Blasting the recent ruling on school desegregation, Hillary Clinton said at last night's debate that the Supreme Court had "turned the clock back" on history. Actually, it's sometimes a good idea to turn the clock back.
C.S. Lewis once wrote, "We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive."
Hillary thinks that since things in the past used to be very, very bad, whatever we do to move away from that must be very, very good. Therefore since America used to discriminate against blacks, now it must discriminate in favor of blacks. Since the American South used to force blacks and whites apart, now it must force them together.
This is the craziness that passes for "civil rights" today, and this is the craziness that the Supreme Court is trying to stop. The solution to discrimination in jobs, government contracts, and university admissions is not more discrimination; it is to choose the best candidates based on merit. The solution to school segregation is not coerced integration or busing; it is to let children attend their neighborhood school. This is what Thurgood Marshall argued in the Brown case: let kids go to their local schools.
So if we have to discuss this in terms of clocks, I think we should turn ours back to the original vision of Thurgood Marshall and Martin Luther King. This is the idea of the race-neutral or color-blind society. Better, let's go beyond the whole framework of "going backward" and "going forward." As I argue in my book The End of Racism, we need a fresh debate on race that breaks free of old categories and gives up the pretense that any criticism of current policies is a return to the bad old days of the past.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 5)
31. Greg tries - "Your analysis of the Constitution is simplistic at best. First the 3/5 compromise was for the allotment of congressional seats and taxation not voting. "
You're right, I did dumb it down in a vain attempt at making it stupid enough that even a conservative could understand it. From your comments I can see it wasn't dumb enough.
Slaves couldn't vote. You obviously missed that fact in 6th Grade History.
If there were 2 million slaves in a state, and 100,000 slaveowners - and 1 Congressman was allotted per 100,000 people...
Slave states got 13 Congressmen for 100,000 white votes.
While non-slave states got 1 Congressman for 100,000 votes.
What part of the slaveholder vote counted for 13 times more are you too stupid to understand?
This meant that Southerners were enfranchised by raising the number of slaves, and had an equal number of Congressmen ...
Even though they only had 1/3 of the population.
It had nothing to do with ending slavery - as the slave holding states kept slavery...
And only ended it at the barrel of a gun.
Now - if you are too stupid and historically ignorant to understand what the compromise was which developed the 3/5 rule...
You are waaaay to stupid to understand either Cummings or Brown, and their relationship to the current SCUMUS 5 decision. The current decision is in violation of both Brown and the 14th Ammendment in that establishes defacto seperate and unequal school systems, based on the prevailing impact of racism.
Bushthwak at 3:23PM on Jun 30th 2007
32. em - Now that's really nice that you agree wih Gasset...
But he's another racist shithead and here's why...
With over 50% of white marraiges ending in divorce in this country, over 60% of all white children with be fatherless for some period of time during their childhood. Yet somehow to racist crapheads like Gasset and DD', the adolescent trauma of multiple familial breakdowns, and fatherlessness doesn't impact white kids as severly as "fatherlessness" impacts black kids.
Selective "colorblindness" is the stock in trade of the modern conservative racist pimp.
Now - we DO have a problem with the structure and cohesiveness of the family in our society. But as long as you listen to the siren song of 2 bit race whores, who are able to dominate the conversation in making it a "black problem" instead of an AMERICAN PROBLEM...
There isn't going to be any solution.
Bushthwak at 3:48PM on Jun 30th 2007
33. I agree that it is an American problem, and not just a "black" problem.
However, the black community has struggled with this problem longer than others, because their families were not respected during the time of slavery. Fathers were taken from their children more often than mothers were (for obvious reasons). Over time, this created problems of its own -- and they were not addressed properly at the cessation of the Civil War. The country was too busy repairing itself, and some nice politicians began fighting for a segregated society (one of the worst mistakes in this history of the country). The black community was abandoned and literally set aside when it needed encouragement the most.
Now, of course very strong and solid black families exist today. It's just that, for the last couple of generations, we have not been encouraging the creation and endurance of families --in general, of ANY race -- and that has, in the short-term, impacted the black community even more than others, because they have already been struggling with it. Other American communities are not far behind them at this point. Give us another 50-100 years and there very well may be no difference.
Come on, admit it... you also think that we as a society need to concentrate on building more solid family structures, too. It's not "racism"... and by the way, throwing that word out in every other sentence doesn't exactly add to the validity of your point. Furthermore, saying there is no solution doesn't help anyone, and that single sentence bothers me more than anything else you've posted. You sound like one of those people who has an answer for everything, including how this country should be run socially, politically, economically, and otherwise. Saying there isn't going to be a solution is a cop-out, and you know it. Deep down, you probably agree but you can't admit it because you're too busy hopping on the "racist" train. D'Souza is right at least in the fact that it's time to find some real solutions, not just run around throwing our hands in the air and saying there's no solution, then yelling out "racist" at every other suggestion that comes along. That's fatalism, and I'll just bet there were people who said the same thing about ending slavery. If you really believe what you said -- there is no solution -- that is simply arrogance made worse by the fact that you have no real ideas to contribute yourself.
eM at 5:27PM on Jun 30th 2007
34. Ken Berg: (As per your response to my post)
I did not mean to say that blacks would not apply for the job of police officer. But, statistically speaking, whites are more likely to have a higher level of education which potentially could enable them to score higher on the test. So, strictly speaking, whites might make up a disproportionate percentage of the 'most qualified' applicants were race not taken into consideration.
Also, non-white persons often do experience racism in their lives. This leads to confidence and self esteem issues that could put the non-white applicant at a disadvantage in the interview process.
A foreign occupation. Yes. If the police patrolling your neighborhood were 98% some other race than your own and their native language were something other than yours, you would have to wonder if these people really had you best interests at heart.
Rape counselors are almost exclusively women. This is because it is a proven fact that women--as most rape victims tend to be--are more likely going to be able to confide in a woman. Could it not then be said that anyone in a crisis situation would feel better opening up to someone with whom they have a common life experience?
Keith J. Mohrhoff at 5:57PM on Jun 30th 2007
35. "..we need a fresh debate on race"
And it should be so fresh that we start over by trying to define the categories to favor and/or disfavor. When we try real hard to include all of us, we will probably wind up laughing uproariously and give it all up for a better plan.
DDwain at 7:16PM on Jun 30th 2007
36. Bushthwak,
Calling me stupid is not going to change what you originally wrote or somehow make it more accurate. You wrote, “Article I, Section II - which rules that slaves are only 3/5ths of a person for the purpose of their Masters voting. Ergo, a slaveholder with 1000 slaves got 600 votes…” Instead of being more simplistic so the people you assume are stupid can understand trying being accurate. You will probably find out that those you assume stupid are actually much smarter than you.
The Constitution was in fact a compromise between those who wanted to eliminate slavery and those that did not. Within that compromise was a governing structure that lead to the inevitable end to slavery and the eventual recognition of equal rights under the law. It may have taken two hundred years of history to get there, but the Constitution was the beginning.
As far as Thursday’s decision goes, calling me stupid will not change the fact that the decision was against using race to assign government benefits. That is the opposite of the case you cited. So let me ask you bluntly: do you think government should use race when deciding on the benefits it gives to citizens? By the way, I am not offended when you call me stupid. It says more about you and your arguments than it does about me.
Greg at 8:14PM on Jun 30th 2007
37. eM sez - "Come on, admit it... you also think that we as a society need to concentrate on building more solid family structures, too. It's not "racism"... and by the way, throwing that word out in every other sentence doesn't exactly add to the validity of your point. Furthermore, saying there is no solution doesn't help anyone, and that single sentence bothers me more than anything else you've posted. "
Uhhhh...eM - You need to go back and read what I said, very carefully this time. As I niether said there was no solution - nor did I deny the existence of an American problem.
Unless you are intentionally misreading what I said...
In which case we will have a lot of problems.
Bushthwak at 8:38PM on Jun 30th 2007
38. Greg chimes - "You will probably find out that those you assume stupid are actually much smarter than you."
That hasn't proven to be the case here.
Greg Attempts 0 "Within that compromise was a governing structure that lead to the inevitable end to slavery and the eventual recognition of equal rights under the law. It may have taken two hundred years of history to get there, but the Constitution was the beginning.
"
Funny thing about that "governing structure" - since the Monarchy we kicked out of the country managed to ban slavery in 1833...
Without a Civil War.
The "governing structure didn't end slavery, wozo...
The Union Army did.
You really want to pretend you are smart?
Then you might want to find a subject you are capable of discussing.
Cricket anyone?
Bushthwak at 1:44AM on Jul 1st 2007
39. Forced integration and Affirmative Action are to be upset by the Supreme Court?
Black people are upset?
As Leonard Pitts told White people; I now say to black people....
Cry me a river.
Aaron Whetstine at 4:04AM on Jul 1st 2007
40. Blacks are the biggest racists of all! There are 10's of thousands of assaults and harassment by blacks on whites at schools all over the country! The joo controlled media chooses to ignore it! Where are the black race card pimps like Jessie and Fat Al when white kids get assaulted? Maybe this country needs a race war to solve the problem once and for all!
walt235 at 7:15AM on Jul 1st 2007
41. You are so right, Mr. D'Souza.
The scales have been tipped too far, and it is time we correct things.
Blacks should go to black schools, whites to white schools.
This country was founded on equality for all, but instead we have been pandering to a few whining minorities for the past 40 years, at the expense of the majority.
We need more conservative leadership in Washington, NOT pandering, boot licking fools like Hillary, John Edwards or Obama.
Tom Tancredo in '08!
Great article, Mr D'Souza.
WhiteisRight at 6:06PM on Aug 3rd 2007
42. Ummmm.... Bushthwak at #32 said as long as you make it a black problem instead of an American problem, "There isn't going to be any solution."
And I said it IS an American problem -- you had intentionally mis-read MY original post. I clarified that for you. And I think you jumped on that sentence in order to continue avoiding the fact that you agree with my main point. We need to concentrate on building better families, as a society, regardless of race. But you're too busy hollering "racist" and calling people stupid to actually agree to a solution.
Now begin your spin and start backpedaling. Go. This is going to be entertaining.
eM at 10:03AM on Jul 1st 2007
43. niggers are a one race crime wave who at best can attain the level of a well bahaved child...they are to be viewed as dangerously as wild animals, and young women particuarly need this warning.
cuthean at 11:33AM on Jul 1st 2007
44. Uhhhh EM...
Whatever point you are trying to make sailed over your head and out of the building.
I said in 32 - "But as long as you listen to the siren song of 2 bit race whores, who are able to dominate the conversation in making it a "black problem" instead of an AMERICAN PROBLEM...
There isn't going to be any solution."
You replied in 33 starting with - "I agree that it is an American problem, and not just a "black" problem.
However, the black community has struggled with this problem longer than others..."
And in 33 in the third paragraph you say - "Saying there isn't going to be a solution is a cop-out, and you know it. "
Now - if you enjoy making a complete jackass out of yourself (in print)...
Have at it.
Insofar as your agreement with DD' - I suggest you actually go back and read his book (try a local dumpster). Because to buy the swill he is selling, you have to believe that the historical conditions brought about by slavery and Jim Crow have been totally ameliorated by the past 40 years of Civil Rights...
Ergo - there is no difference between black and white families, and as such, race based solutions and or any program to atone for past injustices are defunct.
As such, DD's "argument for a new dialogue on race"...
Isn't any dialogue at all.
Do TRY and keep up with the rest of us!
Bushthwak at 11:48AM on Jul 1st 2007
45. Yeah! We definitely need to rethink this Multicultural madness that has afflicted us for the last 40 years. And we need to do this now, because tomorrow can only bring more violent strife with the ILLEGALs now infesting this country.
Phil at 12:02PM on Jul 1st 2007