One ISU student group strives for a left-wing economic and political system where people work in cooperation instead of competition.

Solidarity wants people to work together for the benefit of all rather than for the profits of a few, said Marshall Kole, group member and junior in history.

The group has grown since this summer when Nicolai Brown, senior in linguistics and Daily columnist, started it. The group is now composed of a variety of Socialists, Marxists and others who are concerned about where the nation is headed, Kole said.

“The group has diverse viewpoints, but everyone agrees on the general philosophy of the leftist viewpoint,” Kole said. “Once you get into specific policy, then you’ll find differences, but we all agree on general things.”

Members take turns running the weekly meetings, so there isn’t a central leader or president, said Noah Weise, group member and junior in materials engineering.

The group is trying to make people more aware of important political issues affecting the United States and other countries. They have been posting fliers, chalking sidewalks and writing letters to the Daily, Kole said.

“We want to bring in speakers for people to come and listen to and show movies with discussions afterward, so people can see and start thinking about what we have been discussing,” Kole said.

Wiese said Solidarity is more than a discussion group, because it promotes social and progressive views along with change.

Dennis Martin, group member and sophomore in philosophy, said Solidarity focuses on five issues — education, health care, the Cuba embargo, gay rights and workers’ rights — with the purpose of effecting a tangible change.

Martin said the most important issue Solidarity focuses on is workers’ rights. Group members are standing up for workers’ rights, fair pay and safe working conditions.

“It’s the heart of what we should be and are about,” Martin said. “We just want to make conditions as good for the working-class people as possible.”

Martin said the group believes education is important because inequalities in education can affect jobs, the accessibility of a college education and social successes.

“Education quality impacts people for the rest of their lives,” Martin said. “Once people are aware that just being poor can make you a failure, things could change.”

According to the group’s Web site, Solidarity also opposes the private health care system the United States has in place because it positions personal wealth above human life.

“The health care system should be made to serve human life — not corporate interests,” Martin said. “We support health care that takes care of everyone and is available to everyone.”

Martin said the Cuban embargo is another important topic to group members because they believe nothing is to be gained by keeping it in place. The embargo prohibits travel and trade with Cuba, but the only nations that follow it are the United States and Israel.

“The embargo is a waste of time,” Martin said. “We are hurting Cubans for no reason.”

Gay rights issues are a heated topic nationwide, but Solidarity members take a firm stance supporting it.

“Same-sex marriage is something that we believe is important because of basic fairness,” Martin said. “Everyone should be able to commit to the person they love.”

The group is working with the ISU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Ally Alliance to educate and inform the public about gay issues.