"Racial Capitalism"

Reading an online mag called The Forge I keep running into this term "racial capitalism" and references to "the uprising". What I am hoping, seriously hoping, is that these folks can do some comparative analysis with Occupy Wall Street, so as to avoid similar pitfalls. The other thing that jumps out at me (old white man me) is the call to "center Black leadership" in the movement and here I am reminded of Standing Rock and the calls to "center indigenous leadership". The other problematic similar to Standing Rock is the rejection of "isms". Fortunately no one reads this blog or cares what I think, so my critique won't induce attacks, but this is a good-faith effort: the uprising, standing rock and occupy need to be looked at in their historical context, both in terms of similarities and differences. These events, along with the anti-Iraq war movement, define the popular protest of a generation and from my perspective, it's not a pretty picture. One of the key frictions in all three events has involved the definition and parsing of the term capitalism and the purposeful avoidance of class analysis (whether one accepts or rejects it). I truly hope "racial capitalism" is not that. I truly hope Black academics do not resort too quickly to the term "class reduction" as they theorize the conjunction of crises that is upon us. Policing (especially racist policing) and gun violence are symptoms, and unless you are willing to talk about "isms", you will not get to the root, the disease, the terrifying trauma. As for "centering", let's also remember that the trauma can affect leadership, that leading has its own set of problems and inclusion and intersectionality have to work both ways. Ecology might not be the first thing you think about waking up in the inner city but it is no less Real. Out here where I live there are wide-open spaces but no Black folk to speak of and the cops deal with meth addicts and wife beaters and teen suicides and all kinds of well-armed humans damaged by plain old capitalism. Not to mention criminals. Abolishing them requires fixing the world first and I'd like to collaborate on that project, not follow. Finlly, The Loud Right-Wing Media is calling BLM "Marxist" in the hopes of driving a wedge and I hope the movement doesn't go all liberal and fall for the trap. What would Fred Hampton do? He'd preach a little Marx- ism.

Non-reformist Reforms

One has to ask: where does all that anger and energy go? I keep reading about how the George Floyd Rebellion was this historical moment but is that all that gets generated anymore? Moments? Can nothing be sustained? It was obvious that "Abolish the Police" was a non-starter but given the rise in urban violence/ violent crime, even the innocuous "police reform" has not only vanished from the agenda, but has come back to mock and be used as a cudgel for the Law and Order Right. The other day I passed a highway stand selling Thin Blue Line flags, bumper-stickers and other right-wing paraphanalia. The booth was manned by a black man. The DSA went all-in for the PRO Act, hoping to build labor support for the Green New Deal and clean energy infrastructure. But after the Amazon union campaign was crushed, not a word about the legislation. It went to that place where hopes in the Democrats always go to die. Right next to Medicare for All and Bernie or Bust or Carbon Tax and Dividend. But even if these reform efforts were successful, wouldn't htey just demonstrate that liberal "democratic" capitalism is a flexible, moderate system, one that can be made kinder, gentler and greener with citizen participation? And therefor given more legitimacy?

"Caressing the sharks teeth"

A Brazillian priest named Frei Betto coined a brilliant term to describe the attempt to work out an accomodation with a predator: caressing the sharks teeth. This describes perfectly the approach of those hoping to create a kinder, gentler, greener capitalism- who truly believe the shark can be lulled into docility with niceness. These people believe that one way to pacify the shark is to offer up sacrificial victims, hoping it will stay occupied. This demonstrates a lack of knowledge regarding shark behavior. Sharks can be nice until they're not, until the frenzy begins. Then it doesn't care who has been caressing what. Back in 2010 I finished a novel that was set in Israel/ Palestine. It explored the issues around illegal settlement building and the Al Aqsa mosque and the conditions on the West Bank and Gaza. It is now ten years later and incredibly, nothing has changed. Protests turn violent, rockets get fired, missles come back in retaliation. Repeat. It is a horrific Ground Hog day performance that borders on the absurd, the banal, in its total lack of creativity.

Because Democrats

Sometimes you get educated in the wierdest places. Today for instance, I'm at the lumber yard stunned by the insane jump in prices and the guy loading my two-by-sixes explained that it is because of the Democrats. Seeing my raised eyebrows he explains: because they are giving away so much unemployment cash no one wants to work- hence the crazy inflated prices in wood products. This is certainly not the first time I have heard this crazy right-wing meme offered up by average working stiffs. What is remarkable to me is the fact that this lumber-yard worker has politics at all- and that he is so willing to share them with a total stranger. I lacked the inspiration to defend Democrats or try to present a nuanced case for supporting workers during a pandemic. This exchange exemplifies the problem with expecting "progressive policies" to re-build the workers movement. Many are motivated by resentment toward anyone, no matter how deserving, gaining an advantage over them through government policy. Why the culture war is so effective. More nervousness around climate policy as Wyoming gets ready to sue states that ban fossil fuels. They have enjoyed an incredible boom through extraction and see the writing on the wall. Montana's legislature is also prepared to fight for fossil fuels till the last glacier is melted. Truly a fight to the death.