In a message dated 2/28/2009 5:50:26 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, _cdb1...@prodigy.net_ (mailto:cdb1...@prodigy.net) writes: Waistline2 Obama as a "uniter" is an interesting Marxist approach.
^^^^^ CB: Marxist as in Workers of all nations and races , unite ! ^^^^^ Perhaps if all of us was raised by a white parent and white grandparents, we too would be "uniters." ^^^^^ CB: Makes sense. It would engender need for unity on a personal level for peace of mind. His mother seems to have taught him Black history type respect for Black people. He seems to have somewhat consciously constructed a Black identity of high integrity. Going to the hood to live, like an anthropologist joining his own culture. Now he's an interesting character. To coin a phrase, he seems to be in the Presidential world , but not of it. Somehow he comes across as confident in the sense of not worried, in the face of an extraordinary mess but not arrogant and not aloof. Engaged with horrific crises, but not scared and not in the bliss of ignorance. I'm like "more power to ya, Barry". So far, so good. ******** Comment/Reply I tend to prefer a Marxist approach rather than psychological speculation and race theory. To conceive Obama personality traits as a call for "Workers of all nations and races , unite !" is an interesting proposition. Further, I reject the concept that humanity is divided into races. I am convince with every fiber of my being that those who cling to race and its usage will inevitably fail to approach issues from a class point of view, because a false theory of biology cannot be reconciled with a science of class and economic relations. Obama does not unite back and white people, devoid of any class conception of society. Pardon, but whites in America are not united amongst themselves because class - economic interest, stratification, status and perception of class, divides them and have always divided them, along with a morality of "what is right and wrong" about our society ills. Barack's personal qualities, which I most certainly have never ignored, which cast him a "uniter," is a class thing also: to unite or maintain the polarizing unity that is the productive forces and social relations of American society. That is his J.O.B. Obama's personal cool has more in common with Frank Sinatra rather than Miles Davis with the latter expressing a contempt and demeanor characteristic of the black middle class militant profoundly aware of the structural barriers of Jim Crow. Personal qualities are important but should not overshadowed class; and in Obama case, his set of polices designed to protect the unity of the productive forces and social relations. The race to the bottom, has nothing to do with biological race, and will not stopped or be halted by any of Obama's polices. The character of who hits bottom first, from the standpoint of the color factor, is rooted in slavery and its aftermath. It is interesting to state that Obama went to live in the hood, when most Negroes in America were born in the "hood." The point being that this "anthropologist joining his own culture," is why the story of the American Dream is shaped a certain why in Obama's hands. Me think we both agree and are saying the same thing, from different directions in respect to the personality of Obama. The stark different in our direction is that I tend to try and write specifically from the standpoint of class; class intersection, classes amongst whites and blacks and how in this intersection communist fight the daily battles of the proletarian masses. Class and communism are words generously used in everything I write. Our J.O.B., regardless to who is President is to fight for the victory of the workers, or whatever section of them are in motion, in the current struggle; in the daily battle for concession and to acquire socially necessary means of life in all their dimensions. All the while we remain true to Marx approach to class. The reason why is to establish an economic communist polarity that demands socially necessary means of life as a birth right. Socially necessary means of life as a birth right. This is the path that is easiest to walk. The only way for people without money, or little money, to secure these socially necessary means of life is for, the government to give such to them. There is simply no other way. If you work and still cannot pay your bills or care for your family, what is one to do? Put on a ski mask and hide behind a tree waiting on some other proletarian with the same problems? Stick up a bank? To the degree that Obama's legislative mandates intersect with this demand is the degree to which his concessions and possible reforms are to be welcomed. This does not require communists to be torn from our line of march and preaching the gospel of class and economic communism. On this basis a huge section of the American proletariat, employed and unemployed will gravitate towards our economic and political pole, rather than merge directly with a political section of the bourgeoisie. *********** ^^^^^ CB: Maybe sort of half, but the other half is pretty American native. I will say that he's sort of like "a brother from another planet". More like an "immigrant" from ancient Egypt or something, somekind of higher civilization than America. His mother was an anthropologist, and he lived in Indonesia for a while, which might give him some ability to view American culture objectively like an immigrant, but his grandfather was a traveling salesman and his grandmother worked in a bank, real regular Americans from Kansas He's _sui generis_, a phenomon, breaking through a new "quantitative boundry" in personality type. He's got a lot of character, and, well../\. intelligence social intelligence and abstract intelligence. ^^^^^^^^ Comment/Reply OK . . . Obama is: 1). "sort of like "a brother from another planet". More like an "immigrant" from ancient Egypt or something, some kind of higher civilization than America." 2). "consciously constructed a Black identity of high integrity." 3). "Going to the hood to live, like an anthropologist joining his own culture." 4). "Now he's an interesting character. To coin a phrase, he seems to be in the Presidential world , but not of it. Somehow he comes across as confident in the sense of not worried, in the face of an extraordinary mess but not arrogant and not aloof." I think it is a serious mistake to imply that Obama or anyone else comes from a higher civilization. We most certainly are saying the same kind of thing in respect to the immigrant quality of the story President Obama articulates as the American Dream. It seems you may have thought I was saying that Obama is not black or African American. Sorry if my writing caused that kind of confusion. In a few words, Obama articulates the immigrant quality of the American Dream and adopts the historical character of the "carpet bagger," the "do gooder," to work amongst the natives, so to speak. This is not a bad thing, but part of the logic of American history and society. There will always be carpet baggers, of whom I am one. I did my "southern tour" of duty as a Tanned Yankee or the infamous Northern Negro. ;-) Still, the world in which Obama as President resides, that he is not only "of" but manifest, is rent with class contradiction and emerging antagonism. "A brother from another planet" . . . me think this statement is profoundly accurate. Obama: the brother from another planet. Our brother from another planet . . . (wow!!!) . . . . is proposing a set of legislative mandates aimed at reforming the capitalist system, which cannot be reformed. What can be reformed is the institutional relations within and between classes. Where aspects of his mandate intersect with the needs of our class is where we push for implementation of such programs. Not out of a sense of loyalty to Obama but as a function of our ideology and love of our class. I was certainly impressed with the honor President Obama bestowed upon Stevie Wonder and always feel pride when our country and its institutions fully acknowledge all of our history. Most people in America have had enough of pretense and the stupidity that accompanies all theories and doctrines of races amongst humanity. Obama did in fact help sections of America cross the Stevie Wonder boundary, which a huge cross section of America crossed decades ago. Still the tiny issue of class remains and will continue to express itself no matter how much and who ignores class. There are certain inherent danger and opportunities involved in all struggles of our fight for what is decent, honorable and "just plain right to do," and the greatest danger is being subsumed by bourgeois politics and notions that deny the class logic and structure of American society. Me think it is not dogmatic to speak of class, classes, and the capitalist class on a listserv that bills itself as Marxist. WL. This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from _http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm_ (http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm) **************Get a jump start on your taxes. Find a tax professional in your neighborhood today. (http://yellowpages.aol.com/search?query=Tax+Return+Preparation+%26+Filing&ncid=emlcntusyelp00000004) _______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list Marxism-Thaxis@lists.econ.utah.edu To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
