“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” — George Orwell
We just can’t seem to escape “identity” politics. It should be an oxymoron. Politics should be about ideas, not looking out for your kind, your group — whether gender, complexion of skin, social standing, youth, etc.
But no, it is the first rejoinder cast.
When the new Assembly Speaker-apparent John Hambrick summarily ousted Assemblywoman Michele Fiore and Assemblywoman Victoria Seaman from their posts as chair and vice chair of the Taxation Committee, respectively, the women promptly fired off a scathing email accusing Hambrick of engaging in a Republican war on women.
“It appears a few men in our party are not happy that we have Republican woman in key leadership roles in the legislature, and may look to Democrats for help in unraveling more leadership roles”, said Fiore.
“To replace the two women elected to the Taxation Committee with two men, sends a very dangerous message to Nevada women voters. Women pay taxes too in Nevada,” Seaman added.
Hambrick — who gave no reason for the ouster — almost immediately reversed himself, again without explanation.
This broad brush (pun wasn’t intended but will stand, perhaps to my chagrin) painting of one group or other as victims is just as repugnant as showing favoritism. But we can’t seem to resist.
Who can forget Harry Reid’s exclamation:
“I don’t know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican, OK. Do I need to say more?”
Blacks tend to vote Democratic, despite the fact minority economic well-being seems to suffer when the Democrat wins, even if that Democratic is half black.
We all are minorities of one. We are not lemmings. Are shouldn’t be.
Reason, logic and facts seem to go out the window when any demographic is singled out.
Apparently we can now add “identity” justice to “identity” politics.
Congressional staffers walked out onto the steps and raised their hands in that hands-up-don’t-shoot gesture, though a grand jury found that to be an utter fabrication.
Politics and justice should be based on facts and not us against them.
Ramirez cartoon
Speaking a couple of months ago at the Human Rights Campaign’s annual black tie dinner — which would exclude me right there — former President Bill Clinton said:
“I believe that in ways large and small, peaceful and sometimes violent, that the biggest threat to the future of our children and grandchildren is the poison of identity politics that preaches that our differences are far more important than our common humanity.”
He reminded in audience that “we’re 99 and a half percent the same.”
What is in our heads is far more important than the pigment of our skin or our biological plumbing.
4TH ST8 