The hard copy of the Chronicle just showed up, and I found the article Roger commented on earlier this week, Prof. Peniel Joseph’s argument that the growing opposition to Obama must be rooted in racism.
I just sent this letter to the editor:
Utter nonsense. If, let us say, Hillary Clinton had been elected and pursued the same policies of wild aggrandizement of state power that Obama has, the outpouring of opposition would have been exactly the same, although I suppose that there would be similar articles written claiming that the opposition was tinged with sexism.
Or, to look at the matter another way, suppose that Obama’s views were not those of an authoritarian social planner but instead were similar to those of freedom-minded (and black) economist Thomas Sowell, there would be no tea parties and his approval ratings would probably be rising.
Of course, if a black president undertook to downsize the size and power of the government, the left would be furious. Would that anger be blamed on racism?
George C. LeefDirector of Research
John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy
Raleigh, NC