John Derbyshire Absolutely Loses It; Writes Batshit Crazy Racist Article With "Sources"

April 6, 2012

John Derbyshire Absolutely Loses It; Writes Batshit Crazy Racist Article With “Sources”

I’m still reeling from this jaw-dropping screed, and having trouble believing that this isn’t satire. Forgive my candor, but this is some of the most racist bullshit I’ve ever seen in my life. And to think that this is a list of things that he tells his children. Here’s my favorite:

(7) Of most importance to [my child’s] personal safety are the very different [statistical] means for antisocial behavior [between blacks and whites], which you will see reflected in, for instance, school disciplinary measures, political corruption, and criminal convictions.

This is a textbook example of how institutional racism continues to exist in a “color-blind” world. Derbyshire sees racial disparities, and assumes that those disparities are not the result of implicit biases that are baked into all of us, but rather, reflections of the personal choices and character of Blacks. He thinks this despite evidence that Blacks use illegal drugs at lower rates than Whites; that police are actually more likely to discover evidence of criminal activity searching white suspects than Blacks; that people of all races engage in criminalized activity at remarkably similar rates; He thinks this despite the fact that implicit racial biases have been demonstrated by various studies, in which none of the participants could be described as overt racists. He thinks this despite the fact that Blacks have been discriminated against in bankruptcy proceedings, where attorneys demonstrated a propensity to steer Blacks with similarly situated finances towards harsher forms of Bankruptcy. He thinks this despite the fact that Blacks receive harsher sentences for committing the exact same crimes, or that there is a 4-1 racial disparity in executive pardon recipients, even when the nature and severity of the recipient’s crime are accounted for.

In other words, John Derbyshire has essentially put together a list of instructions on “how to be racist in America.” If he spent mere moments examining the facts on the ground, he would understand that the racial disparities he points to as evidence of Black anti-social behavior cannot be explained by the choices Black people actually make. If he spent one iota of the mental effort he put towards crafting this majestically putrefact screed, he would understand that his blanket assumptions are false. That his assumptions about Black criminality are wrong; that his personal experiences and anecdotes are about as resilient and meaningful as the so-called “sources” he cited to prove his point, one of which is the f#$%ing Bell Curve, a piece of junk science that has been so discredited that it’s only remaining author can’t even get through a speaking engagement without pissing people off.

Read the comments. 90% of them agree with him. This is what we’re up against. IIf anyone tells you that we live in a post-racial America, point them to John Derbyshire’s article on what he tells his children about Black people. Then kindly show them the comments below the article. It’s 2012 and people like this still exist. In large numbers.

Here’s a few more of Derbyshire’s “tips” for good measure:

(10c) If planning a trip to a beach or amusement park at some date, find out whether it is likely to be swamped with blacks on that date (neglect of that one got me the closest I have ever gotten to death by gunshot).
(10d) Do not attend events likely to draw a lot of blacks.
(10e) If you are at some public event at which the number of blacks suddenly swells, leave as quickly as possible.
(10f) Do not settle in a district or municipality run by black politicians.
(10g) Before voting for a black politician, scrutinize his/her character much more carefully than you would a white.
(10h) Do not act the Good Samaritan to blacks in apparent distress, e.g., on the highway.