Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

Tim Wise - Racism and White Privilege on the Liberal-Left

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Glenn Beck?

This is the second part of a two-part series on racism on the right and left of the United States’ political/ideological spectrum. Part one, which can be found at the link just below the jump, provided the reader with a working definition of racism, and then explored how racism at both the ideological and institutional levels is connected to and enhanced by American conservatism. In this essay, I will explore the other side of the equation: namely, how even liberals, progressives and leftists, despite our advocacy for equity and stated commitment to racial justice, still manage to manifest and further racism -- whether deliberately or not -- in our activism, messages and policy prescriptions.

I apologize in advance for the length of this piece, but due to the way that we are often defensive about accusations of liberal-left racism, I felt the need to be as thorough and explanatory as possible. This is meant more as a think piece for long term strategizing rather than as a quickly digestable blog or diary. But please take your time with it, and give it some real thought and consideration. Thanks in advance...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/8/18/894176/-With-Friends-Like-These,-Who-Needs-Glenn-Beck-Racism-and-White-Privilege-on-the-Liberal-Left