U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, D-SC, must have interned in Durham at some point, because he’s got this race-card playing thing, down:

“I have seen this kind of hate before. I have seen this discussion before,” he said. “I have seen snarling dogs going after people who were trying to peacefully assemble. I have seen the eyes of people who were being spat upon.”

“This is all about activity trying to deny the establishment of a civil right. And I do believe that health care for all is — a civil right,” the House Majority Whip argued. “And I think that is why you see this kind of activity. This is an attempt on the part of some to deny the establishment of a civil right.”

Some years ago, around 1992 I think, I was summoned to a meeting of Durham’s Human Relations Commission to discuss The Herald-Sun’s coverage of some errant black public officials (I was managing editor at the time). One member, a black man who was a friend, asked me, “Jon, you were with us in the ’60s. Why aren’t you with us now?” My response: “Because you were right in the ’60s, but you’re wrong now.”

I further explained that every political disagreement is not racial, much less racist, and that if the black community continues to see all political opposition as racist, then we could kiss “human relations” goodbye. Not much has changed in 17 years.

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