[lbo-talk] blacks about as morally conservative as Republicans

Dwayne Monroe dwayne.monroe at gmail.com
Thu Dec 4 08:44:09 PST 2008


Philip Pilkington wrote:

I also never commented on any other group in society or paint them as PC-angels... we were talking about black people so I didn't veer off topic.

I didn't feel the need to make qualifications to my statements such as: "Well, sure black people can be more homophobic, but so can christians, the elderly etc etc.". The reason I didn't do this is because, unlike some people around here, I don't believe that being in an oppressed minority group gives you a get-out-of-jail free card on these issues.

[...]

Ha!

Fancy footwork, but almost completely off-topic. Off topic, because no one tried to excuse anything. Are there examples of anyone saying: let's give the 'oppressed' a pass on homophobia? The answer is no.

Those of us pushing back have tried to return things to the original question: 'why did a lot of black Californians vote for Prop 8?'

How do you answer that question, by quoting Adorno? Again, the answer is no.

You break that down by doing the historical and sociological work.

Philip Pilkington also wrote:

This, for me, is not just about black culture, its about a nasty tendency for "progressives" to try and externalise the blame for certain actions by minority groups onto the "bigger picture" - a bit like some liberals/conservatives try to do to justify Israeli actions in Palestine through historical reference - and as I said, while sometimes this can be interesting or useful sometimes it comes across as simply being a repugnant manifestation of ressentiment.

[...]

Funny!

We shouldn't look at the "bigger picture" but only examine particular ethnic situations in isolation and without reference to wider history?

Curious. Just because apologist wankers use 'history' as an excuse for Tel Aviv's love of ordinance does not discredit explanations from history. I grew up in the US, shaped by centuries of American culture. That I'm also black does not mean you should investigate my background and beliefs as if the 'black community' exists in a parallel universe.

Ressentiment? How about reductionism?

And finally, Philip Pilkington wrote:

Anytime I encounter this I'm always reminded of a quote by Adorno which he wrote while in exile from Hitler's Germany:

[...]

It took a while but Godwin has at last made his inevitable appearance, if in a sophisticated form.

.d.

-- "Wherever she's from, they must have had a party when she left."

Gary Brecher .............................. http://monroelab.net/blog/



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