What you missed at the National Conference on Socialism 2010
And if you were there, here's an opportunity to re-live it
In the United States, the richest 400 people have as much wealth as 50 million households combined. The criminal occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq have cost the lives of over a million innocent people, and thousands of U.S. troops, while costing trillions of dollars. The richest banks and corporations have been bailed out by the government to the tune of $14 trillion, all on the backs of working people. The epidemic of police brutality, checkpoints and immigrant bashing is intensifying as the capitalist state seeks to protect the class it serves.
This is the reality of capitalism. Is this the way it has to be? No. The National Conference on Socialism, organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation on Nov. 13 and 14 in Los Angeles, discussed an alternative to this irrational and increasingly barbaric system that puts human needs over private profits.
Watch a slideshow of the National Conference on Socialism 2010!
| Video from the National Conference on Socialism 2010: | ||
| Opening Plenary | Resisting U.S. Imperialism panel | Special International Awards Session |
| Keynote Plenary | Class Struggle in Africa panel | Closing Plenary |
Day 1 of the Conference
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Opening Plenary: "The need for socialism" - Talk by PSL member Peta Lindsay "Being in a revolutionary party means you are in the struggle" - Talk by PSL member Tina Kelly "The struggle against imperialist war and racism" - Talk by PSL member Akufuna Ngonda |
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Keynote Plenary: Tasks and perspectives of the socialist movement The keynote plenary speakers takes up the tasks and perspective of the socialist movement. As socialists who fight for the overthrow of the current system and its replacement with a new system based on solidarity and providing for the needs of the people, we must understand our short and long term goals, we must have a critical political analysis of our tasks in confronting the capitalist system. There are three speakers—Frances Villar, Gloria La Riva and Brian Becker—all of whom are members of the PSL Central Committee, followed by questions and answers. "Why we need a revolutionary party" - Talk by PSL member Frances Villar "Why we continue to defend the Soviet Union" - Talk by PSL member Gloria La Riva |
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Lunch Break (Plus screening of "The Sand Creek Equation") During lunch, there was a special screening of the new documentary, "The Sand Creek Equation" by award-winning filmmaker Travis Wilkerson ("An Injury to One"). The film takes the viewer on a lyrical journey from occupied Gaza to Sand Creek, Colorado, the site of a notorious massacre by U.S. troops of Native Americans. The filmmaker introduced the film. |
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(Panel 1) Resisting U.S. imperialism: Is it just bad policies or the system? This panel discusses imperialism, what it is, and how it affects people across the world. It examines the policies of the Bush regime and compare them to what’s now happening under Obama. An overall analysis of Lenin’s thesis on the subject also is presented, along with discussion about Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, the Philippines and elsewhere.
"Imperialism is a system, not a policy choice" - Talk by PSL member Mazda Majidi "U.S. imperialism seeks to dominate China" - Talk by PSL member Preston Wood "The Israeli occupation of Palestine" - Talk by PSL member Tamara Khoury "Iraq, Iran and U.S. imperialism in the Middle East" - Talk by PSL member Heather Benno |
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(Panel 2) Fighting to win: How we can defeat immigrant bashing,
"Struggle against anti-immigrant racism" - Talk by PSL member Jennifer Zaldana "Equality for women, LGBT requires militant, unified struggle" - Talk by PSL member Stevie Merino "The right wing in the United States" - Talk by PSL member Ben Becker "Resisting ICE terror tactics against immigrants" - Talk by PSL member Irvin Pachuca "'Islamophobia' serves to justify U.S. crimes in the Middle East" - Talk by PSL member Omar Ali |
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(Panel 3) Building a new workers' movement: Organized labor is under attack by Wall Street, corporate giants and capitalist politicians. This panel features labor leaders and workers who resist and organize to stop these anti-worker policies. Topics include the dynamics of the labor movement today, organizing the unorganized and the prospects for a class-wide fight back.
"New openings for reviving the workers' movement" - Talk by PSL member Jeff Bigelow "Capitalism fails the children in our schools" - Talk by PSL member Jinnette Caceres |
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Class struggle exists everywhere in Africa, but it is rarely discussed or covered in the United States. This panel features experts on the workers’ struggle in Africa, discussing the conditions for working and poor people today. Featured topics include South Africa after apartheid, Sudan: united or divided, Zimbabwe and imperialism, and overcoming the legacy of colonialism and underdevelopment.
"Resolving the crisis of leadership in Africa" - Talk by PSL member Austin Thompson |
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(Panel 5) Socialism and the Latin American revolution
“Down with Yankee imperialism” is an increasingly popular slogan south of the U.S.-Mexico border. This panel discusses the leftward shift in Latin America and the class dynamics at play. Topics include Cuba’s economic reforms and socialism, an appraisal of the Venezuelan revolution; what’s happening in Bolivia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Brazil and Colombia; Mexico’s revolutionary legacy, and the new role of China in Latin America.
"Reform and revolution in Latin America" - Talk by PSL member Jacqueline Villagomez "Cuba: an example to fighters for social justice" - Talk by PSL member Monica Ruiz "The role of U.S. imperialism in Mexico's crises" - Talk by PSL member Frank Lara |
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(Panel 6) Fighting racism and the expanding police state What role do the police play in society? Why do they target and kill Black and Latino people more than anyone else? This panel includes lawyers and activists from across the country involved in the movement against racist police violence, terror and repression. Strategies are discussed with the goal of building a more effective struggle against the expanding police state.
"Mobilizing the community against police abuse" - Talk by PSL member Yari Osorio "Police brutality: not just a few ‘bad apples’" - Talk by PSL member Karina Garcia "The struggle against the police state in Albuquerque" - Talk by PSL member Lisa Santillanes |
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The first ever PSL "Fighters for Justice, Champions of Freedom" awards are presented in this session to political prisoners, radical lawyers and longtime leaders in the people’s struggle. Fighters for Justice award recipients:
Featured speaker
Speakers and solidarity greetings
Emcees
Statements of solidarity sent to the National Conference on Socialism: "Why I joined the PSL" - Talk by PSL member Sasha Murphy "Society can be reorganized on a different basis" - Talk by PSL member Sarah Sloan "From soldier to revolutionary" - Talk by PSL member Michael Prysner Entertainment
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A diverse group of PSL members from across with the country share short reports on struggles that are taking place in their cities and states, and exciting plans that are on the horizon. Building the revolutionary struggle takes a great deal of education and study, but it must also involve practical action. PSL members from across the West Coast, East Coast, Midwest and South give 3-minute reports. 
The struggle for class unity is more important than ever. This panel analyzes how to build a united fight back by focusing on the movement to overturn racist, anti-immigrant laws and win equality, the battle for LGBT and women's rights, what's behind the sustained attacks on Arabs and Muslims, and what the rise of the Tea Party means for workers. 
Day 2 of the Conference
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Practical experiences of building a revolutionary socialist movement This session featured four different breakout groups that discussed organizing work taking place around the country, from Los Angeles to Texas to New York and beyond. Organizers in a variety of struggles were encouraged to attend, share experiences and figure out ways to push the working-class struggle forward. |
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Revolutionary writers’ clinic Hone your skills as a revolutionary writer and learn new ones in the Revolutionary writers’ clinic. One of the PSL’s top editors will lead this session about how to write articles, frame slogans and draft flyers to forward the class struggle. |
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Expanding the reach of socialist media As socialists, the goal is to reach more people with revolutionary ideas. How can we do this? What means to we use? Videos, websites, Liberation newspaper and more were discussed in this session. Hear from people involved in creating the new wave of socialist media and learn how to get involved. |
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Developing the PSL’s Spanish-language work Reaching out to and recruiting Spanish speaking people and immigrants is a central focus of the PSL today. In Los Angeles and across the country, members and friends have embarked on a new plan to better engage workers and students that speak Spanish. Discuss what is happening, what our ideas are, and how you can become part of this important work. |
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Introduction to Socialism This class will answer basic questions about socialism and communism, including: Is Marxism relevant in the 21st century? How do socialists view the rise and fall of the Soviet Union? Why only socialism can solve the ills of capitalist society and bring about a different world. |
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Closing Plenary  The goal of the PSL is to organize and promote struggle, to facilitate political awareness among the working class and to facilitate the development of leaders from the working class, from the oppressed sectors of society. The closing plenary addresses the PSL's perspective on the work ahead of us, and calls for the building of a revolutionary party as a central task of working-class activists.
"Why I joined the PSL" - Talk by PSL member Nathalie Serrano "A step forward in the class struggle" - Talk by PSL member Ian Thompson Singing of the Internationale The Internationale was written by Eugene Pottier, a transport worker in Paris, who wrote the song after the French government crushed the Paris Commune in 1871. It became the anthem of the First, Second and Third International, and the National Anthem of the Soviet Union. |
