Racism and Classism -- We CAN walk and chew gum at the same time

[Armstead]

It seems, in true lefty fashion, that the ugly truths exposed by Katrina have also created a false dichotomy and bickering among allies. This time it's these flame wars about whether the tragedy was due to racism or classism.

IT'S BOTH dammit.

We don't need these "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" arguments, that create needless friction among those who share the same basic goals.

Racism is still a serious problem in America. Because of historic factors and contemporary racism, poverty does disproportionatly affect African Americans.

But the growing disparity of haves and have-nots includes racism, but is not limited to that. Economic Class Divides are a serious and growing problem in America. Poverty is not limited to African Americans, and racism and its residual effects are not the only cause of poverty.

On the contrary, poverty and economic marginalization is becoming less racially based. In addition to the existing problem of white povertty, more and more whites are being pushed out of the middle class and into the ranks of the working poor or the unemployed.

In addition to poverty, racism also affects African Americans who have moved up the economic ladder. Economic classism makes the economic affects of racism worse, at the same time it also makes life worse for the middle and working classes of all races.

We will distract ourselves from both racism and classism by implying that it has to be an either/or issue.

We can deal with both problems effectively. But IMO we will weaken and diffuse any efforts toaddress both the existing divides of racism and the growing problem of non-racial economic disprities if we get into a lot of arguments on our side that inply we can't deal with both issues on their own terms, or which deny the large area of overlap that exists between them.

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. Amen

I cannot add nor subtract anything in what you said


well done

[Armstead]

2. Thanks, and a thinly disguised....

:kick:

[applegrove]

3. Yup. The nefarious are capable of getting more than one "pay-off"

at a time.

[Armstead]

4. A bi-fecta, as Bush might say