Thu Apr 25, 2019, 02:24 PM

Soph0571 (5,780 posts)

Identity Politics Matter

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?!?!?!

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

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14 replies	Author	Time	Post
Identity Politics Matter (Original post)	Soph0571	Apr 2019	OP
As far as you last line, it's the exact thought I had when he said it. NT	WeekiWater	Apr 2019	#1
What's sad is that he had a captive, precise audience, and	MineralMan	Apr 2019	#2
One trick pony	Fresh_Start	Apr 2019	#3
Senator Sanders aside	JustAnotherGen	Apr 2019	#4
Please don't call it identity politics.	RDANGELO	Apr 2019	#5
I think we need to reclaim the term personally	Soph0571	Apr 2019	#6
One word - empathy.	RDANGELO	Apr 2019	#7
All politics is identity politics.	WhiskeyGrinder	Apr 2019	#8
The reason that the Democratic Party is the diverse party is empathy.	RDANGELO	Apr 2019	#10
This sounds more like wishful thinking than anything else.	WhiskeyGrinder	Apr 2019	#11
I wouldn't say that the only reason that the Democratic Party is the diverse party is politics.	RDANGELO	Apr 2019	#13
Fair enough.	WhiskeyGrinder	Apr 2019	#14
The very term "identity politics"	BlueFlorida	Apr 2019	#9
Well as a woman identity politics matter to me	Soph0571	Apr 2019	#12

Response to Soph0571 (Original post)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 02:28 PM

WeekiWater (3,259 posts)

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

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

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Response to Soph0571 (Original post)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 02:34 PM

MineralMan (125,745 posts)

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.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to Soph0571 (Original post)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 02:37 PM

Fresh_Start (9,876 posts)

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."

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Elizabeth Warren

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Response to Soph0571 (Original post)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 02:39 PM

JustAnotherGen (26,398 posts)

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.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

Reply to this post

Response to Soph0571 (Original post)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 02:46 PM

RDANGELO (2,307 posts)

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.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Pete Buttigieg

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Response to RDANGELO (Reply #5)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 02:48 PM

Soph0571 (5,780 posts)

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....

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

Reply to this post

Response to Soph0571 (Reply #6)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:09 PM

RDANGELO (2,307 posts)

7. One word - empathy.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Pete Buttigieg

Reply to this post

Response to RDANGELO (Reply #5)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:18 PM

WhiskeyGrinder (6,748 posts)

8. All politics is identity politics.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

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Response to WhiskeyGrinder (Reply #8)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:23 PM

RDANGELO (2,307 posts)

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.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Pete Buttigieg

Reply to this post

Response to RDANGELO (Reply #10)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:27 PM

WhiskeyGrinder (6,748 posts)

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

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

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Response to WhiskeyGrinder (Reply #11)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:57 PM

RDANGELO (2,307 posts)

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

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Pete Buttigieg

Reply to this post

Response to RDANGELO (Reply #13)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:58 PM

WhiskeyGrinder (6,748 posts)

14. Fair enough.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

Reply to this post

Response to Soph0571 (Original post)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:22 PM

BlueFlorida (1,532 posts)

9. The very term "identity politics"

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

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Reply to this post

Response to BlueFlorida (Reply #9)

Thu Apr 25, 2019, 03:32 PM

Soph0571 (5,780 posts)

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.....

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided

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