Thread by @IonaItalia

A gracious explanation, but wrongheaded in 4 respects. Thread. (1) The idea that we need a strong welfare state to combat economic equality & that we should use people's economic status, not their skin colour when deciding who needs that help: that is NOT "right-wing." 1/

https://twitter.com/TEDchris/status/1707817509905187143

The idea that we cannot have a multicultural (by which I think he means multiethnic) society without positive discrimination, quotas, identity politics & race consciousness is wrong. In fact, such things mitigate against multicultural harmony. 2/

The idea that you only have two options in dealing with employees: fire them or cave to their demands seems wrong. It should be possible to allow employees free speech but sometimes to say, "OK, your comments are noted, but I disagree." 3/

Finally, it's so wrong it's almost ludicrous to say that the playing field is stacked against those who favour race-consciousness. They dominate all liberal institutions and dictate policy. Those us who prefer content of character are the ones fighting an uphill battle. 4/

The fact that Chris is not shutting down debate on this, but continuing to respond to critics and hold this conversation is unusual and praiseworthy, especially in the current climate, in which the pressure is to ignore dissent & demonise dissenters. 5/

I like this guy. I appreciate that he's talking about this. But as a mixed race person myself (& the non-white side is from a non-oppressed model minority, the Parsis), I find this ideology personally repugnant and very damaging to the left in particular & society in general. 5/

What about employees who are Jewish or Asian or (gasp) white? What about the people at the bottom of this new hierarchy, whose needs are to be neglected and whose identities maligned? The only answer is to stop ranking people by race. 6/