We don't have a program for October, but this reflection is our equivalent for this month.
Organizing in a rural area has interesting challenges for a city-oriented organization like the DSA and the progressive movement in general. In my experience the main issue is personalism, it isn't that there aren't local organizations or that the people aren't sympathetic, but things spread more through word of mouth and the most important organizations are those embedded in the community. That host annual events and pop up at street fairs, that people know are there. Simple as being less people, so the big impersonal citywide-style organizing is less necessary and feasible. The internet has changed things somewhat, but the core issue is the same. I grew up in a rural part of southern Pennsylvania, actually a lot smaller than Butler County, so I am used to this kind of organizing, even if this is a pretty different area.
The other issue with this kind of area, there isn't the progressive infrastructure that leftists are used to working with. It is a very red area so there aren't the kind of political groups you'd see elsewhere. It is partly because of that that we call ourselves socialist, there just isn't as much benefit to calling yourself progressive in a vague way. Again, it isn't that people aren't sympathetic, but they just are used to not much going on locally. This also provides us an opportunity, in areas like NY or CA where there is an established progressive network, there is a center/center-left political establishment that is fighting you or competing with you. There is not that kind of powerful old guard in the safe-R areas. (except maybe in Oxford)
However, not everyone is interested in being a socialist and that is okay. We are proud of our vision for democratic socialism and think people will find our systemic alternative appealing and necessary. But this ultimately isn't about an ideological line, it's about helping people's lives. We are happy to assist whoever would like to further progressive change, democracy, and help people in Butler County, and get them organized, being socialist, progressive, social justice, labor, or otherwise.
Our programs, like the people's assembly, are meant to politicize the public. To have people consider the issues in their lives, to question the systems that cause those issues, and most importantly to know their own power and how best to wield it. Our local direct action work is in the realm of protest support and mutual aid.
But our human need for healthcare, for a safe environment, for safety from far-right groups, that is here as much as anywhere else. We are ready for the challenge, and are ready to work with groups and individuals locally and statewide to conquer it. Consider this our call for a Southwest Ohio United Front.
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