bustardblog

A Token of the Conservatives

As we all know, discussing identity politics is just another of the innumerable liberal failings. The left is always playing the gay card, or the race card, or the whatever card, while  the right is above such issues.  They believe that race should not be a consideration in any decision, which is why affirmative action is so evil. Bloggers like Michelle Malkin and Powerline are firm in their assertion that race is not a factor to them.  Positive comments from both adorn the site of the conservative, African-American female blogger, LaShawn Barber.
After Bush finally spoke at the NAACP conference, I was curious to check out Ms Barber's site.  One thing she had to say was to describe that organization as just a social club of Limousine Liberal Negros. This week she also condemned the concept of reparations, because "blacks already receive reparation with every lowered standard, every welfare check.." Now you see why wing-nuts love her.
In her own comments on Bush's speech, Malkin linked to Barber. Both she and Powerline link to her quite often.
They link to her quite often when she writes about - identity politics. I looked at the last 50 links from Michelle. I divided links into two categories - one I called major, in which the link includes and extensive quote, or a real description. I called links where Barber is just a mention as minor links (the link lists, or the ones that say "More from LaShawnBarber", for example). Eight major links* were to posts where the subject was identity politics; and there was only one major link to a post about a different topic. Twenty minor links went to identity fifteen went to other subjects. Powerline did not link so often, but there is the same pattern. Six major links were to a post about identity politics, one went to a post concerned with another matter.
Malkin and her friends at Powerline agree on many things - one of which is that an African-American woman is really an expert only on being an African-American Woman. The right has decided to embrace her because of her race. Her race enables them to agree with her condemnation of other victims of discrimination without appearing racist or insensitive. The poor woman benefits from a twisted form of  affirmative action, even as she denounces it. 

N.B. Similarity to Justice Clarence ("victim of a high tech lynching") Thomas.

* some examples of such links are here and here

I also analyzed many links from Instapundit to Ms Barber, and I have to say that no such pattern emerged. He linked to her posts on a wide array of topics. Two Points for Mr. Reynolds.

I hope Glenn Reynolds does not get shot, really I do.

There are some on the far right who like to make vague threats of physical violence, even death, as appropriate responses to those on the left excersising free speech. It's a despicable practice in direct opposition to what our Constitution has stood for.

That blogging law professor, Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, enjoys doing this. As the more rational one, I neither predict, nor call for, his death, but I am surprised that he is allowed to teach law.

In his recent post on Haditha, he quotes a fellow:

"The real danger is that we who support the war will reach the point that we say "we might as well be taken as wolves then as sheep". At that point the left can celebrate that they have made our military and those who support it the people they claim we are. Once that happens however any compunction about respecting them will be gone, and remember one side is armed and one is not.

That is a fate that I don't wish on any of us."

Reynolds also expresses his own hope that this does not happen.

What they are saying here is quite clear: Those who criticize what happened at Haditha should be aware that people in the military and their supporters, who feel unfairly accused, might just decide to act in ways which render their possession of more literal firepower the deciding factor in any outcome.

They close with an utterly false statement that they hope nothing bad happens to us. The translation is: "I sure hope that you don't get hurt - even though it's your own fault if you do, and you deserve it, and the people hurting you are right to do so."

Short version of Reynolds post: Don't criticize us, or you'll force us to use our arms against you.

And he teaches Law?