A Fixation on Race?

Browsing NRO, I came across one of Jay Nordlinger’s recent columns. In it, he talks about Americas’ “fixation” on race/ethnicity and how it seems to take precedence over things such as qualifications.

Mitt Romney, whom we all must dump on, had an impressive background. He had started a business, and helped many other businesses. He ran the Olympics — turned it around. He had kind of a side career in philanthropy. Then there was politics — and the governorship of a state. He had done things.

What’s [he] ever done? He was in the state legislature. He got himself elected to the U.S. Senate (which was wonderful). But what’s he ever done, really? What commends him?

He gives a great speech, of course — very important in politics. I don’t denigrate this ability. Quite the contrary. But mainly, I think, he has skin that is ever so slightly brown. And this makes him golden.

This is what I dislike about America: our fixation on race and ethnicity. As I have said many times, especially this year, we bow down and worship race and ethnicity — especially race — as a god. It will be very nice to transcend this, if we ever can.

Those paragraphs? They’re about Senator Rubio.