But then, white folks are still probably getting a better deal out of it than when black folks made up majorities of some states.
Show this thread
The integration of America, which is an amoral process, I think is inevitable at this point. It is perhaps inconvenient for some conservative white Americans that they managed to forestall the integration of African Americans until globalization...
-
-
-
In any case, multiracial, integrated democracy is essentially the only option America has if it hopes to continue without major shifts in power, land, and political organization. And I am optimistic that America’s will to survive will overcome its more nihilistic elements.
Show this thread -
But what has happened—enormously but not exclusively thanks to African Americans—is that the fundamentally amoral movement towards multiracial, multicultural democracy has become inextricably linked with a moral movement towards “liberation.”
Show this thread -
And liberation, I think, spectacularly exceeds the requirements of multicultural democracy.
Show this thread -
Of course the pressure that is generated by the desire for integration is fundamentally opposite to the pressure that is generated for liberation, for revolutionary reordering of society.
Show this thread -
Integration simply seeks a stable state of intercultural relations within the nation, once subjugation is no longer feasible. (Dear Republicans: SUBJUGATION IS NO LONGER FEASIBLE. IT AIN’T HAPPENING.)
Show this thread -
Liberation not only embraces but CREATES instability for the sake of a better future. Liberatory movements and integrationist movements are temporary allies of convenience.
Show this thread -
Insofar as we were debating, in 2014, what Obama’s response to murdered black children should be—and by extent the response of the US federal government—we were not debating liberation but merely the terms of integration.
Show this thread -
And the terms of integration make life better for black people, for brown people, for poor people, for queer people, for women, for Asian people, for not-cis people, for minorities and underprivileged people. But terms of integration ain’t ending oppression.
Show this thread -
And I think most people exist in between wanting to negotiate better terms of integration and wanting a radical end to oppression. Personally—what I want is the most aggressive, radical terms of integration we can possibly manage, with as much space for liberation as possible.
Show this thread -
But still, that’s very different than liberation. Anyway, we’ve got a lot of social movements in America that gain their force from changing material circumstances.
Show this thread -
And I’m still trying to think though how we harness that energy for social change vs how we use the growing power of marginalized people towards revolutionary ends. I don’t know. I really, really, really don’t know.
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.