I agree that there is a difference, and am pleased to have anyone in Congress raising these structural problems. It's even reflected in some of the coverage tha underscores the innately undemocratic and antidemocratic features of the U.S. government, such as the Senate and the Electoral College. But so far, it's a difference in rhetoric and on paper. There is a tried and true mechanism for translating this into something that will make it less so. In the Reconstruction, the,new government of Mississippi dominated by the ex-Confederate elites called their pioneering new Black Codes: “An Act to confer Civil Rights on Freedmen.”
I've recommended Anand Giridharadas before, because he's identified some innovative ways in which this process has changed. that have taken place in how capitalism has developed means of co-opting the demand for change--through public relations campaigns, NGOs, philanthropic agencies, etc. Concerned about the climate, mass starvation and global impoverishment, etc. Don't worry. Lots of foundations are at work on these things now. Maybe there's an app for it. BLM began with people marching in the streets angry about the serial murders by local police and calling for defunding the police. Bring in the big bucks and the news cameras. Give the coverage to people who are going to urge people out of the streets into "real reform." Flip a few spokespeople or invent a few "leaders' who'll say what you want on camera. (remember how they found Indian chiefs to sign the treaties they wanted?) . Start "Black Votes Matter." A bit of makeup to turn an anti-bussing Nixonized credit card industry Democrat into Joe X, veteran fighte for civil rights movement whose credentials can be validated by a few widely respected but very pliant black politicians. Rinse and repeat . . . continually 24/7 on the cable "news." After all, isn't the real enemy not systemic racism but that vulgarian racist Trump. From where you started, you end up with another law-and-order administration promising more thorough security measures and a more effective police force Translating this change of language into something substantial will require more than policy proposals or a new language of reform, but the genuine cultivation of independent power. Cheers, Mark L. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#7556): https://groups.io/g/marxmail/message/7556 Mute This Topic: https://groups.io/mt/81649567/21656 -=-=- POSTING RULES & NOTES #1 YOU MUST clip all extraneous text when replying to a message. #2 This mail-list, like most, is publicly & permanently archived. #3 Subscribe and post under an alias if #2 is a concern. -=-=- Group Owner: [email protected] Unsubscribe: https://groups.io/g/marxmail/leave/8674936/21656/1316126222/xyzzy [[email protected]] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
