--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My question to readers accusing us of…" description: "\"“My question to readers accusing us of political correctness is: Why do you care so much about the attackers’ race? If you fear or dislike blacks, I su..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/149/colin-flaherty-16511_affirmative-action_my-question-to-readers-accusing-us-of-po_2126895.jpg" --- # My question to readers accusing us of political… ![“My question to readers accusing us of political correctness is: Why do you care so much about the attackers’ race? If you fear or dislike blacks, I suppose it would confirm your prejudice. But otherwise, it tells you nothing useful.20 Well, Mr. Steve Chapman, here’s one reason that we should care…” quote by Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/149/colin-flaherty-16511_affirmative-action_my-question-to-readers-accusing-us-of-po_2126895.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/149/colin-flaherty-16511_affirmative-action_my-question-to-readers-accusing-us-of-po_2126895.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/149/colin-flaherty-16511_affirmative-action_my-question-to-readers-accusing-us-of-po_2126895.jpg) > ““My question to readers accusing us of political correctness is: Why do you care so much about the attackers’ race? If you fear or dislike blacks, I suppose it would confirm your prejudice. But otherwise, it tells you nothing useful.20 Well, Mr. Steve Chapman, here’s one reason that we should care: when papers like the Chicago Tribune support affirmative action, racial quotas, and other race-based solutions to very difficult problems, asking for the paper to identify the assailants is one way of asking “How’s that working out for you?” On a more practical level, giving the details may help someone avoid being a victim of the next mob attack.”” [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote challenges readers to examine why they focus on attackers' race rather than the underlying issues, urging a focus on systemic solutions over prejudice. **In simple terms:** Question why race matters in attacks; focus on systemic issues. Key Takeaway Consider the root causes, not just surface traits. Themes prejudice race systemic solutions media criticism Mood critical analytical Type opinion argumentative When to use this quote - political commentary - media analysis - social activism - policy debate Key Concepts critical race theory social bias public discourse Questions to Reflect On - How does emphasizing race affect problem solving? - What alternative lenses could be used? A Different Perspective Focusing on race may oversimplify complex problems and alienate allies. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affirmative action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Confirm Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confirm-prejudice-4366076/) [Political correctness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-correctness/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Prejudice Tells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice-tells-4366077/) [Race Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race-fear-2576114/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Readers Accusing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/readers-accusing-4366078/) ## Related quotes > [We have avoided in recent years talking openly and honestly about race out of fear that it will alienate and polarize. In my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/we-have-avoided-in-recent-years-talking-openly-and-honestly-about/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [I have never been a killer. I'm not an aggressive personality and if I can remember any emotion I felt during a race it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-elliott/i-have-never-been-a-killer-i-m-not-an-aggressive-personality-and-if-i/) [Herb Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-elliott/) > [You can't talk about the environment, you can't talk about political correctness, affirmative action and all the other innumerable things that freedom is about,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-means/you-can-t-talk-about-the-environment-you-can-t-talk-about-political/) [Russell Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-means/) > [“It is scarcely the same thing to put a man on the Moon as to put a bone in your nose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-henry-iii/it-is-scarcely-the-same-thing-to-put-a-man-on-the-moon-as-to-put-a/) [William A. Henry III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-henry-iii/) > [“I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there. Page 188”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-think-that-even-someone-who-got-into-an-institution-through/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [If Barack Obama believes there are no victims in U.S, then I assume he'll shut down all the civil rights offices throughout the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-barack-obama-believes-there-are-no-victims-in-u-s-then-i-assume-he/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Who knows what Yale thought it was getting when it hired Richard Rodriguez? The people who offered me the job thought there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/who-knows-what-yale-thought-it-was-getting-when-it-hired-richard/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [My decision was sparked by affirmative action. There was a point in my life when affirmative action would have meant something to me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/my-decision-was-sparked-by-affirmative-action-there-was-a-point-in-my/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [The need of black conservatives to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-need-of-black-conservatives-to-gain-the-respect-of-their-white/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I read American sagas (of the west) and I do not see people who went in search of material things. I see people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/i-read-american-sagas-of-the-west-and-i-do-not-see-people-who-went-in/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [“the left had been finessing labels for years: racial preferences to affirmative action to diversity; abortion rights to pro-choice to reproductive rights; global warming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cashill/the-left-had-been-finessing-labels-for-years-racial-preferences-to/) [Jack Cashill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cashill/) > [Until affirmative action is described and understood as one mechanism by which to make amends for historical wrongdoing against members of marginalized communities, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/until-affirmative-action-is-described-and-understood-as-one-mechanism/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [Without application of the mind; there is no drive for taking affirmative action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/without-application-of-the-mind-there-is-no-drive-for-taking/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) ## More by Colin Flaherty > [“In Chicago, two days later, two black people beat and robbed a “white boy” in revenge for Trayvon. Eighteen-year-old Alton Hayes III and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/in-chicago-two-days-later-two-black-people-beat-and-robbed-a-white/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [Note to reporters: The sanctimony thing probably works better on someone who has never broken real stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/note-to-reporters-the-sanctimony-thing-probably-works-better-on/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [Writing about race and crime was not new territory for me. But it can be treacherous. So here are my rules: No stereotypes. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/writing-about-race-and-crime-was-not-new-territory-for-me-but-it-can/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“What is it with Florida? In Pensacola, Jack Crawford answered his door only to get cracked on the head with a bat. “About 8:45…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/what-is-it-with-florida-in-pensacola-jack-crawford-answered-his-door/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“Almost as sensational as the black mob beating up a pregnant teenager is the case of the Seattle teenager, who in 2011 was assaulted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/almost-as-sensational-as-the-black-mob-beating-up-a-pregnant-teenager/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“The Chicago Sun-Times is a national leader in two areas: 1) Denying that racial mob violence exists, and 2) Explaining why it does. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/the-chicago-sun-times-is-a-national-leader-in-two-areas-1-denying/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“CONFESSIONS OF A GANGSTER A former gang member talks about racial violence from way back in the eighties. “It started out innocently,” Jones, 39,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/confessions-of-a-gangster-a-former-gang-member-talks-about-racial/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“In Detroit in 2011 “a Detroit pizza delivery man turned the tables on three would be crooks.” The black men ambushed the driver. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/in-detroit-in-2011-a-detroit-pizza-delivery-man-turned-the-tables-on/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“mob violence is what the prison psychologist calls “infantile omnipotence.” This is the feeling that because something has not happened to you directly, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/mob-violence-is-what-the-prison-psychologist-calls-infantile/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“Just a few days before the attack on Burke, Parenting magazine named Wilmington the most “dangerous city in America.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/just-a-few-days-before-the-attack-on-burke-parenting-magazine-named/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“Murphy’s grandfather, Paul Furst, told KSDK that Murphy was mentally challenged and did not deserve to die:4 I believe this is another one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/murphy-s-grandfather-paul-furst-told-ksdk-that-murphy-was-mentally/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“Here is your law enforcement and media question of the day: Was the TV show COPS real or BS? It might have been real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/here-is-your-law-enforcement-and-media-question-of-the-day-was-the-tv/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“Lulu is not a big woman. This Atlanta grandmother is just over five feet tall. But she is a fighter, and she can shoot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/lulu-is-not-a-big-woman-this-atlanta-grandmother-is-just-over-five/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“Excuses do not have to be true, or relevant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/excuses-do-not-have-to-be-true-or-relevant/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) > [“Thai, like Vega, is Asian and openly gay. Before he died, Vega told police he’d been “attacked by three African-American males, all around 18…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-flaherty/thai-like-vega-is-asian-and-openly-gay-before-he-died-vega-told/) [Colin Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) [Explore all 39 Colin Flaherty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-flaherty/) ## More Affirmative action quotes > [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Without application of the mind; there is no drive for taking affirmative action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/without-application-of-the-mind-there-is-no-drive-for-taking/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [Until affirmative action is described and understood as one mechanism by which to make amends for historical wrongdoing against members of marginalized communities, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/until-affirmative-action-is-described-and-understood-as-one-mechanism/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [“the left had been finessing labels for years: racial preferences to affirmative action to diversity; abortion rights to pro-choice to reproductive rights; global warming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cashill/the-left-had-been-finessing-labels-for-years-racial-preferences-to/) [Jack Cashill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cashill/) > [I read American sagas (of the west) and I do not see people who went in search of material things. I see people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/i-read-american-sagas-of-the-west-and-i-do-not-see-people-who-went-in/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [The need of black conservatives to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-need-of-black-conservatives-to-gain-the-respect-of-their-white/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [My decision was sparked by affirmative action. There was a point in my life when affirmative action would have meant something to me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/my-decision-was-sparked-by-affirmative-action-there-was-a-point-in-my/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [Who knows what Yale thought it was getting when it hired Richard Rodriguez? The people who offered me the job thought there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/who-knows-what-yale-thought-it-was-getting-when-it-hired-richard/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [“It is scarcely the same thing to put a man on the Moon as to put a bone in your nose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-henry-iii/it-is-scarcely-the-same-thing-to-put-a-man-on-the-moon-as-to-put-a/) [William A. Henry III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-henry-iii/) > [If Barack Obama believes there are no victims in U.S, then I assume he'll shut down all the civil rights offices throughout the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-barack-obama-believes-there-are-no-victims-in-u-s-then-i-assume-he/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there. Page 188”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-think-that-even-someone-who-got-into-an-institution-through/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [If they're all so brilliant and I'm such an affirmative-action hire, how come they didn't catch me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/if-they-re-all-so-brilliant-and-i-m-such-an-affirmative-action-hire/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [The purpose of affirmative action is to give our nation a way to finally address the systemic exclusion of individuals of talent on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-purpose-of-affirmative-action-is-to-give-our-nation-a-way-to/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Affirmative action has a negative effect on our society when it means counting us like so many beans and dividing us into separate piles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/affirmative-action-has-a-negative-effect-on-our-society-when-it-means/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) [Browse all 231 Affirmative action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“My question to readers accusing us of political correctness is: Why do you care so much about the attackers’ race? If you fear or dislike blacks, I suppose it would confirm your prejudice. 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