On Race Relations

an old saying that there's none so blind as those who will not see.

I was thinking about that recently when a national debate was kicked off by Bill Clinton [this is an old piece but still timely]on what government can do to improve race relations.

Immediately, politicians of every stripe jumped in. However, all through the rhetoric I couldn’t understand what was fueling the discourse given that where racial harmony is concerned, government is the problem, not the solution.

You see, government involvement in race relations is a zero-sum game. The simple reason being that government cannot create anything. It can only transfer things that already exist. From one constituent to another. From one group to another.

Which it does by robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak. And so when it gives preference to Paul because of his race, it can only do so by robbing Peter because of his race.

Now if you believe that Peter is going to be overjoyed by having something that belongs to him ripped away at the point of a gun and handed over to another, I’ve got a bridge to sell you. Very cheap.

No. Peter is going to be resentful. Of government. And of Paul.

OK, does that mean that harmonious race relations in America are an impossibility? No. But they can only happen if government stays out of it. Which means no preferences on the books for anyone because of race. None. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Oh, by the way, it’s not our elected officials who will not see. They’ve got 20/20 vision when it comes to politics. Which means that they’ll do whatever it takes to get elected. Or to stay in office once they are elected.

So the buck doesn’t stop with them. The buck stops with the voters. And so it’s the voters who are blind. Not the politicians.

Think about it.