Take a look at this and let me know what you guys think of this article: http://ericstoller.com/blog/2006/03/31/the-common-elements-of-oppressions/
Criticisms are welcome.
It is virtually impossible to view one oppression, such as sexism or homophobia, in isolation because they are all connected: sexism, racism, homophobia, classism, ableism, anti-Semitism, ageism. They are linked by a common origin-economic power and control-and by common methods of limiting, controlling and destroying lives
So the proletariat revolution can only come from the top (since the working class doesn't have any power or control they can't be classist)? Poor people can't be racist or sexist?
It is also important to remember that this group has to have institutional power.
Ah, so nazi's weren't anti semites until they were elected into power. I see. They were simply bigoted and hateful. And mostly bigoted and hateful towards jews. Due to problems they had concerning jews specifically.
People of color simply do not have institutional power to back up their hatred or bigotry or prejudice and therefore cannot be deemed racist.
Since the nazis lost the war, they obviously didn't have the power to back up their hatred, bigotry or prejudice and therefore cannot be deemed anti-semitic or racist.
Are we redefining terms now? What counts as institutional power? Do you have to be part of this mythical norm that was mentioned earlier?
We simply have to take a look at the representation of women and people of color in our institutions. Take, for example, the U.S. Congress. What percentage of its members are people of color or women?
What percentage of people voted for the representation of everyone who is in congress? Did minorities and women stay home on voting day? Or did they in fact also vote for those people on capitol hill?
We see the same lack of representation in financial institutions, in the leadership of churches and synagogues, in the military.
Yeah, those damn racist white male straight and apparently christian jews (going by the 'norm') who won't let non-jews into leadership positions in their synagogues.
In our schools, the primary literature and history taught are about the exploits of white men, shown through the white man’s eyes. Black history, for instance, is still relegated to one month, whereas “American history” is taught all year round.
Because european and subsequently american history obviously consists of one homogenous blob of 'the white race' moving in lockstep as one across the world with a single objective of whiteifying the lands. Why not mention asian history by the way? After all, everything east of pakistan is basically just one big yellow ball of humanity who's homogeneity has always been demonstrated through history.
Another major institution, the media, remains controlled and dominated by white men and their images of themselves.
BET. Also the media remains mainly controlled by OLD white men, which is not 'the norm' mentioned earlier in the article and it is therefore, by the argument of the article, impossible for it to be used as a form of racism or discrimination. Any mistreatment of minorities on its part must therefore be 'mere' bigotry.
In order for these institutions to be controlled by a single group of people, there must be economic power.
Yes, they are apparently controlled by that single group of old young christian jewish white male that I've heard so much about.
Earlier I discussed the necessity to maintain racism and sexism so that people of color and women will continue to provide a large pool of unpaid or low-paid labor.
Of course! After all, when a white male christian teenager walks into a mcdonalds and starts flipping burgers, he starts at a six-figure salary! Oh racism, have you no decency?
Once economic control is in the hands of the few, all others can be controlled through limiting access to resources, limiting mobility, limiting employment options.
Of course! A brilliant plan. Now that the young old white christian jewish males control mcdonalds and starbucks, we can finally start limiting blacks and womens access to hamburgers and coffee! It's fool proof. FOOL PROOF!
People are pitted against one another through perpetuation of the myth of scarcity which suggests that our resources are limited and blames the poor for using up too much of what little there is to go around.
Yes. That's what the 'myth' of scarcity says. Resources are limited. And those with the most access to resources are those who can afford the least of them.
That's as far as I'm willing to read. This is just seriously ignorant.
@excel-that is such an epic response. Rarely do I have nothing to add, but that was just epic
+infinity
"If men are not angels, then who shall run the state?"
to get rid of oppression, get rid of government, should have been a conclusion, was not.