2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: White progressive analysis of politics is fundamentally broken. [View all]JHan
(10,173 posts)Right out of the gates after the election "Identity Politics" was dismissed and blamed and used as the reason #WhyTrumpWon.
The OP is calling out those progressives who engaged in this, reminding them that "Identity Politics" is necessary and that a focus on class war alone will not lift everyone up when bigotry is baked into our institutions. Communities have particular concerns, and those concerns have to be addressed - The reason why the obsession with WWC's is so wrong headed is because there are working class people all over this country of different hues. Yet, the regional concerns of the midwestern white working class voter came to represent all working class people - as if working class people of color don't exist or don't exist in places like New York and California.
The Civil Rights movement provided the umbrella under which other movements mushroomed into prominence, now "civil rights" encapsulates women's rights, native american rights , gay rights etc. In other words, it took a "race" movement to make America check herself and begin the process of change. If you want examples of reform that will tackle discrimination and lift the quality of life for all in the process:- criminal justice reform is a great starting point, combating voter suppression is another, lifting standards in our public schools another and improving infrastructure in the most poverty stricken communities -from roads, to bridges to water, is another.