Oakland highlights

Doug Henwood dhenwood at panix.com
Fri Jan 8 03:36:56 PST 1999


Chuck Grimes wrote:


>See, I would have gone for that class analysis, but there is something
>else going on between Clinton and especially the southern and western
>House and Senate. I mean what makes white trash, trash and not just
>poor? What makes the idea of funky sex so odious to these genteel
>christians? Why do these same House/Senate members seem so mysteriously
>united on every single piece of thought or deed, that has the
>slightest hint of race--abortion, teen pregnancy, drugs, crime,
>education. For example why do everyone of these guys hate the UN? That
>isn't about class or 'foreign involvements.'
>
>No, this isn't just a class act. There is some deep serious and
>specfically American thing going on down there. Something pecularly
>American is at work, and the only thing I can think of, that is
>remotely like it, is racism.

Oh I think you've got a point here, but 1) folks just out of white trash status want to police the borders of trash-hood very carefully, and 2) the whole notion of white trash is closely associated with racism, since white trash people are seen as a discredit to their race, acting more "black" than "white." If Bill were safely white, he would be able to control his appetites, you know.

Doug



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