This from NBC News correspondent Keith Miller talking to Tom Brokaw last night.
“MILLER: Today’s violence continues a battle between two men that goes back more than 30 years: Arafat, the freedom fighter, intent on winning a homeland for Palestinians; and Sharon, the tank commander, defending the state of Israel. Today, both men are in their seventies, losing patience and running out of time.”
Freedom fighter versus tank commander? Who’d you pick?
RACIAL POLITICS AT THE NEW YORK TIMES: Yes, I’m biased because the New York Times today was referring to my former teacher, Harvey C. Mansfield, a lone voice decrying grade inflation. But was it really necessary for the Times to report the following in this way:
“[Mansfield] has also injected a racial component into the discussion by contending that white professors tend to avoid giving bad grades to black students, perhaps because they worry that such students might then be inclined to flee Harvard.
“There’s a feeling that you shouldn’t pass judgment in a way that might hurt someone’s self-esteem,” said Mr. Mansfield, who is white.”
Notice the subtle pejorative here. Mansfield didn’t raise a touchy subject worth exploring. He “injected a racial component” into the debate. And his motives are suspect because “he is white.” This from a paper which will go out of its way in all sorts of cases to avoid citing the race of someone who is black, for fear of stirring racial stereotypes. Simply put, it is irrelevant what race Mansfield is. Either his point has merit, or it does not. In this case, I’m not sure I completely agree with Harvey. But that doesn’t mean his point should be summarily dismissed. This man has been right about this issue before the New York Times even reported it. They need to give him some r-e-s-p-e-c-t.
The Dish 