In response to Reihan’s response to my post responding to David, just a few brief points.
First, I did not “dissent” from David’s post. It was a response to his question of how conservatives might contribute to a constructive conversation on race.
Second, Reihan’s post is about how maybe discrimination — past and present — explains more of the racial disparities we have than I think. Note that I was explicit in saying that I do not deny that such discrimination exists and to some extent still exists, and was also explicit in saying it should be opposed. But I do think its role in the persistence of racial disparities pales compared to the role of family structure. I also noted that disparities in behavior today can be a cause as well as an effect vis-a-vis discrimination. And, as a practical matter, family structure is much more directly and immediately addressable by African Americans. So our “racial” conversation can be brief: Discrimination (by whites or anyone else) is bad, and so is having children out-wedlock (by blacks or anyone else).
Third, much of what Reihan discusses about social mobility would be true even if race is taken out of the equation. As I said, the one point on which I do have an implicit disagreement with David is on whether it’s helpful for much of this discussion to take place through a racial lens. (By the way, much segregation these days, especially on campus, is self-segregation among African Americans.)
What’s the point of arguing precisely how much of group X’s current status is traceable to this or that historical wrong Y, if we’re all agreed that Y was indeed wrong, and Y is now illegal as well as socially unacceptable? Again, as a practical matter, conversations on race generally are not aimed at reconciliation and don’t result in it. The aim is to make white people feel guilty and to advance divisive and unfair programs that count by race. I know that’s not what Reihan is advocating, but that’s why I’d prefer the focus to be more forward-looking than backward-looking, aimed at programs that help anyone who can benefit from them regardless of color, and rejecting both politically correct and incorrect discrimination.