Keith Ellison Reminds Democrats the Working Class Isn't All White, Ditching Identity Politics Won't

[think]

Keith Ellison Reminds Democrats the Working Class Isn't All White, so Ditching Identity Politics Won't Work

By Kylie Cheung / The Frisky November 30, 2016

“A lot has been made about the white working class. I think we’d better take a look at the working class of all colors.

The outcome of the 2016 election was horrendous for the Democratic Party (and women, people of color, the disabled, the LGBTQ community, and all marginalized people, really). And relatively soon after mourning the devastation of all their hopes and dreams, liberal thinkers set out to play the blame game. Racism, sexism, ignorance, the media — all of that was brought up. But, unsettlingly enough, many liberal icons blamed their own party for its apparent focus on identity politics, or speaking to the experiences and struggles of marginalized Americans, which purportedly offended the white working class. There are many reasons why this is bullshit, and seriously, thank god for the eloquence of Minnesota Representative Keith Ellison for reminding us of the working class’ diversity.

In an interview on the Keepin’ it 1600 podcast last week, Ellison took questions about what the Democratic Party needs to do to recover and grow since its future in not only all three branches of government, but state governments as well, is shaky to say the least. Unlike others in his party (including Bernie Sanders, who emphasized the intersectionality of economic and social inequality throughout his campaign but recently called on the Democratic Party to move “beyond” identity politics), Ellison is not blaming identity politics. He isn’t ignoring the fact that so many groups continue to struggle on the basis of their identities.

“A lot has been made about the white working class. I think we’d better take a look at the working class of all colors … the one thing that unites us all is money and economic opportunity,” Ellison said.

Ellison seems to be one of few liberal thinkers who understands that we can’t just drop the interests of marginalized groups from the Democratic Party’s agenda and ignore their very real struggles to appeal to racist, privileged, and small-minded people who either resent or are disinterested in the plights of minorities...

Read more:
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/keith-ellison-reminds-democrats-working-class-isnt-all-white-so-ditching-identity

[baldguy]

1. K&R

Middle-class whites voted as if the Bush Recession didn't effect anyone else. And Trump was effective in nurturing their fear & racism.

Trying to emulate that fear & racism won't help Democrats.