What Does it Take to Be A Liberation Cadre?

Comrades, our applications close on October 15. Here are a few guidelines to determine whether our theory of work and change are for you. If you agree with these - apply here. You must also be a current DSA member to apply.

1. A willingness to study. DSA-Liberation is a caucus that gives high importance to the study of revolutionary theory, namely, the radical traditions of colonized people and Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. Our study is collective, and centered around the importance of practice. New cadres participate in a study course which offers introductory training in the philosophy, history, and practice of Maoism. Liberation comrades must know how to apply the mass line method of organizing and leadership, and also how to combat revisionism, liberalism, and opportunism both within ourselves and within our organization. 
2. A willingness to teach. Liberation studies to teach. Many revisionist, reformist, and generally rightist trends have taken root in DSA, and they can only be struggled against through political education of our rank and file comrades and applications of lessons derived from practice. Liberation cadres must take active roles in the political education committees of their respective chapters. 
3. A willingness to work. Study without practice is useless, as is practice without study. To make revolution requires tireless work on all fronts, but Liberation gives stress to 4 types of work: 
   1. Anti-imperialist/de-colonial organizing. The primary contradiction in the world we live in is the contradiction between imperialism and the masses of working people. The United States is a settler colonial country, founded on stolen land, with stolen labor. Thus, socialism in the US requires the liberation of oppressed Black, Chicano, Indigenous, Puerto Rican, Hawaiian, and other people who have been reduced by this country’s machinations. Otherwise, it will just be another form of imperialism with a red flag. Furthermore, it is essential that we continue to stand firmly by our Palestinian comrades in struggle, as their fight is the wheel upon which all turns. 
   2. Rank and file labor/tenant organizing. The masses are already taking measures for their own well being, and it is our task as revolutionary cadres to join them in struggle and guide them, while also learning from them. A Maoist principle is that the masses are the makers of history, but they cannot make history without leadership. To this end, Liberation cadres must involve themselves with all workers’ and tenants’ struggles taking place in their area, especially those centered around and led by colonized people, prisoners, and migrant workers. These struggles generate new cadre and mass organizers from the class struggle, which is essential to building a revolutionary movement. 
   3. Student organizing. The encampment/occupation movement last year galvanized an entire new generation of students into revolutionary organizing and learning through practice. The best political education comes on the battlefield. It is our task to ensure that the students among us are prepared both tactically and politically for the next wave of struggle. Combatting opportunism and capitulationism is of utmost importance. 
   4. Political education. There can be no revolutionary movement without a revolutionary theory. Liberation cadre must involve themselves in all aspects of political education work in DSA, continuously promoting revolutionary de-colonial, anti-imperialist, and Marxist-Leninist-Maoist ideology. 
4. Revolutionary discipline. Lack of discipline, opportunism, revisionism, and liberalism leads to failure. Liberation comrades must be firm in principle, partisans of the colonized working class, and stalwart anti-imperialists. We lead and guide our comrades through example, and we can only be examples if we are constantly studying and sharpening our command of theory and practice.