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Yakk · 12-19-2005, 10:49 AM

I'm sorry -- the original post wasn't as well written as I would like. ~_~

The speech was quite interesting to me. I don't think I've seen quite as impassioned an arguement for the intertwining of class, race and history in the USA. On the other hand, the speaker seems to be assuming things that I disagree with (marxist philosophy) -- so, dispite the existence of valid arguements in the speech, I cannot assume the arguements I don't have external evidence for are accurate.

Where unions originally an attempt to break the white worker from the black worker, and give the white worker a higher "class"?

Is racism as strong of a force in American politics as the speaker claims?

I know there is racism in the USA. I have evidence for this from both personal (casual conversation with Americans) and impersonal (affirmative action, racial voting demographics, statistics, etc) sources. There is racism in most, if not all, nationsl, to a greater or lesser degree. The question is, how strong is it as a political force?

I do know that Nixon's "southern strategy" was pretty damn recent, and the support gained from it changed the balance of American politics. Is it still happening?

People value their social rank as a relative thing. It makes sense that having "not-us" people "below" them, and identifiying with people "above" them, makes you more content with your social rank.

I really don't know what to think about the topics brought up by the speech. I would post a transcript if I could get my hands on one, so more people could read it without having to listen to the audio.

12-19-2005, 10:49 AM	#10 (permalink)
Yakk Wehret Den Anfängen! Location: Ontario, Canada	I'm sorry -- the original post wasn't as well written as I would like. ~_~ The speech was quite interesting to me. I don't think I've seen quite as impassioned an arguement for the intertwining of class, race and history in the USA. On the other hand, the speaker seems to be assuming things that I disagree with (marxist philosophy) -- so, dispite the existence of valid arguements in the speech, I cannot assume the arguements I don't have external evidence for are accurate. Where unions originally an attempt to break the white worker from the black worker, and give the white worker a higher "class"? Is racism as strong of a force in American politics as the speaker claims? I know there is racism in the USA. I have evidence for this from both personal (casual conversation with Americans) and impersonal (affirmative action, racial voting demographics, statistics, etc) sources. There is racism in most, if not all, nationsl, to a greater or lesser degree. The question is, how strong is it as a political force? I do know that Nixon's "southern strategy" was pretty damn recent, and the support gained from it changed the balance of American politics. Is it still happening? People value their social rank as a relative thing. It makes sense that having "not-us" people "below" them, and identifiying with people "above" them, makes you more content with your social rank. I really don't know what to think about the topics brought up by the speech. I would post a transcript if I could get my hands on one, so more people could read it without having to listen to the audio. __________________ Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.