Interview with Walter Benn Michaels, author of The Trouble With Diversity

[Andrea]

The interview is here:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/123085/page/1

Walter Benn Michaels discusses some ways race and class have effected this year's elections. It's a short interview, but interesting.

[Catchawave]

1. Good article, I was one who agreed with Ferraro's comment....

which was dredged out of obscurity by the Obama campaign which is feeding the racism frenzy.

I'd have more respect for the Obama campaign if they rose above the fray, but they're not. I think he should start talking about the issues, but this way he can avoid them.

[LiveLiberally]

2. I agree with several points in this interview...

a) that affirmative action is a topic that is being swept under the rug. (For the record, I support it so I think the current neglect of the issue by Democrats is a mistake)

b) that the most serious division in this country is between the rich and the poor and that that is being ignored (except by true progressives such as Edwards)

c) that both Clinton and Obama benefit, respectively, from their gender and race in this election

d) that to the extent Ferraro was simply pointing that out, criticisms against her are unwarranted. But I also agree with Michaels that these criticisms don't represent reverse discrimination (as she has claimed.)

What upset me about Ferraro's comments (and would equally upset me if the same statements were made about Hillary) is the implication that Obama's success was simply due to his race. To imply that either are "tokens" is just plain absurd -- and demeaning. I am personally willing to give Ferraro the benefit of the doubt as to whether she meant to imply this, but I think this is the root of the outrage (except from the scandal-obsessed media & zealots who are just looking for excuses to scream racism or sexism to gain partisan points.)