Tribalism and Identity Politics

Actual headline from the Huffington Post, although it was latter changed to "White Flight." "Goy" is short for "Goyim," a derogatory term meaning "cattle" in Hebrew. According to Information Liberation, the headline was chosen by HuffPost editor Chloe Angyal, who is Jewish.

       The statue banning, Anti-Fa and BLM protests and riots, and so on, are not signs of a Left that feels weak, but is exalting in its power and success. Sure, they are bitterly disappointed that the White House has been denied to them, but they still get to establish what will be cultural norms and control the apparatus of government. However, what they fear is whites--more specifically, those descended of European stock--engaging in identity politics. Thus the reason for Progressives on either side of the aisle calling out Conservatives as being "racists" or "Nazis."

       While we are generally aware of black identity politics, LGBT identity politics, and similar because of those groups constant posturing as victims, other group's identity politics often slides under the radar. Nevertheless, it is important to realize that some groups have done very well through tribalism and identity politics. Thus, I offer up this article by Peter Beinart at Forward Magazine, entitled "The One Thing Jews Should Be Doing To Combat White Supremacy." Apparently  Beinart was shaken up over an  anti-Semitic chant at the Charlottsville rally (although I had never heard mention of it before Beinart's article). The chant was "Jews will not replace us," and Beinart's response was:

       “Replace you? Where, behind the counter at Wendy’s? We’re successful, industrious, upper-middle class. You’re the dregs of society. Replace you? Don’t kid yourselves. When it comes to America’s class hierarchy, we replaced you and your kind long ago.” 

Beinart observes that "[t]oday’s anti-Semitism isn’t like the anti-Semitism of 100 or even 50 years ago. Overwhelmingly, it comes not from society’s winners but from its losers." He concludes:

       ... Of course, as Jews have for centuries, we must band together for self-protection. But as a successful, well-established, political influential community, we can also confront the dysfunction and despair that leads some of our fellow Americans to scapegoat us. 

Beinart tries to cloak this article in the mantle of a strategy of charity toward the Deplorables, but it neverless reveals the strong tribal and ethnic identity that has done so much to assist certain groups. And it shows that, under the current rules, those who refuse to play the game of identity politics are doomed to lose political and economic power.