Colbert King, Deputy Editor of the Washington Post editorial page last heard from here (and here) lamenting (incorrectly, as it happens) that the Kerry campaign is colorblind, implies here that for young black men it is still 1931, and they are still in Scottsboro. (Thanks to Fred Ray)
[Cross-Posted on Oh That Liberal Media]
CORRECTION
As quickly pointed out by Gary of DCWatch, the column I criticize here was actually written by Courtland Milloy, Metro Columnist for the Washington Post, not Colbert King, the Deputy Editor of the Editorial Page. I think I must have had King on the brain from my recent post about him, but this was a serious mistake and I apologize to my readers and to King, if he should see this.
That was a pretty damn incoherent King column. He seems to be confused about who he wants to blame, and for what.
He sort of recognizes that the kids misbehaved (even if they didn’t rape anybody), but at the same time implies that their real mistake was not realizing that this was a racial situation. (Of course, he presents no evidence that this was a racial situation, but who’s counting?)
Colbert King and Courtland Milloy both work for the Washington Post, but they’re very different people. This post confuses them, and credits King with a column actually written by Milloy.
Good point. I was too distracted by the illogic of the column to note the byline; I just assumed John had gotten it right. So keep all my comments, except replace King with Milloy.
A truly surreal column.
Mama, make sure your sons don’t behave like rapists cause if they do they’ll be unfairly charged with rape and be subject to Scottsboro Justice.
“After all, how often does the rape of a white woman by a white man make banner headlines? Or, the rape of a black woman by anybody?”
Sadly, no rape gets banner headlines around here. There has been some upset because an 11-yr-old girl, probably black, was walking home from school one day last week and was dragged into the bushes and raped. No banner headlines, though.
I agree that the article is incoherent. Does Milloy believe that rape should be a crime, punishable by law? Is it a bad thing, even when a black man commits it? Suppose Kobe Bryant did rape that girl; should he be punished for it? Can’t tell.
Update: they are now charging the girl with making a false complaint. I guess it’s contagious.
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