The American racists are really emboldened and coming out of the woodwork now. Amy Wax is the latest - and most pernicious - of the ones to come to the limelight for their abhorrent views.
This article is important. It demonstrates, in detail, how the new fascist white nationalists are craftily reframing old racist tropes by redefining words, and cloaking their repugnant beliefs in phrasing that seems, on the surface, to be logical and reasonable. But, when pulled out of the carefully crafted straw man they have built, are immediately obvious for their evil and wrong-headed conclusions.
Beware these fuckers. For they are educated, erudite, and do not know they are evil:
- "...You can just see it happening. One of my pet peeves, one of my obsessions, is littering. If you go up to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, or Yankee territory, versus other places that are quote-unquote more diverse, you are going to see an enormous difference..."
Props to the Vox author for responding carefully and comprehensively to accusations of misrepresentation. I do wonder if it will make a difference, though, as the audience this piece is talking to and the audience Wax is addressing probably do not in any way overlap. Taking a step back, this seems to me like an inevitable response to the inevitable decline of the white majority. Losing their majority, those who most valued holding it seem to be going through the stages of grief. This appears to be the transition from anger to bargaining. (But maybe that's a generalization too broad to really capture what's happening.)
That's what really struck me about the article, as well. The precision of his response, and total avoidance of any of the typical name-calling and ad hominem attacks that seem to be the conservatives only remaining debate tools. He went high, and should be recognized for that.