Promising Organizations Series II: Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

Students for a Democratic Society, UBC Chapter, (SDS) is “open collective of students inspired by the movement from the U.S. of the 60s/70s, Students For a Democratic Society.”

Their campaigns include freeing public space, Aboriginal rights, housing affordability and the democratization of UBC governance. Most recently, they staged opposition in front of the Main Street Vancouver Police Department against holding the 20 people who were arrested at the Grassy Knoll protest (Trek Park; “KnollAid”). They also organize (although I didn’t realize it until looking at their site just now) an awesome series of political films called “Cinema Politica” (a free film series that goes on in a lot of cities at major universities). TheVancouverManifesto is a personal fan of the Cinema Politica series.

The new SDS is a throwback to the 60s and 70s rights movements, most notably the Free Speech Movement. TheVancouverManifesto has a soft spot for Rights Movements and, especially, the Rights Movements in Berkeley, San Francisco Bay Area. It’s sort of a romantic time when the little guys were being trampled on and there was this great force to raise shit and do something about it. Rights Movements are particularly touching to me because they are so basic and universal. They are so undeniable and it is a heartwrenching struggle. Rights Movements go even deeper than class-based movements. And TheVancouverManifesto loves class-based protest, but Rights Movements are even more basic than class. Rights get at the core of what it means to be a member of society, a citizen, and a person. It is seriously invigorating to fight the fight.

But that fight has been won. At least in the first world. Rights are more a function of systemic and social kinks rather than law-bound oppression or deep seated defenses of inequality. In the first world the issue should be about class (a fight that is failing, for reasons I will bring up in an upcoming post). Where there were thousands fighting the good fight, now there are mere dozens. It’s sad to see the fight die, but it died for a reason. The issue has been addressed. No, it hasn’t been hidden or occluded- the protest is dead because the issue is dead.

But I like the jeery nature of the SDS and because seeing them in action is reminscent of a time that I wish I had seen, I have to promote this group. It’s actually quite funny because members of the SDS look like members of the SDS. White, middle class made up to be scruffy, angry anarchist haircut (you know what I mean). But it really is the privileged who get to protest and be on the frontlines. Mainly because the real people who really require the benefits of protest are too busy working to get by and/or so marginalized that they can’t take part.

So, in short, hoorah the middle class white people who have the time and privileged position to protest for those who don’t have time or access to do it themselves. You fool yourself by pretending you know what oppression is like, but at least you’re heart is in the right place. I like you, Students for a Democratic Society, if only because you remind me of the good fight.


Read the rest of the Promising organizations series: http://thevancouvermanifesto.blogspot.com/2008/03/promising-organizations-series-roak.html