Progressives, Radicals & Well-Meaning Liberals

In 1963, Malcolm X identified core issues with progressive organizing that continue to plague us today. He compared political liberals to conservatives stating that “Both are canines; and no matter which one of them the Negro places his trust in, he never ends up in the White House, but always in the dog house.” What Malcolm X was expressing is still a fact of life for many people of color dealing with well-meaning liberals.

Instead of looking at divides between liberals and conservatives, however, we’ll address divides among progressives, namely liberals and radicals. How does liberal ideology reproduce classism and racism? What are the fundamental differences between liberals and radicals? What do these differences tell us about how racial and class oppression are sustained?

In this Olio, we’ll use my forthcoming book, “Liberal White Supremacy: The Role of Progressives in Silencing Racial and Class Oppression” to explore years of research on this topic. We’ll analyze case studies that elucidate various components of my model as well as my own experiences in liberal academic workshops and discussions on racism that continue to perpetuate racism. The divides I note in progressive community organizing are a microcosm of the fault lines being played out in national politics and the Democratic Party.

Angie Beeman

Angie Beeman is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Baruch College-CUNY. Her work focuses on the evolution of racism and how this process affects institutional practices, identities, and interracial organizing. Professor Beeman has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes and has written a forthcoming book.

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