CARDS AND CANARDS

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In a system of oppression and inequality, the group with the most social, economic, and political power projects itself as the unmarked norm, the moral, the civilized and even as the “human.” Correspondingly, other groups are stamped with some essence (more or less) that marks them as different, “savage,” deviant, freakish, inferior, and “other.” In the United States, this projection has affirmed for some that only a straight, cisgender, Christian and tall White man is right for the presidency. When Hillary Clinton ran for office, Donald Trump accused her of playing “the woman card,” just as detractors accused Barack Obama of playing a “race card.” These “card” charges intend to deny the reality of racial and gender-based discrimination and discredit candidates by making it seem as if they hold no qualifications other than their marked identity. “Card” charges claim the victim position for the dominant group, while denying the reality that this group has long been playing their own group identity card in a way to position themselves as holding all the cards and keeping their secure seat at the head of the table.