Letters to the Editor

Reparations: Obsession with race and white guilt are counterproductive

Contrary to what Ms. Donnelly and others seem to believe, many of those like myself who oppose reparations, racial preferences and other "progressive" causes do not do so out of ignorance of the facts. Furthermore, the knee-jerk response of labeling such individuals racist—as Ms. Donnelly and others seem eager to do—is counterproductive.

It is singularly ironic that Ms. Donnelly has resorted to stereotyping me as an oblivious white suburbanite when the rest of her letter argues against stereotyping of black Americans. Her claim to understand "race relations in this country" despite having a background similar to mine is also puzzling and self-contradictory.

It is obvious that neither Ms. Donnelly nor I will ever know what it is like to be black in America. However, the idea that this makes us forever ignorant of "race relations" presupposes that race defines a person's identity and mindset—a racist notion of questionable merit at best. Race and skin color are only defining characteristics for those who choose to let them be such.

Despite my upbringing and ethnic background, I do not identify myself as a "white American," a "Polish-American" or a "Ukrainian-American." Instead I choose to define myself by ideas rather than superficial physical characteristics—ideas such as individual rights, free enterprise, reasonable equality of opportunity, and others found in the writings of America's founders. This is why I am simply an American and refuse to specify my race on surveys and forms that ask for it.

I freely admit that Overland Park, Kansas, like Princeton, is somewhat of a bubble. However, I am well aware of the racial disparities that still exist in America—they are extensively documented and referenced in Dinesh D'Souza's excellent book, "The End of Racism," which I had the opportunity to read last summer. While acknowledging that there is still room for improvement, I choose not to let guilt over the crimes of slavery and segregation define my attitude toward black Americans.

Contrary to what reparations advocates would have us believe, racial disparities in America cannot be remedied though government programs. This much is evident after decades of such programs have failed to achieve improvements and indeed have exacerbated certain problems. I do not have the space here to discuss this issue more fully, but in a nutshell, the answers lie in the ideas of Booker T. Washington, not those of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Randall Robinson.

Those like Ms. Donnelly who insist on viewing black Americans as mere victims do them a disservice — and America as well. As Larry Elder noted in his recent book "The Ten Things You Can't Say in America," white guilt and condescension are just as destructive as racism in all its vile manifestations. As for Elder's race, I won't mention it here because it shouldn't matter. Eric Harkleroad '03