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| Next Left Notes |
Documents from the SDS Northeast Regional Conference
Brown University, Providence, RI - April 2006
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SDS Northeast Conference Report, Apr.23, Brown University (Providence, RI).
by Paul Buhle
SDS held its first Regional Conference in 37 years (i.e., since 1969) for
New Englanders, attended by about 200 SDSers from near (RI, Connecticut and
Mass) and far (Seattle, NJ, NY and Montreal!). It was not a spectators' event
but an Organizers' Conference, as quickly became clear in discussion. Nearly
everyone on hand had experience on the ground, in local SDS and/or other
organizations and causes.
The democratic tone, the spirited discussion at
large, the eagerness of attendees to tell their own stories and learn from
each other, were all pretty overwhelming. But so was the optimism, especially
for these scary times. By contrast to the stunning apathy of many campus
majorities-hating Bush and the war but feeling too paralyzed to do anything-the
sentiment here was an ongoing empowerment. Serious conversations with critical
and constructive comments on all sides revolved around how to do "it," get students
moving, what issues brought campus and community issues together, what issues
might be most vivid for the mass of students themselves (e.g., the simultaneous
rising tuition and the diminishing free speech). Just about everybody had
something to contribute, which is in itself both amazing and a marker for collective
self-confidence.
Oldtimers had their role, too. Tom Good (caught between generations
but making the most of it) dynamically laid out a time-line chapter growth, reminding
us that since Martin Luther King, Jr., Day when the organization first sent out its
call, we have grown to over 90 chapters or would-be chapters tied into the new SDS
network, with street actions all the way along. Highschooler Pat Korte broke into
the gray-headed lineup, delivering a powerful statement on the need and activity of
New SDS, followed by Bob Ross, who offered a sharp, analytic series of jabs,
indicating what various things a new SDS could do and what to look out for in our
own potential mistakes. Bernadine Dohrn avoided the old controversies about Weatherman,
instead offering inspiring words about what young people can do and need to do. Carl
Oglesby wowed the crowd with an emotional and heartfelt insistence that activism is
about "teaching yourself how to do what you don't know how to do," and committing to
a life of "tumbling," or not settling down in the traditional sense. Resuming his
role as master orator, he reminded us that, as activists, we should not fear the risks
of that kind of tumbling, but look forward to it, with all the complications. The
real founder of the original SDS-if there can be said to be one founder-Al Haber
was our bearded prophet, and funny, too. Your faithful columnist split the MC duty
with Bert Garskof.
Sorbonne grad student Ambre Ivol, greatly experienced if only a
few years older than most of those on-hand,, offered a brilliant analysis of the
ongoing French struggle, how students had organized themselves but also learned to
reach out to populations beyond the university. Her speech might be seen as one
aspect of the sense of outreach that took definite shape, for the homefront, in
the very first resolution voted upon (with near-unanimity) with the new SDS: endorsement
of the Mayday walkout for immigrant rights and amnesty, urging students to join and
support that struggle by every means available to them. By this resolution and vote,
new SDS established itself as moving beyond any borders, but also insisting upon a
drastically expanded democracy at home.
A few more impressions from this longtime observer of SDS: First, the
biggest mistake of us local organizers was not to plan
a two-day conference because (as during the 1960s) the extended hours of people
getting to know each other is part of the crucial network-building. To tell the
truth, we didn't expect such a successful and dynamic turnout. Second, and making
up somewhat for this mistake, Senia Barragan and Liz Sperber of Brown (aided logistically
by Alana Markowitz of Salve Regina, who brought the sandwiches and gave an initial greeting)
did a fabulous job all-around, acting as hosts, sometimes leading the discussion of the
group at large, and giving us a sense that even within a strong SDS chapter, a few
activists can do a lot on campus. Even if not everyone is not likely to come out
with a CD of her band (and her singing)?.apologies for squeezing in that commercial,
Senia (see the link on the SDS website ).
Impressionistic stats: perhaps twenty-five
of the attendees not counting speakers were post-student, including the first editor
of NEW LEFT NOTES (Jim Russell), the original SDS tabloid. There were only a handful
of graduate students. Women SDSers were maybe a quarter of the total, but in every
kind of exchange, from floor comments and workshops, could be counted among the most
forceful speakers. Sprinkling of African Americans, Latinos/Latinas and Asian-Americans.
Most different from the original SDS, in my view, was probably the presence and
forcefulness of community and commercial college students. Highschoolers, who are
also disproportionate among those who joined on line, were not much in evidence here,
but certain to make themselves known in future meetings.
Altogether, the First Regional
Conference of the 21st Century (thanks, Liz and Senia, for this phrase) was one of
those watershed events that made you happy just to have been there. Not something
you would want to forget, from oldtimers' recollections to new friends made, above
all (not to be too repetitive here) the spirit in the room. I'm thinking that I can
speak for just about everybody in saying: now we're assured, it's not all some
nostalgia trip or a flash in the pan. SDS is back in the game.
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