Harvard’s Bethlehem Dereje  is a Crimson editorial writer and history/literature student who critiqued CNN news anchor Don Lemon’s five-step plan for racial uplift.

However, during this Saturday’s segment, he overstepped a significant boundary—not because, as some might think, he aired out the black community’s dirty laundry to CNN’s audience, comprised mostly of white, middle-class viewers. Rather, Lemon crossed the line because he put forth a simplistic argument, attributing the current woes of black urban youths to the superficial differences in appearance that allegedly distinguish them from their white peers. Even though he is careful to say that his words only apply to a certain group within the black community, the very pronouncement of his five-step plan promotes an unproductive discourse on black pathology and worse, supports perilous untruths underlying justifications of discriminatory behavior, effectively absolving the public of the responsibility to treat people fairly no matter how they look.

And no progressive view on race relations would be complete without a little America bashing:

Change for black people does not begin with blaming black people. Instead, it starts with a pervasive admission and acceptance of a glorious and soiled history that belongs to the United States. It begins with information and a knowledgeable public that has the contextual bearings to engage in these discussions to begin with. It starts with acknowledgement of inequities that exist today, not only in reference to the nation’s historical sins. America’s only hope for resolution is heavily dependent on swallowing the context in which we root our efforts to mitigate racial tension.

And, as we are poised to get lectured on supposed meaning of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s iconic “I have a Dream Speech” by our country’s racialist President, I am comforted by the intelligent comments to Dereje’s op-ed that focus on personal responsibility.

For example, Cultur-all offered this insight:

The choice of clothing reflects an association with gangster and prison populations, which the author knows and choses to sidestep. After the civil rights movement took hold, the best response from the black community would have been to assimilate, educate and share in what they had previously been prevented from attaining.

Instead, the glorification of drugs, drop-outs, crime and misogyny is now a protected ‘culture’ that can’t be questioned or criticized? The author may see this as blaming the victim. Stereotypes occur for a reason. Walk downtown or in Dorchester, and see if the stereotypes are unreasonable. The realistic view is that change is needed in the black community. Of course it is stupidity to not invest in schools for Chicago’s children, but a clear eyed examination should be possible without always hauling out the racist label.

Reader drunicusrex had this to add:

I can’t pretend to have a solution to the many tragic problems African Americans, as a society, face. Nor can I comment at all as to what challenges any African American faces on a day to day basis – though it does seem there are many.

But any rational observer can say that simply throwing money or freebies or preferences at them, or at any disadvantaged group, has poor results.
Clearly, our civil services and social welfare systems including education are in serious need of reform, including accountability and results-based (not ideologically-based) programs, initiatives, and policies.

Ending the culture of victimization would also seem to be wise. Encouraging responsibility, achievement, and self-reliance also would seem to be far wiser than excusing the opposite.