Associate Editor Gil Smart’s July 19th column is headed “Identity politics for white people.”
“See, here’s the deal. These guys—[senators] Coburn, Sessions, Graham and others—I’m pretty sure that they, personally, aren’t racist. But their choice of words, along with their unrelenting focus on Sotomayor’s ‘wise Latina’ remark, was intentional….You will notice that it’s all white people coming out with these things—more specifically, white men.”
WATCHDOG: In defense of us old white men, Smart should keep in mind that, South or North, we grew up in a highly racist society and we were not immune to the contagion although, to our credit, we helped bring about reform. Unlike Smart and the generation after him who experienced more enlightened times, most of us are “racists in recovery.” Our intellect has to overcome our predispositions. And we may not be as sensitive to nuances.
In short, we have to try harder!
Gil “forgot” to mention the non-diversity of management, editors and writers at LNP. I guess the diversity issue is something that is never politically correct to discuss / admit within the ivory palace on King Street.