Welp

[Content Note: Classism; regionalism; misogyny; racism.]

This is a very long article at Vox by Emmett Rensin on "the smug style in American liberalism."

I don't disagree with his premise. In fact, one of the very first pieces I ever wrote in this space, almost twelve years ago (!), made essentially the same case.

Which, actually, underscores my problem with his piece: In all those many words, he fails utterly to mention that this is not a problem of "American liberalism," but a problem of the most visible, loudest, most highly-rewarded liberalism. The liberalism primarily defined and expressed by white men.

Feminist women, especially flyover feminists and/or women of color, have been making this very case for a very long time. It is a regular subject of discussion on Black Twitter. It isn't Latinx activists who are perpetrating this shit. Etc.

Are we not American liberals, too?

To make this a case against "American liberals," without noting there are wide swaths of liberals who actively push back on this smug shit, is disingenuous.

And, further, a failure to acknowledge us only serves to more deeply entrench the problems underwriting this strain of smugness in the first place.