Through the looking glass with Anna Quindlan
Following the logic of liberal columnist Anna Quindlan is often an adventure. But in the current issue of Newsweek, she truly outdoes herself.
That some African-Americans (and probably a larger percentage of white liberals) are sometimes apt to use white racism as an excuse for... well, pretty much anything, and as an all-purpose cheap shot to discredit any individual or argument one might want to reject, is no secret to anybody whose powers of observation are not obscured by the dogmas of political correctness. In fact, anyone with an ounce of common sense and objectivity should have no trouble seeing that white racism is so formidable, pervasive and damaging an obstacle to life as a African-American that it would take a superhuman strength of character, rigorous self-discipline, and far more character than the white author of this blog possesses for an African-American not to be tempted to use it as a cop-out from time to time.
Quindlan, however, denies that this ever happens! And by a truly curious logic, she moves from her denial to the accusation that presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain is 'playing the Caucasian card' by pointing out that Barack Obama has repeatedly- and falsely- accused McCain's campaign of being racist!
Obama, at a fund raiser last June: "They're going to try to make you afraid of me: 'He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. ... Oh, and did I mention he's black?'"
And just recently, the presumptive Democratic nominee delivered himself of this gem:
"The only strategy they've got in this election is to try to scare you about me --'He doesn't look like all the presidents on the dollar bills.'"
Does even Quindlan seriously believe that Obama was referring to his exceptional good looks?
If predicting that one's opponent is going to use one's race as an argument for not voting for one is not accusing that opponent of being a racist, then Bill Clinton is an especially ascetic monk. Yet by Quindlan's tortured logic, the very fact that McCain has pointed out Obama's slander means that McCain is, indeed a racist- one playing what she calls "the Caucasian card!"
Several months ago, I came across a left-of center blog which mocked the prediction that mere opposition to Obama would eventually be cited not only during this campaign, but during the entire term of an Obama presidency, as ipso facto racist. Ms. Quindlan to the contrary, the Left's habitual misuse of the very serious charge of racism amply justifies that fear. But Quindlan has now gone one step beyond that.
She's accused John McCain of being a racist for pointing out that Barack Obama has falsely accused him of being a racist.
Ms. Quindlan's hypocrisy is as striking as her illogic. Alas, I fear we'll see a great deal more of exactly this sort of nonsense as the campaign goes on. Any person who opposes Barack Obama, on any grounds, is going to be regarded in some quarters on the Left as presumptively a racist.
And now Ms. Quindlan has made it clear that deny that accusation proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is true.
In other words, it seems that if Barack Obama slanders John McCain as a racist, it is racist- a playing of the 'Caucasian card-' for McCain to simply cry foul.
HT: Real Clear Politics
That some African-Americans (and probably a larger percentage of white liberals) are sometimes apt to use white racism as an excuse for... well, pretty much anything, and as an all-purpose cheap shot to discredit any individual or argument one might want to reject, is no secret to anybody whose powers of observation are not obscured by the dogmas of political correctness. In fact, anyone with an ounce of common sense and objectivity should have no trouble seeing that white racism is so formidable, pervasive and damaging an obstacle to life as a African-American that it would take a superhuman strength of character, rigorous self-discipline, and far more character than the white author of this blog possesses for an African-American not to be tempted to use it as a cop-out from time to time.
Quindlan, however, denies that this ever happens! And by a truly curious logic, she moves from her denial to the accusation that presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain is 'playing the Caucasian card' by pointing out that Barack Obama has repeatedly- and falsely- accused McCain's campaign of being racist!
Obama, at a fund raiser last June: "They're going to try to make you afraid of me: 'He's young and inexperienced and he's got a funny name. ... Oh, and did I mention he's black?'"
And just recently, the presumptive Democratic nominee delivered himself of this gem:
"The only strategy they've got in this election is to try to scare you about me --'He doesn't look like all the presidents on the dollar bills.'"
Does even Quindlan seriously believe that Obama was referring to his exceptional good looks?
If predicting that one's opponent is going to use one's race as an argument for not voting for one is not accusing that opponent of being a racist, then Bill Clinton is an especially ascetic monk. Yet by Quindlan's tortured logic, the very fact that McCain has pointed out Obama's slander means that McCain is, indeed a racist- one playing what she calls "the Caucasian card!"
Several months ago, I came across a left-of center blog which mocked the prediction that mere opposition to Obama would eventually be cited not only during this campaign, but during the entire term of an Obama presidency, as ipso facto racist. Ms. Quindlan to the contrary, the Left's habitual misuse of the very serious charge of racism amply justifies that fear. But Quindlan has now gone one step beyond that.
She's accused John McCain of being a racist for pointing out that Barack Obama has falsely accused him of being a racist.
Ms. Quindlan's hypocrisy is as striking as her illogic. Alas, I fear we'll see a great deal more of exactly this sort of nonsense as the campaign goes on. Any person who opposes Barack Obama, on any grounds, is going to be regarded in some quarters on the Left as presumptively a racist.
And now Ms. Quindlan has made it clear that deny that accusation proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is true.
In other words, it seems that if Barack Obama slanders John McCain as a racist, it is racist- a playing of the 'Caucasian card-' for McCain to simply cry foul.
HT: Real Clear Politics
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