Austerity Is Not Colorblind

http://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/3927
Date Written:  2013-08-01
Publisher:  Against the Current
Year Published:  2013
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX19869

The myths about austerity convey that it solves deficits and debts, leads to economic growth and brings business confidence, but real statistics shows that, as an ideological tool, it is not colorblind.

Abstract: 
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Excerpt

The reason all this matters is that working people with the least amount of political influence are the lowest paid — African Americans and Latinos. To assume that the future demographics by themselves will change the power relationship between racial and ethnic groups is illusory. Power must be taken.

It is not surprising that whites in the South still have a hard time accepting a Black president. A majority of white Protestants and Catholics voted for a white Mormon over a Black Christian. In Mississippi, for example, only 10% of whites voted for Obama, while other white Democrats did much better.

In reality, the Obama presidency has ignored the Black community, and his presidency has been generally an economic disaster for Blacks. Obama only speaks to Black audiences to lecture them about family values and the duty of Black men. He goes out of his way not to give extra help to urban areas where most African Americans live.

His White House has refused to budge on releasing Blacks in prison for minor or trumped up charges. While Blacks are 12% of the population, they are nearly 40% of state and federal prison populations.

Not only does this lead to loss of voting rights in most states, it makes it nearly impossible to get hired once released. The private Prison Industrial Complex is growing across the country. Yet Obama, who has the power of the pardon or commutation for federal prisoners, refuses to help.

Obama knows, and cynically and disgracefully abuses, the fact that African Americans out of Black Pride and nationalist solidarity will not confront him directly.

Fundamental change “by any means necessary” should be the slogan of a revitalized protest movement. The reversals in states like North Carolina and Michigan on voting and civil rights shows how quickly social gains can be undermined and taken away.