Alex Massie Alex Massie

Of Race and Men

Jonah Goldberg at National Review Online:

I was in the car listening on XM when Obama was officially nominated. But I didn’t want to let it pass without saying that it is a wonderful thing that a black man can gain the nomination of a major American political party. The Democratic Party, which didn’t admit black delegates to one of its conventions until 1936 (the GOP did nearly a half-century earlier) has done a great and historic thing. It’s another example of America’s greatness many fail to appreciate: We are better at racial and ethnic reconciliation and assimilation than pretty much all of these countries that are supposed to be more enlightened than we are. I sincerely doubt the French, British, Germans et al. will be considering a candidate of African descent like this for quite a while.

Well, first off, it’s interesting that a conservative such as Goldberg can’t even dwell on a splendid example of American success without feeling the need to sneer at other countries. Then again, proclamations of virtue, especially unique virtue ain’t much more than a pissing contest.

Secondly, I’m not sure, given the party’s recent history, it’s altogether wise for a Republican to include a crack at the Democrats expense here either. I happen to think it would be better for all concerned if the African-American vote were more evenly divided between the parties but it’s worth recalling that black voters must feel there are good reasons buttressing their disinclination to vote for the GOP. Some of those may be misguided, even counter-productive to, however broadly you want to define it, black interests. Boasting that your mob admitted black delegates a full “half-century” earlier than the other mob did isn’t worth very much if you can only win, at best, 15% of the black vote today.

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