Brandon Rey Ramirez, who is recognized as one of the top activists for the Democratic Socialists of America, has officially quit the organization, saying that it is being infected by “white supremacy.”
“After 10+ years of involvement, I’ve decided to leave DSA,” Ramirez wrote on Twitter. “Class reductionism, or more plainly – white supremacy, is infecting DSA.”
Specifically, Ramirez believes the socialist motif of a working class struggle against bourgeois elitists is no longer enough. Now, Ramirez indicates, Democratic socialists must also discuss the needs of “marginalized identities,” ostensibly referring to blacks, LGBTQ+, and other Democrat voting blocs.
“There’s hostility towards those who fight for marginalized identities, but protection and reverence to those who speak of class alone.”
After 10+ years of involvement, I've decided to leave DSA.
Class reductionism, or more plainly – white supremacy, is infecting DSA. There's hostility towards those who fight for marginalized identities, but protection and reverence to those who speak of class alone.
— πππππππ πππ’ πππππππ£ (ππ/πππ) (@MrBigTent) February 5, 2021
According to Ramirez, this was proven when “a black woman was removed from her chapter for making proposals that would have uplifted BIPOC [black, Indigenous and people of color] members.”
“This is on top of a broken grievance system and toxic culture that’s seen countless cases of sexual harassment, abuse, and discrimination,” Ramirez added. “My silence in the past was complicity.”
This is on top of a broken grievance system and toxic culture that's seen countless cases of sexual harassment, abuse, and discrimination.
My silence in the past was complicity.
At times I staunchly defended DSA even showing hostility to those who spoke up.
I am sorry.
— πππππππ πππ’ πππππππ£ (ππ/πππ) (@MrBigTent) February 5, 2021
Ramirez then repeatedly accused the DSA of attempting to co-opt the Black Lives Matter movement and its nearly synonymous riots, which he described as “uprisings” in the aftermath of the police involved death of noted fentanyl user George Floyd.
“At the start of 2020’s Black Lives Matter uprisings, non-block leadership openly critiqued actions and mused, ‘how can we take the lead in this moment?”
We organized the Afrosocialists in LA, a space for Black/ African members within DSA-LA. I won't go into the details here, but in our establishing a South Central & Inglewood branch + passage of the Black Liberation resolution we got labeled bad faith actors and wreckers.
— πππππππ πππ’ πππππππ£ (ππ/πππ) (@MrBigTent) February 5, 2021
During his decade long involvement with the DSA, Ramirez also worked at several high profile, mainstream social media companies.
Currently, he is employed by ATTN, a far left media company that posts highly shareable videos and memes to social media. Prior, he was employed by The Young Turks.
Ironically, he was responsible for the effort to “shore up” Democratic socialist support behind Joe Biden in the 2020 election.