David Bernstein has an interesting post on Volokh today about Ira Katznelson’s argument that discrimination against blacks during the New Deal and Truman administration amounted to “affirmative action for whites,” and he generously links to my previous discussion of that issue, based on Jonathan Yardley’s critical review of Katznelson in the Washington Post.
Here’s an additional thought, provoked by my re-reading Yardley’s review. Katznelson, as Yardley points out, makes the mistake of assuming that discrimination against blacks amounted to “affirmative action” for whites. “Affirmative action,” in short, in this view is simply the other side of the coin of discrimination.
But, since coins have two sides, does it not follow that to give “affirmative action” to one group is, inexorably, to discriminate against any group or groups not receiving it?
Racism by Another Name
The answer has to be yes. If you think otherwise, then do elaborate.
Racism by Another Name
The answer has to be yes. If you think otherwise, then do elaborate.