In a speech he gave for Black History Month, Attorney General Eric Holder called America a nation of cowards when it comes to discussing racial matters in a frank manner. In light of the fact that many white voters were instrumental in helping to elect the nation's first African-American president, I can't think of a more incongruous speech nor a more inopportune time for making such comments, ironically, coming out of the mouth of the nation's first African-American Attorney General.
Instead of celebrating the election of Barack Obama as a historical milestone in the nation's history, Holder characterizes his ascension to the presidency as dealing, "with the reality of electing an African American as our President for the first time." An odd choice of words. Could he not have simply acknowledged the significance of this achievement to the effect that discrimination against blacks has been markedly reduced?
Probably not, and here's why: Holder is a member of that liberal constituency group that I would characterize as "the perpetually aggrieved." No matter the extent of the progress America has made in eradicating the past sins of racism or discrimination, any such efforts will always be deemed incomplete, demonstrating the need for further erosion of our liberties to satisfy their undefined standards of perfection. For those like Holder, discrimination that occurred in the past will always be sufficient justification for remedial action to be administered by the heavy hand of government in the present and eternally into the future. Exactly what conditions would satisfy Holder to the effect that we are no longer a racist country? He doesn't say.
Many of those who share Holder's sentiments were part of the lynch mob who were perfectly happy to find the members of the Duke Lacrosse Team guilty before any of the facts were known simply by virtue of their skin color and because the alleged circumstances of the case conveniently fit their preferred template of America as a racist country. Speaking of "cowardly", did Holder speak out against the despicable treatment meted out to the innocent members of the Lacrosse team by the media and Duke University as aiders and abettors of a racially-motivated monstrous hoax? Did he condemn prominent African-American leaders who all too eagerly jumped on the bandwagon?
If he wants frank discussions about race then he should be prepared to defend the continued practice of quota hiring system and a racial spoils system. Is Holder, like the Democratic Party, inextricably tied to the practice of identity politics? One could make the plausible argument that Barack Obama were he white would have been laughed off the stage if he tried to run for president based on his razor thin resume and scant qualifications as a "community organizer."
Obama enjoyed unparalleled advantages by virtue of his skin color, as have all beneficiaries of affirmative-action/quota hiring policies. Perhaps Holder can explain to us exactly how was Obama's race a hindrance to his running for president?
Holder addresses the issue of affirmative action by stating:
There can, for instance, be very legitimate debate about the question of affirmative action. This debate can, and should, be nuanced, principled and spirited. But the conversation that we now engage in as a nation on this and other racial subjects is too often simplistic and left to those on the extremes who are not hesitant to use these issues to advance nothing more than their own, narrow self interest.
Thus, Holder acknowledges that legitimacy of debating the need for affirmative action, but, in the same breath paints those who oppose it as belonging on the "extremes" and are interested in using it to advance their self-interest. Sounds like a cowardly way to have a frank discussion about race if you're going to stigmatize those who oppose reverse discrimination as racist.
Holder may call for a "frank" discussion on race, but as long as he and his fellow travellers in the media continue to invoke the race card, which Obama wielded so skillfully in the past election, no one will oblige him in his plea for candor when latent charges of "racism" will always act as to preclude an intellectually honest and enlightening debate. In terms of defining the permissible contours of debate on many issues of race, as long as there exists one standard for whites and a completely different one for blacks, any ensuing discussion will be nothing more than an exercise in futility.
Comments
All the problems we have as a nation and this bastard talks about not being invited over for a beer. Rot in hell you piece of human waste.
this guy is ignorant.to say we are a nation of cowards it is sad. he has his freedom because of us. look at how much he has gotten out of this nation so that he can just backstabb it like that.
In the sixties -- fixed bayonnets, tear gassed twice, mounted police, occupied the buildings -- Rev Joe Lowery are we COWARDS -- an INSULT; Holder you have earned my contempt. How great you are? Rip open the wounds -- thanks alot.
Holder didn't call out those who oppose affirmative action as 'extreme', nor anyone else as 'extreme'. We do not know who he is alluding to with the phrase 'thoses on the extremes' (plural), so careful was his wording.
That the problem. He didn't say much of anything, being very careful and talking in veiled language the entire article.
So, who is the coward? Where is the 'candid' discussion coming from Holder?
Take the Mirror Test.
I suggest that everyone (including the Attorney General) take a close look in a mirror and study carefully what particular shade of skin they see on the face in the mirror; and while doing so, ask themselves if the color of that skin or any other color of skin - or eyes or hair for that matter - is really of any significance whatsoever, or whether, in fact, the real issue of concern is about what goes on inside the skull in the brain that is currently looking at the face in the mirror as well as in other human brains – the intelligence, knowledge, judgment, determination, character, experience, work ethic, honesty, language skills, learning ability, trustworthiness, personality and all the other qualities and capabilities related to a particular human brain.
Racial discrimination is illegal in our country and if instances of racial discrimination are taking place the Attorney General needs to see that such cases are prosecuted. Otherwise, perhaps we can agree that skin color is trivial and irrelevant and refocus our attention on the many significant problems we currently face, and put our brains to work on things that actually do matter.
He's right. We are cowards. But we were made this way by a nation of lawyers. If you're white in this country you're apparently wrong to even think such things. Shame on you, white devil, how dare you think your better resume should get you a job over a black man. Now the number one attorney in the nation, and a black man, points out we won't talk about race. Does he really think anyone will disagree with him? No. To do so is to be labeled a racist. Sniveling liberal.
Lorianne,
Holder didn't have to explicitly call out those who oppose affirmative action as "extreme"; he didn't have to. It is implicit within his comments. Either you believe in a racial spoils system or you don't. What would be considered an "extreme" position on affirmative action?
If you are not scared, they you listen to horror stories of miinority whites in a black world; from S. Africa to public schools to on the job. Research black on white violence statistics.
If you are not scared then you are not paying attention.
It is outrageous that a black dictates to whites whom they allow into their private lives!!!
Reading the writing on the walls. There will be hell to pay.
End Affirmative Action now!!!
You do a great job of mischaracterizing almost every historic and rhetorical example you cite as standing for a proposition it clearly does not. Did Duke Lacross happen during Holder's tenure? No, it's years old, so naturally he didn't include it in his speech this week. Affirmative action is not quota hiring; quota hiring is unconstitutional, and you'd recognize the difference if you cared to know something about the topics in your writing. Holder didn't say anything about the "extremes" being those who oppose affirmative action; it's odd how you chose to quote the exact language and then in the following sentence misquote it. Holder said that people who OVERSIMPLIFY the racial debate are those on the extremes. He said nothing about affirmative action OPPONENTS or SUPPORTERS, by virtue of their opposition or support, being extremists. What he did say was that race is a nuanced, complicated issue, and too often, the debate is monopolized by people who want to treat the country's racial dynamics as a simplistic matter with easy solutions, which it isn't. Your article is a perfect example of why those who try to simplify the topic (as you do throughout this piece, when you're not focused on fabricating your supporting examples) do not do justice to the complexity of the problem and its very real, lingering effects on every aspect of American social and political life.
Let's encourage Holder to begin the new dialogue on race with this story about the prominent cancer researcher who was murdered in Atlanta this week.
"Did Duke Lacross happen during Holder's tenure? No, it's years old, so naturally he didn't include it in his speech this week."
Fair enough. But that case was the modern Scottsboro, with just the colors reversed.
We still study Scottsboro (though we evidently don't learn anything from it);
and the Duke case is more relevant to modern race perceptions than Scottsboro;
(ergo, it would, once in awhile, be appropriate for an AG to mention the case--and even perhaps to explain why the Dept. of Justice--which will dispatch FBI agents to investigate every false display of a noose--refused to go to Durham when defense witnesses were arrested, defendants were threatened by uniformed black panthers inside a courtroom, evidence was manufactured and/or hidden, and a DA expressly said he didn't want his town to be known as a place where "black girls" could be raped by white men.
(Reverse those colors and see what response there would be from the feds.)
The Justice Dept. ought to be color-blind and we ought to be judged by the content of our character, as someone once said. (How about making that quote the keynote for a black history speech?)
Community organizer? That really doesn't sound much better than what he really is; a Marxist agitator. With Osama as president we whites are bound to be hit over the head frequently with Marxist racial tacticts. We will not be allowed to criticize him, or his administration, lest we be branded racists, bigots, prejucicial, mean spirited, Hitler appologists, etc, etc, etc. You are 100% right when you speak of his razor thin qualifications. He would more aptly be suited to be a McDonald's manager in training. And so many, especially blacks think he is so brilliant and so handsome. Give me a break! Personally, I could care less what race he is. If he was honest, decent and sincere, I would applaud him. But in reality, he is nothing more than an extension and handyman for the Chicago Marxist and mobster crowd.
US not cowards: I agree. We are NOT cowards. Perhaps our new AG is just an ass.
Let me say it now. I never want a drop of Black blood in any of my family for a hundred thousand generations. I am a Constitutionally protected racist who doesn`t believe any Jews were gassed in WWii. Don`t like it? Tough.
Hope and Change my sticky rice!
Pathetic.
As one who has a Journalism Degree and having been in the news business for decades, I find it hard to believe this poorly written hatchet job was published. It does help to explain some of the attitudes that I have seen out of people in Boston area.
Attorney General Holder was right in his assessment and the reactions it has provoked are all the proof that is needed. While President Obama's election is quite an accomplishment, that in itself doesn't make America nirvana.
We still have folk like racist,Adkison, whiteboy et.al. Their contributions are below. Cowards one and all.
Your piece is untruthful but that's not the worst part. The worst thing is that it proves his point, or is that the best thing.
There are two standards just look around. Black Miss America , Black caucus ,Black Entertainment television.And many more examples. If white people had the same things with one change. The word white installed where the word black was what would happen? We would be called out as racist just for doing the same thing . Two standards yes this is very true..
Ironic then that Holder and his transition team had the opportunity to push for the racial spoils system by appealing the Rothe Development affirmative action case from the Federal Circuit earlier this month. Yet he did not choose to appeal it to the S.Ct, making him the coward, too afraid to push for his own aggreived beliefs but more than willing to guilt trip everyone else a few weeks later!!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!