Constitutional Vanguard: Coleman Hughes’s New Book on Colorblindness
My latest newsletter explains that I have been working on a (currently 8000+ word) post about Radley Balko’s ridiculous mischaracterization of Coleman Hughes’s article about the Derek Chauvin trial. BUT, given that it’s taking so long to get out, I thought I would first toss out a short (OK, maybe not so short, as it’s 4000+ words) review of Coleman’s new book on colorblindness. 2700 free words — and for the paid subscribers, another 2000+ words and a book giveaway.
First, an excerpt from the free portion:
[T]here is genuine reason to believe that adherents of neoracism believe that white people are inferior, and that historically marginalized races are superior. And people seem to take this for granted, like there is nothing unusual about it. This is not a healthy attitude for society.
The whole notion of black racial superiority can take very odd forms, though. It can actually manifest itself in a way that sounds very much like the ravings of a traditional white supremacist. For example, a former chancellor of the New York City schools used a book to teach administrators that deems traits like “perfectionism,” “objectivity,” and “worship of the written word” to be a part of “White Supremacy Culture” that should not be taught to black students. Coleman notes:
The National Museum of African American History and Culture even included a graphic in its website (which was later removed) claiming that hard work, self-reliance, and the nuclear family were attributes of “white dominant culture.”
Doesn’t it remind you of that classic Ryan Long sketch with the woke guy and the racist who agree on everything?
You can easily imagine these guys looking at each other and chanting in unison: “perfectionism, hard work, and self-reliance are attributes of white culture!” Wow, you believe that too?! How great is that?!?!
I actually think the portion for paid subscribers is more interesting, as it has my (minor) criticisms of the book, which mostly revolve around Coleman not applying a critical enough lens to some of the arguments of the Ibram X. Kendi crowd. Fortunately, I have some Substack articles of my own that fill that gap.
Plus, the free book giveaway. As of the publication of this post there are still two unclaimed copies.
The book makes a case for colorblindness as a goal of public policy and personal interactions. The idea is not that people should claim not to “see” color or race, but that we should treat it as irrelevant to how we interact with one another.
This is something that will come naturally after you spend some time in an environment occupied by people of all races, particularly one where there is no one dominate group.
During the last 30+ years, I’ve been involved in a LOT of non-profit work with a diverse group of people, both in the organization and in the, um, client pool. Somewhere along the way I lost the need to think about race. Occasionally it resurfaces, but that is mostly due race-coupled culture, or to the other person being unable to get past race.
But it IS amazing being able to live in a world, however small, where race isn’t important. It’s too bad the outside world isn’t there yet.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/17/2024 @ 8:49 amIt is a fine book that I very much enjoyed. It’s interesting to see the negative reactions. Ethnocentric thinking is a thing.
Simon Jester (c8876d) — 4/17/2024 @ 9:13 amIn the end “race” should become like religion; something that affects your life experience and beliefs, but not something that defines you of prevents you from working amiably with people from different backgrounds.
Kevin M (a9545f) — 4/17/2024 @ 9:20 amI read your piece this morning and then listened to Jonah’s podcast of Nancy French not long afterward.
Paul Montagu (383f45) — 4/17/2024 @ 1:20 pmWhen she talked about her experiences with her adopted African daughter at a public pool, it did make me think about the different “lived experiences” that both mother and daughter had. More accurately, the experiences when all family members were white and how they notably differed with the African addition to the family. Maybe such a difference wouldn’t have been so much in my neck of the woods, but it was in the middle of Tennessee.
But I look forward to reading the book. 🙂
When america sowed the wind it should not complain about reaping the whirlwind. History is mostly a meat axe not a scalpel. I remember when Dr. King was called martin lucifer king by christian pastors in the south and cheered when he was killed. Lester maddox and his axe handles and reagan going to philadelphia mississippi when he got the nomination to welcome the ignorant southern white trash democrat racists into the republican party and others to numerous to mention. For every action there is a reaction. “I tremble for my country when I remember god is just.” Thomas Jefferson. Today racists pass laws to prevent as many black people from voting as possible under the guise of preventing illegal aliens from voting. Trump set up a commission to investigate his alleged 3,000,000 illegal aliens voting in california which gave up when they couldn’t find any! The only people they catch voting illegally are republicans. In floriduh citizens passed a law allowing convicted felons to vote after they served their sentence. Rethugs passed a law trying to negate it! What goes around comes around. Why should you expect any thing different. Do not fear in the presence of free men tremble in the presence of slaves when they break their chains.
asset (cb6ed7) — 4/17/2024 @ 2:00 pmKudos on the Substack. It reminded me of Sam Harris’ excellent interview of John McWhorter about McWhorter’s book, Woke Racism: How a New Religion has Betrayed Black America. If you haven’t heard it, I highly recommend giving it a listen. (I’m not sure my link gets you the whole podcast episode, but IIRC even the abbreviated free edition contains lots of good stuff, including their discussion of a by now notorious, gobsmacking quote from Kendi.)
lurker (cd7cd4) — 4/17/2024 @ 4:11 pm@6 Black america knows who its enemies are ;but biden is such a corrupt senile old fool 25% of black men can’t hold their nose and vote for this corporate stooge. Only Israel still loves him.
asset (31f60e) — 4/17/2024 @ 10:22 pm