A discussion between a number of far right personalities, all of them unknown to me. Taken from the magazine or perhaps web zine IM-1776.
One perspective calls for White identity politics on a federal level, first in the form of Trumpism, later as...who knows? Localism and sectionalism are explicitly rejected and seen as Whites fighting each other. Indeed, even local identities will become racial - witness Southern White identity versus Black ditto.
The other perspective argues that only a return to "place", to the local community or even the physical landscape as such, can overcome the "deracination" and atomization of modern culture and society. Any smart Third World immigrant can identify with a federal-level "American culture" (even a White-coded one), since it´s so broad, inorganic, modern and ideological. A strong sense of place could overcome this. Interestingly, though, this perspective also includes the idea that perhaps the US isn´t really "European" and should create a completely distinct civilization all its own...
Okay, this is deep stuff, and quite interesting. I read both transcriptions. One seems to follow on the other.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, there is no *America*, we are the United States of America. Canada is in *America* as is Mexico. They just don't call themselves that. Canada is or was highly turned toward mother England, being a Commonwealth. And as I may have said, has 1/10th the population of the USA. They want people to emigrate though one may need a sponsor of sorts. Mexico is what is left after the Spanish (Iberians) colonized and destroyed the native populations. Mostly out of greed, and soul saving Franciscan Friars!
Second, I am a descendant of East Anglian Puritans, arriving here in 1634. Documented. I say "So what?" that was roughly 400 years ago.
My generator Thomas was a bigwig in his day in New England and of course we have had our own family diaspora across the continent.
I was aware I was a WASP a long time ago, before having a baptism as a Catholic, again, not a life determining event, rather a convenience to me as it was the nearest church to my humble abode.
On to the topic at hand. Never heard of these dudes either, but found myself agreeing with the first post, which is your second paragraph, that locality/place identity is sufficient to stabilize the madness overtaking US society. If there ever will be peace, and I doubt it will happen anytime soon, deracination (?) or cessation of racial prejudices is key. Okay, I have white skin color, he has brown, he has a darker brown, some Europeans look kind of olive skinned to me...
but that is of no consequence. What is of consequence here in USA is that we established a Democracy, a "We the People" government which has somehow existed, not without serious trials, for over 200 years. We can celebrate the diversity of races and cultures and still hold our local identities "dear". Minnesota is in no way culturally related to, say, California and never will be. But Minnesotans enjoy their "Land of a Thousand Lakes" as much as California likes to celebrate the 1849 Gold Rush.
Our troubles are economic of course, with corporate greed setting the pace, the newer generations forgetting completely what trial and suffering we went through in WWII (no sugar, no tires for your car and no gasoline to name a few.) And while we're at it, let's make up stories about how good it was for Negro slaves to have "caring Masters" that gave them food and a place to live! And not to mention the indigenous Native Americans who have been and continue to be totally screwed.
That's what "whiteness" promises the MAGA's, a return to some kind of 1950's ignorant supremacy; a return to the post war rise of the middle class homestead, now beaten down as the billionaire 1 percenters take a larger share than ever before.
But yes, as an idealist of sorts, and an errant disciple, I think we can have separate local identities and still flourish as a nation state, IF we share equally in recognizing universal basic humanity of those people we encounter everyday.