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Major PSL Leader Resignation and Tell-All Letter (clarion.unity-struggle-unity.org)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by SevenSkalls@hexbear.net to c/politics@hexbear.net

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EDIT: The original article I posted kinda sucked. I'll keep it here for posterity if people want to read it, but I'll replace it with a link @RedWizard posted with original resignation letter and the PSL internal response. If you want to read just the resignation letter with the PSL criticisms without any preamble, it is here.

EDIT 2: Here is the leaked PSL internal response.

Comment by @chana in the general thread: (Sorry to copy your comment here but it's the only comment I've seen so far on this and it's a good way to start off the discussion, along with summer discussion questions I'll add below)

Comment text

Notable resignation and letter from PSL Central Committee member and related fomenting split in Brooklyn over PSL being run as a bureaucratic clique (which many will already be aware of from speaking with various PSL members trying to do more than participate in protests). PSL is good at specific local levels despite the national level dysfunction, and the vast majority of its membership good comrades. But the criticisms certainly ring true to me and are reasonable to cite as existential flaws. There is a bit of clown nonsense from the top on a regular basis (like the call for a general strike, cited in the resignation letter, lmao that is baby liberal idealism stuff).

If you're currently unorganized don't let this stop you from joining, it is more important to be active and learn locally from any non-abusive left space than to do nothing organized.

Discussion Questions:

There's a lot of PSL fans or members here so what do you think? Like overall on this news?
Do the complaints have merit, or not? Do some do, and some don't? Which ones? -- If so, what does this mean for the left in the US? What are the solutions and what is the path from here? -- If not, why don't you think so? And what does it mean for the left in terms of factionalism and splitting?
Do you still recommend the PSL as an organization to join? What about the DSA? Join the Democratic Party? FRSO?

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[-] OffSeasonPrincess@hexbear.net 81 points 3 weeks ago

PSL is now spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to employ software developers to build an A.I.-powered secret police system with the objective of spying on members of every PSL branch in the country

it-is-known

Come the fuck on. "North korean defector" tier shit

[-] Chana@hexbear.net 45 points 3 weeks ago

I recommend ignoring the article and just skipping to the letter and response.

[-] OffSeasonPrincess@hexbear.net 27 points 3 weeks ago

Reading the letter now, did the article just make that up and hope nobody would notice? 😭

[-] Chana@hexbear.net 16 points 3 weeks ago

Pretty sure yeah. They do that quite a lot.

[-] larrikin99@hexbear.net 24 points 3 weeks ago

where is the response?

[-] MLRL_Commie@hexbear.net 13 points 3 weeks ago

Also would love to read the response if it already exists.

[-] Chana@hexbear.net 7 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

It's another Google Doc. Note that it says it isn't to be reshared anywhere but was immediately leaked. https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTpCO1itqmzDPE3h_4tt1nrp4Gqp0h7PZV03PjCZmqEIeJzDk1HmLbKHZ9TzifS5Oe9mCO4h_7QbW0Q/pub

[-] MLRL_Commie@hexbear.net 14 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah this claim from the article has nothing to do with the resignation letter, which is much more reasonable (though I have no association with PSL and cannot say how large or non-existent these problems are--I am only discussing the content of the letter itself in a sort of vaccuum)

[-] SevenSkalls@hexbear.net 10 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

I should've made the letter my OP post link probably instead of using the article I found on reddit, the worst place on the internet. My bad.

I just wasn't sure if I can make a Google doc my OP post link, but I can see if I can.

[-] kristina@hexbear.net 22 points 3 weeks ago

Can just discard the whole thing flatly ridiculous 1984 baiting

[-] RedWizard@hexbear.net 18 points 3 weeks ago

This is the only part of the letter that I could find a reference to this "secret police system":

Currently the NOD is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars employing highly skilled software developers to create an AI-powered app to compile comprehensive reports from all areas of the Party for the top leadership circle without having to deal with time-consuming personal engagement with branch leaders. This app will be used to ensure compliance with national directives and surface openings like Minneapolis for the national leadership to opportunistically claim credit for. The National Liaisons system -- initially developed to be a network of support that surfaced the needs of the branches and facilitated the development of schools, trainings, resources, and consultation, is today overseen by the leaders of the National Organization Department with an almost singular purpose of ensuring compliance with national directives. There have been no schools, trainings, educational materials, or organizer-to-organizer exchanges developed by the NOD in now over a year. Forums for the engagement of leaders beyond the top leadership circle like the Party Organizer and the National Council have rapidly degraded into just more echo chambers for Brian and Ben Becker and sites to enforce the

into just more echo chambers for Brian and Ben Becker and sites to enforce the latest agitational initiative.