The following is an excerpt from OpinionJournal.com’s “Best of the Web” written by the editor, James Taranto.

Bottom Stories of the Day

  • “Test Drive: New Nissan Sentra No Fun to Drive”–headline, USA Today website, April 27
  • “NJ Ranks Low in Air Quality”–headline, Baristanet.com, April 26
  • “NY Apple Growers Vote by Landslide To Continue Generic Marketing Program”–headline, New York Apple Association press release, April 26
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Soledad O’Brien

‘OK, White Person . . .’ 
Remember Soledad O’Brien*? Neither do we, but according to Paul Bedard of the Washington Examiner, she used to work for CNN and “plans to continue her focus on racial issues.” She “is charging that whites are afraid of dealing with the nation’s black-white division,” he adds:

“People would sometimes, when I give speeches, stand up and say, ‘You know, I think your black America documentaries (are) divisive. I think like, you know, listen, we shouldn’t think of ourselves as African-American. We’re Americans, and everybody should stop separating themselves out,'” she said in a new video. . . .

She continued: “First of all, it’s only white people who ever said that–‘if we could just see beyond race. If only people didn’t see race, it would be such a better place, and you are responsible for bringing up these icky race issues, Soledad, you should just let sleeping dogs lie.'”

O’Brien added: “I was like, again, ‘OK, white person, this is a conversation you clearly are uncomfortable with, and I have no problem seeing race, and I think we should talk about race.’ “

Here’s a tip: If you want to start a conversation about a sensitive topic, try showing a little sensitivity. This isn’t a racial point but a human one. How would you react if somebody tried to open a conversation with “OK, black person . . .”?

[*Note: Soledad O’Brien’s parents were both immigrants: her mother an Afro-Cuban from Cuba, and her father an Australian of Irish descent.]

 

[The posts above are from the BOTW archives from 4/29 and 5/14.]  For more “Best of the Web” click here and look for the “Best of the Web Today” link in the middle column below “Today’s Columnists.