[lit-ideas] Re: How to Draw a Crowd

> So what do activists (i.e., lawyers and lobbyists) do?
> 
> *Maintain the integrity of the subgroup.

That's a US thing, Eric (that is, successive groups of immigrants have 
organised and progressed as groups).  Black Americans, though, wanted, and 
worked for, integration, turning to separatism -- insofar as they have -- faute 
de mieux.  (That is, in face of resistance.  I wouldn't call an opposition to 
face-whitening creams 'faute de mieux'.)  


> > As our recent election shows, Americans are quite
> ready to think in terms of "best candidate" rather
> than "candidate of my subgroup,"

I think you mean 'some Americans', I hope, 'many Americans'.  The voting 
figures appear to show there are a fair number who aren't.  But if there were, 
that still wouldn't mean there was racial equality in the US.


> > An alternative to _Animal Farm_ is for people to
> expect equal treatment as individuals right now.

well of course white people expect precisely that (where they don't expect 
superior treatment, that is), *right now*.  I assume black people think it 
would be a good idea...

Judy Evans, Cardiff, UK

> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eric Yost"
> <mr.eric.yost@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 9:48 PM
> Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: How to Draw a Crowd
> 
> 
> > Simon: If you see these leaders as being in a position
> to ensure that such measurement remains, then I'm not
> sure you recognise the problem. When you can accuse such
> leaders of measuring what isn't there ...
> > 
> > 
> > I know this is taking Donal's joking quote,
> transforming it into a diatribe, and then arguing the merits
> of the diatribe ... but why not?
> > 
> > In my opinion, the activists and self-appointed
> spokespeople for subgroups have gone the way of the
> revolution in _Animal Farm_. What began as a noble demand
> for equality changed into an institutionalization of
> lobbyists seeking self-enrichment under the banner of social
> progress. There are plenty of laws on the books, plenty of
> lawyers ready to argue cases, and a general sensibility that
> racial discrimination is both wrong and, in many cases,
> illegal. Done deal.
> > 
> > Economic inequality is the most pervasive inequality
> right now and that's not something that can be
> legislated away. So racism is promoted instead.
> > 
> > As our recent election shows, Americans are quite
> ready to think in terms of "best candidate" rather
> than "candidate of my subgroup," but there's
> no way to milk that cow.
> > 
> > So what do activists (i.e., lawyers and lobbyists) do?
> > 
> > *Maintain the integrity of the subgroup. If your
> subgroup of, say, Filipino-Americans is resisting their
> Filipino-American identity and they increasingly prefer to
> think of themselves as just plain Americans, it's
> important to identify (or manufacture) instances around
> which the Filipino-American "community" can unite.
> > 
> > *Resist the melting pot at all costs. The Mexican
> activist group called La Rasa ("The Race" ... hmm
> ... fancy that) has a name that says it all.
> > 
> > An alternative to _Animal Farm_ is for people to
> expect equal treatment as individuals right now.
> > 
> > 
>



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