We commit to fostering a
culture of learning with and from working class communities to develop a shared analysis of capitalism,
political economy, theories of organizing, and history of working class struggle in Baltimore and
elsewhere.
Leadership Development – ​ If we are to promote democratic participation, we must maximize the
leadership potential of our chapter and the broader community. We believe in the capacity of everyone to
be a leader in our movement for socialism, and are committed to emboldening individuals to take
initiative in building working class power.
Global Solidarity – ​As capital and labor cross borders, the effects of capitalism transcend national
boundaries. Capitalism fundamentally drives colonialism and imperialism. We stand in solidarity with
populations who are exploited by capitalist schemes of domination and see ourselves as part of an
international human rights movement for the liberation of oppressed people. Immigrants and refugees are
unconditionally welcomed as vital members of the working class in their pursuit of livelihood and dignity.
Environmental Justice​ – The common good of humanity is bound to our planet’s viability.
Environmental factors such as climate change and pollution disproportionately impact vulnerable and
working people. As socialists, we believe that the profound environmental crisis today is an inevitable
consequence of irrational and disparate economic growth under capitalism, and can only be addressed by
a radical shift to a more democratic mode of economic development.
Diversity of Tactics – ​We understand that capitalist exploitation touches our lives in myriad ways, and its
undoing will require more than one-size-fits-all solutions. In order to be as effective and dynamic as
possible in confronting capital and building a socialist alternative we commit to using a variety of tactics
including base-building, survival programs, direct actions, site-of-struggle organizing, electoral
interventions, arts & media, mass mobilizations, and political education.
Vision
​We envision a society in which residents have control over the political process, share in the fruits of the
economy, and social and economic justice are a vibrant reality for every person. This entails creating
racially equitable and communally-approved solutions for our city in the most prominent areas of
housing, education, employment, transit, infrastructure, banking and food security, and a clean and
liveable environment and climate.We affirm healthcare as a fundamental human right and vigorously
promote a system where people are valued over the profits and financial interests of pharmaceutical and
private health insurance companies. Local community development must highlight the concerns of
residents, rather than the illusory promise of gentrification.
Labor exploitation is an essential feature of capitalism, rather than an aberration. Social and economic
justice cannot be fully realized within it. Race and class are inextricably linked under capitalism.
Solutions focused on either alone will fail to adequately address the full socio-economic impact of white
supremacy. GBDSA envisions a Baltimore, and world at large, in which one’s race does not predict
person’s economic future.
Our chapter advocates for racial equity to become synonymous with due process, through the pursuit of
restorative justice, ending the New Jim Crow paradigm of mass incarceration in Baltimore. We espouse
community control of law enforcement, and accountability for all residents who endure police terror, and
the resulting impunity from these incidents. We reject the suspension of democracy for what few
survivors return to our communities following their condemnation to institutional rehabilitation for felony
convictions.
As democratic socialists, we envision a government operated by the working class and all people
oppressed under capitalism. GBDSA pledges to confront political issues and concerns through activist
efforts and concerted electoral strategies. We support grassroots initiatives to build collective solidarity
with the working poor and disenfranchised, in Baltimore and throughout the world.

Mission

​Building working class political and economic power to end capitalism and white supremacy, for a socialist future in the Greater Baltimore region.

Values

Grassroots Socialism – ​We believe that the working class should have ownership over the levers of the economy and politics. Our analysis of “the working class” includes un/underemployed workers and workers in the informal economy, including unpaid domestic labor and sex work. We also believe that those who feel the impact of capitalism the hardest should hold the reins of the movements to undo it, and are committed to supporting existing struggles for liberation.

Racial Equity – ​We believe race and class are inextricably intertwined under capitalism. An anti-racist practice of non-discrimination does not go far enough. We must account for the specific mechanisms that fix people of color in an economic underclass, and work to undermine them, both in the work we do to advance socialism and in our internal operations. Our chapter is committed to supporting black-led and grassroots organizations engaged in building power with working class Baltimoreans, both in labor unions and work places in general.

Economic Equity – ​We believe that resources should be allocated according to community need, and not for the profit of a few. Intentional neighborhood disinvestment has led to a hyper-segregated city – that benefits “the white L” at the expense of “the black butterfly.” Communities should control budget allocation, through the expanse of participatory budgeting and worker co-operatives.

Humility – ​We recognize that ongoing grassroots activism and organizing efforts have defined Baltimore for decades. It is imperative for us, as DSA and GBDSA members, to check the manifestations of white privilege present in our local and national composition in order to credibly and effectively build power with working class Baltimore residents. Social justice activism has a rich history in Baltimore. Many of us are newcomers to joining this movement in our city and begin any campaigns, proposals, or initiatives for socialist organizing with a demeanor of humility, accompanied with an eagerness to learn from seasoned Baltimore activists and organizers.

Collective Action – ​We understand that the problems inherent in capitalism are not individual in nature, and will not be solved through individual action. Collective solutions are imperative to build a socialist future, and a focused and strategic organizing discipline, rooted in relationship-building, is essential to galvanizing a critical mass of organized and engaged residents with the institutional leverage required to shift power away from the clutches of organized money.

Participatory Democracy – ​We believe that our political system should benefit the working class, and not corporate interests. People should collectively determine their own fates and control how resources are allocated and policies are applied in social and economic contexts.

Working Class Self-Determination – ​Our economy should operate in pursuit of the common good. Development can never be synonymous with gentrification or forced displacement. Workers should control the means, production, and fruit of their own labor. A living wage should be an economic reality that guarantees the human dignity of all workforce members. We believe that the ability of workers to organize for collective benefit is the most robust safeguard against occupational exploitation.​ ​People and communities have the right to determine how economic development unfolds in their lives.

Intersectionality – ​We understand that capitalist exploitation does not affect all communities equally, and that we must account for the compounded impact on marginalized identities including, but not limited to, race, class, sexuality, age, country of origin, or ability. We commit to ensuring that our movement building and internal policies and practices take into account these inequities and work to eradicate them.

Political Education – ​We recognize that in order to dismantle the systems of capitalism and white supremacy we need to understand the mechanisms that allow them to flourish. We commit to fostering a culture of learning with and from working class communities to develop a shared analysis of capitalism, political economy, theories of organizing, and history of working class struggle in Baltimore and elsewhere.

Leadership Development – ​ If we are to promote democratic participation, we must maximize the leadership potential of our chapter and the broader community. We believe in the capacity of everyone to be a leader in our movement for socialism, and are committed to emboldening individuals to take initiative in building working class power.

Global Solidarity – ​As capital and labor cross borders, the effects of capitalism transcend national boundaries. Capitalism fundamentally drives colonialism and imperialism. We stand in solidarity with populations who are exploited by capitalist schemes of domination and see ourselves as part of an international human rights movement for the liberation of oppressed people. Immigrants and refugees are unconditionally welcomed as vital members of the working class in their pursuit of livelihood and dignity.

Environmental Justice​ – The common good of humanity is bound to our planet’s viability. Environmental factors such as climate change and pollution disproportionately impact vulnerable and working people. As socialists, we believe that the profound environmental crisis today is an inevitable consequence of irrational and disparate economic growth under capitalism, and can only be addressed by a radical shift to a more democratic mode of economic development.

Diversity of Tactics – ​We understand that capitalist exploitation touches our lives in myriad ways, and its undoing will require more than one-size-fits-all solutions. In order to be as effective and dynamic as possible in confronting capital and building a socialist alternative we commit to using a variety of tactics including base-building, survival programs, direct actions, site-of-struggle organizing, electoral interventions, arts & media, mass mobilizations, and political education.

Vision

We envision a society in which residents have control over the political process, share in the fruits of the economy, and social and economic justice are a vibrant reality for every person. This entails creating racially equitable and communally-approved solutions for our city in the most prominent areas of housing, education, employment, transit, infrastructure, banking and food security, and a clean and liveable environment and climate.We affirm healthcare as a fundamental human right and vigorously promote a system where people are valued over the profits and financial interests of pharmaceutical and private health insurance companies. Local community development must highlight the concerns of residents, rather than the illusory promise of gentrification.

Labor exploitation is an essential feature of capitalism, rather than an aberration. Social and economic justice cannot be fully realized within it. Race and class are inextricably linked under capitalism. Solutions focused on either alone will fail to adequately address the full socio-economic impact of white supremacy. GBDSA envisions a Baltimore, and world at large, in which one’s race does not predict
person’s economic future.

Our chapter advocates for racial equity to become synonymous with due process, through the pursuit of restorative justice, ending the New Jim Crow paradigm of mass incarceration in Baltimore. We espouse community control of law enforcement, and accountability for all residents who endure police terror, and the resulting impunity from these incidents. We reject the suspension of democracy for what few survivors return to our communities following their condemnation to institutional rehabilitation for felony convictions.

As democratic socialists, we envision a government operated by the working class and all people oppressed under capitalism. GBDSA pledges to confront political issues and concerns through activist efforts and concerted electoral strategies. We support grassroots initiatives to build collective solidarity with the working poor and disenfranchised, in Baltimore and throughout the world.

G-R23.10.3 For an Anti-Zionist Priority in Greater Baltimore in both Principle and Practice

Whereas, and in line with Convention Resolutions #4 and #62 from 2019, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is an anti-imperialist organization; Whereas, and in line with Convention Resolution #50 from 2019, the DSA is an anti-colonialist organization committed to advancing decolonization projects; Whereas, and in line with Convention Resolutions #41 and #45 from 2017 and Resolutions #4 and #31 from 2021, the DSA is an anti-racist organization; Whereas, and in line with Convention Resolutions #7&8 from 2017 and Resolution 35 from 2019, DSA National has publicly declared on numerous occasions in recent years that it “unapologetically stands in solidarity with Palestinian people everywhere;”

Whereas, Zionism – as popularized by Theodore Herzl and explicitly described by him as “something colonial,” meant to be “a wall of Europe against Asia… an outpost of [Western] civilization against [Eastern] barbarism” – is and has always been a racist, imperialist, settler-colonial project that has resulted in the ongoing death, displacement, and dehumanization of Palestinians everywhere (i.e., in Palestine and in diaspora around the world);

Whereas, the establishment of a Jewish ethnostate in Palestine and its maintenance via ongoing and illegal occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing represent the culmination of Zionists’ century-long colonization of Palestine; Whereas, and antithetical to the DSA’s contemporary principles and policies, DSA’s founding merger was heavily predicated on ensuring that the DSA would uphold DSOC’s position of supporting continued American aid for Israel’s Zionist settler-colonial project, as explicitly noted in our organization’s founding merger documents (e.g., Points of Political Unity) and by Michael Harrington himself in his autobiography;

Whereas, and antithetical to the DSA’s contemporary principles and policies, a number of DSA endorsed electeds (e.g., Jamaal Bowman & Nithya Raman) have consistently demonstrated a commitment to Zionism through their public opposition to BDS and/or support for legislation that harms Palestinians everywhere (e.g., public support for and votes in favor of U.S. financial aid to Israeli military, which forcefully advances the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestine through systematic tactics of abuse, forcible displacement, and murder of Palestinians; governmental adoption of definitions of antisemitism that conflate anti-Zionism and antisemitism, leading to the suppression of speech of Palestinians and those in solidarity with them);

Whereas, the DSA’s historic and contemporary association with and enablement of Zionism has jeopardized DSA rank-and-file membership’s confidence in the integrity of DSA’s overall politics, as well as our organization’s working relationships with major Palestinian-led grassroots organizations across North America;

Whereas, DSA membership has overwhelmingly denounced Zionism through its stated principles and convention mandates since 2017 but has yet to articulate these newfound principles into a more coherent praxis;

Whereas, there is an urgent need for chapters to address the issue of anti-Zionism,

Therefore, be it resolved, the Greater Baltimore DSA chapter denounces the organization’s Zionist roots and reaffirms its commitment to being an anti-racist, anti-imperialist organization by explicitly committing to being an anti-Zionist chapter– in both principle and praxis;

Be it further resolved, Greater Baltimore DSA condemns the Israeli ethnostate in Palestine, the Zionist entity, and affirms that such condemnation is not anti-Semitic;

Be it further resolved, Greater Baltimore DSA amends the platform to add:

Anti-Zionism and Palestinian Solidarity
We demand that our elected congressional, state, and city leadership publicly support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and pledge to vote against military aid to Israel. In order for there to be a liberated Palestine free for those regardless of ethnicity, religion, or culture, we demand an end to the apartheid and occupation in Palestine carried out by fascist Israel.

Be it further resolved, the Greater Baltimore DSA is an ally to the Palestinian resistance and believes the abolition of the Zionist entity is the only way forward toward a free Palestine, one that is free for those regardless of ethnicity, religion, or culture;

Be it further resolved, the chapter commits to holding at least 4 educational events related to Palestinian solidarity and liberation per year, and in the event the chapter forms a BDS and Palestinian Solidarity working group, the working group would run them;

Be it finally resolved, upon passage of this resolution, the resolution will be posted on chapter social media.

G-R23.10.4: For an Anti-Zionist Electoral Policy in Greater Baltimore in both Principle and Practice

Be it resolved, Greater Baltimore DSA once again reaffirms our organizations commitments to Palestinian liberation and the broad, international BDS movement by conveying our expectation that all of Greater Baltimore DSA’s endorsed candidates hold true to the following basic commitments:

  1. Publicly support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement
  2. Refrain from any and all affiliation with the Israeli government or Zionist lobby groups, such as, but not limited to, AIPAC, J Street, or Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), including participating in political junkets or any event sponsored by these entities;
  3. Pledge to oppose legislation that harms Palestinians, such as…
    • Any official adoption of a redefinition of antisemitism to include opposition to Israel’s policies or legal system, or support for BDS (e.g., IHRA definition of antisemitism);
    • Legislative and executive efforts to penalize individuals, universities and entities that boycott Israel;
    • Legislative and executive efforts to send any military or economic resources to the Israeli government, organizations promoting settlement in the West bank, or to settlers in the West Bank
  4. Pledge to support legislation that supports Palestinian liberation, such as…
    • Legislative and executive efforts to end Israeli apartheid and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians and promote Palestinians’ rights to return to and live freely on the land (e.g., H.R. 2590);
    • Condemnation of Israeli apartheid and colonial practices (e.g., H.Res. 751);
    • Attempts to end the spending of U.S. tax dollars on Israel and/or sanction Israel until it ceases its practices of apartheid and colonialism;

Be it further resolved, our local chapter’s candidate questionnaires will include a question that inquires about the candidate’s position on BDS;

Be it further resolved, potential candidates who cannot commit to the aforementioned basic expectations will be disqualified from endorsement by the Greater Baltimore DSA at every level;

Be it further resolved, Greater Baltimore DSA demands Executive Order 01.01.2017.25 be overturned, which prohibits executive agencies from entering into procurement contracts with companies that boycotted Israel;

Be it further resolved, the Greater Baltimore DSA, in collaboration with trusted Palestine Solidarity movement partners in the grassroots (e.g., Palestinian Youth Movement) and with the National BDS and Palestinian Solidarity Working Group or the National BDS and Palestinian Solidarity subcommittee of the International Committee, will provide all endorsed candidates with anti-Zionist educational materials, 1-to-1 training opportunities and ongoing, open-door counsel as needed;

Be it further resolved, upon receiving fair and ample opportunity for education about the Palestinian struggle for liberation, endorsed candidates who do not commit to the aforementioned basic expectations will have their Greater Baltimore DSA endorsements swiftly revoked;

Be it finally resolved, upon passage of this resolution, the resolution will be posted on chapter social media.

G-R23.10.5: For an Anti-Zionist Membership in Greater Baltimore in both Principle and Practice

Be it resolved, Greater Baltimore DSA members – regardless of endorsement status – who are credibly shown to:

  1. have consistently and publicly opposed BDS and Palestine, even after receiving fair and ample opportunity for education about the Palestinian struggle for liberation,
    • This does not include good-faith strategic disagreements with BDS. However, GBDSA affirms our commitment to BDS as a viable strategy.
  2. be currently directly affiliated with the Israeli government or any Zionist lobby group(s), or
  3. have provided material aid to the Israeli government, organizations promoting settlement in the West bank, or to settlers in the West Bank

will be considered in substantial disagreement with DSA’s principles and policies,
and thus, sanction and expulsion procedures will be initiated as follows:

  1. The steering committee will meet to discuss the situation.
  2. The steering committee will then vote as for whether to censure or expel the
    member.
  3. A vote of 50%+1 is required to expel a member for a second (or higher)
    incident, or to censure them.
  4. A vote of 67% is required to expel a member for a first incident.

Be it further resolved, members who are censured on these grounds will receive a letter signed by the steering committee explaining the reasons for the censure. Members censured on these grounds will then be required to attend at least one educational event regarding anti-Zionism within 6 months of the censure. If the member does not attend the event within 6 months, it will be treated as if a second incident happened.

Be it further resolved, GBDSA acknowledges that the Zionist propaganda arm is very strong, and is committed to work with those censured to help them understand anti-Zionism from a socialist perspective;

Be it further resolved, members who are expelled on these grounds will receive a letter signed by the steering committee explaining the reasons for the expulsion. Members expelled on these grounds may be reconsidered for membership reinstatement once per year provided they write a public statement to chapter membership that 1.) demonstrates a basic understanding of Palestinian issues and Zionism and 2.) apologizes for past anti-solidaristic behaviors with a commitment to putting their new anti-Zionist principles into practice;

Be it further resolved, the GBDSA Steering Committee will refer those expelled from the chapter to the NPC for potential expulsion from the national organization under Article 1, Section 3 of the DSA national Constitution;

Be it further resolved, membership reinstatement of reformed Zionists will require a majority vote in favor of reinstatement by the Steering Committee;

Be it finally resolved, upon passage of this resolution, the resolution will be posted
on chapter social media.