Angela seems to argue that there exist different racisms across classes, that there is ambivalence within the working class about the issue of immigration (most certainly a demonstrable fact in Australia, as Angela pointed out), and that some political strategies aimed at defeating racism might possibly not be as effective as some others.
Seems to me she suspects some leftish political strategies have served, or might serve, to give the right another stick with which to thrash us and, quite possibly, anti-racist struggle in general. Seems to me, Australia's experience with the Hansonites bears that out.
If I've got that right, it sounds an important note of caution to me. This is not to say we avoid flying in the face of dominant discourse - a leftie these days is obliged so to do pretty well across the board - just that we make sure we've done some thinking about the factors that underpin this discourse, comprehend the motions that can and do transform it, and look for any useful contradictions that lie in this dynamic.
Just so we share an articulated idea of *how* we might go about it.
And if I've got that right, I haven't a clue where Carrol gets off with this smugly nonsensical little hostility:
>I had not remembered the context of this, but now that I see it it
>is every bit as idiotic and ethically offensive as I remember it as being.
What's 'idiotic' about it? What's 'ethically offensive' about it?
I mean, what on earth are you on about?
And why be such a pompous turd about it?
Yours bemused, Rob.