From a reader:

Jonah,
I don’t want to start a fight –or maybe I do– especially in any shape of a defense of Krugman (whom I do not care for), but didn’t you have an article or a corner discussion a while back about how countries that do not have many other races as residents or citizens are much more open to big social programs, ie Sweden and Japan which don’t have many non-swedes or japanese, respectively, can get behind welfare and other social programs since they help swedes and japanese, but when you have large immigrant populations or otherwise large minority populations, those programs are not so well looked upon- because the benefit is going to this other group not your own tribe. I recall emailing you that I thought this was a racism, a willingness to help your fellow man so long as your fellow man was a member of your own group (not merely a fellow citizen). Please tell me you and Krugman are not on the same page.

Me: I did write such a column. But I haven’t read Krugman yet and I’m about to do Michael Graham’s radio show (take that, CAIR). I’ll get to it after lunch.