Political fair play disregarded
I normally refrain from commenting on Viewpoint pieces written
by students, but I can’t forbear a brief comment on the
misuse of my article (“An
Unfinished Revolution,” Daily Bruin, Viewpoint, Sept. 25)
by Andrew Jones (“Racially-based
politics hinder progress,” Daily Bruin, Viewpoint, Oct.
9). My article, as readers might remember, was an attempt to derive
lessons from the struggle of oppressed against oppressor in this
country during the twentieth century, with special emphasis given
to the African American liberation movement. Jones took one line
from my analysis, dropped out its context, and tried to make it
appear that I was on his (conservative) side ““ that I was for
the side I was explicitly arguing against. This was precisely the
strategy adopted by the opponents of affirmative action in
California, who misused the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to
make it appear he would have supported policies he gave his life to
overthrow. Dr. King isn’t here to object to the misuse of his
views, but I am here to object to the misuse of mine. Perhaps Mr.
Jones misunderstood my article, but it seems more likely that he
knew just what he was doing. If so, then he has demonstrated a
cynical disregard for the rules of political fair play, which
dictate an accurate depiction of one’s opponent’s
position.
Victor Wolfenstein Professor, political
science