The Promise of Whiteness

No one is voting against their interest when their interest is holding onto and maintaining white folk in power.

"Race-blind, class-first analysis" is a constraint and doesn't do much more than appeal to class-mobile white folk who, now that whiteness doesn't pay off like it used to (in terms of jobs/college debt/housing), are clamoring for change without a full read on racism and white supremacy in the United States.

“They don't want racial equality or economic competition.” Shit, white folk don't even want folk who immigrate working the jobs they refuse to do!

Classism within white communities also plays a significant role in creating divisions, often reinforcing stereotypes and social hierarchies. The terms "white trash" and "respectable” have long been used to create a sense of superiority or inferiority among people of similar racial backgrounds but different socioeconomic statuses. This is rooted in the anti-Blackness that comes from founding a nation on enslavement and genocide.

The internal division that exists within white communities weakens collective solidarity, even when faced with broader issues like economic inequality or political disenfranchisement. Classism among white folk can also contribute to the broader political landscape, fueling resentment, populism, and reactionary movements. Rural, working-class whites who feel marginalized by urban elites or educated middle-class whites (The PMC) may react by supporting policies or leaders that speak to their sense of grievance (white supremacy), even if those policies don’t address the root causes of their economic or social issues.

The promise of whiteness is enough.