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How to move on from the worst of identity politics

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goodDonald Trump victory in 2024 It is more than a backlash in left-wing politics. Inflation, among other things, is on the rise. Still, Trump is gaining ground among Latino, Black, Asian, Arab, Gen Z, and big city voters. And that, like Kamala’s loss, Harris also urged Democrats to reconsider the role of identity politics in their coalitions. “Identity politics goes the dodo,” said Elissa Slotkin, who recently won the Senate race in Michigan. say At a meeting of fellow Democrats “Identity politics doesn’t work in elections. and failed miserably strategically.” Rahm Emanuel tell politics– “Some Democrats are finally waking up.” new york times Columnist Maureen Dowd write“And realized that the awakening was broken.”

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This is Major changes– at the height of “The Great Awakening” As white liberals move to the left of black voters generally on race and racism, Progressive intellectuals have persuaded themselves that identity politics is The future of liberalism– They have noble intentions: they see continued inequality in society. Frustrated that change isn’t happening faster and encourage more and more severe measures. to correct what they see as injustices And they changed the Democratic Party. Harris is one of those politicians who seems to have embraced their narrative. In a way that would haunt her Later he ran for president.

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Most Americans agree with progressive ideas that racism and sexism There is still a problem. But supporters of identity politics are misled into thinking that the same majority will sign on to the pursuit of equality instead of equality. So there’s a promise at play: It’s necessary to get the Democratic Party back in line with everyday voters. And America would benefit if one of the major political parties rejected a politics that treats race, gender, and other identities as the most important things about a person.

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But there is also a danger: Identity politics is vague and rarely defined. When? press to say what they oppose Most critics of identity politics can cite an example. But specifically ridiculing excess–Unpopular new religion such as LatinThe racial litmus testpush to Shift From LGBTQ to hilariously defenseless LGBTQIA2S+. It does not clarify how to stop them without giving up. appropriate politics effort at help identity group

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“There is a real risk of overcorrection,” said Illinois Representative Kam Buckner. Already warned. In the latest opinion article “Without a detailed critique of what went wrong and a prudent path forward, We may abandon important tools for connection and understanding.” Democrats need guiding principles. The most likely is equal treatmentmostly of each ethnicity group see its value Perhaps because they saw how well the civil rights movement could do by being deeply rooted in this ideal. And how abandoning that ideal can hurt everyone. Violations of equal treatment should be off limits.

THe is a progressive identity person. The attacks on equal treatment are clear and have serious implications in 2020. vox essay Advocating identity politics, Zack Beauchamp cites the late philosopher Iris Marion Young. She argued that “the specificity of each group requires a unique set of rights for each group. and for some systems more inclusive than others.” In Beauchamp’s telling, identity politics is both the savior and the future of American liberalism, and “the real need for equality lies in the treatment of groups. that are different rather than the same.”

But “treating groups differently” is politically unsustainable. Try telling that to different groups of Americans. Who gets the best treatment? Who will receive mediocre treatment? And who gets the worst treatment?

Most Americans favor a universalist vision: True equality calls for treating people equally. regardless of their identity group. Therefore, there is no discrimination among diners. Do not fire employees because they are gay. There are no racist stops and surveys identifying black pedestrians. and There are no college admissions officials who slander Asian American applicants. When progressive self-identifiers allege “fine” discrimination against members of groups they deem privileged, They would sever the coalition’s historical connection to equal treatment and civil rights laws. They also weaken important and hard-won norms. and inviting too many extremists

Practical calculations reaffirm equal treatment and its basic corollary. For example: Stop slandering entire identity groups. and treat discrimination of all groups as unreasonable and wrong

During Donald Trump’s first run for president, critics across the spectrum denounced him for saying, “When Mexico sends its people They didn’t send the best… They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They are rapists. And I consider some of them to be good people.” The backlash was fueled in part by Americans like me who believe that attacks on groups will cause the country to misunderstand create division and weaken the country

But even if it is Populism is right more Corrosive rhetoricIdentified leftists are violating similar norms with many groups. During Trump’s first term Harvard was caught giving low personality scores to Asian American candidate Joe Biden. announce In 2020, when black Americans were unsure about voting for him, ‘Not Black’ In a secretly recorded meeting in 2022, Los Angeles City Council members disparaged Oaxacans and Black people while discussing how to preserve the political power of How are Latinos being treated without Black Angelenos being the victims? After the October 7 attack, some Jewish college students and Jewish organizations were targeted by anti-Israel activists simply because of their Jewishness. White women are frequently targeted by left-wing identifiers. These headlines have appeared in mainstream news outlets over the past five years: “How White Women Used Themselves as Tools of Terror” (The New York Times– “White woman Come get your people” (The New York Times– “I refuse to listen to white women cry” (The Washington Post– “How White Women Doomed Kamala Harris and the Democrats—Again” (new republic– “I broke up with her because she was white” (The New York Times– “Explain the role of white women in white supremacy” (vox

As much as Republicans once paid the price when Rush Limbaugh came out and said inappropriate words about womenDemocrats pay the price when prominent figures and institutions associated with their coalition disrespect large swaths of voters. And no matter what the election chances of the Democrat Party are Trafficking in negative stereotypes about any identity group is wrong and contagious disease

Accepting “equal treatment for all” also means rejecting racially discriminatory practices. Some advocates of identity politics advocate crossing the line into discrimination, such as arguing that vaccines are hard to find and save lives. should receive to members of the group “structurally and historically disadvantaged” first, “even if this means that the overall number of life years gained may be reduced”

Other examples include Democratic mayors in major cities. announce that she would not give an interview to a white reporter First Time Home Buyer Program in Washington State Excluding applicants based on race– Guidelines for accessing COVID-19 treatment In New York Ethnicity was also taken into consideration.– Faculty search committee with competition of applicants Open and illegal discussion is a factor in employment.– progressive activist Organize a one day event When they tell white people to quit public universities large medical institution Punishment Filipino doctors descended from “Inner Whiteness” after she objects to racially segregated care Professor training at a public university in Pennsylvania with a racially hostile atmosphere.

This trend is not Jim Crow or even stop and search. But it is a worrying step backwards. And if speaking politically “The need for equality in treating different groups differently” is a lost message. in california One of the most progressive states in the country Voters decided that college admissions should be race-blind in 1996, progressive groups sought to bring back disparate treatment in 2020, and California voters rejected racial preferences. again With a wider margin than before in 2019, Pew Research Center ask If employers should consider a candidate’s race and ethnicity in hiring and promotion or considering their specific qualifications Even if it results in less diversity. Seventy-four percent of respondents supported qualifying alone. Most white, black, Hispanic and Democratic respondents agreed with that conclusion.

To do good for the country and to perform better in the upcoming elections. Democrats don’t need to abandon identity politics entirely. Their coalition was able to celebrate Pride Month and Black History. Opposing the Muslim ban Encourage companies to It recruits from across racial and ethnic candidate pools, and beyond, as long as it rejects the least popular and most dangerous parties of identity-politics excess. If Democrats abandon stereotyping and discrimination based on identity. Their united front will also benefit. And America will benefit as well.

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