Freedom's Fidelity

Friday, November 19, 2004

The Left and Condi

Andrew Sullivan observes:

The Left and Condi: I guess I should say that Condi Rice's race and gender are not the most important things about her career and abilities. But I'm still amazed at how little credit this president gets for promoting a black woman to such a position, and, more importantly, by his obvious respect and admiration for her. His management style is clearly post-racial, and his comfort with female peers is impressive. You know, Bill Clinton was celebrated for his progressiveness, and ease with African-Americans. But it's inconceivable that he would have given so much power and authority to a black female peer. Why does Bush get no respect on this score? I guess it reveals that much of the left's diversity mania is about the upholding of a certain political ideology, rather than ethnic or gender variety itself. Depressing.

Sadly Sullivan is right, how else to explain why much of the black community seems to hold Al Sharpton in higher regard than Thomas Sowell. I am also reminded of last year when Bush made a surprise visit to troops in Baghdad last Thanksgiving. He told reporters that they slipped away, under the cover of baseball caps and just looked like a "normal couple." But according to the left's stereotypes, no Republican (and certainly not one hailing from the south) would consider a white man and a black woman a "normal couple". Perhaps I am being too speculative here but I don't think so. Just take a look at some of these political cartoons that have come out over the last few days. Though I don't believe each one on the list is overtly racist, some of them certainly are. Condi is portrayed with buck teeth in some, Bush calling her "brown sugar" in another. It's hard for me to believe that if these cartoons were lampooning a left leaning black woman that they wouldn't have caused a firestorm of outrage. Follow the link and decide for yourself.

posted by Paul  permalink | |