[Peace-discuss] Universalism and Particularity: The Occupy Movement and Race

[David Johnson]

What ???

How is this a " diversion " ?

" We all of course oppose racism, for political and personal reasons. But it's a great error to use that opposition to undercut the Occupy Movement. "

I am hoping to strengthen the Occupy movement. Larger participation of working class people of color and white workers as well.

I agree totaly Carl that the race / gender issues have been used by the ruling class to divert attention from issues of class.
So how am I avoiding the issue of class ?

You should know me better than that Carl.
When have I ever NOT talked about class issues ?

David J.
  
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: C. G. ESTABROOK 
  To: David Johnson 
  Cc: Peace-discuss List ; sf-core 
  Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2011 2:53 PM
  Subject: Universalism and Particularity: The Occupy Movement and Race


  David--


  Why are you participating in this "identity-politics" diversion?


  Forty years ago, when it looked like issues of economics and inequality might actually penetrate the limits of allowable debate in American politics, liberals (and the Democrats - always a business party) hastily substituted diversity for equality as their announced goal. 


  Not that diversity isn't a good thing. But the US political establishment was using it to take the place of demands for economic equality. (And in the meantime they launched neoliberalism, which enforced economic inequality at a rapid and accelerating rate - that's what the Occupy movement opposes.)


  In subsequent years, we heard much about the "trinity of oppression" - class, race, and gender.  But class is not like the other two. Conflicts of race and gender can in principle be solved by reconciliation, if not easily. But conflict between exploiter and exploited cannot - one or the other must be liquidated (the social role, if not the physical persons).    


  We all of course oppose racism, for political and personal reasons. But it's a great error to use that opposition to undercut the Occupy Movement.


  Regards, Carl





  Begin forwarded message:

    Message: 1
    Date: Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:03:20 -0600
    From: Karen Medina <kmedina67 at gmail.com>
    To: Peace List <peace at lists.chambana.net>
    Subject: [Peace] Universalism and Particularity: The Occupy Movement
    and Race / Tuesday, December 6, 2011 7-9:30 P.M. Department of African
    American Studies 1201 West Nevada Street, Urbana, Illinois
    Message-ID:
    <CA+0uwiaf2p5ap5Z+RHEm0=Tc2zFEzJLCbpL9Nu=EH9FXVsrsTQ at mail.gmail.com>
    Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

    Universalism and Particularity: The Occupy Movement and Race
    Over the last 90 days the Occupy Movement has focused attention on the
    capitalist class? 40 year
    devastation of the working and middle classes. In the 1960s, corporate
    executives made 26 times workers,
    by 1980 it rose to 32 times; and in 2009 it was 263 times. Led by
    young largely white college graduates
    Occupy is part of a worldwide movement that is challenging global
    class disparities. Yet, as inspiring as the
    Occupy movement has been, like previous U.S. radical movements it
    seems mired on the rocky shores of
    race. Is the Occupy movement doomed to repeat the errors of the past?
    Can it move beyond seemingly
    universal ?colorblind? reformist proposals and engage the
    particularities of racialized oppression and chart
    a genuine struggle for a multiracial democracy?
    Tuesday, December 6, 2011
    7-9:30 P.M.
    Department of African American Studies
    1201 West Nevada Street, Urbana, Illinois

    Chair: Helen Neville, Departments of African American Studies &
    Educational Policy Studies
    Panelists: * Abdul Alkalimat, African American Studies and Graduate
    Program in Library and Information Sciences
    * Gene Vanderport, CU Socialist Forum and Illinois Educational Association
    * Jermaine Light, Socialist Forum
    * David Johnson, Labor Notes and Vice President of the United Electrical Workers



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