Thomas Sowell provides a valuable introduction to economics to Andrew Young, civil rights leaders, and others who complain about the “exploitation” of poor neighborhoods by Jewish, Arab, and Korean shop owners.
Timothy Noah’s piece in SLATE, linked above, is interesting on two counts. First, it completely agrees with the economics lesson taught by Sowell. (My impression is that SLATE articles — except, perhaps, an occasional piece by Mickey Kaus — don’t usually agree with Sowell’s arguments.)
Second, Noah criticizes the
predictable failure of the various groups representing Jews, Arabs, and Koreans to band together for a joint protest condemning Young’s offense against all three. (An attack against one ethnic group is not, sadly, seen as an attack against all.)
When was the last time any article in SLATE — except, again, an occasional piece by Mickey Kaus — recognized that racial discrimination in favor of some groups was racial discrimination against all, or at least all other, groups?
Let’s face it, the days of the Jewish retailer serving an urban ethnic clientele from a small store are long over. The usual Jewish advocacy groups are not going to criticize a civil rights “icon” over some remarks about an essentially extinct group of Jewish grocers. In addition, I am guessing that the Arab grocers were mostly Lebanese and Christian, so they don’t excite the Arab/Muslim advocacy groups as much as other current events. That leaves the Koreans, who a) don’t have a high-profile ethnic spokesman, b) still are in the grocery business in these neighborhoods, and c) are probably working too hard to care what some ossified Wal-Mart shill has to say.
it’s going to be interesting to see how liberals receive young’s remarks. insults against jews and koreans have always been okay with liberals and with blacks. but our attitude towards arabs has been they are our brothers, despite present day slavery in africa and an overall disregard for human rights in the culture. now young is saying arabs are exploiting us!
young is wrong of course. if the shopkeepers were black would they charge less than the other groups? no. even if they wanted to, they could not. location of the shop is bad, it’s risky, you can only keep a small inventory – all that raises prices.