Proponents of identity politics say their identity is their politics.
They say their identity is “intersectional” and describe it according to a menu of attributes, like:
- white
- male
- able
- rich
- straight
- cis-gendered, or
- black
- disabled
- gay
- transgender
- poor
- etc.
Having measured their identity according to their “intersectionality score,” they discover all the ways in which the political systems are oppressing them, hating them, and holding them down.
Then they get angry.
They turn everything into a game of politics and power – so they might be able to destroy those structures that are “oppressing” them and get the power they need to be happy.
This is making our young people miserable. It’s dividing:
- man against woman
- black against white
- trans against cis
- gay against straight
- rich against poor.
It is a battle over power.
To me, the worst thing about identity politics is the way it imputes guilt and innocence.
When Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd’s neck, who was guilty? Not Chauvin, but “whiteness.” So, there were year-long protests and riots to overthrow the establishment. White people had to kneel and repent for their whiteness and those who rioted were never held to proper account. They were innocent because they have more melanin in their skin and they were rioting against oppression.
That’s how innocence and guilt are imputed – not individually to those responsible – but to tribes.
Right now, our Prime Minister is being held up by the media as a punching bag for sexual abuse of women – not because he’s guilty – in fact, his life puts such abusers to shame. But the Women’s March 4 Justice made it very clear that they’re opposed to whiteness, patriarchy and power.
Scott Morrison is the pin-up for all three.
Identity politics is tribal; it’s not about individual guilt.
This kind of inflamed division will tear us down from within. It is cancerous. It will destroy innocent people over politics and power. Notice what Galatians 5:19-20 says…
“Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar.”
So many of those are hallmarks of the identity politics mindset. It promotes them.
Identity politics is one of the greatest threats to Western democracies around the world.
