Asian-Americans and other Americans are thriving on the science and math that’s currently offered.. that leads me to believe that the content is there, the kids just have to be encouraged to appreciate it.

OK…

You’re right about the word values and family values. It assumes a white-bread 1950’s style view of the Leave it to Beaver family, which is why the term “family values” is really not as popular of a term any more. When you see it now it’s used more on a local level than it is on a national level. But I’ll grant you the word is misused to mean a specific form of values instead of a general term for those things that people…value.

So you had me…and then you called Clarence Thomas and Condoleeza Rice tokens…I must say I was taken aback (because you seem more intelligent than that). Do you really think that they are both tokens? What about Gonzales? Chao? Are they just tokens as well, simply because they are minority?

That is the most racist thing I ever heard.

When you’re talking about stocks, I believe diversification is the proper term, but hey…we knew what you meant.

http://mervinesque.blogdrive.com/archive/9.html

As far as intellect goes, I am entitled to my opinion. I rather dislike the Right-wing tendency of persons like yourself of labeling all those that do not share your views of race as “racist”. Blacks like Rice, Thomas (and Powell for that matter) benefited from many of the things that conservatives oppose — Affirmative Action and diversity initiatives — yet put their vote and support behind the party that diametrically opposes such things. Powell is an exception, but he values loyalty over substance (as race relations go). The same way you conservatives like to stigmatize the Clinton administration as race baiters (and have the right to do so), I as a BLACK MAN have the right to criticize Jesse Jackson (whom I also criticize from time to time), Condoleezza Rice and Clarence Thomas. I’ve spoken…

Look Mirror, I don’t care if you’re black or not, the fact that you don’t believe that Condaleeza Rice or Thomas are worthy of their positions simply because they are a minority and they don’t agree with you is disturbing.

You see, since you are a black man, you feel that you have more of a right to criticize Rice and Thomas than I do to support them. That makes no sense. It would be like me saying to you…”Hey Clinton was wrong for America…and I know because I’m a white guy and you’re not.” {It’s also no different than saying a civilian can’t make comments on military matters, because “He doesn’t know because he’s never been there man!”}

The reason I called your comment (not YOU, but your comment) racist is not because you are black or white, but because it shows an absolute obsession with race instead of color blindness. I think part of racism is assuming that everyone around you is racist, including EVERY PERSON associated with helping Thomas and Rice along the way to the positions they are currently in. Can you imagine all those racists carefully orchestrating their careers so they can be used as Uncle Toms in the Bush administration?

I read your post on Thomas, Brown, Powell, Rice, etc…and I only have one thing to say:

YOU’RE MISSING THE POINT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!!!!!!

You seem to believe that if someone is against Affirmative Action they are against civil rights and furthermore against black people. The truth is if you have EVER had a conversation with an intelligent conservative, then you find out that they believe that Affirmative Action is a BARRIER to the progress of “Civil Rights”.

Do you TRULY believe that Bush is sitting around going…”HA HA HA…this is so cool! We found a black guy who doesn’t believe in Affirmative Action…it’s a gold mine! What succers!”

You are matter-of-factly claiming that a vote against Affirmative Action is a vote against black people. That’s an exceedingly simplistic view to an issue that is way more complex than “for black people” and “against black people”.

If you had a conversation with Rice, Thomas, Brown, etc…I am almost positive (I mean I don’t know, but I’m guessing) that they sincerely believe and would provide great arguments to why they believe, that Affirmative Action is actually bad for the African American community. Furthermore they would disagree that affirmative action got them where they are, and instead would claim (I believe correctly) that it was their merit that got them there.

Anyway, I know that race is always an important issue, but if you make it THE issue subservient to all possilbe logic and reason, then regardless of your own race, the comments come across as racist.

Make it a great day.

First, your contention that I took a tone with you is — AMUSING; I didn’t. I was just stating my opinion. My apologies if you took it that way. Next, I have NEVER assumed that everyone around me is racist (?). And “color-blindness” is a flawed concept; when you tell a person-of-color “When I look at you, I don’t see your color — I just see a person”, it is like saying that there’s something WRONG with that person’s color, so I’ll just pretend he/she ISN’T that color. THAT’S racist. Blacks and whites are different and that isn’t necessarily a BAD thing; our differences are what make America unique, not some perverse ideal that we should all strive to be (culturally) the same. What is American culture but a blending of various cultures. We do, however, largely aspire to the same things, those being success and contentment.

You seem to have missed everything I said in that post. I never said that Rice and Powell were undeserving of their positions because of their race (?). That assertion, in and of itself, proves another point I’ve frequently made about conservatives and race relations; they don’t want to support civil rights in the traditional sense — they want to tweak them! [e.g. Affirmative Access vs. Affirmative Action] You totally twisted my points in that statement. And Janice Rogers Brown’s stances in various Civil Rights cases more than confirm what I’m getting at! Also, the fact that you laud books like Dinesh D’Souza’s “The End of Racism” showcases the large disconnect that Republicans and/or Conservatives HAVE with African-Americans. [I've read that book, incidentially; Slavery is not (inherently) a racist institution, but it was as it was practiced in the United States!]

And Mike Gahagan’s contention that LIBERALS have succeeded in dividing people along race, sex, sexual orientation etc., is somewhat off-base. Remember, it was conservatives (hastened by Karl Rove) that went into the African-American community (a FIRST) and tried to draw black votes by playing on the religious homophobia RAMPANT in our community (i.e. opposition to Same-Sex marriage), hence dividing black and gay Americans. More, George W. Bush’s speech at Bob Jones University in 2000, which then had an enforced ban on interracial dating — has only compounded this. Many people-of-color — myself included — have seen Ronald Reagan’s infamous coining of the phrase “welfare queen” as QUITE divisive (when you read between the lines). Reagan also supported apartheid and once labeled Nelson Mandela as a communist; this suggested a subtle support for institutionalized racism in (at least) other places in the world — in the form of APARTHEID. Then there’s Trent Lott’s (not to mention Haley Barbour’s) support for the CCC [Council of Conservative Citizens] — an organization that has disdained Dr. King, Abraham Lincoln AND Abraham Lincoln.

I am, by no means, suggesting that racism is only specific to the Republican Party. Indeed, Senator Robert Byrd is a former Klansman; and then there’s Zell Miller, who is only a Democrat in NAME — he’s really a Dixiecrat! More, Democrats seldom defend Civil Rights anymore because they also (hopelessly) seek to draw support from politically moderate to conservative [white] Southerners; I live in Texas and this has been true for a LONG time. And I OFTENT differ with Jesse Jackson on his motives and methods! [An understatement].

You seem like an intelligent blogger, Logipundit, but I suspect you had more ulterior motives when you came onto my blog the other week and dismissed my comments on the Katrina response as “unintelligent”. Make no mistake — I enjoy debate and divergent views, but I dislike being baited. Again, I apologize if you interpretted my previous comments as having a tone; that was not my intention. However, you will not have to be bothered with me “tonally” tainting your blog again. Nice blog, by the way.

The Fates Bless and Keep You,

Mervin, aka Mirror Ball.

1.) [I]t was conservatives (hastened by Karl Rove) that went into the African-American community (a FIRST) and tried to draw black votes by playing on the religious homophobia RAMPANT in our community (i.e. opposition to Same-Sex marriage), hence dividing black and gay Americans.

2.) More, George W. Bush’s speech at Bob Jones University in 2000, which then had an enforced ban on interracial dating….

3.) Ronald Reagan’s infamous coining of the phrase “welfare queen”….

4.) Reagan also supported apartheid and once labeled Nelson Mandela as a communist….

5.) …this suggested a subtle support for institutionalized racism in (at least) other places in the world — in the form of APARTHEID.

6.) CCC [Council of Conservative Citizens] — an organization that has disdained Dr. King, Abraham Lincoln AND Abraham Lincoln.

If you’re going to make claims, you have to give others the opportunity to check them out. I look forward to researching your accusations. Hopefully, we’ll find that you’re a person who thinks for himself and not just some liberal parrot.

Dude we’re talking past each other…sorry…I”ll come up with a new post and respond to your comments, because I think some of them are quite valid.