Here’s Why Democrats Must Not Abandon Identity Politics

The Daily Beast ^ | 20 Dec, 2016 | Craig Mills

[MtnClimber]

It’s all the rage now: Dump on multiculturalism and identity. But identities are vitally important in motivating voters. And besides, white people have them, too.

Since Hillary Clinton lost the presidential election, the victors and the vanquished have disparaged identity politics—coded language for multiculturalism. Most notably, in a New York Times op-ed, Mark Lilla argued, in part, that Democrats are so enmeshed in linguistic minutiae they can’t develop effective messaging. Predictably, Democrats are apoplectically tripping over one another to distance themselves from the term, a core tenet of the party. (Hearing Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio use Obama’s word “shellacked” while discussing the Democrats’ need for better messaging is humorously ironic, as there is very little original messaging in reusing a word someone else introduced into the vernacular.) A Democratic retreat from identity, however, could prove just as costly as anything we experienced last month. It is time for Democrats to get a backbone, own its identity as a liberal tent, and stop retreating at the smallest hint of criticism.

Lilla’s broader premise for identity abandonment is an affront to liberals who are not white, male, and straight, because it asks them to subjugate their political goals to the larger group, a presumably heteronormative one focused on that group’s economic needs—very similar to how Donald Trump campaigned. We are also left to assume the notion that meritocracy, a false concept if ever there was one, would sort out leadership and policy concerns.

[jiggyboy]

“values voters” who readily accepted a thrice-divorced philanderer as their candidate are very receptive to the idea that their identities as Christian conservatives are under siege when they support laws in Indiana, North Carolina, and Texas to ward off threats to traditional marriage, bathroom stall etiquette, and religious freedom.

After "the race card", "the hypocrisy card" is perhaps the second-most-played card in the deck. Similarly, it's usually mis-played as well. There's no contradiction here -- a man cheated on his wife in NY twenty years ago, therefore my daughter has to accept that laws passed by a legislature in NC this year to allow grown men in her school's bathroom? Therefore I have to bake a cake for a gay wedding?

[Paulie]

“Can we please defeat the left now, and chase them out of prominent positions? They are a disease.”

Maybe you should demand that we slay the dragon instead of ask. If it’s not done now, it never will be - of that I am 100% sure.

[spintreebob]

The reason the left hates Christianity is that they believe they have a superior religion.... the Brpther’s Keeper paradigm of Cain. The left is very sincere in their religious belief that they are their brother’s keeper.

[dforest]

Yeah, I hope dummiecrats keep thinking this. They can’t get enough of losing!

[rlmorel]

Very astute post, nathanbedford. Hope all is well...

[JennysCool]

Yup. You’ve got it. All this unhinged panic by the libs in the wake of the election comes down to one thing: the creeping feeling that Trump is going to be a MASSIVE success, and reveal them as the lazy dullards they are.