Main Page
(Redirected from Current events)
|
Who We Are
The Socialist Party of Boston is the Boston-area local of the Socialist Party USA, a democratic socialist, feminist, anti-racist party. We strive to establish a radical democracy that places people's lives under their own control.
Socialism is not mere government ownership; it is not a welfare state; it is not a repressive bureaucracy. Socialism is a new social and economic order in which workers and consumers control production and community residents control their neighborhoods, homes, and schools. The production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few. Socialism produces a constantly renewed future by not plundering the resources of the earth.
Radical democracy is the cornerstone not only of our socialism, but also of our strategy. A society based on radical democracy, with power exercised through people's organizations, requires a socialist transformation from below. People's organizations cannot be created by legislation, nor can they spring into being only on the eve of a revolution. Our tactics in the struggle for radical democratic change reflect our ultimate goal of a society founded on principles of egalitarian, non-exploitative and non-violent relations among all people and between all peoples.
Our aim is the creation of a new social order, a society in which the commanding value is the infinite preciousness of every woman, man and child.
You can learn more by reading our Statement of Principles or Organizing Framework. If you agree with our principles, we encourage you to get involved and join the Socialist Party today. For more information, feel free to contact us at
- Socialist Party of Boston
- PO Box 15342
- Boston, MA 02215
or by sending an email to "spboston (at) spboston (dot) org".
Events
- Find notices of many more events at our calendar.
2/28: 2010 Massachusetts State Convention
The 2010 State Convention of the Socialist Party of Massachusetts was held on Sunday, 28 February, beginning at 1 pm in the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) office in Cambridge
Socialists from across the state came together to discuss current events, initiative new local organizing projects, and prepare for a full calendar of upcoming activism, education and organization.
3/7: International Women's Day
Celebrate International Women's Day with the Socialist Party and Code Pink.
We will rally at Copley Square at 1pm (begin to gather starting at noon), march to the Park Street T at 2, and end with a brief silent vigil to mourn the dead and a final call to action before dispersing.
Find more information here.
3/7: Statewide Conference Call
The Socialist Party of Massachusetts will hold our monthly statewide conference call at 8 pm on Sunday evening, 7 March.
These regular monthly conference calls help socialists throughout the state keep in touch and be more active and coordinated at the statewide level. This month, we will follow up on organizing initiated at our recent State Convention, particularly local organizing, managing our electronic presence, budget / fundraising, and preparing for May Day. We will also hear back from International Women's Day actions earlier on Sunday.
The call is open to SP members. Other supporters should contact us to obtain call-in information.
3/10: Socializing for Socialism
Join Boston-area socialists and supporters for an informal get-together Wednesday evening, 13 January. This should be a relaxed and fun opportunity to meet up and chat, maybe get a drink or something to eat, so stop by and bring your friends.
We're planning to head out after the May Day Committee meeting, which will be held at 7 pm in Encuentro5 (33 Harrison Ave., fifth floor, by the Chinatown T stop on the Orange Line). After the meeting we will head to the Otherside Cafe (207 Newbury St.) for drinks, food and conversation.
3/12: Celebrating the Radical Ideas of Howard Zinn
Join the Socialist Party, at a celebration of the radical ideas and revolutionary message of Howard Zinn. The program will include a short video, presentations by activists, music, and lively discussion.
7 pm at the Community Church of Boston (565 Boylston St., Copley Square).
3/28: Local Business Meeting
The Socialist Party will meet at 5:30 pm on Sunday, 28 March 2010 in the Lucy Parsons Center. Heading into the busy spring, we'll review International Women's Day events and the 20 March National March on Washington, and work on organizing upcoming events, especially May Day. More information can be found in the preliminary agenda currently being developed.
Members, supporters, and the curious are all invited to attend.
The Lucy Parsons Center is located at 549 Columbus Ave. in the South End, near the Mass Ave. T stop on the Orange Line, the Symphony T stop on the Green Line (E), and the #1 bus line.
April: The People Celebrate Howard Zinn
A People's Celebration of the life and contributions of Howard Zinn, 1922-2010, is currently being planned. We are working on organizing an event including both indoor and outdoor aspects, where everyone is invited.
Watch this space to hear about plans as they are decided.
Recent Statements
Black History Month
- 2 February 2010
- Socialist Party People of Color Commission
February is Black History Month. It's a time when our public institutions, and corporations give a little extra attention to the accomplishments and contributions to the story of the Americas made by Black Americans. Established by Carter G Woodson in 1926, its purpose was to promote the contributions made by Black Americans in an effort to undo the contention that Black people have no history, and have made no significant contributions to the history of the Americas.
Since 1926 this project has come a long way. What started as a one week remembrance of Black American accomplishments has become an entire month. As a child Black History Month began and ended with the ring of the school bell. By the mid 90's McDonalds (if only on BET) began crafting ads for fast food to coincide with the month of February. If we weren't yet recognized as key players in the American experience, our spending power certainly was. As with all things in our country whatever can be turned into a commodity will be turned into a commodity.
The Socialist Party USA is pleased to recognize and celebrate February as Black History month. As socialists we recognize the central role in American, and global history that African peoples occupy. You cannot address the history of religion, science, art, or the study of history itself without beginning with the story of the African. For socialists it is also important to move the stories of Black people out of its box in February and into the larger narrative of American History in order to reconstruct a story of the Americas as seen and experienced from the people on the bottom.
There can be no legitimate account of American history that distinguishes between its peoples contributions based on the color of their skin.
Solidarity with the People of Haiti
- 13 January 2010
- Socialist Party USA
The Socialist Party USA stands in solidarity with the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake that hit the island. Estimates of the dead are more than one hundred thousand and significant parts of the capital city Port-au-Prince's infrastructure have been destroyed. The full extent of the damage will not be known for days and the country seems certain to be thrust into a humanitarian crisis even more serious than the one that exists on a daily basis.
While this disaster has natural origins, it occurred within a nation that had already been ravaged by capitalism. Haiti is a model case for the failure of the neoliberal economic model and the negative legacies of US militarism in the region... read more.
National Day of Action to Defend Education
- 22 December 2009
- Socialist Party USA
The Socialist Party USA (SP-USA) endorses the call for a National Day of Action to Defend Education to be held on March 4th, 2010. SP-USA locals through out the country will participate in organizing political actions in defense of education. The SP-USA endorsement is part of a national call made by student groups responsible for recent campus occupations and student protests in California and New York City.
The call for protest is a response to recent actions by State and Local governments to reduce education budgets as a way to fill in budget gaps. At least 26 states are implementing cuts to K-12 education programs, including Illinois whose cuts will make more than 10,000 children ineligible for early childhood education and Massachusetts, which carried out deep cuts on a number of early care programs. Cuts in other states will result in tuition increases, school closings, privatization, the elimination of after-school programs, and general restrictions on access to higher education.
The SP-USA opposes all cuts to education. We believe that access to free, high quality, public education at all stages of life is a fundamental human right. As such, we fully support the call for a national day of action in order to express our opposition to the education cutbacks taking place throughout the nation... read more.
Books and literature
The Socialist Party of Boston has a small library of radical books for sale, all well below the cover price.
We have a wide variety of literature outlining our past, present, principles and positions, available for free online. This includes
- Pamphlets and statements.
- Socialism as Radical Democracy, the Statement of Principles of the Socialist Party USA.
- "You Don't Have to be a Saint to be a Socialist", a primer on democratic socialism.
- A Century of Struggle, History of the Socialist Party USA, 1901-2007.
- Socialist Party USA: Who We Are, Where We Stand.
- A Lot of What's Best About America is Socialist! Don't believe it? Take a look.
- Democratic Socialism, the way to jobs, peace and freedom.
- International Women's Day, our day of empowerment, resistance, and celebration.
- May Day Greetings, a joint statement by Rune Lund, a Member of the Danish Parliament representing the Red-Green Alliance and Eric Chester, Convener of the International Commission of the Socialist Party USA.
- Recent back issues of our magazines, The Socialist and Socialist Women. An electronic edition of the magazine, The Socialist WebZine, was founded in October 2008.
- The Socialist, January-February 2010 (now available in print).
- The Socialist, November-December 2009 (available online soon).
- Socialist Women, September-October 2009.
- The Socialist, July-August 2009.
- The Socialist, May-June 2009.
- Socialist Women, March-April 2009.
- The Socialist, January-February 2009.
- The Socialist, November-December 2008.
- Socialist Women, Fall 2008.
- The Socialist, Summer 2008.
- The Socialist, May Day 2008.
- The Socialist, International Women's Day 2008.
- The Socialist, Year-end 2007.
- Socialist Women, Fall 2007.
- The Socialist, Fall 2007.
- Socialist Women, Summer 2007.
- The Socialist, May Day 2007.
- The Socialist, International Women's Day 2007.
- Socialist Women, Fall 2006.
- The Socialist, Fall 2006.
- Socialist Women, Summer 2006.
- The Socialist, May Day 2006.
- The Socialist, International Women's Day 2006.
- Our bimonthly Boston bulletin, with brief announcements of news and events
Links
- Socialist Party USA, the national organization (MySpace, Facebook)
- Socialist National Committee, the SP's electoral arm
- Young People's Socialist League, autonomous youth affiliate
- Socialist Party of Massachusetts (MySpace)
More links can be found here.