About
the Young Democratic Socialists of JMU
About
the Young Democratic Socialists of JMU
The independant YOUNG SOCIALIST LEAGUE (YSL) of James Madison University was founded in 1996, and chartered shortly thereafter with the Democratic Socialists of America to become the Young Democratic Socilaists of JMU (YDS-JMU). YSL (and subsequently YDS-JMU) was founded by disaffected members of the Young Democrats, assorted leftists, anarchists, progressives, feminists, Gay rights activists, and radical democrats (little "d"). Launched after frustration with the Democratic Party and the rightward-shift of liberalism, the progressive students found a home with YDS.
In just one short year, the Young Democratic Socialists of JMU grew to become the third-largest DSA Youth Section Chapter and the second largest political group on campus (eclipsing the College Democrats and the Young Libertarians).
YDS-JMU is a feminist, anti-racist, democratic, Socialist organization. Our projects have ranged from prison reform and non-violent drug legalization, to fighting the militaristic and homophobic R.O.T.C. on campus and taking on the racist I.N.S.
YDS prides itself upon being the campus's only multi-issue progressive organization. YDS has organized and participated in many events in coalition with other progressive groups on campus. But YDS does have its detractors. In the Spring of 1997, YDS organized "Stamp Out the Hate" Day, in which a booth with music was set up on the commons. We passed out stickers which said "Stamp Out the Hate: Boycott Racism, Sexism, and Homophobia". It was highly popular, and students all over the campus were wearing them. However, members of the College Republicans (the right-wing organization on campus) decided to picket our demonstration, and passed out inflammatory pamphlets. This only got them bad press and the annoiance of the JMU students.
YDS has worked on two political campaigns so far. Supporting the Green Party- Shen. Valley (that YDS-JMU plays a major role in), YDS was able to garner 6% of the vote in a three-way election on the first time out. Pretty good for a virginal attempt! In the subsequent election, Michael Key (20), Moderator of YDS, won 30% in a three-way election for City Council.
But the majority of the work
that YDS does is multi-issue work. In 1997, the Immigration and Naturalization
Service busted into a local factory and arrested anyone with an accent
(and didn't give them a lawyer or an interpreter for sometimes up to 5
days!). YDS immediately rallied to their side. YDS helped bring in the
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and helped with a fund-raiser for
them.
YDS-JMU has also worked to form new Youth Section Chapters in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The University of Virginia was the first success. The UVA chapter works with JMU to increase the Socialist presence in Virginia and surrounding states.
Last semester, we helped plan
a Free Tibet Concert and rally in coalition with Amnesty International
(of which many YDSrs are a part), and Students for a Free Tibet.
We worked quite extensively on anti-sweatshop actions in Fall of 1998. We had a large rally with a cardboard sweatshop on the Commons with our own "Vote for Mr. and Mrs. Sweatshop" contest. By the way, out of the hundreds of votes cast, Phil Knight of Nike and Minnie Mouse of Disney won. We disrupted the Disney recruitment meeting for the second year in a row (though they were more prepared for us this year), and plastered the campus with chalk stating "Disney uses sweatshops in Haiti".
In the Spring semester of 1999, we put on our own YDS Activism conference. There we gave participants civil disobediance / non-violence training, participated in some "revolutionary" community service, and had workshops on how to make your activist cause known to your campus.
In the last part of the Spring semester, we managed to get all of the progressive leaders on campus into one room to discuss working together. With around 50 in attendance, we were able to begin our work in the Progressive Coalition. Look for increased activism coming soon!
The
Young Democratic Socialists of America is the youth affiliate of the Democratic
Socialists of America. YDS is the largest radical youth organization in
the nation. YDS has chapters all over America and participates in a variety
of events, including national conventions, conferences, special conferences
on various issues (such as NAFTA), and Socialist Summer School. YDS is
a member of the International Union of Socialist Youth 
The
Democratic Socialists of America is the largest Socialist organization
in America and is the U.S. affiliate (along with the Social Democrats)
in the Socialist International. D.S.A. was formed with the merger
of the New American Movement (NAM) and Michael Harrington's Democratic
Socialist Organizing Committee (D.S.O.C.). D.S.A. is not a political
party, but rather works within the left wing of the Democratic Party and
other third parties. D.S.A. is a driving force for the Progressive
Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives (led by Rep. Bernie Sanders,
Socialist Congressman of Vermont).
GENERAL SECRETARY..............JOSH COHEN*
Club-DemSocialist@jmu.edu