THE WHITE COWER MOVEMENT.

Racist asshole Rod Dreher continues to be a racist asshole:

Another item, this one from Andrew Sullivan’s blog. He talks about how for 20 years there had been violence on his block in DC, but he never let it scare him away from walking past young black men in groups. The other day, three black men jumped a white guy on the block, beat him up, and, say police, yelled at him, “This is for Trayvon Martin,” then robbed him. Andrew:

Will that change my attitude when I manage to return from NYC? No. Does it deeply depress and anger me? Yes.

Andrew is willing to let 20 years of experience continue to guide his behavior, versus a single incident. That seems reasonable, in one sense. In another sense, that victim could easily have lost his life, or been seriously wounded in this attack. The odds of being attacked by young black men on that block in DC are very small, based on Andrew’s experience, but not nearly as small as if you lived in a part of town farther from where young black inner-city men live. But if you are attacked, the price you might pay is your life. Is that a prudential gamble you are willing to take to avoid passing a racial-profiling judgment as a pedestrian?

The overwhelming evidence of two decades "seems reasonable" to Dreher, but nowhere near as compelling as his terror of black folks.

I lived in New York for 33 years. I remember specific periods of racial tension, like after the Howard Beach incident, when I was extra-on-guard; any time the atmosphere changes, one should take precautions till it blows over. But never did I think, I should just get away from these black people -- then I'll be safe! I can move to Bumfuck and see my chance of accidental death rise 20% -- but at least I'll die in a racially-pure environment!

Dreher likes to show us how worldly he is, but his arguments -- yes, you've been safe for 20 years, but why take a chance? Wouldn't you be better off in a white neighborhood? You're just doing this to prove a point, you know -- remind me of what my well-meaning suburban relatives would say to me back in the day. The main difference being, they were well-meaning.