An Open Letter to the NPC Regarding Nithya Raman

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An Open Letter to the NPC Regarding Nithya Raman

Nithya Raman, a DSA Los Angeles member, was endorsed by DSA LA and DSA national when she ran for Los Angeles City Council in 2020. She claimed to support “the constitutional right to engage in nonviolent forms of protest” as part of her platform. She did not seek the endorsement of National DSA for her 2024 re-election campaign, but she was once again endorsed by DSA-LA. Over her term, she has repeatedly shown herself to be antagonistic to Palestinian solidarity organizing efforts and other work that our comrades across the country are doing. Here are a number of examples of her anti-Palestinian and other efforts:

  • Sought an endorsement from the zionist lobby group “Democrats for Israel” which denies Israeli apartheid
  • Co-authored a city resolution that made an anti-Palestinian LA United School District resolution a city council priority and was used to shut down the United Teachers Union of Los Angeles’s members historic BDS resolution vote as a result of a smear campaign
  • Voted to adopt the IHRA definition of anti-semitism which intentionally conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism
  • Voted to increase the LAPD budget by $43 million in May of 2021
  • Declined to answer a question regarding the inclusion of police unions in labor federations
  • Condemned Palestinian resistance post-October 7th while not condemning Israeli apartheid
  • Condemned the DSA national statement on Palestine saying it is “devoid of empathy”
  • Seconded Bob Blumenfield’s initiative on the LA City Council to make littering a hate crime, one that would directly cause comrades to be arrested for DSA initiatives such as No Appetite for Apartheid
  • Sought out and received an endorsement again from Democrats for Israel in the middle of the genocide in Gaza

On March 14th, the BDSWG put out a statement condemning Nithya Raman and calling for Raman to commit to political education on Palestine, and to write a public apology to Palestinians. In the event that she failed to commit to the requests from the working group, the next step was a call for DSA LA to revoke her endorsement and remove her from the chapter. DSA LA claims they are moving her on Palestinian solidarity. Regretfully, there is no evidence that Raman is being held to account; instead, she is doubling down on her rhetoric. DSA LA is one of the largest chapters in the country, and the actions taken by their chapter harm the ability of DSA chapters and the national organization to effectively carry out Palestinian solidarity work.

Raman’s actions and stance with regard to Palestinian solidarity are unacceptable, and it is unacceptable that she ties us to her platform, which is wildly incompatible with our own. Therefore we, the undersigned, call for the removal of Nithya Raman’s endorsement. Further, we call on the National Political Committee to expel Nithya Raman from DSA for substantial disagreement with the principles and policies of the organization, as per Article I Section 3 of the DSA National Bylaws:

Members may be expelled if they are found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization or if they consistently engage in undemocratic, disruptive behavior or if they are under the discipline of any self-defined democratic-centralist organization. Members facing expulsion must receive written notice of charges against them and must be given the opportunity to be heard before the NPC or a subcommittee thereof, appointed for the purpose of considering expulsion.

Chapter Signatures:

Caucus Signatures:

DSA Member Signatures:

References

  1. ↑ [1]
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