What is the worst word known to man? It’s a four letter word, all right. And thanks to the most interesting political campaign in memory we are learning the humiliating, de-humanizing aspects of that word. The word is truly obscene.

The word is “They.”

“They” robs human beings of their dignity, their humanity and their individuality. We all use it. Rarely do we realize what harm it causes.

“They” is the engine that drives the evils of “prejudice.” We literally “pre-judge” innocent people based on how we think “They” should act.

It is the fatal flaw in “identity politics.”

Think about it: How would you like to be a beautiful woman who was assumed, a priori, to be a bimbo? Bo Jackson, perhaps the greatest athlete in the late 20th century used to apologize because he couldn’t jump or play basketball.

How about French men who aren’t great lovers? Italians who can’t cook? All are doomed to a stereo-typical model which the rest of the world presumes “They” should adhere to.

Imagine how de-humanizing it is to be typecast into an expectation which goes against your nature, which you may abhor, or simply not have the talent for? You’re robbed of your individuality.

The concept of “They” arose in our basic need to survive. Earliest caveman had to know the difference between a Hatfield and a McCoy. One was kin—the other, competition. One he could trust. One he feared.

“Us vs. them” has been around since man had to compete for resources, be it meat, sex or firewood.

The “Other” could harm you.

It started with the family . A man looked out for his family first. Soon his family enlarged to a clan. When self interest dictated, clans banded together and became tribes. Apache knew who they were, as did Comanche’s. Hutu’s favored their own kind, just like the Tutsi’s did.

Tribes grew up on every continent, worldwide. When they felt threatened, or desired more resources, the tribes banded together and became nation-states.

Some of us here in St. Helena can remember Mr. Lafontaine telling us that we may think of ourselves as American’s first, but Italians think of themselves as Venetians, or Romans before being Italians. Their city states were first in their hearts.

My grandmother on one side never got over being perceived as a “Dumb Swede,” and the other insisted we were Swiss, never to be confused with those southern Italians.

Identity politics can be regional or religion based. Some say the Civil War is still being fought, as is the War of the Roses.

It can be harmless: My father was a fanatic. He always rooted for someone on the basis of geography. Cal was better than Stanford. Oakland, where he was born, better than San Francisco. San Fransicso better than L.A. California better than Texas. He was crushed if the East beat the West in an All Star game. Who else cared? But such is the nature of regional identification.

Immigrants, tossed together in American ghettos often defined themselves not only by what they were, (When you’re a Jet you’re a Jet all the way) but by what they weren’t— “They’re” dirty___; dumb___; greasy___;—toss in the ethnic pejorative of your choice.

Interestingly, in the greatest melting pot experiment in history (the U.S. armed forces during WWII,) soldiers who, in peace time , would never have socialized with one another—ended up using “ethnic slurs “ as affectionate nicknames. Unable to literally say the dreaded “other’s” name, they utilized humor. To acknowledge their nearness, yet separateness, Men were addressed as “Mic”, “Polack”, “Froggie”, “Wop” etc. As they were mostly white, they weren’t generally confronted with how to address ethnic minorities of different colors—though “Chief and Sachamo (for Louis Armstrong, the maestro of Jazz), cropped up often.

Though the armed services weren’t integrated until War’s end, at least amongst white minorities, ethnic stereo-types were shattered and would never be the same. Many soldiers underwent the same transformation Huck did, when he found out that all his pre-conceived notions about the humanity of a black man were wrong—let alone a black slave.

Huck knew he would fry in Hell for his new found thoughts, but he couldn’t help himself. Jim didn’t act like “They” were supposed to. This was a rude awakening. Weren’t “They” all alike?

Alas, throughout history kids would fall in love and mess up the conventional wisdom, much to their parents chagrin. Half a dozen people died, but by act V the Montegue’s and Capulets had to adjust their relationship after both Romeo and Juliet bit the dust due to their parents’ mutual hatred.

The same has happened countless times because Bernie falls in love with Bridget. And would Sidney Portier be the star he is today had he not fallen in love with a white chick and come to dinner that fateful night?

World War II forced Southerners to change their attitudes about Northerners and vice versa. It opened the door for the 50’s and 60’s when America began to shed so many of its racial, gender, and stereo-typical prejudices which culminated in the Civil Rights Movement.

Alas, once minorities of any sort (racial, religious, regional, gender-specific) no longer have to hide, act out their rolls, or assimilate, they demand their basic rights to a separate identity. In the short run this is healthy and natural—both for the majority and the minority. In the long run, however, it leads to identity politics, a fatally flawed system now exposed by the Clinton vs. Obama race. TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK



Jeffrey Earl Warren
James Warren & Son
1414 Main St.
St. Helena, Ca.
94574
707-963-2748