racial democratic (fuck the poor) dream fulfilled by obama’s election
By shag carpet bomb • Dec 12th, 2008 • Category: Assimiliationist Black Nationalism, Class, Identity Politics, Obama, Politics, RacializationMy buddy Dwayne wrote last night to urge me to listen to Doug Henwood’s latest radio program. Here’s why Dwayne was kvelling: because the author basically gets at what I’ve called “assimilationist black nationalism” — of the sort featured in Lawrence Otis Graham’s _Our Kind of People_:
Hey, if you haven’t already done so, I recommend you listen to Doug’s interview with Mount Holyoke College’s Preston Smith:
http://www.kpfa.org/archives/index.php?arch=29787Smith describes Obama’s election as the fulfillment of the black upper class’ dreams of what he calls “racial democracy”, which he presents as a concept which rose in opposition to the idea of broader social democracy.
When you first hear the phrase “racial democracy” it sounds like a good thing. After all, the word ‘democracy’ is there and that’s always awesome right?! But Smith breaks it down very subtly and makes a fascinating link to black Chicago politics in the 1930s, 40s and 50s.
The gist: the “racial democracy” project sought to give blacks access to the US’ existing class structure without challenging that structure in any way. So, a ‘racial democratic’ argues for fair housing in the private sector instead of public housing (e.g. middle and upper middle class blacks should be free to join their white class fellows in the ‘appropriate’ areas and the devil take the hindmost poor).
In Smith’s view (and I find myself agreeing) the election of Obama is indeed the fulfillment of the dreams of that segment of the black upper class whose only goal (social democratic rhetoric notwithstanding) was getting their share of the pie as it’s currently carved.
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It’s symbolic like the Cosby Show.
The Clintons did more legislatively and concretely for the black community than the Obamas.
And Hillary did more for women and children than Bill Clinton and the Obamas combined.
Donna Darko:
The Clintons did more legislatively and concretely for the black community than the Obamas.
Really, Donna????
Like, for instance, the 2004 Crime Bill that Bill pushed through that strengthened differential penalties between powder cocaine (used mostly by rich Whites) and crack cocaine (mostly used by working class and poor Blacks)???
Or, perhaps you mean Bill’s signing of the welfare “reform” bill in 2005…the same GOP-based bill that he promised to “fix”…but never quite got around getting to???
Obama’s not the progressive that he’s been rumored to be..but trust me, Bill and Hillary Clinton aren’t and weren’t that much better. Indeed, in some aspects they are that much worse.
But do please continue with your Hillary worship…I guess you’ll be saying that Sarah Palin is feminist progressive, too. Or…am I mistaking you for Violet Socks???
Anthony
(Still not regretting my vote for Cynthia McKinney)