by Gary Walker

Sorry to Bother You, Boots Riley’s 2018 directorial debut, creates a brilliantly surreal world of art, activism, class struggle, opulence, and racial oppression. It presents a darkly funny and jarring view of our modern capitalist crisis and provides the most effective solution to solving it — the power of organized labor protest.

The film follows a young Black man named Cassius “Cash” Green, whose struggles to find gainful employment have left his housing situation tenuous and forced him to seek a job at a dreary telemarketing company with his best friend, Sal. After speaking up at a company meeting, Cash is approached by a labor organizer who recognizes his leadership capabilities to join him in his efforts to fight the company for better wages and working conditions. …

by Jason Krzysiak, UAW Local 245, Detroit DSA Member

I am a union member.

I have insurance covered by my employer.

This means limited choices regarding plans and doctors in a confusing web of networks filled with increasingly expensive deductibles and co-pays that may or may not lead to the care my family needs.

I’m told I’m one of the lucky ones. In fact, Democratic politicians hold me up as a reason to reject reform. They throw me in between their unconditional support of insurance company profits and any movement within their party for Medicare for All. …

by Ken Jackson

by Will Froberg

Sometimes participating in protests can be discouraging. Creating lasting change can be a long process and may even be risky at times (e.g. being a victim of police violence). You may wonder what good you are doing by marching in the street while the governmental officials who make policy decisions are nowhere around, likely enjoying their dinner in their mansion on the rich side of town.

Understanding the ways in which your efforts put pressure on the power structure that you are trying to change is a good way to keep yourself motivated. …

by S. Chris Dellas

Metro Detroit Democratic Socialists of America ( DSA ) has voted to endorse Landis Spencer in his bid to represent District 6 on the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners.

Spencer, who is Co-Chair of Detroit DSA’s Black and Brown Alliance, a resident of Detroit’s District 6, and a committed socialist, addressed more than 100 people during Metro Detroit DSA’s December general membership meeting to launch his campaign.

Spencer said he is running for the District 6 seat on Detroit’s Board of Police Commissioners to “ensure that there is meaningful community oversight of DPD” and “to guarantee that the Movements for Black Lives are being heard and represented here in Detroit.” He added that “The Board was not showing oversight. We have a police chief ( James Craig ) who has talked about new ways of arresting perpetrators which include facial recognition [ African American and Asian American people are up to 100 times more likely to be misidentified by facial recognition technology than White men, depending on the algorithm and type of search ] while at the same time up to 40% of Detroiters have been unemployed during the pandemic, almost half of single Detroiters live on less than $18,000 annual income, and that seems our priorities are not being addressed. …

by Vince Carducci

On December 12, Metro Detroit DSA held a virtual town hall to discuss demands for the first 100 days of a green stimulus from a Detroit point of view. Comrades watched the short documentary “Detroit Demands a Green New Deal” and shared stories about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate crisis on their lives and communities. The event featured a conversation with newly elected Michigan District 4 State Representative and DSA member Abraham Aiyash. Attendees also collaborated in a coordinated action to post messages and graphics with the hashtag #FightForOurLives in support of the Green New Deal across various social media platforms. …

by Ken Jackson

by Katherine Montalto

Other cogs may try
Don’t let them shame you into
Loving the Machine