I think that in our history some Americans have been kept out of positions of power and wealth and influence by discrimination, and that that tends to be a self-perpetuating thing. Restricting the best jobs, the best schools, the best incomes, the best opportunities to a single group tends to set that group up to continue to prosper disproportionately. Historic discrimination doesn’t undo itself, it has to be overtly interrupted, by affirmatively helping some people from previously excluded groups into positions where they have the opportunity to succeed—so we as a country don’t end up sealing in place forever a white supremecist society created by and defined by segregation and Jim Crow and slavery. Current discrimination needs to be stopped now, and the ongoing effects of massive structural past discrimination have to be overtly overturned as well. That’s my position.

Rachel Maddow (via Brooklyn Mutt—video at link)

An eloquent presentation of the liberal perspective on racism and affirmative action. However, as nice as it sounds, it’s still wrong.

The most honorable, respectful, and fair way to all to correct and atone for our nation’s historic racial sins is to treat everyone fairly without regard to color. Anything else is discriminatory and offensive to any self-respecting person. (Too often this thinking coincides with identity politics: it’s offensive to assume that a black man voted for Obama, or that a Christian is a Republican, solely based on those characteristics.)

I understand the desire to “correct injustice.” But any corrective action that simply reverses discrimination rather than treats all equally is unfair to somebody. Maddow can use as much flowery rhetoric as she wants, but “overtly interrupting” discrimination in a fair way can only mean color-blindedness.