A lot of the talk around racism or white supremacy, particularly use of the term "privilege," is problematic in that it promotes the notion that racism is a benefit to "white" people and only harms persons of color. But, as you point out, one of the ways in which white supremacy hurts so-called "white" people is in the stripping away of cultural affinity. My DNA results might say I'm largely of Irish and Scottish heritage, and nowhere in the results does it list "white," but I've been acculturated since birth.
Most of all, these socially-constructed identities are used to divide and conquer such that all poor and working class people are oppressed, and "white" people--who are told by well-meaning anti-racists that they're overprivileged--are led to view equity as a zero-sum game. "If 'those' people get a hand up, I'll get pushed down."
For most, though, it's too uncomfortable to openly acknowledge that their opposition to equity and justice is rooted in selfishness, just as most won't openly admit to being hateful. So, they look to soothe their psyche. They might resort to denial (of systemic injustice) or they might resort to othering, treating all persons of a particular identity as a monolith whose lack of 'privilege' is a product of their being intrinsically inferior.
It’s vital that we flip the script and help people understand that poor and working class white people are also harmed by racism, that it’s a tool used to make them feel relatively well-positioned even as they’re being oppressed.
Anti-racists, when they think they're being complimentary and helpful, often end up reinforcing the construct known as race. Because even if one is saying something 'positive' about Black people, say, it's still a stereotype. It's still an unjustified generalization. Worst of all, it implies there's an inherent, biological difference between 'them' and 'us.'
Anyway, I liked your piece. We need more thought-provoking works like yours at a time when so much focus is on a toxic national political scene. One clear indication that Democrats don't threaten the status quo is the willingness of Republicans to support Harris just to be rid of the albatross around their necks (including Republicans who voted in line with Trump's position more than 90% of the time while he was in the White House--in other words, the opposition is less about substance and more about style).
There is hope, though, in local politics and in grassroots movements outside of party politics, particularly any movement that unites poor and working class people irrespective of racial identity, gender identity, age, immigration status or sexual orientation.
The parts of your article about finding common ground with--or a way to relate to--those who identify as conservative suggests you might appreciate the book I'm currently reading. It's Dirt Road Revival by Chloe Maxmin and Canyon Woodward, a former Maine state legislator and her campaign manager.
Chloe and Canyon don't argue for ignoring or excusing bigotry. One can, though, meet people where they are, take advantage of teachable moments and have respectful conversations. Obviously some people are "too far gone in their sickness" (to borrow phrasing from a novel titled The Elegance of the Hedgehog), but Chloe Maxmin was able to bridge divides while canvassing in the most rural part of the most rural state in the US.
Paradoxically, we're more siloed than ever in our globally-connected world. I know I fall victim to monolithing, to viewing Republican voters and rural 'white' people in a largely negative light, based on stereotypes and the tiny fraction of that subset of the population who are featured in news stories for saying or doing something egregious.
It's easy to preach to and hang out with the choir. It's easy to hurl insults from behind a computer screen. What's hard, especially if you're an introvert like me, is having meaningful, face-to-face conversations with those who likely have a different worldview. In an authentic attempt to find common ground and possibly shift some perspectives. But, until there's a widespread, concerted effort to do just that, we'll keep spinning our wheels in the muck of societal collapse.
