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January 9, 2026 |
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Features |
Law Enforcement is Trained and Equipped to Orchestrate Your Death –Aaron ZPolice manufacture situations to use force, often lethal. A 2013 CBP Use of Force Review found that agents shoot at fleeing cars out of “frustration” after they “intentionally put themselves into the exit path of the vehicle, thereby exposing themselves to additional risk and creating justification for the use of deadly force.” In Minneapolis, ICE agent Jonathan Ross walked around Renee Good’s car and placed himself in front as agents yelled contradictory instructions at her to move and to get out of her car. She tried to leave, so Ross executed her. As the car continued to drive past Ross, he continued to fire. The copaganda alliance of police and media immediately opened their scripts, as Kristi Noem, JD Vance, and Donald Trump declared that Ms. Good deserved to die. The next day in Portland, Border Patrol shot a couple in a medical parking lot and used the same line: a car moved, so we used deadly force. But manufacturing the circumstances of your own danger shouldn’t grant license to kill. In Ms. Good’s case, her driving showed none of the signatures of a vehicle ramming attack: no purposeful approach line, commitment and steering corrections to that line, acceleration, or follow through. The guiding fantasy of American policing is the “warrior cop” mentality, which trains police to their jobs as war and us as the enemy. Predictably, they kill 1300 people a year. ICE routinely kills people in prisons and kills people in the street. Without protest, media and the government sweep these killings aside. Three weeks ago in New Orleans, they killed oyster harvester Walter Francisco Cerrato Cabrera as he fled immigration and drowned in the waters of St. Bernard Parish (English translation). The federal officials who orchestrated these invasions, the agents who sign up to terrorize our communities, the propagandists who blame us for our own deaths—no one has been held accountable. They’ve done this before. They’re going to keep doing it. The right time to protest a killing is always now.
Community Strong, Closure is Wrong! Our Kids Say Leah Chase Stays!After a month of organizing and fighting, DSA’s School Board member Gaby Biro and the Leah Chase School community saved the Leah Chase School from shutdown. Yesterday, the Orleans Parish School Board voted unanimously to keep the city’s only direct-run charter school open. It didn’t start this way. A month ago, the board was poised to close the school after lobbying from charter school profiteers wanting to spread the lie that direct-run schools are doomed to fail. But community groups knocked on doors, recruited students, solicited donations, wrote letters to local news, and spoke powerfully at last night’s meeting, demanding direct-run schools that are accountable to residents who live here, and not to out of town charter school networks. The school will continue to operate with funding in place for the next two years. The future of truly public education in this city is still at risk. The Leah Chase community and the values it stands for will need the community’s support over the next two years and beyond.
A Word About US SanctionsThat word is “bullshit.” With all the talk of “sanctioned oil,” or “sanctioned people,” or “sanctioned countries,” the critical detail that the media leaves out is the term “US.” Venezuelan oil and the nation of Cuba are under US sanctions. Which means if that oil or that island ever visits US territory, they are in a heap of legal trouble. However, US sanctions end at the US border. UN sanctions are a whole different affair—they are valid across the entire planet. As it turns out, neither Venezuelan oil nor the nation of Cuba are under UN sanctions. They are under US sanctions, which are applied unilaterally. That's a fancy term for, “I don't care what any of you think; what I say goes.” Sound familiar? The contradiction of the US referencing international law when it is useful and ignoring international law when it is not means that our appeals to international law aren’t really a thing. Our government has always been a bully, but in the past they've tried to give their shenanigans at least some veneer of legitimacy. However, under Supreme Leader Trump, all of that pretense is falling away. The Law of the Strongest is in full effect, and while we’re the strongest militarily, we’re destabilizing as much of the world as we can so that we can stay top dog a little while longer. As the empire continues to crumble and the chickens come home to roost, remember that our government did this to itself.
Fork & Knife Club Food Distribution TomorrowForks up! Join us tomorrow from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm for our Fork & Knife club food distribution at the Healing Center #204 (Blue Room!) to prepare, cook, package, and distribute hot meals and food supplies to various community fridges in the city! We are also partnering up with Southeast Dignity Not Detention Coalition for their ongoing grocery donation drive for families affected by ICE. It’s crucial we show up for our community during these difficult times and make it known that New Orleanians fight back for our immigrant community. Your direct impact strengthens our chapter and mutual aid presence as well. Solidarity and y’allidarity forever! Hope to see you out there.
Join Us at the Second Annual New Orleans Organizing Fair This SundayThis Sunday, come out to The Broadside, 600 N Broad St, and get your organizing on! Scores of organizations will be on hand to talk about what they do and how you can plug into the work. In addition, there will be skills training and workshops. We all have friends who want to do more than doomscroll on their couch but don’t know where to get activated, right? Send them down to the Broadside and have them take in the veritable buffet of people working to make the world a better place. If you can’t find an org there that is doing something that you really want to do, then you’re not really trying. It won’t get any easier than this, Comrades. The fun starts at 11:00 am and runs until 9:00 pm. Mask up and find your niche. To change everything, we’re going to need everyone.
Poli-Ed presents Venezuela Night SchoolMark Twain once quipped that, “God created war so that Americans would learn geography.” However, by carrying water for this century’s administrations, our media outlets have left the US woefully unprepared to discuss and analyze the crisis in Venezuela. Come join the Political Education Committee as we present a Venezuela Night School. We’ll talk about the history of US intervention in Central and South America, give a history of Venezuela, get a look at the current conditions in Venezuelan society, touch on the centuries of resistance to imperial rule, and look at how the attack on Venezuela fits into the wider geopolitical struggle. A discussion will follow. Join us on Wednesday, January 14, from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. Show up in person at the Healing Center, 2372 St. Claude Av #258, or online.
Red Rabbits Recommendation: The Law Says, Comply or DieOn Wednesday, ICE murdered Renee Nicole Good, a community volunteer who was taking part in an ICE Watch event. From the video, it appears that she was scared of the officers when they approached her car with strong, “we're about to beat the shit out of you,” vibes, and when she tried to pull away, they shot her in the face. A physician at the scene tried to render assistance, but was prevented from doing so by other ICE agents. She received no medical care for 15 minutes. Although the shooter and other agents fled the scene, there were enough ICE vehicles still there that the ambulance could not get near her car, making paramedics walk down the block to carry her out by her limbs. Within a few hours, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem was on TV calling her a domestic terrorist. So this is where we remind you about the concept of interacting with law enforcement officers as you would a feral animal. Don't think that they are safe to be around, no matter how calm they may appear. They could snap at any moment. We’re not saying that you shouldn't stand up for what you believe in, we're just reminding you that the pigs can kill you and blame you for your own murder. The wise words of Hunter S. Thompson, written 50 years ago, still ring true today: “This may be the year when we finally come face to face with ourselves; finally just lay back and say it—that we are really just a nation of 220 million used car salesmen with all the money we need to buy guns, and no qualms at all about killing anybody else in the world who tries to make us uncomfortable.” Keep fighting, but be safe. The world needs you in it. |
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Bulletins |
Poli-Ed Reading GroupThe Reading Group meets every third Sunday, from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm, at the Healing Center #258. Our current reading series focuses on Palestine. January 18 February 15
Red Cup Rebellion: Historic Starbucks Strike Sweeping the NationStarbucks Workers United (SBWU) baristas continue their nationwide strike against unfair labor practices. That strike includes our local unionized Starbucks in River Ridge. Please support our striking baristas here and across the country by boycotting Starbucks donating to the workers’ solidarity fund. Baristas have been fighting for over two years for a fair contract. As participants in a wage market system, every worker has a stake in seeing the SBWU fight to the end.
Meet Comrades in Your Neighborhood CircleOrganizing is about trust, and trust gets built by showing up again and again and getting to know your neighbors. Neighborhood circles are how we connect with comrades where we live, work, or otherwise spend our time. We’re using them to host gatherings, plan events, and organize around issues in our neighborhoods. Click here to join yours today! Neighborhood circles are for members only and follow the chapter's code of conduct and guidelines for respectful discussion.
Follow New Orleans DSA on Socials!We’re now on TikTok! Wherever you scroll, keep up to date with chapter happenings and share with your friends. We’re on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Not a fan of our social media techbro oligarchs? You can always check out our newsletter and calendar at neworleansdsa.org.
Write Like a Socialist: We Have a World to Win!Have an update from your committee or working group? That’s a Bulletin! Want to tell us about an upcoming event? Add it to the Community Calendar! Got some opinion or analysis to share for the good of the membership? Write us a Feature! Make your contribution to the next edition of Solidarity Means Action from the link on Discord. |
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Community Calendar |
Friday, January 9Queer Soc Meeting
Saturday, January 10Fork & Knife Club Food Distribution Event Ojos Training
Sunday, January 11New Orleans Community Organizing Fair
Monday, January 12🌹 🌹 🌹
Tuesday, January 13Direct Service & Health Justice Meeting
Wednesday, January 14Night School: Venezuela
Thursday, January 15🌹 🌹 🌹 Friday, January 16🌹 🌹 🌹
Saturday, January 17Northshore Neighborhood Social Sunday, January 18Poli-Ed Reading Group
Down the RoadJanuary 23 Eye on Surveillance Data Center Teach-In |
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Solidarity Means Action is the weekly newsletter of the New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America. Subscribe for updates every Friday at 8:00 am Central. |
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