Black Radical Congress and "the Left"

Carrol Cox cbcox at rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu
Sun Jun 21 12:04:05 PDT 1998


At 10:00 AM 6/21/98 -0500, Carrol Cox wrote:


> >I hope everyone on this list knows the history of white workers and the
>
> Carrol,


> I think I need some clarification of what you mean here. It sounds as
> though you are saying that it is fruitless to struggle against racism within
> the white working class unless and until the structures that promote racism
> are changed.

Michael,

I think the clarification you ask for would properly be the subject of a separate thread, more limited in scope. In this thread, I merely wish to establish in general the principle that the route to a multi-"racial" left and to a (reasonably) united left has to *begin* by recognizing and taking deeply to heart the history of the failure of the white (i.e., in principle multi-racial but in practice white dominated) left to honor the needs of minorities and women and the really deep refusal to accept non-white leadership while assuming blindly that because of their good intentions *of course* blacks would join such a movement. They won't.

Real clarity and unity on this among a sizeable and connected number of white leftists is an essential preliminary to even beginning to discuss the topics you raise. I think I agree with most that you say: I just don't think it very relevant until more clarity is achieved on the threat of racism to the left. I have recently had access to some extraordinarily interesting empirical and analytic research into the history of the left, unions, and Blacks. As I digest that I may be able to express my perspective in less generalized form.

Carrol



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