Patterico's Pontifications

9/24/2005

Whites Bear Brunt of War Fatalities in Iraq

Filed under: Dog Trainer,Race,War — Patterico @ 9:29 pm



Many people take it for granted that minority soldiers are disproportionately killed in the Iraq war. But guess what? It’s not true.

The L.A. Times reports today — in a small story on page A9 — that a new study shows that whites account for the vast majority of fatalities in Iraq:

The majority of soldiers and Marines killed or wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were young, white, enlisted personnel from active-duty units, according to a study released Friday by the federal Government Accountability Office.

The study was ordered by Charlie Rangel, who is no doubt bitterly disappointed by these results. Rangel is, of course, the loudmouth who proposed a draft during the run-up to the Iraq war, arguing that minorities bore the greater brunt of war casualties. In 2003, Rangel said in a debate on the House floor:

. . . we find out just today that 12 percent of the Nation’s population is black but they represent 20 percent of those that were killed.

Rangel’s statement was based on a Scripps Howard study done in April 2003, based on only 105 fatalities, which showed that 19% of the fatalities at that juncture were black.

But the new study is much more comprehensive. It “involved 1,841 service personnel who were killed and 12,658 who were wounded, as of May 28.” Today’s story states:

Whites, who constitute 67% of the active-duty and reserve forces, accounted for 71% of the fatalities. African Americans are 17% of the overall force and were 9% of the fatalities.

One can only speculate as to whether this would have been a small page A9 story if the study had shown a disproportionate number of black deaths in Iraq, as Rangel had so clearly hoped it would.

Dafydd ab Hugh Fails to Bust Three Alleged “Myths” About Gay Marriage

Filed under: Civil Liberties — Patterico @ 3:03 pm



I recently linked (and criticized) a column by Dafydd ab Hugh offering a secular defense of the ban on gay marriage. Dafydd today has another post about gay marriage, in which he purports to refute three “myths” that he says popped up in comments to my earlier post. I find Dafydd’s arguments completely 100% unpersuasive.

Let’s take them one at a time.

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Roberts’s Answers to Written Questions

Filed under: Judiciary — Patterico @ 1:40 pm



Howard Bashman has collected links to John Roberts’s answers to Senators’ written questions. You can access the answers here, here, and here. I’ll likely have comments on them as I get a chance to review them.

Jimmy Carter’s Fantasies

Filed under: Morons — Patterico @ 1:37 pm



Jimmy Carter says Gore won in 2000, and implies Kerry might have won in 2004.

Before you know it, he’ll be telling us he himself was really elected in 1980.

Ouch!

Filed under: Law,Scum — Patterico @ 1:33 pm



Don’t cross Alex Kozinski.

The first part of the linked piece, up to the five asterisks, is complicated legal analysis which you can feel free to skim. After the five asterisks, make sure to read every word.

If lawyer Cyrus Sanai had much of a professional reputation before (which I doubt), it’s gone now.

Moron of the Day: Oliver Willis

Filed under: Morons,Race — Patterico @ 1:21 pm



Race-hustler Oliver Willis recently criticized Captain Ed for Ed’s praise for Maryland’s lieutenant governor Michael Steele. Ed had said:

As one of a handful of prominent black conservatives coming up through the ranks, any election involving Michael Steele will have a high priority for Democratic opposition. I had the good fortune to see Steele speak in person to the Republican convention in 2004, and the man will provide Democrats with nightmares on the stump. Articulate, knowledgeable, passionate, and humorous, he embodies the communication skills of a Ronald Reagan with a keen grasp of policy. He may need more seasoning before making a run for national office perhaps, but not much more. Apparently, the Democrats agree.

Oliver articulated his reaction in this way:

Aw lawzy! That Michael Steele is sho nuff one of them “articulate” negroes. One of “the good ones”, you know?

Apparently, as Oliver articulates the issue, praising black people is racist. So I’m sure Oliver will consider me the opposite of a racist when I say that Oliver is stuck on stupid.

Oliver Willis Asks: Have Right Wing Bloggers Ever Met Any Black People?

Filed under: Race — Patterico @ 12:04 pm



Oliver Willis has a post titled Have Right Wing Bloggers Ever Met Any Black People? in which he says:

According to Vodkapundit and Instapundit, “Stuck on Stupid” is a brand-new catchphrase that has never been uttered before. Well, I suppose if you’ve never talked to a black person, that might be true.

What I find particularly hilarious is the reaction Oliver gets in his comments. Sure, there is the usual agreement from the wacky leftists who inhabit his site, but it’s not universal:

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