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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Because There Are No Racists... - National - The Atlantic

Because There Are No Racists... - National - The Atlantic
Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ta-Nehisi Coates - Ta-Nehisi Coates is a senior editor for The Atlantic, where he writes about culture, politics, and social issues for TheAtlantic.com and the magazine. He is the author of the memoir The Beautiful Struggle.

Because There Are No Racists...

JUN 14 2010, 6:00 PM ET | Comment

From Iowa congressman Steve King:

When you look at this administration, I'm offended by Eric Holder and the President also, their posture. It looks like Eric Holder said that white people in America are cowards when it comes to race. And I don't know what the basis of that is but I'm not a coward when it comes to that and I'm happy to talk about these things and I think we should. But the President has demonstrated that he has a default mechanism in him that breaks down the side of race - on the side that favors the black person.

As Media Matters notes, Eric Holder said no such thing:

Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial we have always been and continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards. Though race related issues continue to occupy a significant portion of our political discussion, and though there remain many unresolved racial issues in this nation, we, average Americans, simply do not talk enough with each other about race.

Now you don't have to agree with that statement--but on the basic facts, King is simply wrong. More to the point, the charge that SoandSo is "favoring blacks" is not some new evolved tactic.