Let`s pause in our hysteria of criticism of Dorothy Tillman and look at a quick way that the press can contribute greatly to lessening racial polarization in this city. It ought to drop the term ”white ethnics” as a blanket for white conservatives. Besides the fallacies behind its assumptions (all whites of European ethnicity are right-wingers), the term is a deliberate political manipulation.
Consider the city council. Why do the press and pundits refer to the Burkes, Vrdolyaks, Stones, et al, as ”white ethnic politicians”? What are Helen Shiller, David Orr and Larry Bloom? What was Marty Oberman? What makes Bernie Stone (Jewish) an ”ethnic” and Larry Bloom (ditto) chopped liver?
The name Shiller sounds just as German to me as Burke is Irish or English.
I am first-generation German born two days after my parents got off the plane. But I`m politically ”on the Left.” Guess that disqualifies me as a ”white ethnic.”
Let`s recognize ”white ethnic” for what it is, a term intended to build white racial solidarity around a conservative agenda (that otherwise wouldn`t get so much support) over and against the interests of all working people in social progress and reform.
