As a volunteer, democratically run, socialist organization we are dedicated to building a majority movement that will make democratic socialism a reality in America for the working class. We are committed to creating a safe, respectful and inclusive space for our members and comrades in both our online and in person interactions. We expect everyone who joins our chat server to abide by the following community standards:
By joining our chat server, you agree to follow these community standards and to respect the decisions of the moderators, Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs), and admins. Anyone who violates these standards may be warned, muted, kicked or banned from the chat server at the discretion of the moderators, HGOs, and admins. The moderators, HGOs, and admins reserve the right to update or modify these standards at any time with prior notice.
Thank you for being part of our community and for making it a better place for everyone.
“Better things are in store for us. The world ever moves onward. Get into the fray. Do your part, and you will soon see the results of your efforts. Don’t expect all Socialists to be either perfect human beings or to think exactly as you do. Learn to overlook the shortcomings of your comrades. Remember we are fighting for a better system, not to make all men uniform or perfect. Filled with a conviction of right, resolved with a determination to win, nothing can stop the onward march of this movement for a higher civilization until final victory is achieved.”
- Daniel Hoan, “The Failure Of Regulation”
Role Definitions
Moderators: members who moderate and monitor discussion in chapter chat servers
Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs): responsible for overseeing the investigation of Members accused of engaging in prohibited behavior according to the Harassment Policy (Resolution 33) of DSA. HGOs are non-voting members of the Executive Committee
Administrators: Maintain membership in the chapter chat server, adding in new members and channels plus removing members who are no longer in the chapter. Admin roles will be given to mkedsaoutreach@gmail.com and milwaukeedsa@gmail.com and be maintained by the Secretary, Outreach Officer and Communications Officer. More admins will be added on an as needed basis.
Community Standards
- Be kind and courteous. Do not insult, harass, bully, threaten or discriminate against anyone based on their identity, beliefs, class, opinions or experiences.
- Be constructive and supportive. Share your ideas, feedback and resources in a positive and helpful manner. Do not spam, troll, derail or disrupt the conversations. Respect the purpose and goals of each channel and topic.
- Be responsible and accountable. Do not share any confidential, personal or sensitive information without permission. Do not engage in any illegal, unethical or harmful activities on the chapter server. For sensitive discussions, please take them offline or to an encrypted platform
- Report any violations or concerns to the moderators, HGOs, or admins.
- Be mindful of how you present yourself online. It is important to organize to communicate online with members and beyond, know that it is different to interacting through voice or person to person, and some nuances may get lost in the digital space.
- Be open and willing to learn. Recognize that we are all here to build a better world for everyone. Do not assume that you know everything or that you are always right. Listen to different perspectives and experiences and be open to feedback and criticism.
- Be respectful of diversity and difference. Celebrate the diversity of our members and comrades and the richness of their cultures, backgrounds and experiences. Do not make any assumptions or judgments based on stereotypes or prejudices.
- Please be mindful of what time you are sending messages into the chat server. Depending on urgency, try not to send messages to members between the hours of 10pm-4am
- Please keep your screen name consistent with the name you introduce yourself with in meetings. It does not have to be your legal name, it can be a nickname.
Platform(s)
- Milwaukee DSA will primarily be using Discord for mass internal communication with the chapter, with Matrix being an auxiliary platform
- Signal should be used occasionally, concisely and for person to person, immediate communication. Signal will also be used in the event that said communications need to be encrypted.
- The Milwaukee DSA Signal Chat will be terminated, and a general discussion and general announcement channel will be added into the chapter Discord. It is also recommended that working groups, committees and campaigns should migrate to the chapter Discord for transparency.
Role of Moderators
- To remove, mute or ban any content or person that does not follow the Community Guidelines
- To document all incidents in which the moderation team removed, muted, or banned content or persons
- To seek advice from those on the moderation team for guidance on how to proceed with member infractions/removals
- To cooperate with Chapter HGOs in the event of content needing to be retrieved for an HGO filing
- To keep discussions and other chapter business on topic and concise
- To receive feedback from members regarding content or user interactions, and clarify to members why the moderators modified their participation in the chapter server
- Provide 48hr notice to members who receive infractions or banning
Guidelines for removing/moderating members
This set of community guidelines follows a “three strikes you’re out” guideline for removing members from the chapter server. Once a member has acquired three or more infractions, they will be removed from the chapter server for a year or possibly more, depending on the severity.
- Infraction #1
- Member(s) will be notified by a moderator why the content they shared did not follow the Community Guidelines within 48 hours of the incident occurring occuring
- Member and Moderator will discuss and/or re-educate the member about how to interact with the chapter chat server in the future
- Infraction #2
- Member(s) will be notified by a moderator why the content they shared did not follow the Community Guidelines within 48 hours of the incident occurring.
- Member will be banned from server ranging from a day to a week, depending on severity
- Member and Moderator will discuss and/or re-educate the member about what they can do in the future
- Infraction #3
- Member(s) will be notified by a moderator why the content they shared did not follow the Community Guidelines within 48 hours of the incident occurring.
- Member will be banned from server ranging from one month to a year, depending on severity
- Member and Moderator will discuss and/or re-educate the member after the length of the ban time to determine if both parties are ready to bring the member back into the server.
At any point a banned or muted member may discuss with the moderation team about why they received any actions against them.
Guidelines for choosing moderators
- Chapter Harassment and Grievance Officers will join the moderation team, in addition to their regular duties
- There must be 2-3 moderators in addition to the chapter Harassment and Grievance Officers
- Moderators must be members in good standing who do not hold any other chapter officer positions
- Moderators will be nominated and elected in accordance with Chapter Bylaws, Article V, Officer & Delegate Elections
- A Moderator’s term shall be 12 months, ending when a successor is elected, the Moderator is removed, or the Moderator resigns
- In the event a Moderator needs to resign from their position, the Executive Committee will find a replacement moderator to fill out the remainder of the term
- Additional moderators can be added on an as needed basis