This election cycle has brought forth the destructive nature of Identity Politics. Instead of Democrats looking at how their morally-compromised, ethically-challenged, corrupt, hawkish, neoliberal candidate lost, they instead have turned towards it is the racist's faults, the misogynist's fault, the white, working class' fault.
As the Democrats dissect the carcass of their failed 2016 election against Donald Trump, many contenders are being brought forward for their horrendous campaign. Of course, many of these ideas are misplaced, misguided, or just outright wrong; however, throughout the campaign and even after, there was a category of lines used against progressives.
Stop being so pure
You purists just need to get behind Hillary
Purity
I have written much about the drastic changes we need to make if we are to survive our self- made crisis. There is no need to point these things out to the water protectors at Standing Rock. I only wonder if the rest of us really understand this.
Today there was a pause in construction announced. This is a victory for all people on the planet. It has significance in many ways. Surely the protection of the water is the obvious one.
I'm writing this after surgery yesterday so I may still be fogged a bit. If so, I like the fog for it helps see things more clearly.
The 2016 election saw Donald Trump win against Hillary Clinton with an unexpected victory, with Trump scoring 306 Electoral College votes compared to Clinton's 232. With that victory however, comes the dissenting cries as Clinton won the popular vote by roughly 2 million votes. This has sparked a wide number of debates, ranging from the issues of democracy, the need to scrap the Electoral College, overturning the Electoral College, illegitimate wins, and more.
Quick hit.
This is all over the internet and being discussed. I'll give it the Big Al angle.
This is just one person in one place, but it's interesting how it played out and how it's being played in the media. Most are calling it a racist rant and siding with the black employees while some are defending the white woman.
The 2016 election has come to an end, with the effects reverberating not only through the heartland of America, but throughout the world. This election was perhaps one of the most divisive, toxic, and also, hollow campaigns waged here on American soil. As voters could barely stomach going to the voting booths, both camps had rallying cries and soothing rhetoric to either jumpstart voters or placate them.
The 2016 election has (re-)surfaced a terrible facet of politics in America: we are still a deeply racist and sexist nation. Our identities help shape our environment growing up and they influence how others perceive and interact with us. To dismiss identities as politically insignificant is to deny racism (and by that I mean, for the purposes of this diary, empowered and privileged white bigotry against non-whites).
And to be completely honest, I am scared shitless. The only time in my life I have been this scared is 1961, Kennedy and Khrushchev. I have the same feeling in my gut, and have had it ever since the announcement.
