A Letter to Our Readers
Dear Reader,
You have in your hands (well, on your screen anyway) the first issue of The Goose Quill, the publication of the Fordham chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America. Here you will find a number of articles and essays on subjects such as: queer liberation, art criticism, fiscal policy, the Constitution, and, of course, socialism.
The Goose Quill aims to be a publication for students, faculty, and staff at Fordham to publish pieces relating to leftist politics and related topics. We want to broaden the scope of political discussion at Fordham and work to enact meaningful progressive change in the Fordham and Bronx communities.
The purpose of this letter is to serve as our introduction to the larger Fordham community. Despite having operated throughout this semester, we’ve remained largely under the radar. It is our hope that after reading this editorial our values and mission will be clear.
What is Fordham YDSA? Heck, what are the Young Democratic Socialists of America?
YDSA is the youth wing of the Democratic Socialists of America, a national organization that is the largest socialist group in the United States with over 60,000 dues-paying members in close to 200 chapters across the country.
What is our purpose as the YDSA?
As stated in our constitution, our purpose here at Fordham YDSA is “to educate and organize students and young people and play a principled role in the movement for social justice.” Fordham’s Jesuit values are in accordance with the pursuit of social justice, aiming to transform students into people who are not only bothered by injustice and attentive to the needs of the disenfranchised, but also willing to take actions in addressing the issues on a grassroots level. We take inspiration from great Christian socialists such as Dorothy Day and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
What is the purpose of The Goose Quill?
Historically, The Goose Quill was the first student publication at Fordham printed between 1853 and 1855. It was a collection of essays, poetry, and other works written by students.
Our vision for this publication is to be a vehicle for leftist ideas, whether they be in the form of essays, articles, academic papers, or poetry. You’ll notice by reading the pieces we’ve prepared for this issue that we have cast a wide net, and we’re proud of this fact and the diversity of topics discussed in this issue..
We also want to take the time to formally address a recent story published in the paper about us and our club. We feel that it doesn’t tell the whole story about us and comes off as combative, dismissive, and as more of a hit piece than objective journalism. A particular issue we have is the characterization of us as a tone deaf white group — which not only erases the identities of our nonwhite members but also ignores the systematic issues of diversity at Fordham. The Goose Quill is our chance for us to tell you who we are, in our own words.
We hope you enjoy the pieces we have published today on May 1, International Workers’ Day, and that you consider publishing with The Goose Quill or even joining us at Fordham YDSA.
In Solidarity,
The Goose Quill Staff
