Thread by @SamuelGWorkman

@Appalachia100 and @theintercept asked me to discuss social and political transition in #WestVirginia. A 🧵
What drove a West Virginia Democrat to storm the Capitol on January 6? interc.pt/3HJbD7X by @GWOTTrapLordz, twitter.com/PNickCurran, @akela_lacy

An important thread in this documentary that is often lost in discussions of these transitions is that they owe in part to a failure on the #Left to message and frame (a failure I personally think describes the last 40 years of #DemocraticParty politics).

One can't even begin to discuss these transitions in #WestVirginia without understanding the historic role of labor in organizing the cluster of identities. As labor goes, so does the #Left's ability to organize identities in a meaningful way.

@jennifernvictor @Shortle and @julia_azari have taught me a lot about identities and how they intersect parties and how this might operate at local levels - we all need to listen.

When we reduce politics to identities, losing means giving a pound of flesh, losing a piece of ourselves with every setback. It's no less true on either side of the political divide (if we can even characterize it in that unidimensional way anymore).

As @leedrutman has noted a lot lately, there has to be some positive vision of how we get back to talking with one another about the potholes. #media and #journalism have a large and positive role to play here if they choose.

And, thanks to @GWOTTrapLordz, @PNickCurran, and @akela_lacy. You're not going to understand #WestVirginia by reading/watching only the national outlets. Be sure to read the story below the documentary for extra commentary.

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