Identity Politics Matter

[Soph0571]

Link to tweet

Bernie Sanders was asked by a woman of color in the audience what he would do about the rise of white supremacist violence as President.

Instead he started talking about minimum wage and Medicare For All.

The audience claps when the moderator clocks him.

Yikes.

Bernie is like the Labour Leader in the UK. Their committed belief is if only we embrace their policies then all people will benefit, without taken into account the nuances and the starting points of different communities. It is not good enough IMO. Where you start and where you are matters. Differentiated intervention is important - but if you are not willing to fully engage with those communities realities, understand them and ensure your policies are nuanced enough to bridge some of those gaps then you are practising lazy politics.

Oh and as also pointed out on the thread:

After getting called out for dodging specific questions about minorities, Bernie reminds the audience he "marched with MLK".

Audible groans/boos.

He wags his finger at them.

This is embarrassing.

Got to ask - is the left wing old white man equivalent of I have a black friend?!?!?!

[WeekiWater]

1. As far as you last line, it's the exact thought I had when he said it. NT

[MineralMan]

2. What's sad is that he had a captive, precise audience, and

ignored the nature of that audience completely to give answers that were generic and not directly relevant to the actual audience. That shows a lack of interest in or concern for the people he's addressing. He tossed in a couple of token references to racial justice, but muffed his opportunity completely, really.

To me, it sounded like he has a memorized response that he has rehearsed for any topic that might come up and says that wherever he is. Not responsive, and the audience responded accordingly.

[Fresh_Start]

3. One trick pony

I think Biden blew the cover off the myth of economic anxiety.

"Economic anxiety is a term that was bestowed upon a group who fear an economically inclusive America and equal opportunity for all. The term, as used near the end of and after the last election, was cover for the opposition to Clintons progressive message of a more just economy. It is flat out rooted in racism."

[JustAnotherGen]

4. Senator Sanders aside

This is why the 'I hate identity politics' folks make me want to tear my hair out.

When it's white working class male Trump voters and their wives - Oh! Roll out the red carpet and kiss their ass.

But as soon as we ask What's In It For Me - they choke.

[RDANGELO]

5. Please don't call it identity politics.

That is the meme that right wingers use as the excuse for the Republican Party being virtually monolithic and the Democratic Party being diverse. They say that the Democratic Party is playing identity politics.

[Soph0571]

6. I think we need to reclaim the term personally

What would you have it called? Differentiated politics? Diversity politics? They would claim them just the same. They cannot be allowed to won the narrative that matters....

[RDANGELO]

7. One word - empathy.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. All politics is identity politics.

[RDANGELO]

10. The reason that the Democratic Party is the diverse party is empathy.

We have empathy for everyone; the Republicans don't. If we played identity politics,it would tear us apart.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. This sounds more like wishful thinking than anything else.

[RDANGELO]

13. I wouldn't say that the only reason that the Democratic Party is the diverse party is politics.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

14. Fair enough.

[BlueFlorida]

9. The very term "identity politics"

smacks of whitesplaining to minority people why their issues are subordinate.

[Soph0571]

12. Well as a woman identity politics matter to me

My identity as woman forms my politics. How is that whitesplaining? Identity politics is about all minority communities. It is about feminists, LGBTQ, minority religious groups, BAME communities etc et al. All of whom have a different starting point (and within all our communities various variations of identity that add further complexity) from your average male working class white man. I think this is incredibly disingenuous of you, but I also think you either knew that, or have no understanding of identity politics. You choose.....