Monday, March 16, 2009
Conservative Gripe of the Day: Blacks' sense of grievance
American minorities of color — especially blacks — are often born into grievance-focused identities. The idea of grievance will seem to define them in some eternal way, and it will link them atavistically to a community of loved ones. To separate from grievance — to say simply that one is no longer racially aggrieved — will surely feel like an act of betrayal that threatens to cut one off from community, family and history. So, paradoxically, a certain chauvinism develops around one's sense of grievance. Today the feeling of being aggrieved by American bigotry is far more a matter of identity than of actual aggrievement.
As they used to say in the South (and probably still do)—"If you could be black for one Saturday night, you'd never want to be white again." Or, reminiscing on the happy days of slavery, "What a carefree life!"
Ah, if the darkies (or as Mr. Steele refers to them, "the formerly oppressed minorities") only knew how good they have it!
Mr. Steele, having been swept up into the arms of the conservative establishment, can perhaps say quite honestly that he is no longer "racially aggrieved." The conservatives are paying a premium today for spokesmen such as Mr. Steele.
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