The problem with James O’Donnell’s perspective on racism is that he seems to believe that anyone who deviates from the doctrine of eternal caucasian guilt is stupid or deluded.

Though he may parody rightist frothings about “PC police,” O’Donnell demonstrates the doctrinaire self-righteousness that led liberals to originally coin the term “politically correct.”

“Like you, I am a racist,” he states. Speak for yourself, pal.

I probably shouldn’t be offended, since he defines the term “racist” so broadly it is almost meaningless, citing an Arizona MS&T study in which it was demonstrated that human adrenaline levels rise when dealing with people of other races.

This is interesting, but hardly astounding. If evolution has hard-wired xenophobia and the pack mentality into our brains, we’ll just have to practice curbing those traits. That doesn’t equal racism in theory or in practice.

Racism is just that, an “ism,” a set of ideas about race, generally centered on purity and superiority.

If I pass four loud, athletic, casually dressed young black men, and feel my pulse quicken, that doesn’t mean I’m racist, just aware, and aware that they may see ME as a deserving target of violence.

Race is not the most important variable here; loud young men are scarier than quiet old guys, regardless of race.

“Recognizing” rather than institutionalizing racism is O’Donnell’s argument for affirmative action.

It’s not a bad argument, but O’Donnell dismisses questions which deserve answers. Why is a meritocracy-by-the-numbers wrong?

How long should any program to correct racist hiring policies last?

How much should standards differ? What’s the end goal?

Quantify, quantify, quantify!

It’s a good thing I’m not a pack-thinker, or I’d be ashamed to have such a poor column written by a fellow white.

Fortunately, I’m free of such conditions, and can say that what all whites should quickly learn is the skill of not feeling guilty for the crimes of people they resemble.

A complete lack of white guilt is essential for race relations to improve.

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Roger J. M. Hughes

Junior

English