Hey Now, You’re An A1lstar • Page 61

So, I mean as far as how meetings are ran and stuff, that's gonna vary chapter by chapter. But there should at least be an organizing committee that serves as the elected leaders and organizers for the chapter as a whole. Then there are working groups that specialize in certain areas like prison abolition, socialist-feminists, labor working groups, medicare for all working groups, etc.

So, in KC our biggest working group is our Prison Abolition group. We had a reading group with introductory prison abolition readings that we had regularly scheduled for anyone and everyone to attend and then had working group meetings to plan actions, discuss strategies, delegate responsibilities, etc. Right now for May Day the KC DSA is co-hosting a fundraising concert to raise bail money for women of color who are in jail right now.

Some chapters have rallied around free health and wellness clinics, others have put on free brake light replacement events (biggest reason people of color are pulled over are for bullshit reasons like ordinance violations such as a taillight being out, so offering free replacements helps reduce those traffic violations and stops), a lot of chapters right now are doing bowl-a-thons to raise money for their state abortion access programs. I think we're up to around $80,000 right now!

Then we also participate in other local organization's events like Indivisible (the KC chapter was basically suburban white moms hosting BBQs for corporate dems in local races so we never joined their events), local BLM and Fight for $15, and other anti-racist, anti-capitalist, pro-labor events. Denver DSA was out during the teachers walk outs this weekend handing out water bottles and refilling them for teachers and union organizers at the capitol.

So each chapter is going to be ran differently and have different working groups and different events and projects going on that hopefully fill in the gaps for local issues that the chapter can help in some way.

Because I have social anxiety and am generally not a "people person," I went to one of the Socializing with Socialist events that the KC DSA was putting on on a friday that was just a casual meet up with dsa members and those interested. I knew there wouldn't be very many people so I figured this would be a good way to meet a couple of people in a more relaxed setting. I showed up right at the start time when I knew the crowd wouldn't be too big and just sat next to some of the first people there, introduced ourselves, and talked about regular small talk and our jobs and stuff. So, once you have a couple of people you recognize, it makes going to the chapter meetings easier since you can barnacle to someone there and feel better. Then during the meetings the various working groups will probably present on what they're currently working on or ask for people to sign up for X Y or Z event.

I loved doing reading groups and study groups in college so I approached some of the co-chairs and elected members about starting reading groups they basically said "run with it. If it's something you're passionate about, you should be the one leading it then." So there's lots of ways for you to get involved if it's just showing up to meetings, paying your dues, and signing up to volunteer. Or, if there's something you really want to do that you think would be good for the chapter or the community, there's avenues for you to lead those as well.

Then there are the social aspects, again like the socializing with socialist events, some chapters have running clubs. Before I left KC I was working on putting together a music group to share a spotify account and have monthly meet ups to play albums by progressive artists and drink and talk music. I'm sure you'd have no problem either joining or starting a beer club in your DSA if you wanted.

The national organization isn't perfect and there's some sectarianism even within the local chapters, but by and large, it's the best group I've ever joined of like minded folks that where you're not only doing good work in your local community but also making friends and all that normal human stuff.

 

My new user title.

 

Alexa: make that my avatar

 

Hey buddy

 

what do you want matt

 

So much for having integrity and boycotting Amazon

 

So many games that if it was the only console I had for the rest of my life I'd probably have plenty to play

 

well I know they had third party games out the wazoo like everyone else at that time but I can only think of several good first party games

ps3 kinda felt kinda similar to how xbox one feels now imo

 

Bruh zbox 360 didn't have Jack shite for exclusives after 2007.

 

Never liked many 360 exclusives

 

i don't know you

 

I didn't care if they were third party or not

 

all the halo (and gears) multi made up for it to 16 yo me. ps3 only had uncharted and then last of us wayyy later.

but yes that era was gold for third party games across both platforms

 

CONSOLE WARS 2K4EVER

 

FYI I had both ps3 and 360 back then

Killzone 2 multi was very good actually

hated the resistance games tho

 

I find something to like about most consoles

 

360 is way too many exclusives

 

You will.

 

pass

 

Did you get paid for that other one last week?

 

holy shit ps2 had 3874 games

and I forgot to add ps1 to the “great” list

 

that was a very nice nap

 

Was it 69 minutes long?

 

How?