Posted by
Bill Crawford on Friday, February 20, 2009 12:19:33 PM
I had a whole fistful of concerns about Mr. Holder, walking into the nomination for this job. His recommendation for the pardon of Marc Rich in 2001, for starters. That one smelled like fresh cut carnations compared with the concurrent pardon of F.A.L.N. terrorists- which so conveniently helped out in gathering money and votes for Hillary's first run for Senate.
This week, in one outburst, he adds two more gems. he states that Justice Department employees "have a special responsibility to advance racial understanding". Really? I thought they were there to enforce the law. Now they are social workers! How nice.
But the kewpie doll winner was the notion that we come home from work on Saturday and Sunday and retreat into our comfort zones on racial issues. He says we are a "nation of cowards" on race.
This wouldn't be the first time this notion has been raised to my face. I usually react by simply walking away, because when this line of reasoning is raised by any race, it is usually directed first and foremost at a member of the majority.
Occasionally, though, the speaker summons up a combination of arrogance and/or obnoxiousness that warrants me hanging around long enough to flip him the bird. Not one of those casual ones, mind you, but lingering and close enough for him to tell that you don't go out for manicures often.
Is that a constructive way to continue a conversation? My answer to that is, what conversation? If you follow his premises, he is not opening a dialogue. He is presenting a lecture, and he has already determined the truth for all of us. Whatever racial conversation he wants us to use Black History Month to inspire, it is only on the terms HE is setting in advance.
If this is the way he runs the Justice Department, Lord help us all.