They sing they “ain’t no delinquents just misunderstood” and in the case of one of the gang members it’s because his “mother’s a junkie, his father a drunk”. 

Even though written by Stephen Sondheim in 1957 the lyrics perfectly describe how today’s woke activists promote victimhood instead of accepting each individual has free will and is responsible for his or her actions.

OPPRESSED

Associated with victimhood is neo-Marxist inspired identity politics where Western societies are characterised as racist, sexist, homophobic and elitist and anyone identifying with a particular oppressed group is automatically granted victim status.

The Native Women’s Association of Canada, for example, argues Aboriginal people guilty of bullying, harassing and intimidating others of their race should not be held personally responsible.

Based on what is described as “lateral violence” the argument is any abuse or violence suffered is a result of “colonisation, oppression, intergenerational trauma and ongoing experiences of racism and discrimination”.

Forget the need for individuals to control their own behaviour and to always act fairly and show courtesy and respect.

According to the Canadian document titled “Aboriginal Lateral Violence: what is it?” unacceptable behaviour is “a result of colonialism and patriarchal methods of governing and developing a society”.

Not surprisingly, the Australian Human Rights Commission has long embraced the concept of lateral violence.

Its 2011 Social Justice Report argues “back stabbing, bullying and even physical violence” arises as a result of Indigenous Australians suffering “disadvantage, discrimination and oppression”.

Drawing on the work of the South American Marxist Paulo Freire an argument is also put that today’s lateral violence is the result of European colonisation that occurred hundreds of years in the past.

“The overwhelming position of power held by the colonisers, combined with internalised negative beliefs, fosters the sense that directing anger and violence toward the colonisers is too risky or fruitless. In this situation we are safer and more able to attack those closest to us who do not represent the potent threat of the colonisers”.

IDENTITY

The Health Equity Guide prepared by the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges further illustrates how pervasive cultural-Left victimhood and identity politics have become.

The guide begins by asking doctors and health workers “to address all areas of marginalization and inequity due to sexism, class oppression, homophobia, xenophobia and ableism”.

Gone are the days when being overweight, eating unhealthy junk food and alcohol abuse was a personal choice where each individual bore responsibility. 

According to the health guide Western society is at fault based on the argument it is the “underlying systems and structures of social injustice that generate health inequity over time, including white supremacy, patriarchy, and class oppression”.

Traditional approaches to medicine, as they are based on “changing individual (risky) behaviour”, are condemned for failing to acknowledge ill health and disease are caused by the “structures of power that create economic and social conditions”.

Proven by the perennial argument that whether students achieve academic success or not is based largely on their socioeconomic status, victimhood and identity politics have also infected education.

According to the Left-leaning Australian Education Union and like-minded teacher academics a belief in meritocracy, competitive examinations and the value of an academic curriculum are constructs guaranteed to favour students from wealthy and privileged backgrounds and ensure disadvantaged students always underperform.