Solidarity Note: Why I’m Here
By David Fritsch
It’s been one month since I paid my dues and became an official member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Like many others, I felt pushed from annoyed to active by Trump’s endless shenanigans and a Congress that proposes tax cuts to make the wealthy wealthier. This didn’t start in 2016, though.
As I look across the communities I’ve lived in — from the rural Northwoods of Wisconsin, to a bedroom community of Chicago in Northwest Indiana, and finally to the coast of California in San Francisco — I see a story of common struggle. People all struggling to survive, to make ends meet, and to make sense of their community.
Some of this struggle is the good kind — the struggle that builds character and hones your ability to achieve a goal. But much more common is the crushing kind of struggle; the struggle to survive and to be accepted for who you are. The struggle for any opportunity to flourish.
As we wallow in the chaos of our contemporary political climate, more and more of us are recognizing the inhumanity of our system, as our own struggles and those of others come into sharper focus. But recognizing the struggles around us isn’t enough; we must dig in to these struggles and unpack the systemic issues that continue to disenfranchise so many.
In each news bit of the week, I think about the underlying causes:
- Immigration makes the headlines because children are ripped from their families, and I see the injustice not only of the heinous internment and deportation policies, but of the economic crises we’ve helped create in their home countries.
- Black Lives Matter makes the headlines because another Black child is killed by the police, and I see the systemic racism that continues to impoverish Black and minority communities.
- Native Americans make headlines protecting their land and water from oil pipelines, and I see the environmental and economic injustice that favors the profit of a few over the welfare of communities.
Today’s politics creates a lot of noise, but none of this feels new. I’ve come to terms with the idea that the world I’d like to live in is a long, hard fight away. Each headline puts my own goals in stark contrast. Will I fight and strive just for what strengthens me, or am I willing to fight for the world I want to live in?
My membership in DSA was more than anything a sign to myself that I’m ready to stand up. I want to be a part of an organization that imagines a different world and takes the actions each day to try to realize that vision. I want to use my voice to cast a vote for that vision.
Democratic socialists believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few.
My first month in DSA has been invigorating! This is a group that embodies the values they pronounce. Lofty goals have and continue to be set, and the group comes together in force to make them happen.
In June we staffed phone banks for days and days in the lead-up to the June 5th primary in California (with great success!). We answered the call and helped gather thousands of signatures to get an important homeless services measure on the November ballot.
In between those events I’ve been involved in consistent, organized action working to #AbolishICE, to onboard streams of new members, and to continue educating and understanding countless initiatives from public banking to pushing for public workers’ right to unionize.
DSA is quickly becoming a pillar in my life. I look forward to learning more about the group’s initiatives, honing my ability to execute and organize, and hopefully seeing profound changes in my community from this action.
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Ready to learn more and take action to rebuild our society: follow @DSA_SF on Twitter and click here to join DSA SF.
David Fritsch comes to DSA SF as an environmental scientist and software engineer. He’s most excited to expose the systemic issues preventing us from unlocking a fair and equitable society. Follow him at @dpfritsch on Twitter.
