We Are Stronger Together
Taking center stage in the Trump era is the topic of identity politics. While it takes various forms on different sides of the political spectrum, identity politics isn’t a new social phenomenon. For the greater part of the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries, identity politics have shaped and influenced the way we think. From the Black Panthers to Black Lives Matter, and from the earliest feminist movements to #MeToo, these groups and others have evolved and made their mark on the political world.
Identity politics is defined as basing political positions on the interests of social groups that people identify with. This is common human nature. It’s natural for humans to base their interests and political beliefs on what their culture and environment is and to try to protect themselves because of it.
Over the past several years, the focus of identity politics has been on minority groups such as immigrants, people of color, the LGBTQ community and religious minorities. The issues that have recently been dominating identity politics, such as systemic racism, religious freedoms, misogyny, rape culture and the gender pay gap are all pressing matters that have real life implications on people. However, they also have a tone that generally leaves white Americans in an awkward position.
The United States is currently experiencing an unprecedented shift in society. But on the other side of the coin, white Americans are experiencing what being left behind feels like. By definition, their concerns also fall under the category of identity politics, which has tremendously influenced the way they vote.
Republicans have picked up on this and have been using rhetoric focused on repealing Obamacare, slashing entitlement programs and cutting taxes. For the most part, these ideas greatly appeal to rural white Americans. In their eyes, big government tax-and-spend programs are simply means to take from them and give to other groups. While some of these concerns do have legitimate economic bases, some of the attitudes stemming from these beliefs come from racial prejudices.
To be able to be proud of who you are is completely different from being held to a higher degree of entitlement to keep your position in society. The status quo is morally wrong and does not cancel out the fact that American politics affect every American under the rainbow.
Democrats are struggling to grapple with these concerns because they don’t want to abandon identity politics altogether. But to make any social and economic transformations, they must win seats in Congress. To accomplish this, they need to appeal to rural white Americans, who, like every other racial group in America, play a role in the American political system. The question, on a national scale, is how?
The idea here isn’t to please white America while choosing to ignore their racist rhetoric, but instead to place into perspective issues that affect the social and economic sphere, while also being socially and politically conscious of the systematic racism that is so deeply rooted in this country’s foundation. No one wants to be left behind.
The solution isn’t to abandon identity politics or refuse to see someone’s identity. As Americans, we want to be respected because of our differences. We can be inclusive while pointing out the faults in America, since that is how we change and grow as a society, while still making policies specific in their aim to aid and compensate minority groups such as Native Americans, who are still plagued with unemployment and poverty. This is an integral part of what our main goal should be, to help all Americans progress.
