Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Color and Character

Deacon at Powerline reminds us why Hillary Clinton should not be President.

MLK: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

HRC: "...if we don't take race as part of our character, then we are kidding ourselves."

Because I can't say it any better, I'll just paste Deacon's searing comment.

Hillary Clinton is on record that race is part of one's character. And those who refuse to adopt this racist view are kidding themselves. So now, according to Ms. Clinton, it must be proper to judge people on the basis of skin color, since it is part of the content of their character. What specific judgments about character are we expected to reach on the basis of race? In the context of the debate over race-based admissions policies, it seems that we are expected to conclude that African-Americans can't compete with whites. This is a conclusion I decline to reach. Am I just kidding myself?

And was Dr. King? The power of his speech (which I was fortunate enough to have been present for) lies precisely in the distinction he drew between skin color and character. Ms. Clinton not only conflates the two, but claims that those who decline to join her in this "don't understand Dr. King's dream and legacy." Would last Monday have been a holiday if King had proclaimed as his vision that his children would be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, but that skin color would factor into the evaluation of their character? Ms. Clinton would convert what is probably the most powerful, coherent speech in American history into gibberish.

I think I understand Dr. King's dream. His legacy, unfortunately, is up for grabs.


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