Anybody But David (part 3) -- now with extra David!

Hoo, boy. This might be the last I write about this, because we're starting to get into that Alice-in-Wonderland effect that happens when you try to grapple with race in America: it's hard to nail down an argument about terms of identity that imaginary to begin with. People ostensibly make one point, and end up saying the exact opposite.

New York City's First Black Mayor® has weighed in (he's in the Shut Up, David Camp -- kind of):

David N. Dinkins, New York City’s first black mayor, offered some blunt advice on Monday to David A. Paterson, New York State’s first black governor: Don’t accuse your critics of racism. [...]

Mr. Dinkins, who has been close to the Paterson family for decades, took issue with the governor’s comments.

“Definitely he should get off the racist thing,” Mr. Dinkins said. “Right or wrong, it’s a fight you sure can’t win.”

Okay! Yes! Because when we start blaming people's innate racism for their actions, We All Lose, right?

Mr. Dinkins also questioned whether Mr. Paterson really believed there was an orchestrated, biased campaign against him in the news media. “I don’t think he means they’re picking on him because he is black,” Mr. Dinkins said. “I suspect he more means, were he not black — and maybe it’s pretty hard to make the distinction — those kind of comments would not have been made.”

I'm so glad we brought this discussion back to the big issues, and -- wait, what? They're not going after him because he's black, but they are treating him differently because he's not white. You really quashed that fire, Mr. Mayor. Thanks. Let the madness re-commence! Governor Patterson, perhaps you'd like to clarify your remarks?

“Part of what I feel is that one very successful minority is permissible, but when you see too many success stories, then some people get nervous.”

Yeah, you're right -- we really can't get our heads around this powerful-black-male-politician thing. We don't have any frame of reference for this, so you'll have to accept a gradualist approach. Just a couple athletes, entertainers, businessmen, and politicians. But not too many -- white America can't handle it -- slow down. Fantastic.

Mediocrity
+
No Real Sense of History
+
Cozy Insulated Upbringing into Powerful Political Family
+
A Career of Self-Dealing Albany Politics
=
Completely Out of Touch.

Ladies and Gentlemen of New York State, your Honorable Governor.