DSA Letter: Discipline Representative Bowman for Supporting Israeli Oppression

On Thursday September 23rd, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve $1 billion dollars of funding for the Israeli Iron Dome. This advanced air defense system allows the Israeli government to terrorize Palestinian civilians with almost no military repercussions. Just last summer, the Zionist regime slaughtered at least 256 Palestinians—including 66 children—turning skyscrapers to rubble and displacing tens of thousands.

In a disgusting act of political cowardice, the DSA-endorsed Representative Jamaal Bowman voted in favor of this imperialist slush fund, while Representative Ocasio-Cortez chose to abstain at the last minute. We utterly reject the excuse that these decisions can be justified on any “pragmatic” political grounds. As socialist internationalists, it is our duty to stand against all forms of imperialism and colonialism, no matter what chapter or congressional district we come from. It is our duty to stand with the people of Palestine in their righteous struggle for freedom. If a socialist elected official is unwilling to faithfully represent socialist internationalist politics, then they are unfit to be DSA members and unfit for endorsement by the socialist movement.

Representative Bowman is not a minor DSA ally. He is a high-profile spokesperson for DSA who has collaborated with us on multiple national campaigns, such as the effort to pass his Green New Deal for Public Schools bill. His actions have obscured our firm opposition to Zionist oppression, as embodied by our BDS working group, the pro-BDS resolution adopted at the 2017 DSA convention, and the commitment to BDS included in our national political platform. We must not allow him to represent DSA as an endorsed politician while he continues to support Israeli militarism. It will water down our politics and corrupt our commitment to socialist internationalism.

The time has come for our movement to raise its standards. We, the signers, call on the National Political Committee to build on its recent statement by delivering a formal warning to Representative Bowman. Bowman and all other DSA-endorsed elected officials should be warned that future refusal to vote against imperial war budgets will be met with immediate revocation of their endorsements. It will also be met with their expulsion from DSA in accordance with Article I, Section 3 of DSA’s Constitution.

To add your name to this letter, please sign the form below:

Signed,

Annie,  Silicon Valley chapter
Ben G, Central NJ DSA
Michael Crown, Space Coast DSA
Carlos Campos Jr, Houston DSA, UH YDSA co-chair
William Choate, University of Tennessee at Knoxville YDSA
Patrick Janis, Chicago
Wylie Greer, Central Arkansas DSA
Greg Chung, at-large
Joseph Perez, NYC DSA
William Carson, DSA North Texas
Hank Kennedy-Cobb, Metro Detroit DSA, Steering Committee, Direct Action Coordinator
Hayden Griffin, Middle Tennessee
Ryan Perkins, Salem, Oregon, member
Sam Miller, Dayton/Miami Valley
Harrison Cole, Detroit DSA
Taylor B, DSA San Francisco
Paulo Burgess, Wayne State YDSA Member
Mohamd Zaini, WSU YDSA
Ariel Kerschenheiter, Wayne State YDSA
Trey Cook, UVM YDSA Chair
Phil Gasper, Madison Area/Treasurer
Connor George, Wayne State University YDSA member
Peter Moody, Central NJ DSA
Ira Pollock, NYC Labor Branch
Jim, Greater Lafayette, IN/secretary
June Zaffino , At-Large member
Jocelyn Jiménez , Steering cómmitee
Emma Wilde Botta, East Bay
Ian, Seattle DSA
Christian Edds, Detroit
Dale P. Seth, Charlotte Metro
Matthew Alhonte , NYC
Jackson Albert Mann, Metro DC DSA
Lee Aylward, Huron Valley, Member
Montgomery Loftus, Portland
Enrique Isaac Salinas, Houston DSA, Houston YDSA (Dues paid)
Ruy Martinez, Austin DSA
Hope Kujawa, Wayne State University YDSA
Nicolas Villarreal, At Large
Jose Velez , Houston
Jordan Stewart, Austin DSA
Ferrell Riley , Houston DSA
Jesse Dreyer, Portland DSA At-large Steering Committee
Ahmed , Houston DSA/HDSA
Cameron McAllister, Phoenix
JM Considine ,
Paul KD, Twin Cities DSA
Joseph Crown, Space Coast DSA
Max Bonevich, Huron Valley DSA member
Jaime Veve , Member/NYC
Cindy Ding, Silicon Valley DSA (currently in college, Purdue YDSA)
Rainer , Houston DSA, SC National AFWG
Isaac Kirk-Davidoff, NYC DSA
Charles McBride, DSA Los Angeles
Arrison Warner, Portland DSA, Rank and File
Laura Wadlin, Co-chair of Portland DSA
Alejandro Aguilar, Houston
Evelyn Newman, Chicago
Andrew Piai, secretary, OU YDSA
Mitch Braun, Space coast DSA
Sabri Sundos, NYC-North Brooklyn
Mikaela Berkesch , Denver
Nate Stewart, Southern NH DSA, Seacoast Branch co-chair. Former YDSA NCC member.
Trent P, Boston
lance, Portland/member
Matt K, At-large
Peter P, DSA-LA
Binx Perino, Boston, organizer
Jeremy D, Boston
Erin Cass, Co-chair, High Peaks DSA
Vesper, Austin DSA
Nikhil P, Atlanta DSA Electoral Committee member
Djamil Lakhdar-Hamina, Washington D.C.
Elijah Dunn, SC
Adam I. Ascione D'Elia, Binghamton DSA (Co-Chair)
David A. Hayes, Salem, Oregon/Member
Evan Anderson, Pittsburgh/Member
Andrew Sernatinger, Madison-Area
John Cook, Madison Area
Melisa Crosby, Portland, Oregon/Medicare for All Campaign Co-Chair
Ahmed Shamma, Metro DC
Casey Froehlich , Houston
Janna Tessman, Portland
Nicholas Aites, Venango
Elijah Schweda, Wayne State YDSA/ Detroit DSA
Matthew Furman , Houston DSA member
Tristan White, Austin
Luca Dhagat, Silicon Valley DSA
Parker Eddy, Akron
Abel A., Metro DC Steering Committee member
Veronica D., River Valley DSA
Yusuf Ahmad, NYC
Nicholas Hallstrom, Providence DSA
Kai Bennett, Wayne State University YDSA
Jamal A, Chicago
Cliff Connolly, NYC
Tim Hoffman, NC Triangle
Farrah Chaichi, Portland (OR) DSA
Morgan Quirk, EBDSA, also Socialist Alternative.
Adam Krause, East Bay
Jordan Nassar, NYC DSA AWWG Palestine Subcommittee
Noah Goodman , NYC-DSA
Daniel Quackenbush, Capital District DSA
Nate Milroy, Buffalo DSA
Salem Ajluni, Silicon Valley DSA
Eric Schneider, At-large
Debra Keefer Ramage, Twin Cities, former co-chair, co-chair of Political Education
Steve Tuckner, Twin Cities
Zach Carlson, Bloomington-Normal/YDSA Liason
Chris, Boston
Matt McKay, Boston DSA
Adam Majewski, SE Wyoming
Ian Fernander, Orlando DSA
John Bethencourt, Portland, Oregon / Member
Brandon H, Silicon Valley DSA co-chair
Andrew Horvat, Twin Cities
Tasha Gjesdahl, Madison Area, Co-chair
Robert Garcia, Bloomington-Normal IL (member)
Vijay Kolla, UH YDSA
Tim Thomas, North Brooklyn
Erin Brightwell, East Bay DSA
Beau Barber , Champaign-Urbana DSA Organizing Committee Member
Mark Gurarie, River Valley DSA
Connor Willis, UNCW YDSA chair
Caleb Padgett, DSA Augusta-CSRA
Tim McKenna, Walla Walla, WA, steering committee
Theodore Wheeland, Whatcom DSA/ Labor Chair
Tristan McNab , Treasurer, Space Coast
Truitt Layman, Brooklyn
Kai Mueller, Boston
Christian Lillis, NYC
Joel Berger, Boston
Andrew Dunn, At large
David Newman, Portland/member
Eric Hart, TCDSA/Member
Marco Rosaire Rossi, Chicago North Branch
Paul Fleckenstein, Champlain Valley, co-chair
Seth Mangold, Whactom Co-chair
Haeden Charette, Detroit Metro area DSA
Joho Muenzel, Silicon Valley DSA
Hakan Y, NYC Lower Manhattan/Political education WG cochair
Tyler Occhiogrosso, Whatcom county DSA
Will Winter, Boston DSA
Robbie Orr, Twin Cities DSA
Trevor Rickerd, Bloomington Normal/ member
Adam Dore-Young, South Brooklyn DSA
Jason Sutton, Whatcom Dsa
Mike Hess, Philly
Siegfried Boyd Isidro-Cloudas, Troy DSA
Cam P, Boston
Kim Shoemaker, Houston/member
Scott Morgan, Member DSA National
Moira Madden, Buffalo DSA Secretary
Alex Scheel, Tacoma and Pierce County DSA
Amy Wilson, NYC-DSA
Connor Amrhein, Buffalo / member
Mike Battenfeld, Buffalo
Elsa Fuerst, Metro Detroit DSA and Wayne State YDSA member
Tim Goulet, NYC Labor Branch/at-large
Viktor Roytman, Bronx/Upper Manhattan
Allan Max Axelrod, Champaign-Urbana DSA, Co-chair
Josh S, River Valley DSA
Mel Herrera, Metro Detroit co-chair
Devin Collins , Jacksonville/CoChair
Bingjiefu He, NNJDSA
Lukis Bagdon, YDSA member
Charles Gelman, NYC-DSA, B/UM Branch
Collin Palmer, Metro Detroit/Member
Charles Post, NYC Labor Branch
Gary Walker, Detroit DSA, Communications Coordinator
Fred Murphy, New York
Jacob Jewett, Pinellas, member.
Steven Jackson, Buffalo, Treasurer
Jose Cholula, Buffalo DSA
Robert Carpenter, Wilmington/ Chair
Hijab Khan, Buffalo
Ranson Thomas, At large
Jesse Worland, Bellingham
Anthony DiMeglio, Wayne State YDSA
Andre Mayes, Buffalo/Co-Chair
David De La Torre, Los Angeles
David Zoltan, DSA Housing Justice Commission Steering Committee; Chicago DSA
Dayna Long, Madison Area
Eric Slehofer, Portland DSA
Connor Mauche, Buffalo
Faith Persichini, Pensacola DSA/Co-Chair
Rhiannon Brown, Chicago DSA, Executive Committee
Corrin McCullough, Houston DSA member
Jay Ting Walker, Pittsburgh DSA National Delegate (one of many)
Joerg Peter, Portland Oregon
Derek Bartholomew, OKC
Eli Plonka, Wayne State YDSA/Membership Director
Matthew Toczko, Bloomington-Normal IL chapter
Forrest Perkins, Portland OR
Ryan Stempien, Buffalo Steering Committee At-Large
Elaine Alt , San Francisco
Chris O'Brien, New York Labor Branch
Matt Courtney, Buffalo
Ronald Hamm, Sangamon DSA/ Mook
Alexandra Melinchok, Metro DC
Eric Poulos, Lower Manhattan branch
Zach Sutter, Madison Area DSA
Meave Gallagher , NYC
Bruce Castonguay, Boston DSA/SA
Stephen Huss, Houston DSA, Ecosocialist WG
Evan Roberts, Western CT
Ross L., Bronx/Upper Manhattan (NYC-DSA) member
Lilian M, Boston
Patrick Hunter, Milwaukee
Bridget Huff, Detroit DSA
Andie Welch, Western CT
Herm Jerome, NYC
Erik Bernhardt, DSA East Bay, Member
René García Franceschini, Boston
Alistair O'Gara, Richmond DSA
Sara Almosawi, river valley dsa
Daniel Crowell, Providence DSA, Co-Chair
Allen Pinjic, Wayne State University
Brian K, NYC
Alan Wu, NYC DSA
Morganna F, Pensacola DSA / Interim Co-Chair
Bryce Kieren Healy, Boston DSA
Colette Lima, Boston DSA
Erick, Northwest Indiana Chapter/Member
Benjamin Carman , Providence
Evan Thome, Philadelphia
Krystle Able , Bloomington-Normal PR Officer
Damian Adams, Houston/Member
Jory Fix, TCDSA, Member
Muneebah Kalenandi, Portland Oregon DSA; BDS/Palestine Solidarity WG Steering Committee At Large Member
Ames Colt, Providence DSA
Casey Buchholz, Pol-Ed co-chair, River Valley DSA
Alex Schmaus , DSA San Francisco
Meg, Providence DSA
Matthew Curtis, Metro DC DSA
Kirk Robinson, Providence
Beau Lukas-Rodriguez, Metro Detroit DSA
Tess Dernbach, Central Brooklyn
Jack Brown, Boston DSA
Nicolas Tedesco, Detroit DSA Secretary
Adren Rice, Metro Detroit DSA
Brett Belcastro, Secretary, River Valley DSA
Kyle Moxley, Metro Detroit
Casey Lange, NYC-DSA, Labor Branch and Central Brooklyn Branch
Rabab Abdulhadi , Hudson Valley
Sam Pinsky, NYC-DSA member
Elia Hohauser-Thatcher, Detroit DSA Member
Jake Vigness, Tampa/Branch Member
Lee Gloster, Northern IN DSA
Katie Way, NYC-DSA
Elizabeth K, Boston DSA
Ben L, Boston DSA active member
Kevin Menescardi, Central CT DSA
Jacob Skahl, St. Cloud, MN/Co-Chair
Marwah Ayache, Wayne State University YDSA/Detroit DSA Member
Shelby Shoup, Queens DSA
Celeste Robinson, TC DSA
Greyson Sims, San Diego DSA
Lee Wengraf , New York City-Queens & International Cmte
Max Turner, San Francisco
Jacqui Zeng, Chicago DSA
W Meister, Phoenix
Kyle Latta, University of Houston YDSA
Brian Kidd, Charlotte Metro DSA/social chair
Mike Huttman, Charlotte Metro
Matthew Strupp, Madison Area DSA
Emily C F, Boston
Nolan Surma, Middle Tennessee
Augustus Guikema, San Juan College YDSA, Secretary
Rodolfo Ostilla, Houston
Charlie Frank, St. Louis
Ian Wraga, Athens Area DSA
Matthew Levine, Tampa/member
Ellen Mei, Boston DSA
AJ Holmes, Houston DSA / member
Eljeer Hawkins , New York DSA
Mark Jenkins, Whatcom DSA
Parker McQueeney, River Valley DSA
Colin Mangan, DSA, Greater Binghamton
Emmaline Bennett, Bronx/Upper Manhattan DSA
Travis Gosse, Madison
Garrison Grogan, At-Large/NYC
David Sam, NW Ohio DSA
Clayton Bugh, Fort Smith DSA, member
Eljeer Hawkins, New York DSA/SA
Emilia Morgan, Boston DSA/SA
Ian Rogers, Fort Smith/Co-Chair
Tyler Brechner, Nassau County NSA
Samia Ismail, Fort Smith
Chris Martin, East bay DSA
Jaemyn Moore, Wayne State/YDSA
Michael Hirsch, New York DSA
Ryan Watson , Chicago DSA, Labor Branch SC At-large
James Skahn, Treasurer, Jacksonville DSA
Tom Chiari, Providence
Brian Johnston, Charlotte Metro DSA
David Murray, NYC DSA
Shirley Henderson, DSA/SA
Catherine Hoffman, Detroit DSA, 2017-2019 NPC
Mason Johnson, Madison DSA
Ryan Wherley , Madison Area DSA
Ally Bates, Madison Area
Samy Amkieh, Defund the Police Co-Chair, Providence  DSA
Wade Hilts, Treasurer, Portland DSA
Zachary Kopet, Central Connecticut
Dan Kavanaugh, Seattle DSA/SA
Adam Nuchtern,
Tamar Wilson, Philadelphia
Ryan Hartson , IL Western Suburbs
Paige Gresty , DSA LA
Justin Bare, Seattle DSA, member
John McKeon, Providence DSA/Rhode Island SA
Manny Veiga, Boston
Bruce Borowsky, Providence DSA
Michael Fox, Central Indiana DSA
Binx, Boston DSA organizer
Quinn Albright, Columbus DSA
Eden Ewing, San Marcos DSA/co-chair
Natalia Tylim, NYC-DSA
Tessa Echeverria, Madison Area DSA, co-editor Red Madison
William Tang, NYC DSA
Mac Parker, New York DSA
Jaxon Kerr, Twin Cities DSA
Pierce, Twin Cities
Steve Capri , Pittsburgh DSA/SA
Nicholas Strauch, Chicago DSA/SA
Anders Bloomquist, Twin Cities DSA
Mike Mitchell , TC  DSA
Tyler Wilch, Seattle/Spokane Chapters
Javier Miranda, Twin Cities DSA, Recording Secretary
Matt Streitz, Coulee DSA
Tony D, Twin Cities DSA
Shawn Dewey, At-large, Iowa
Jaerdin Spader, At-large DSA/Oil Region PA
Jacob Balmer , At Large
Freeman Ryan, Twin Cities DSA
Rachel Wilder, Temple YDSA
Joel Reinstein, Providence DSA
Ben Potrykus, Providence
Seamus McNamara, Chicago DSA
Olivia K, Portland DSA
Linda S Gridley St Paul, MN , TCDSA member
Ryley Cetnar, Jacksonville DSA
Devin Bingham, Twin Cities DSA
Miles Greer, Central Arkansas
Thomas Hummel, Queens
Robert Whittaker, At-large
Chris S, Boston DSA
Brian Wilson, Syracuse
Deon, Pensacola DSA
Minh Hoang Tran, Silicon Valley DSA
Blake Iverson, Central Iowa DSA
Jon VanOeveren, Twin Cities
Catherine Curran-Groome, Philly DSA ; BDS & Palestine Solidarity WG Steering
Brian Chval, Twin Cities DSA
Annie N-B, East Bay DSA
Mel Bienenfeld, New York
Jeff Grizzell , Twin Cities DSA
Promise Li, At-large
Karl Schwartz, North Jersey DSA
Stephen Kelly, Columbia DSA
Seth Braslow, Los Angeles
Kelsey Allen , Wilmington, NC, Secretary
Celia Jailer , Philadelphia DSA
Jenee C, Blo-no DSA
Jacob Philip, Detroit
Dustin Spence, Chicago
Aditya Tiwari, Metro Detroit DSA
Joe Sugrue, Seattle DSA/SA
Jessica HW, DSA San Francisco
Alison H, Boston
Jenkin Benson, Central Iowa DSA
Aaron Frary, River Valley DSA
Sarah Giskin, Philadelphia DSA
Efi Narliotis, DSA Philly, Socialist Alternative
Adam Jensen, Pensacola DSA/Secretary
Brian Kraft, Twin Cities
Andrew Liaupsin, George Washington University YDSA Co Chair
Jon McFarlane, Queens/member
Lucas Carpenter, Seattle DSA
Suraj Patel, Central New Jersey
Cristina RH , NYC
Steven Wade, Philadelphia DSA/SA
Tyler Bane, Central New Jersey
Kierstyn Anderson, At-Large Steering Committee Member, Portland DSA
William Silversmith, Central Jersey DSA
Laurie Jaghlit, Northern Virginia DSA
Ben G., Boston DSA
Andrew P, Pensacola DSA
Taylor G, Portland DSA, Secretary
Roger B, Tampa DSA, Labor WG Co-Chair
Andrew Hansen , Whatcom DSA Vice Chair and Ecosocialism Chair
Adam, Salt Lake City DSA
Daniel Cronrath , DSA Member, Jacksonville
Oriana Reilly, River Valley DSA
Peter Kim, Space Coast
David Banks, Troy Chapter
Julian Guerrero, Queens, NYC-DSA
Rosemary Dodd, Portland DSA Steering Committee Member
Eric Miller, Greater Baltimore
Brian Vaughan, Portland, Oregon
Chris G, Twin Cities DSA
David Garvin , Houston DSA
Alex W, Portland DSA
Ben Lenz, Central Brooklyn DSA
Matthew Schwartz, Central Brooklyn Member
Carlos Bergfeld, Portland DSA
John Prusinski, Berkshires DSA/Chair - Ecosocialist Working Group
Cris C, Tampa DSA
Chris Lemont, Tampa DSA
Saida Omarova , Tampa
Cris C, Tampa DSA
Zachary Kourgialis, North Jersey DSA
Toni Fallon Goodwin , Central CT DSA
Gabriel Robles, Central Connecticut
Scott Shoup, Tampa DSA/Treasurer
Stanley Heller, Western CT DSA
Ryan Vedros, Austin DSA
David Germain, Tampa DSA
Ben Ratliffe, Madison, WI
Aram Falsafi, Co-Chair, electoral committee, Seattle DSA
Mitch Ellmauer, Central Brooklyn DSA
Charles Lockard, Jacksonville DSA member
John Fredericks, Northwest Ohio DSA
Austin Stone, Western CT
Alexa Fay, Seattle DSA
Brandon Schmidt, Jacksonville/Member
Sean Case, Seattle DSA
Nikol N., Wilmington DSA
David Braga, Wilmington, NC Social Media
Ray Lehmann, Wilmington, NC DSA, Member
Andrew Jarboe, Wilmington DSA member
Adrian Gerth, Wilmington DSA
Jade Taylor, Wilmington DSA Member
Paul Sullivan, Twin Cities DSA
Dylan Holmes, Los Angeles
Sean E, New Jersey
Line Henriksen, Troy, NY General Member
Tate Skinner, Bloomington-Normal DSA
Christa Johnson, Wilmington DSA / Treasurer
Bussy Galore, Burlington, VT DSA
Rosa Hayes, Seattle DSA, District 4 Co-Chair
Joel Feinberg, Newark DSA member
Kevin Blair, NW Ohio DSA, Treasurer
Aaron Schweitzer, Nassau DSA
Heather Stanzione, Delaware DSA member
Rose Gardener, Central Arkansas DSA member
Heidi Heitkamp, Red River Valley DSA member
Yvette Mercer, Cape Cod DSA
Chad Wilkins (he/him/his), Cape Cod
Mikaela Aradi, Tampa DSA
Haley Reed, Fort Wayne DSA
Alex Buckingham, Tacoma DSA
Alex B., DSA-LA
Aadil Kamran, West Suburban Illinois DSA
Jack Wagner, Metro DC
Justin Cornett, Central Vermont DSA
Griffin Mahon, At-large
Shepard Emry, Colorado Springs DSA, Membership and Outreach Coordinator
Garrick Butler, Salt Lake DSA
Collin Hannah, Houston DSA
Alex Gordon, Executive Committee, Chicago DSA
Jacob Foreman, Colorado Springs
Johnny Echavarria, DSA LA /Former Branch Coordinator
Nicholas Patten, Metro DC DSA
Matthew Hoctor, Portland DSA
Riley Hernandez , River valley dsa/electoral committee co-chair
Harrison Mangels, Colorado Springs, CO
Lydia Apolinar, East Bay DSA
Alexander Gallus, East Bay DSA
Mark Gurarie, River Valley DSA
Robin Castellano, Miami DSA member
Malcolm Ragan, Boston DSA
Dee Henderson, Metro Detroit DSA/Member
Elizabeth Campbell , Madison Area DSA/YDSA UW-Madison Social Media Chair
Brienna Parsons, At-Large (Colorado)
David King, Colorado Springs
Pablo O’Connell, NYC- Bronx/Upper Manhattan
Curtis Robinson, Bronx/Upper Manhattan DSA
Paul Goodspeed, Southern New Hampshire DSA
Lee Glostrr, Northern IN DSA
Haley Pessin, NYC DSA
Logan Baumgardner, Miami DSA
William Gifis, High Peaks DSA
Benjamin Carman , Providence
Erin Cass, High Peaks DSA Co-chair
Richard Creswell, Denver/ member housing justice committee
Cameron Yeates, Bronx/Upper Manhattan
Jessie Proffitt, Colorado Springs DSA / Member
Francis Cook, QUEENS , NYC
Aaron Amaral, NYC DSA
Sascha C, Boston DSA
Jan (JC) Nova, Bronx/Upper Manhattan NYC-DSA
Rusty Caldwell, Boston DSA
Anton Woronczuk , Baltimore
Thomas Miles, New York City
Blane Erwin, Boston DSA
Karin Baker, River Valley DSA
Nariman El Said, Baltimore DSA, Afrosocialist/POC Caucus cochair
Sunny Kanneganti, Gbdsa/health justice cochair
Angel Samuel Ortiz, River Valley DSA Co-Chair
Leah George, Oberlin YDSA
Marshall McDorman, Inland Empire DSA Member
Haley Pessin, NYC-DSA
Peter Toma, Orlando DSA
Neil Muir, Buffalo DSA
Avi Tachna-Fram, Silicon Valley chapter
Eliot Rosenstock, DSA LA