Here’s the latest comedy interlude from HBO’s “Real Time” show with Bill Maher. It’s a ten-minute critique of our obsession with identity, including race. As he says, “We need to stop talking about the things that make Americans different from each other and start honoring the things that make us the same.”
Another quote: “Today’s Democrats should move away from identity politics. It’s not working.” Clearly Maher is not only addressing Democrats, but trying to get them to adopt a strategy that wins elections.
Those who object to colorblindness, like Nikole Hannah-Jones, won’t like this.
And I love the bit at 5:19.
h/t: Mary
I was in NYC last weekend and went to see a part of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. I think it was about 3 or 4 hours long and went up from 45th Street, up 5th avenue, to the Met museum.
Stayed for about an hour and it was great!
Some people like Saint Patrick’s Day. 😌
Yes, American here. Just American.
Thank you BM.
Solid Maher :
“… even when it’s stupid.”
[ Queers for Palestine graphic ]
… it’s funny, Maher cites both the Morgan Freeman—Mike Wallace interview and the Oprah-[… someone ..] interview that argue for ditching “black man/white man” and “African American”. I found both at the same time one search long ago.
Freeman grabs my heart in that 60 Minutes interview – has to be seen – doesn’t come across in written form. Marxists can call it interest convergence if they want.
Maher (and others) lament the Democratic embrace of identity politics, but what about the GOP? I’m in the middle of listening to an audiobook version of “The Rural Voter” by Nicolas Jacobs and Daniel Shea. I highly recommend it – it is a data-driven analysis of the role of the urban-rural divide in American politics, going back to 1820 and before (such as Shays’ Rebellion and the Whiskey Rebellion), and the general thesis is that while the divide has always existed, until 1980 it didn’t translate into political success. Since then, however, the GOP has exploited it, to the extent that rural identity is now a potent political force, one that (especially given structural constitutional advantages) is now to a great extent defining our politics. To me, that means that the GOP is practicing identity politics and, in the hands of Trump, doing so successfully. So a suggestion – let’s step back from Democrat-bashing and take a more nuanced look at the overall state of American politics today.
And yes, I agree with Hannah-Jones – race has been the key division in America, going back to colonial times, and while we saw great advances in the 1960’s, the consequences of that divide still persist.
Maher, like me, is a Democrat, and concentrates, I think for the same reasons as I do, on calling out the excesses of the Left. Here his goal is to improve the electability of Democrats, as he says explicitly, so bashing Republican identitarianism (which of course exists) is useless.
There is a difference between “identities” that are mutable and contextual (class, urban vs rural, profession) and those that are immutable (race, sex, sexual orientation). There was a time when only the most reactionary elements of the conservative party obssesed over the latter whilst the left concerned themselves with class struggle, so it is concerning when the Democrats (or at least the most vociferous ones) have made immutable identities their cri de guerre. It is not “Democrat bashing” pointing out stupid decisions that can (or rather, are) opening the way for the return of the most obnoxious populist in recent memory.
I would argue class conflict has been far more important in recent years than race.
https://www.commentary.org/articles/christine-rosen/elite-war-on-american-middle-class-how-to-end-it/
The focus on race is a distraction to keep the focus off how obscene wealth is being collected by those who benefit the most from the status quo.
I voted for Biden. I will not again.
I agree with him that economic class is the major issue we as a nation must wrestle with if we want a stronger middle class and greater equality. I would like to see as many people as are capable have access to higher education, but not everyone belongs in college. And those that don’t should have access to honorable work and a decent quality of life. Democrats need to go after this issue- and to a degree they have with several of the acts they have passed.
All work is honourable as long as you don’t steal from your employer. One shouldn’t be allowed to quit work and go on welfare just because he thinks he was “dishonoured” by having to take a job that was beneath him. I’m sincerely puzzled about what other definitions of “honourable” would be relevant in the decision about whether to support one’s family or slough the responsibility to the state.
Hi Leslie.
What about when your employer steals from you? Is that honourable work too? Does Canada have the phrase “wage slave”?
If you are working voluntarily for the wage you agreed to, your employer is not stealing from you* and you are not his slave. If you think your skills can get you a better deal from another employer, or in business for yourself, then by all means avail yourself of that better opportunity.
“Wage slave” is a joke term, just as we say after lunch break, “Well, back to the salt mine.”
——————
* If your employer is literally stealing from you, like helping himself to the tip jar (or letting bums steal from it) that is another matter. Employment law should cover those occasions.
The obsession with race in USA puzzles me. Here in Norway we have become multicultural too. Sure, there’s racism here too, there’s problems with integration of some group of immigrants, but not the identity politics madness seen in the USA, although the woke left is trying hard to push identity politics.
I am white, my wife is Colombian of mixed race, would certainly be expected to identify as black in the US, we have Latino friends, Arab friends (both Muslims and Christians), Asian friends, as well as White Norwegian friends
We may certainly discuss and agree/disagree about religions, culture, politics, but race is not an issue, at least not in the multicultural circle I am in
The idea that you Americans tick a box on forms asking which race you are kind crazy for me.
“Racism is not dead, but it is on life support — kept alive by politicians, race hustlers and people who get a sense of superiority by denouncing others as ‘racists'”
Attributed to Thomas Sowell, 2012.
I do not have a reference for the quote.
This is far from his funniest, but it’s among his most serious and important.
+1
There is a difference between celebrating your heritage and seeking preferential treatment or actions that otherwise impact others. My wife is Greek and her heritage is important to her, but has nothing to do with her politics or anything that intrudes into other people’s lives. Yes, we need to emphasize what we share in common and not let identity divide us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t acknowledge our heritage, whether it’s cuisine, music, dances, history, language, religion, … To my knowledge, for example, St. Patrick’s Day does not exclude any group or give advantage to the Irish. Indeed, it arguably draws us together given we can celebrate it in consort with the Irish (or any ethnic group for that fact). Just as I as a non-Greek person can enjoy Greek celebrations or history (e.g., Nazis killing of male inhabitants of Kalavryta in retaliation, 25 March tomorrow and war of independence from Ottoman Empire). Not to mention Greek food!
+1
Has a lot to do with family – or the lack thereof, and for better or worse – I think that might get very serious. Maybe even breeds resentment, if someone sees celebration when they feel they got cheated.
Excellent – thanks!
When working in Northern Ireland, had to fill in forms, one of which asked what my religious identity was.
My English colleagues asked but I’m an atheist? – promptly told to fill in protestant
there was no option for no religion. This is all down to the good Friday/Belfast agreement and how it interacted with employment law.
There’s an old joke from the time of the Troubles in Northern Ireland: A man is walking down a Belfast street. He’s suddenly surrounded by a gang of men. They ask him: “Are you Protestant or Catholic?” Knowing that whether he walks away unharmed depends on his answer, he replies “I’m an atheist.” To which the leader of the gang demands: “But are you a Protestant atheist or a Catholic atheist?”