Congratulations?

Yesterday, when it became official that Barack Obama had acquired the number of superdelegates necessary to become the 2008 Democrat nominee for President of the United States, some perfectly nice and reasonable people--conservatives--were looking for people, specifically black Americans, to congratulate. I wondered why at first. After all, he's not my child or my spouse, so I've made no contribution to his achievement.

Then I realized that Identity Politics has become so pervasive that even conservatives sometimes practice it, albeit unconsciously. Therefore, even though I've actively opposed Obama's candidacy, even though I've deemed the specter of an Obama presidency to be frightening, I'm to be congratulated because not only do Obama and I share a race but also an ethnic group.

No. That's wrong.

Conservatives, we've talked about individualism before; it's a part of conservatism and either you believe in it or you don't. If you do, then the idea of sharing in Obama's achievement solely on the account of qualities like race and ethnicity should be an anathema. Send congratulations to someone who shares the senator's political and social values.

See also Bill Quick and Misha the Big Dog (language alert).

(Thanks to Instapundit)

Comments

[DarkStar]

Then I realized that Identity Politics has become so pervasive that even conservatives sometimes practice it, albeit unconsciously.

OK, if unconsciously, what is Project 21 all about?

If unconsciously, why have conservative groups specifically targeted Black and minority areas for voucher programs?

If unconsciously, why have Ken Hamblin, Walter Williams, and Larry Elder given out versions of absolution from racism placards/cards?

If they are not examples of identity politics, why not?

[baldilocks]

I think you have a point. (I was thinking about this, specifically with Conservative Brotherhood.) Let me chew on it.

[baldilocks]

If unconsciously, why have Ken Hamblin, Walter Williams, and Larry Elder given out versions of absolution from racism placards/cards?

I don't understand what this has to do with whether conservative ID politics is unconscious or not.

[Exurban Jon]

As a white male Arizonan, I'm still waiting to be congratulated for McCain's victory. What, am I too young or something?

[DarkStar]

I don't understand what this has to do with whether conservative ID politics is unconscious or not.

My bad.

They all "hand out" these absolution cards/placards/whatevers to white people to "get over their white guilt."

Is that identity politics? I think so and it's consciously done.

[baldilocks]

The presence of 'white guilt' is a symptom of ID politics. Elder, et al. are trying to help those who suffer from it, not practicing it themselves.

[DarkStar]

Offering such an idea is playing a part in identity politics, as if white guilt really exists in the first place. Again, white guilt rests on the contention that a white person would think a certain way if it weren't for X, and that certain way would be the way a white person SHOULD think.

Here it comes...

The use of guilty white liberal is no different than the use of sell out and that phrase, in and of itself, fits the identity politics profile.

[Robohobo]

Hooray! Somebody gets it!

[Rachel]

the idea of sharing in Obama's achievement solely on the account of qualities like race and ethnicity should be an anathema. Send congratulations to someone who shares the senator's political and social values.

Thank you, Thank you!

As an African American and a Liberal, I want to be impressed by Obama because of his skills and successes (which he has few, though he seems a good learner) not because he's black. It's patronizing and it's insulting

He's become the essential Chris Rock candidate, when people seem to fall in love with him because he speaks so well.

[DarkStar]

Based on this article,, I have another thought.

Mr. Buchanan said Mr. Obama’s monolithic support among blacks was likely to stoke such white animosity.

“There’s a sense among some folks that if African-Americans are voting 90 percent for ‘one of us;’ then you’re going to vote for ‘one of us,’ ” he said. When Norm Kagan, a white 62-year-old supporter of Mrs. Clinton’s, was asked in St. Paul, Minn., if white voters in the state would support a black man, he immediately raised the specter of crime, as if the mere mention of blacks brought it to mind. “We’ve all had our problems,” he said. “Every now and then someone gets mugged or robbed. The most economically challenged — which are mostly black — are most often the criminals and not to be trusted.”

Can the idea of "individualism" be extended to most Blacks who aren't criminals so that "we" don't have to account for the minority?

[baldilocks]

Yes. Re-read link under individualism.