More Rot on Affirmative Action
George Will's column

This is the old fogey again. I'm still not up to speed on formatting.

Once again the rationale for affirmative action has been mistated, this time by the so-called intellectual of the right:


Identity politics holds that one's essential attributes are genetic, biological, ethnic or chromosomal -- that one's nature and understanding are decisively shaped by race, ethnicity or gender. Categorical representation holds that the interests of a group can be understood, empathized with and represented only by a member of that group.


There does not need to be a biological basis for group differences--experience will do it. For example, who besides white males knows how it feels to grow up with the idea that anything is within one's reach--even the presidency of the United States? Can a white male fully appreciate how it feels to not have that birthright?