Racial Politics

Editor,

I was perplexed by the article "Racial Politics of Speaking Well". Something about the tone struck me as false - I wasn't sure why but I thought it had to with the decision of who to quote for the various agreeable noises that the author managed to solicit.

Then when I read this line (directed at white folks), the largely unspoken function of class privilege in the piece became embarassingly obvious.

"With the ballooning size of the black middle and upper class, qualities in blacks like intelligence, eloquence — the mere ability to string sentences together with tenses intact — must at some point become as unremarkable to whites as they are to blacks."

Rather than respond to the general white supremacist disrespect implied by the use of the word "articulate" as applied toward black folks, Ms. Clemestson (at least as here edited) claimed a special exemption for herself and her balloonist pals. Could whoever handles this email remind her that, "Such a subtext is inherently offensive..."?

I am lucky to teach some working class and poor black folks at a Manhattan public school, and I can tell Ms. Clemetson that they're intelligent, articulate, and eloquent too. Heck, they'd even be quotable if journalists could get their high class noses out of the "Who's Who" guide. Middleclassness is not necessary for intelligence.

I have to confess that my emotional reaction to this elitism costumed as weary-equality-seeking is somewhat less refined than "amused dismay". We all have our disloyal moments, but please not while riding a moral high horse in front of millions of readers.

Thanks,
A

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/weekinreview/04clemetson.html?ei=5087%0A&em=&en=034bbf0941024716&ex=1170824400&pagewanted=print