White Guilt = Black Power

The Wall Street Journal ^ | Shelby Steele

[VinnyTex]

By Shelby Steele. Mr. Steele, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, is author of "A Dream Deferred: The Second Betrayal of Black Freedom in America" (HarperCollins, 1998).

There should be many more imbroglios like the one currently playing out at Harvard University, enough for America to finally understand that white guilt is exactly the same thing as black power. But it is testament to the daunting power of white guilt that confrontations like this one happen so rarely.

[aristeides]

It's one thing not to be allowed to crack jokes about a group that (like the Jews) has foibles and (arguably) excessive power. It's quite another not to be allowed to say anything about a group that (like the blacks) presents a threat to life and limb because of its inordinate propensity to crime.

[Don Myers]

"Let them go tend to their own affairs and leave us the hell alone."

But, they won't. They want to eat your dinner.

[thucydides]

Shelby Steele has put his finger on the basis for the whole rigamarole of liberal patronization of blacks - white elites escape blame for black underperformance by abandoning standards while pretending not to do so. This has nothing to do with the real developmental needs of blacks, but rather serves as an easy out for the elites who seek to maintain their moral authority as leaders.

Then along comes Summers who commits a revolutionary act: he calls (privately) on a very out of line Cornel West to get back to his proper work (rather than putting out hiphop albums, inane commentary on 9/11, and consorting with racial arsonists like Farrakhan and Sharpton, he should be writing more of his unreadable, cliche ridden books) West takes it public in a power play, knowing that the whole preference establishment will treat the idea of holding a black to account as a threat to their shtick. They demand that he endorse "affirmative action." He responds only with a statement on "diversity," which is emphatically not a victimhood rationale. Diversity can mean many things. Maybe even someday it could even mean intellectual diversity, as opposed to mere skin color difference. This whole business has yet to play itself out. But in the meantime, the unthinkable has occurred. The President of Harvard has said in effect that there are standards, and they apply also to blacks. West has gotten a lot of publicity of an unfavorable nature. The members of the black studies department look like a bunch of spoiled babies. And the public's attention has been called to the indefensible practices that have been going on in higher education.

[VinnyTex]

Can anyone explain the value of a degree in African-American studies (or Women's studies, Hispanic studies, little green men from mars studies, etc.), other than a jobs program for minority professors who couldn't get a real degree?

Sure! If you plan to knock over liquor stores for a livin.

[aristeides]

I agree. I think it's significant that Summers did not, as he was called upon to do, express any approval of "affirmative action." I am still inclined to think that what he did was courageous, especially for a Clintonista.

[mrustow]

Julian Bond is the ultimate lightweight, whose "star" status in the civil rights crowd remains a mystery. At last report, Mr. Bond was on the faculty at the University of Virginia, teaching some junk courses in the African-American studies program.... essentially a "make work" position.... Needless to say, Mr. Bond (who only has a bachelor's degree) was unqualified for his position.

How about this solution to the mystery: The young Bond had leading man looks, and a good voice. Thanks for pointing out his, er, qualifications. For a white to even be considered for a full-time faculty position, he would have to have a Ph.D. and publications.

Oops! My boo-boo. Whites who are just as unqualified -- according to academia's lights -- as Bond may also get full-time positions, as long as they too are political hacks. See "Gore, Albert."

Excellent example, in contrasting Andy Young. His rep as mayor of Atlanta was that he was always wheeling and dealing, to keep business ... busy. Unlike Bond, who is chairman of the board of an extortion ring, that lives to stop business cold.

[mrustow]

Along those lines, if you haven't seen this, check it out:

Guests from Hell: The NAACP's Shakedown of the Hospitality Industry

[Don Myers]

Lets look at the big picture here. Shaking down the hospitality industry is only one phase of the war. We have a nation that is/was white and conservative in the majority of the people. You have a group of people who want to change society and take over its institutions. Lets just call that group leftists. The way that they have taken over other nations is through the same means that they have taken over this nation.

They took over the media and other institutions. They have been busily brainwashing the young. They have done all they can to divide and change the views of the larger ie majority group of people.

They have destroyed the morality system that did exist in this nation. We have become balkanized. They have brought in large groups of immigrants to further destroy the existing power structure. They have used the legal system to do what political means could not accomplish. They can do hit-and-run attacks because of the nature of the battleground. They have been able to silence their opponents by cries of racism and selfishness.

I heard Donna Shalala on a late night show when the Clintons first took office say that the Californians wanted to curtail the mass immigration of Mexicans because they were selfish. Maybe, the sheeple will awaken and see what has been happening in this country. Actually, the attacks on 9-11 have awaken some people. Maybe, they will stay awake.

[mrustow]

Actually, the attacks on 9-11 have awaken some people. Maybe, they will stay awake.

"Maybe" is the operative word. A lot of mainstream "conservatives" have proclaimed America as having retunred to reality and common sense morality since 911. These are the same guys who earlier saw press releases banning affirmative action in places like California, and declared victory over racial socialism. They are lazy and cowardly, which is one reason why this nation is the shambles it is. 911 was only the beginning, the first salvo, of a long fight. But these mainstream types, with their declarations of victory, are as much a danger as the obvious enemies. Imagine, if the Founding Fathers had had to count on mainstream "conservatives" back in '76!

[wtc911]

You are right. It's not guilt....it's fear that motivates such whites, fear of appearing to be racist, fear of looking into this country's mirror straight on.

[Fzob]

Bump

Great article.

It was also an opportunity for Mr. West and the Afro-Am department to move from celebrity academia to serious achievement.

Not real familiar with African American Studies, (other than after many years of study it qualifies you to work in an African American Department) but has there every been any serious achievemment in this area.

[thucydides]

West has been an enormous embarrassment to Harvard. His status as a university professor, no less, is amazing if you consider others who have or have had that honor. Harvard president Summers is a very ambitious man. He lives in the shadow of two winners of the Nobel prize in his family. I am sure that he, and many other members of the Harvard community are deeply upset with West. He is making Harvard look second-rate, which they can't stand. The New Republic, owned by Marty Peretz, an important figure around Harvard, ran a piece by Leon Wieseltier a few years ago in which Wieseltier described West's books as "worthless." So discontent with West is nothing new.

To understand this, it is necessary to realize that Harvard never did tolerate its black studies department to be the joke that such departments are at many schools. Further, Harvard is able to have its pick of top students who are black, few though they be. Harvard gives only a 50 point SAT concession to blacks, as compared with 340 at Berkeley. So when they say they have never practiced affirmative action, it is not too far from the truth. West was a mistake, which has become apparent to the public as a result of West's high profile.

[Revolting cat!]

Your last two posts suggest you think that progress has been made or is being made and this latest episode is evidence of it. Is that correct? I think (pessimistically) that Summers touched the third rail and whatever words he uses while backing off are rather meaningless. The establishment, and to my mind this is the establishment, artfully posing as anti-establishement (a familiar pose which they liked to assume even when they controlled the White House the past 8 years!) has re-asserted itself and Summers, Harvard and all the rest of us are back to square one. The annointed, untouchable elite remains untouchable as always.

[MadelineZapeezda]

fyi for inspiration

[razorback-bert]

I liked West saying, he had been disrespected on NPR.

Harvard diss'd him.

[TheGrimReaper]

"White Guilt = Black Power"

Also known as: The Reverend Jesse Jackson Road to Riches Scam.

[thucydides]

You may be right, but note 1) Summers has not endorsed quotas, and 2) nobody at Harvard outside black studies has criticized him. Change comes at a glacial pace to academia. But I think we might be witnessing the beginning of the beginning. After all, Summers is no fool. Hope I am right.

[Matchett-PI]

"...The WSJ attempts to avoid the racism charge by getting a black to write the article."

How embarrassing for you. How do you hope to have your opinions viewed as credible when you attack the messenger rather than the message?

What is the subject of (assertions made in) the article? It is: "White guilt = black power".

Maybe you think that those who read and post on this Free Republic forum are unable to have the courage to engage in critical thought.

If you want to enjoy credibility with any, other than feminized, emotion-driven males and air-head females, you will have to legitimately refute the assertions made in "the message" rather than disengenuously attempt to judge the motives of "the messenger" and the paper for which he writes.

Comments such as the one you made are just another example of how the legalistic, religious left (modern-day Pharisees) always expose themselves as the quintessential examples of intolerance and judgementalism. Unless others "convert" to their politically correct views, and speak and act as they "should" they are "bad people".

Now, if you want to make an attempt to legitimately refute the assertions that Shelby Steele makes, please do so. If all you can do is engage in personal attacks, you won't be taken seriously by intellectually honest people.

[okie01]

"How embarrassing for you. How do you hope to have your opinions viewed as credible when you attack the messenger rather than the message?"

However do you conclude that I was attacking the messenger, in any way?

And why should I be embarrassed when I am in 100% agreement with Mr. Steele's words?

My comment solely addressed the observation that we, as a nation, have become so race-stricken that, in the minds of many, a white guy isn't viewed as qualified to address the subject. And that, by default, only a black man may comment credibly.