Fred On Everything Takes on Affirmative Action

Fred On Everything Takes on Affirmative Action

Achieving Bovocracy

First, some de-twaddling. The question before the Court is said to be whether race may be a factor in admission. This is not at all the question—and we all know it. The question is whether blacks should enjoy special privilege in admission.

Suppose that a college, using race as a factor, decided to give unqualified whites preference over qualified blacks. The federal government would bring its full punitive force to bear on the malfactorous institution. No matter how one may try to disguise it, no matter the weasel-wording and clouding and evasion, the issue, always, is special privilege for a particular race. . . .

Second, the dispute has nothing to do with racism against blacks. The white population would, if polled, overwhelmingly support a policy of neutrality with respect to color. The bone in contention is special privilege. Nothing else.

Third, the prevalent racism is not intended as a temporary measure. There is never any talk among its advocates of phasing it out. They want it forever. . . .

Still, if I were among [the Supreme Court], I would reflect on affirmative action . . . thusly:

First, its continuance would illuminate the awful truth that the government is not an impartial institution of the people, but the special tool of some people. To put it clearly: My own government discriminates against me on grounds of race, and does so by law. It is a form of corruption worse than nepotism or croneyism. Nepotism, though it occurs, is disapproved. Racism is the legal bedrock of American politics.

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