Letters to the Editor
Washington Post

Dear People,

As Mary McGrory notes today, the standard defense of John Ashcroft’s blocking of an African-American’s judicial appointment is that it was “opportunism, not racism.”

So here’s how Ashcroft’s defenders are spinning this. Though it’s now accepted he was unfair to Judge Ronnie White, Ashcroft was not motivated by bigotry. Rather, the then Senator was only seeking personal political benefit when he took advantage of White’s racial vulnerability to falsify his record and deny him a higher position.

According to Ashcroft’s friends, then, the nominee for Attorney General doesn’t hate African-Americans. He just believes that, where their rights conflict with his agenda, African-Americans, even highly qualified judges, have no rights that he is obligated to respect. To allow such a person to become our nation’s chief legal officer would grossly insult those of any race who still have faith in our Constitution’s promises.

Sincerely,

Larry Yates