tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post5300244006746143879..comments2024-03-28T18:32:05.933-04:00Comments on bensozia: Intersectionality at MiddleburyJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01037215533094998996noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-77130473082699856702017-03-13T16:14:19.889-04:002017-03-13T16:14:19.889-04:00Charles Murray wrote racist book? Which one? Obvio...Charles Murray wrote racist book? Which one? Obviously not Bell Curve, as there was nothing in there which was not supported by a lot of scientific articles, and even in the most controversial chapter about the IQ, he stated explicitl that he does not know what are the reasons for the existing gap in IQ test gap between whites and blacks in America. Is it racist to point to the facts?szopenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02234132446740838968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-60442263076222145262017-03-11T21:17:25.664-05:002017-03-11T21:17:25.664-05:00Bravo (-a?) once again, G. Verloren!Bravo (-a?) once again, G. Verloren!pootrsoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05975929246429466067noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8304928500646903522.post-54303695799312763302017-03-11T13:30:06.801-05:002017-03-11T13:30:06.801-05:00Charles Murray is a racist, or at least once wrote...<i>Charles Murray is a racist, or at least once wrote a racist book. But he has moved on to other issues and these days writes mostly about the collapse of the white working class into drugs and disability.</i><br /><br />What makes the collapse of the white working class into drugs and disability any different than the countless prior collapses of other peoples and categories into drugs and disability?<br /><br />The problem is the same as it has ever been.<br /><br />Staggeringly poor people with few prospects for the future, uneducated, unemployed, trying to keep alive dying languages and cultures, trying to keep the young people from fleeing to the cities, alcoholism rampant, depression and hopelessness everywhere, the cruel march of time eroding the last vestiges of their people.<br /><br />It's the same everywhere when a culture goes by the wayside and begins to decline. So what makes American blue collar culture so special? More specifically, what makes this most recent, modern instance of American blue collar culture so special?<br /><br />Why are steel mill workers so worthy of being written about, compared to other obsolete American working groups like fur trappers, ice cutters, potash burners, teamsters, farriers, wheelwrights, metalsmiths, manservants, ragpickers, steamboat pilots, prospectors, telegraphists, lamp lighters and trimmers, pinsetters, bobbin boys, and countless others?<br /><br />No, Murray is still a racist, and is still writing racist books - he's just shifted the focus a bit. Does he deserve to be driven off by means of violence? No, morally speaking, of course not. Should the college have allowed him to speak in the first place? No, absolutely not.<br /><br />Is Andrew Sullivan correct in comparing the actions of the students to religion? No, I don't remotely believe so. There's nothing new or interesting here - just agitated and provoked young people unwisely giving in to their anger and frustrations and engaging in classic angry mob behavior.<br /><br />The youth of today are overwhelmingly sick and tired of intolerance - most of them have grown up firmly multicultural, and are aghast at all the older generations continuing to behave monstrously towards people they view as their allies, friends, and even loved ones. Middlebury is hugely out of touch if they didn't predict and expect this sort of extreme backlash from a figure like Murray being allowed to speak. It would be akin to inviting an active service military officer to speak in favor of the Vietnam War during the height of student protests against the conflict - an idiotic move that almost certainly would end badly.G. Verlorennoreply@blogger.com