Code of Conduct

As comrades in struggle, we as DSA members must commit to actively dismantling the social structures of domination and oppression. Members may not, through behavior or speech, reinforce systems of oppression, including but not limited to class, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, body size and physical appearance, dis/ability, race, ethnicity, caste, color, religion, immigration status or national origin, or age.


Background

Offenses and violations of the code conduct will result in consequences which may include: a conversation with a Grievance officer; an education and accountability process; a restorative justice process; suspension from the local chapter; expulsion from the local chapter. 


For those in positions of leadership, we ask that you make an extra effort to uphold the expectations outlined below. Positions of leadership includes members of the Steering Committee, Chairs, point people for working groups and committees, and active mobilizers and organizers.


In addition, while our coalition partners are not beholden to our Grievance Process, we will remove endorsements or void partnerships that are in violation of the Code of Conduct. Similarly, while non-DSA members are unable to file a Formal Concern, we understand that an event or action undertaken by a DSA member towards a non-DSA member may strongly affect our members. Those situations will be discussed by the Grievance Committee on a case-by-case basis. We consider members to be people who are dues paying and who are active within the chapter.


If you are aware of any Code of Conduct violations, please inform the Grievance Officers at nassaudsaGO@gmail.com. However, we do encourage you to initiate a private discussion with the offender, if you are comfortable doing so, before escalating to the Grievance Officers.


This Code of Conduct is not limited to behavior at DSA-sponsored events; we expect members to uphold these standards in all participation with, or on behalf of, DSA. This can include digital spaces, including but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, Slack, Zoom, Google Meets, Signal and other social media platforms.


Code of Conduct

We will be respectful to fellow DSA members and our coalition partners. We expect all our members to act in good faith. We will assume good intentions unless there’s reason to believe otherwise, although we also recognize that merely having good intent does not mitigate the impact of problematic speech/behavior. In such instances, we will strive to privately engage in dialogue with the person-at-hand, and learn more about their intent, while educating them about their impact.


We will be sensitive to others with whom we are sharing the same space. In concrete terms, this includes speaking less if we find ourselves talking too much at the expense of other’s voices. We will not disrupt meetings or interrupt people when they are speak ining. We expect those in positions of leadership to proactively promote marginalized voices, and to make the space more accommodating and not tokenizing marginalized groups. 


We strive to make DSA an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone, especially for new members, and as such, we will refrain from exclusionary behavior. This can include everything from inside jokes to hosting meetings in non-wheelchair accessible spaces. In addition, leaders and mobilizers of Nassau DSA will strive to make networks and resources accessible for all members. We also expect everyone participating in DSA’s spaces to include a trigger warning on all sensitive content shared to be mindful and respectful of everyone’s life experiences.


We will respect our comrades’ privacy and not reveal personally-identifiable information without permission, including events where a member has requested privacy.


We are committed to actively dismantling the social structures of domination and oppression. We should not engage in behavior or speech—even ironically—that reinforces systems of oppression based on gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, body size and physical appearance, disability, race, ethnicity, caste, color, religion, national origin, class, age, or profession. Harassment will absolutely not be tolerated. Examples of harassment and abusive behavior include: unwelcome attention, slurs, inappropriate sexual advances or speech, hate speech, physical or verbal intimidation, stalking, inappropriate physical contact or proximity, etc.

We recognize that other verbal and physical conduct not listed above constitutes harassment when:

We encourage members to make an effort to intervene if you witness any of the above behavior at DSA-sponsored events, if you feel safe and comfortable doing so, and in a way that respects the agency/autonomy of those who have been affected. Please report such behavior to the Grievance Officers if you wish to raise a formal concern.


We realize that as members of Nassau DSA, our conduct both inside and outside of the context of official events and spaces reflects back on the chapter as a whole. As such, we encourage members and especially leadership to behave in accordance with this code of conduct in all spaces both physical and digital.


We are a socialist organization, so we expect members to be socialists or leftists interested in learning more about socialism. At a minimum, we expect each other to be open-minded about socialism. We want to create a vibrant space of open debate and discussion, but we see little to be gained by engaging with apologists for capitalism and imperialism. We will not tolerate far right-wing ideologies, and those that deny the inalienable right of all human beings to participate in the democratic process or to have their basic human needs met regardless of their access to capital. We will take seriously any actions grounded in white supremacy and heteropatriarchy, such as Blue Lives Matter and anti-choice propaganda. This especially applies to active leaders in Long Island DSA.