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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2019)
April 10, 2019 Page 13 O PINION MCS Still in Business Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $50.00 A small distance/travel charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 each Area Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $50.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area and Hallway Charge of ‘Identity Politics’ Mostly Cynical Divisive as the division it claims to combat J oshua a daMs As the 2020 campaign lurches to a start, get ready to hear a lot about “identity politics.” If a candidate mentions or draws attention to her race, gender, or sexuality, some people say, she’s making our country “more divid- ed.” We need to stop engaging in identity politics and start appeal- ing to the “average” American, they say. Which raises the question: Just who is “average”? To be blunt, I’m convinced the charge of “identity politics” is mostly cynical. It’s a rhetorical whip used to guilt women, queer folk, and minorities into not advo- cating for their specific political needs. It’s as divisive as the divi- sion it claims to combat. I was born in raised in Chicago — a microcosm of our country’s immense diversity as well as its segregation. Being a black man from the south side of Chicago, I have experiences that are differ- ent from someone who lives in a by majority-white town in southern Illinois. Why is mentioning this differ- ence divisive? How does remain- ing silent about the specific issues that affect me help? Politicians can’t talk to “av- erage” voters. They have to persuade real people — voters with different backgrounds, who share most of the same concerns, but sometimes dif- ferent ones. People accused of better health care, and a public health response to drug addiction, politicians in both parties scram- ble to promise all of those things and more. When black Chicago- ans ask for the same resources, the response is often: “No, what you need is more police.” It would be hard to imagine Donald Trump going to a small town in Ohio and making only one comprehensive appeal to white voters there: “What do you have When people blame “illegal immigrants” for “taking their jobs” but never critique the businesses and corporations that exploit workers of all races, that’s identity politics, too. practicing “identity politics” are often just people fighting for the particular issues that affect them. People who are critical of this are often blind to the ways that ordinary politics center their own (real or imagined) identity. Politi- cians direct “identity politics” to them all the time — they just can’t see it. For example, when white peo- ple in Appalachia demand jobs, to lose?” Obviously those voters would feel they deserve a more detailed pitch than a dice roll. So why did we find it acceptable when he offered exactly that — political crumbs — to African-American voters in 2016? When Republicans come to African -American communities and historically black colleges, often the very first thing they do is “remind” the audience that the GOP is “the party of Lincoln.” These same conservatives often blast identity politics as a distrac- tion from policy issues, yet bring up oversimplified history that has no relevance to the present black experience instead of policy. Pundits on Fox News of- ten suggest that residents of the “heartland” are “more” American than those who live in major cities or on the coasts. What is that oth- er than identity politics, appealing to people’s sense of “we deserve more” and “they deserve less”? When people blame “illegal immigrants” for “taking their jobs” but never critique the busi- nesses and corporations that ex- ploit workers of all races, that’s identity politics, too. All communities have the right to accurately, clearly, and genu- inely state what they want — not to be told what they need. When we accept underlying ideas about who “deserves” help and who doesn’t, that’s based on two iden- tities: who we think “we” are and who we think “they” are. That’s called “identity poli- tics.” The trick is that we don’t see it as “politics” when it appeals to our own identities. Joshua Adams is a writer, jour- nalist and assistant professor at Salem State University. Distribut- ed by OtherWords.org. Stairs (12-16 stairs - With Other Services) : $30.00 Heavily Soiled Area: $10.00 each area (Requiring Pre-Spray) Area/Oriental Rug Cleaning Regular Area Rugs $25.00 Minimum Wool Oriental Rugs $40.00 Minimum UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $70.00 Loveseat: $50.00 Sectional: $110 - $140 Chair or Recliner: $25.00 - $50.00 Throw Pillows (With Other Services) : $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949
