Socialist spaces in Baltimore?

Submitted by fiorelloyellow t3_zqw9in in baltimore

I know Red Emma's (I know it's more explicitly anarchist) and the Baltimore chapter of the DSA are great but I'm trying to get my mom more involved in socialist events, community spaces, or organizing efforts.

This could be things that are more politics focused or just mutual aid stuff like writing letters to prisoners and food distros.

Apologies if this isn't the place to post this!

Does anyone have any recommendations for spaces for someone to find community as a new and learning socialist?

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thelovelylydz t1_j11zm61 wrote

Cherry Hill Food Co Op and Baltimore Jail Support. Volunteer for either org and you will do* some real on the ground good community building, and you do not have to be a socialist/anarchist to belong! But your mom may meet some likeminded caring people.

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Ok_Classic5487 t1_j12cdq8 wrote

This is great! Bmore jail support is so important would highly recommend 💗

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moderndukes t1_j10chdh wrote

> I'm trying to get my mom more involved in socialist events, community spaces, or organizing efforts.

> as a new and learning socialist

So is she one or are you trying to make her one? Because that will change the sorts of locations you’ll get recommended (and possibly the tone of the responses)

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fiorelloyellow OP t1_j10mv81 wrote

Spaces for her

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moderndukes t1_j11dhke wrote

I’m sorry but you didn’t answer my question

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fiorelloyellow OP t1_j12c9ww wrote

No, my bad! I was multitasking at work and misread your question. She's sympathetic to a lot of socialist ideas but doesn't explicitly ID as socialist. So, I'd say a mix of spaces that are educational and spaces that are just for people who are already socialists would be great

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pakora2 t1_j13lrpo wrote

Check out Baltimore Food Not Bombs and events at the Free Farm.

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BaltimoresJandro t1_j12mg6c wrote

Not hating at all. I just can't tell.

Is this satire or real?

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Ocarina_of_Crime_ t1_j1498l7 wrote

We’re not the boogeymen we’re made out to be. Most of us just want good schools, healthcare and a more equitable economy.

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awseomenathan987 t1_j151zf5 wrote

Isnt it great how just wanting genuine social change labels you a socialists, which has an artificially creates bad connotation in america.

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BaltimoresJandro t1_j16g2h1 wrote

Oh I understand. Again not throwing shade. I'm all for people organizing how they want to and helping out communities.

ETA It is truly amazing to me how people in any group (religions, political parties, etc.) get demonized nowadays from "the other side". I hope we can all come together somehow to face our common problems.

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Ocarina_of_Crime_ t1_j13qwwk wrote

I’ve been a DSA member for years now but have never actually interacted with the chapters I live near. Is it worth going?

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spiderplamp t1_j14c1cu wrote

The Bmore DSA is very active and they partner with a lot of organizations for mutual aid in the city. I think they're pretty well organized amd communicative.

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gdan95 t1_j13sbk8 wrote

Red Emma’s is still around? I think it’s been over a decade since I went there

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MontisQ t1_j153eoq wrote

Can I hijack this thread and ask if there are any active progressive (not socialist) groups that do organizing work?

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fiorelloyellow OP t1_j1585we wrote

Yeah, absolutely, I'd be interested in any suggestions of leftist (non-centrist, i.e. not democrat orgs) organizing efforts

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dizzy_centrifuge t1_j12udph wrote

Damn I'd heard Red Emma's was cool but crossing them off my list now. Thanks for the heads up

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sponto_pronto t1_j14l0jo wrote

you didn't realize that the worker-owned cooperative bookstore/free-trade coffeeshop/vegan restaurant that holds teach-ins and book talks might be a left-wing space?

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Neither_Emu t1_j128h3h wrote

Are you writing this from a personal phone or a communal phone? Maybe you can just walk out your house and hand it to a random person and hope they give it back. While your at it, why not post signs letting the local homeless know they can squat in your house. Maybe ask your HOA to determine who should have control of your house and its use. I always have significant doubts when someone says they are socialist - I don’t think you could follow through with it, as it requires a common good to be successful that just isn’t found in this world. There are great benefits to private ownership of property and goods

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itsspelledjon t1_j12cx8h wrote

LMAO this is so funny you do not know what socialism is at all and you wrote out this whole diatribe. Damn that's embarrassing.

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Neither_Emu t1_j13m9va wrote

Ha - I think you all don’t understand how Socialism quickly evolves into communism. That’s the point - socialism looks good on paper, but once you factor in that humans suck and corruption is rampant, socialism starts to morph into communism. Look down a list of countries that are so called ‘socialist’ - tell me these are countries you would want to live in, and tell me they are communist nations

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boarbar t1_j13ozmj wrote

Vietnam? Cuba? Portugal? Woe is me, how awful it’d be to live in a place where my basic human needs are met. And if you think humans suck now, just wait til you find how capitalism works.

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Neither_Emu t1_j13s7l6 wrote

I mean, this is a free capitalist country. If you don’t like America you have all the freedoms in the world to leave. If you want to stay and hope to see some socialist American utopia, sorry to break it to you it won’t happen. We will never let socialism reign here. If you are looking to get to Cuba, you could always hop on one the boats the Cubans are using to escape to Florida on - you can have a one way trip back. Socialists - please. No wonder the City is in such shambles

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theonetruedavid t1_j144ejj wrote

“If you don’t like it, then leave” is the war cry of fake patriots who believe our country is above criticism, when, in fact, we live in one of the most corrupt and inequitable societies of the first world nations. The rare times this lowkey shithole country has made progress towards a better and more equal society has been through the adoption of socialist programs. But keep dreaming that capitalism, a system of infinite growth in a world of finite resources, is the way forward. You know what else grows for the sake of growing? Tumors. There’s a metaphor for you…

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Slime__queen t1_j1349tl wrote

I just want you to know how much this sounds like a copypasta lmao

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ThePoppaJ t1_j12bndm wrote

Learn the difference between personal & private property. Your strawmanning is willfully obtuse.

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Metammetta t1_j141nbe wrote

Not trying to be mean or aggressive here, but you actually, legitimately don't know what socialism is

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judeiscariot t1_j152zdp wrote

Just write "the only understanding I have of socialism was gleaned from right-wing memes, and I don't know how to read a book" next time. It's a lot shorter.

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ticumac t1_j14e27p wrote

Hahahahahahahaha. That's all you idiots deserve.

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PapaKhan9612 t1_j1156ud wrote

Taxation is theft. People could afford a lot of their daily needs if they were allowed to keep their hard-earned wages.

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Kooky_Deal9566 t1_j11cy9s wrote

LOL Taxation is the price of admission to a live in a society with paved roads, public transit, free schools, and fire departments.

Now if you’re taking issue with how much we get for the taxes we pay, that’s a different discussion… (the short answer is: not enough).

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moderndukes t1_j11dbq0 wrote

Bro doesn’t want to live in a republican society because of the taxes but would 100% gladly take advantage of the fruits of such a place.

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brocialism t1_j13ogzw wrote

Whenever this comes up, I can't help but think about how much dumber people like the person you're responding to would be without public education

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Ok_Classic5487 t1_j12do4w wrote

The rich owning class profiting off your labor is the real theft!

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MaximumAbsorbency t1_j12khoz wrote

Wow great now I have 16% more money for my daily needs! I can spend that on my new needs now that there's no more taxation and I've lost literally every form of public service. I wonder what percentage of my income that would cost?

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TheWa11 t1_j118xvt wrote

Lol. How much do you think the poor pay in taxes?

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Bigdaddybeandog t1_j10jt6b wrote

What a waste of time.

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Ok_Classic5487 t1_j12d3sg wrote

"bigdaddybeandog" the Sociology Understander has Logged On 😂😂

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[deleted] t1_j10qwuj wrote

[deleted]

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sit_down_man t1_j113k0e wrote

Read a book, little baby.

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todareistobmore t1_j121wjc wrote

One amusing takeaway from that reply is dude read Gramsci and was left wondering why the fascists didn't simply shoot him.

I mean, who needs praxis when you're happy with the Supreme Court?

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[deleted] t1_j129ani wrote

[deleted]

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todareistobmore t1_j12dgg0 wrote

> The supremes court might tilt a few things here and there but being able to exercise some administrative power isn’t really going to change the governing ideas.

Hmm yes, also you:

> I'm happy with the judges trump put on bench. Hopefully, they'll strike down affirmative action next year.

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[deleted] t1_j11ap6i wrote

[deleted]

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DMelanogastard t1_j11xpok wrote

I’m so wildly confused by this thread. Is sit_down a socialist arguing with Antoine who he thinks is a conservative but is actually a Marxist?

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