'Identity Politics'

[Charles Brown]

I agree with the proposal to retire "ip" and "pc" from leftist discourse. However, I think we should bring back referring to a political position or action we agree with as "correct".  In other words, what we need to get rid of is "pc" as a sarcastic pejorative term and replace it with "correct" as a genuine endorsement, its plain meaning. 

So, for example, Yoshie is correct in what she says below.

On "identity politics" , I think we should get philosophical with it. By it we mean that there is an identity between class, race and gender issues. Race freedom is identical with labor emancipation. Labor emancipation is identical with women's liberation. Black freedom is Black women's freedom, etc., etc.
"Identity politics" means recognizing the identity or unity of gender, race and class struggles. 

CB


>>> Yoshie Furuhashi <furuhashi.1 at osu.edu> 09/17/99 09:21AM >>>
Catherine & Doug:
>>Yoshie is quite right about the pragmatic need for identity politics.
>
>I agree, though I think the name gives it an image problem.

I think the term 'identity politics' (as well as 'political correctness')
should be retired from use at least in conversations among leftists.  It
means little, besides a sort of vague disapproval.  Instead, we should
discuss feminism, black radial politics, etc.  To quote myself, I said:


>To begin with, the very fact that the need for child care facilities has
>yet to be universally _recognized as a working-class demand_ argues for the
>continuing necessity for feminist orgs and analyses.

Yoshie