Ghost of a flea

Infidel

I was reminded recently of a phrase that haunted politically engaged undergraduates of the late 1980s, viz "the hierarchy of oppression"; perhaps the most pernicious doctrine of what has come to be called cultural Marxism. This last is a by-blow of the Frankfurt School, Marxists who have not read Marx and the failure of Marxism in every sphere excepting the one constituency whose moral and intellectual bankruptcy left them vulnerable: Academics. Gone are Marx' response to Hegel and a polemical Utopianism for a world beyond the urban mega-squalor of Victorian England. In its place we have been offered a Marxism devoid of history, devoid of economics and devoid of a basic reflexivity of class position; no Marxism at all. The full cocktail of stupid goes beyond the scope of a post but this Marxism for Dummies needs no more time to explain than it does to embrace. Remember this simple formula: Race trumps gender and class, gender trumps class and a working class background is what you claim if no one will buy being a white guy of Irish descent makes you oppressed.*

So simple is this creed there is, in fact, only one rule that over-rides whatever calculus might be reached by that apocryphal lesbian of colour in a wheelchair in a game of oppression poker; she will still be uninvited to the game if anyone discovers she is Israeli. This is because no matter the issue, the United States, Great Britain and the Jews are always wrong. Simply agree with whatever fascist, medieval rape-cult, plastic-shredder enthusiast or France and you are ready for the smart set.

Case in point: The East coast editorial lynch mob that has it in for Ayaan Hirsi Ali. There was a time when an African refugee fleeing the real patriarchy would have been feted by "the left" - and, to be fair, ignored by "the right" - but no longer. She has had the temerity to suggest the culture which gave her refuge, that saved her from marital rape and life as chattel and that recognized her accomplishments in an election is better for women, better for people who would choose their own faith and better for that greatest boogie-man of progressives, Liberty.

Yet there may be signs of a sea-change. Ayaan Hirsi Ali's appearance on Bill Maher was a brief glimpse of the unthinkable made thinkable, perhaps as a precursor to the great about face we can expect from the Democratic establishment should HRC assume the responsibilities of the Presidency. As Charles Johnson sums it up:

Posted by Ghost of a flea at February 28, 2007 07:23 AM

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Posted by: John_H at March 2, 2007 07:32 PM

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