Joining a party - frso vs psl vs cpusa vs pcusa vs any other American Marxist party
Joining a party - frso vs psl vs cpusa vs pcusa vs any other American Marxist party
Thinking of joining an ml party. I’ve been doing little things with dsa and other orgs now and again but it gets tiring having to hold my tongue around liberal progressives all the time and I’d like to be part of an org where I theoretically don’t have to do that.
If you’re in one of these parties, why do you like it, why should I join? I’m also mainly interested in any reasons why I should not join any of these orgs. Like are any of them just full of cops, or are they political cults full of abusers or anything? Tbh right now I’m leaning towards frso just because I like their stance of national liberation struggles within the us and also the idea that they’re sort of a “pre-party” organization, since I recognize while I’m probably knowledgeable enough theory-wise to join an ml organization, I definitely still have a lot of learning I need to (and would like to) do. But it would be nice to have comrades and not just be reading alone in my room lol.
But that is by no means set in stone and I’m hoping someone can give me a rundown of the ml landscape in the USA and/or guide me away from any parties I probably shouldn’t join.
Most parties have at least some meetings, and certainly many events, which are open to the general public. Just attend some, and join the org which is doing the work you most want to be involved in. As for the dangers of cult-like microsects and burnout, maybe why you shouldn't join any, check out this podcast by a bunch of former members of such a party.
For burnout, I think it can happen fast when you engage with the pointless performative actions like marching to demand billionaires being taxed or getting your ass kicked at some lib climate protest on the sidewalk. But performative actions are still important in certain scenarios, such as showing up to pro-Palestine or pro-LGBT rallies and marches since the numbers matter as well as having allies unrelated to the event’s demographics
Billionaires know that people want them to be more fair, they don’t care. But marginalized people need to know that they have people standing in solidarity with them otherwise they will become further alienated, and it pisses off and scares the establishment
Out of those options I would recommend FRSO or PSL. I'd go with whichever is bigger or more active around things you care about. For opsec reasons I don't mention my own org(s) or past ones.
Did you use your real name when joining? Sorta feel weird doing that. Maybe I can just use a single first name, no last name
That's 100% fine to prioritize. If they don't let you do that (e.g. so they can contact you and get dues) you might want to consider a leftist group that is coherently focused on a single overarching issue like labor or imperialism or community defense against racists and transphobes. Many of those groups will either be fronts for parties like this or in a coalition with them and it can be easier and safer to participate in them with good infosec.
Don’t join LaRouchites unless you want your leader to be a Hitler guy who wants to see mothers and daughters having sexual relationships
Don’t join Black Hammer unless you want to be part of some weird ass FSB op that’ll get you tortured and killed
I don’t remember which one, but between CPUSA and PCUSA, one of them is a neutered liberal party that calls for its members to support democrats and Biden
I’m pretty sure CPUSA, or parts of it or its offshoot, became nazbol. There’s an image of a bunch of dorks in some hotel ballroom conference with the flags of the breakaway Donbas states and the Lincoln head. Their offshoot party sounds very Think Tanky, by the way.
PSL is a popular choice here. I think there was a sexual abuse case involving someone higher up who tried to use his position to silence it. I don’t remember the details about this. But at least on a local level, they tend to be good. I’m not fully involved with them yet, but my org cooperates with them and it’s usually a fine experience
DSA International Caucus is consistently based. But I don’t know how they choose their members since it’s like a specific section of the national group.
Yeah black hammer is what I had in mind when I said I was worried about political cults. That and the Avakian party, whatever that one is.
Thanks for this. I’m pretty sure none of the parties I listed are larouchite?
CPUSA’s offshoot is. I don’t know if the main party is