Twilight of the old white guys, Mark Morford

[madokie]

This doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. This doesn’t mean it’s going to be smooth or fun or make any sort of cohesive sense. Not by a long shot. And not for a long, long time.

But across the board and down the line, the take on Obama’s astonishing, historic re-election is the same: America is more wildly, unexpectedly diverse than ever, and those diverse voices – Latino, gay, black, immigrant, female, et al – somehow coalesced into a potent, vociferous, albeit hotly unstable coalition to vote more powerfully and more passionately than any time in our short history, mostly because they never really existed as a functioning coalition in our short history, until now.

This is what the Republican punditry and even many old-timer Dems are coming to terms with: America is no longer a nifty, sepia-toned melting pot kept anodyne and marginal by the rich, starchy bleach of the white ruling class.

Is it not the most astonishing thing? The country is not getting any whiter, older white bigoted people are helpfully dying off, and we now have a messy and nearly incomprehensible Catherine wheel of assorted nonwhite minorities (and women) all spinning, dancing and surging into the limelight – not to mention the cross-breeds, the already mixed, the racially unidentifiable who are, say, a quarter black, a quarter Chinese, a quarter Indian, a third polyamorous and a tenth Cuban kinky hipster lesbian schoolteacher, with a no-religious-affiliation kicker. Sweet.

The rest: http://blog.sfgate.com/morford/2012/11/13/old-white-guys/

[Tennessee Gal]

1. Better tell the Republican leadership in the House.

Every single committee is going to be headed by white men. No women. No minorities.

[malaise]

2. +1,000

[lunatica]

3. That was a delicious read

I liked every word. And I agree with Mark Morford. This is real change happening right now.

Frankly I'm delighted.

[madrchsod]

4. "the times they are a -changin' "

[NNN0LHI]

5. "older white bigoted people are helpfully dying off" This is true

Problem is we still have almost a complete generation of bigoted Reaganites from 30 years ago among us to replace them with.

They made up most of the 47% of idiots who voted for Romney. Soon as they kick we will be in high cotton. Problem is some of them were indoctrinated with Reaganism when they were only kids. So it might be a little while.

Don

[BlueStreak]

9. I think there is more to it than that

We have to educate people to not be bigoted. For 30 years, liberals sat back without any organized voice (other than Labor) while the right wing took over virtually all of radio and virtually all of the teevee news channels. Even PBS has bone significantly right of center the past 15 years or so.

We cannot stand on the sidelines and bemoan the fact that Republicans seem to have a lot of stupid people and racists in their midst. Of course they do. They CULTIVATE them. And it will not fundamentally change unless we commit to advancing our ideas from the grass roots up.

Otherwise we will be here 15 years from now complaining about how the Latino population or the African-American population is buying into the Republican crap.

It won't just come to us. We have to go out and make it happen. This election cycle was a very good start, but only a start.

[ewagner]

6. comment to read later.

[txwhitedove]

7. K&R

[Jester Messiah]

8. A few thoughts occur

First off, it must be nice to live in San Fran. If all the US were like San Fran, I'd be hopeful and happy too. Sadly, there is still a thing called the bible belt, where they indoctrinate children like nobody's business.

Secondly, I love that the non-majority people are finding their voice and making their impact felt. I, however, am not "minority" in any way except that I'm an atheist. I look and sound exactly like the enemy. It sucks. I can only say "not all white guys are like that" so many times before it starts to feel futile. Is there no love for a penitent cracker?

[bemildred]

10. In a multi-anything mix, YOU are part of the mix.

So yes, penitent crackers are welcome and more than welcome.

[Jester Messiah]

13. Thanks. Feels good to belong! [nt]

[brush]

11. You're included

The president could not have won without the progressive white vote, which is a part of our amazing coalition. Now let's keep it together and gear up for 2014. But first let's relax and bask in the glow of this huge victory for a little while longer.

[Jester Messiah]

14. Happy to be a part of it.

And basking is nice, but I say we keep 'em on the ropes until they go down for the count!

[MrModerate]

12. Not to mention that a lot of the old white guys . . .

Are Democrats.

And while we're dying off too, we're going to keep voting Democratic (for the most part) until we do.

[Jester Messiah]

15. Keep at it, good sir.

I'll pick up the torch when you fall (may it not be soon.)

[MrModerate]

16. I expect to be voting (at least) until 2032 . . .

for whoever follows Warren into the White House.

[Bucky]

17. Bullshit. Old white guys will always be with us.

It's the twilight of exclusivity, certainly. But old white guys are still a majority of the House, the Senate, the Scotus, and the Cabinet. In 11 years, I'll be an OWG too. I fully intend to lord it over each of you.

[Bucky]

18. citation

I was a little hesitant to write "and the Cabinet" so I checked. The head count is 11 OWGs to 12 non-Ws and non-Gs among the cabinet officers and cabinet level officials. Throw in the Prexy and it's 11 to 13. 10 to 14 if you count Joe Biden as a honey badger like I do. So not a majority. But still the largest bi-demographic subset. I mean, this is all assuming we're counting the Jews and the Irish as white. They didn't use to, ya know.