James Baldwin: (Most patient, heartbreakingly eloquent description of the experience of Black suffering in America you've ever heard)
William Buckley (smirking): Well, heheh, y'see, what Mistah Baldwin seems not to realize is that, ah, as the poet said,
Politics nerds: Wow... they were both so smart
William Buckley (smirking): Well, heheh, y'see, what Mistah Baldwin seems not to realize is that, ah, as the poet said,
Politics nerds: Wow... they were both so smart
Comments
Culturally exile them. Make them poor as a matter of policy. That's the only realistic way to deal with them.
It's also super valuable to remember that Cambridge did award him a bunch of bogus points because even though his arguments were wildly weak by comparison, there was an audience for them in the room.
But showcasing how Buckley was considered to be "on the level" for a debate on that topic at all is one of the clearest concessions to privilege in history.
Like, oh, you have a TV show and write spy novels, go debate James Baldwin.