Bookstore Ghettoes (Thomas Sowell)

GOPUSA ^ | May 10, 2007 | Thomas Sowell

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

The Sharpton’s and Jackson’s are self promoting con men in it for the bucks and are trying to get something for nothing for themselves and for many others that want everything handed to them.

Indeed. One would think that an Al Sharpton or a Jesse Jackson would read this essay by Mr. Sowell then stand up and applaud its message. It would only seem to be the logical reaction if...and here's the BIG "if"...these two charlatans are true to their words and want an end to racism.

They are more damned by what they don't say than by what they do say.

[verum ago]

Sowell speaks of "symbolism." For someone who's usually such a straight shooter, I'm surprised he didn't call it what it is: racism. Classifying people by race is purely and simply RACISM. It disgusts me so much today to see hypocritical "civil rights" leaders urging special treatment for blacks, and viciously smearing anyone who opposes them by wrapping themselves in the names of truly great men, especially the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..

"...I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'...
"...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

Ask yourself, does putting black authors in their own section and judging university and job applicants to be better than their peers because they're not white fit the above statements, or do they more invoke

"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."

and

"We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff's argument to consist in the assumption that the enforced separation of the two races stamps the colored race with a badge of inferiority."
?

So long as we judge people by race, even for their benefit [of course, that just means a different race becomes the one discriminated against], we're sustaining the notion that people of different races are somehow fundamentally different in either their innate abilities or how far they can advance in life. Black leaders today capitalize not on trying to empower blacks, but by bombarding them with the notion that they cannot succeed without help. What is the message of affirmative action anyway? It's "You can only succeed if you get special treatment because your race is special." No wonder inner city minority youth are so disillusioned- no one's ever told them they can do what they want in life.
To be fair, I know black people often do have it harder as a matter of their circumstances. But we shouldn't use that as justification to defile what so many gave their lives for as slaves, in the Civil Rights movement, and even the Revolutionary War. Blacks, and minorities in general, today are still treated as a second class of citizens just as they were when they were slaves or suffering under Jim Crow laws. That must stop.

It is one of my most fervent hopes that some day race statistics won't be keep for lack of need. But moreover I wish attitudes based upon race would go away. Ask a child too young to know who the president is nowadays who is in this photo:

and the response will be "a black man and a white man." When will that response be merely "two men" ?

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

When will that response be merely "two men" ?

Amen brother. Amen.

[jazusamo]

Excellent post, VA.

[LexBaird]

I had a high school english teacher who broke it down into “see paw rate” = “se pa rate”. Receive was “ree cee”.

[bad company]

You nailed it.

[Captainpaintball]

He just hit another one out of the park!

If he was a baseball player, he'd bat 1.000, every at bat a home run. They would have to ban him from playing the game. Thank God liberals are not successful enough (yet) to ban him from the sport of political commentary where he excells.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

When I was a senior in high school, I had a history teacher introduce me to Thomas Sowell, back in 72-73....been reading him a long, long time....He was always a breath of wisdom and fresh air....

[jazusamo]

That’s great, KAC. I would love to be able to meet him and be able to talk for even a couple minutes.

[SuziQ]

One of the reasons people don't bother to stop and think is that symbolism lets them feel good about themselves. They can go through life leaving havoc in their wake, while enjoying a warm glow of self-approval.

Yep, that about nails it.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

The liberals could have a field day with that picture, especially Bush’s.

[Trailerpark Badass]

How stupid.....all this does is contribute to racism against the successful black medical graduates....who would YOU want doing your surgery?

I'm surprised to have not seen a backlash against Affirmative Action from truly qualified minority professionals.

The fact that I haven't seen such makes me wonder...

[goodnesswins]

1. They’re too busy working and being productive
2. The MSM wouldn’t publish anything they said, anyway!