Michelle Obama argued for race-based faculty hiring

[Danno 1,228]

In Harvard essay, young Michelle Obama argued for race-based faculty hiring.

During her third and final year at Harvard Law School, first lady Michelle Obama — then named Michelle Robinson — penned an article for the newsletter of Harvard’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA), arguing that Harvard and its students were perpetuating “racist and sexist stereotypes” by not intentionally hiring minority and female law professors on the basis of their sex or skin color.

The 1988 essay, titled “Minority and Women Law Professors: A Comparison of Teaching Styles,” ran in a special edition of the BLSA Memo. The future first lady justified her demands for more black and female law school faculty by attacking the “traditional model,” in which law students were educated through the Socratic method.

She also opposed the traditional meritocratic hiring principle, where professors with better legal pedigrees were more often hired, arguing that it limited the success of women and blacks.

“The faculty’s decision to distrust and ignore non-traditional qualities in choosing and tenuring law professors merely reinforces racist and sexist stereotypes,” Mrs. Obama wrote, ”which, in turn, serve to legitimize students’ tendencies to distrust certain types of teaching that do not resemble the traditional images.”

In particular, she condemned the Harvard law professor ideal made famous in John Osborn’s 1970 book “The Paper Chase” and Scott Turow’s 1977 autobiographical novel “One-L,” for promoting the view that law school faculty should be “cold, callous, domineering, old, white men who took pleasure in engaging their students in humiliating and often brutal discourse.” She faulted her fellow students for being “racist” and “sexist” and buying into that particular “image” of a proper law school education.

Instead, she praised the teaching of several professors who didn’t use the Socratic method, including the far-left academics Martha Minow and Charles Ogletree. Minow’s father, Newton Minow, later recruited Michelle and Barack Obama to Sidley Austin, the Chicago law firm where the two met. Ogletree, who mentored both Michelle and Barack at Harvard, admitted during the 2008 election that he had concealed a videotape of Obama praising “critical race theory” architect Derrick Bell.

Michelle also gushed praise for critical race theory itself — the view that law is an instrument of the powerful against the powerless, rather than an effort to seek justice.

“Now, unlike before, students are being made to see how issues of class, race, and sex are relevant to questions of law,” she wrote. These issues, she said, were “being presented by people who possess the enthusiasm, sensitivity, and ingenuity necessary to bring excitement back into the classroom.”

Her choice of language bore clear similarities to the “empathy” test Barack Obama promised to use when deciding on nominees for the judiciary. If the advances of the critical race movement were stymied, Michelle worried, this “new breed of law professors will be systematically excluded” from Harvard.

During the final weeks before she received her Harvard law degree, Mrs. Obama participated in a sit-in protest along with about 50 other BLSA members. In what The New York Times called an “occupation,” the future lawyers stormed the office of Dean James Vorenberg on May 10, 1988 with a list of 12 demands.

Carrying signs demanding an “end to racism,” they occupied the dean’s office for 24 hours and demanded that Harvard Law School hire 20 female or minority professors in the next four years as tenured, or tenure-track, professors. Seven of those professors, they insisted, must be black — and four of those seven female.

They also demanded tenure for Ogletree and a deanship for Bell, and dictated a new plan for curriculum diversity that would include a required course on racial issues.

During the Obama presidency, the same Mrs. Obama has reportedly helped the president pick appointees to the federal courts. Along with Cassandra Butts — a former White House deputy counsel and another Derrick Bell disciple — the first lady reportedly helped Obama decide on the “wise Latina” Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court nominee.

President Obama also named Robert Wilkins, the president of the Harvard BLSA in 1988 and organizer of the occupation of the dean’s office, to a federal circuit judgeship in the District of Columbia.

“Diversity in this country is a good thing,” Mrs. Obama told MSNBC when asked about Sotomayor, “whether it’s gender or race or socio-economic background or religion. You know, that’s the world I come from.”

http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/15/in-harvard-essay-young-michelle-obama-argued-for-race-based-faculty-hiring/2/

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

In Harvard essay, young Michelle Obama argued for race-based faculty hiring.

During her third and final year at Harvard Law School, first lady Michelle Obama — then named Michelle Robinson — penned an article for the newsletter of Harvard’s Black Law Students Association (BLSA), arguing that Harvard and its students were perpetuating “racist and sexist stereotypes” by not intentionally hiring minority and female law professors on the basis of their sex or skin color.

The 1988 essay, titled “Minority and Women Law Professors: A Comparison of Teaching Styles,” ran in a special edition of the BLSA Memo. The future first lady justified her demands for more black and female law school faculty by attacking the “traditional model,” in which law students were educated through the Socratic method.

She also opposed the traditional meritocratic hiring principle, where professors with better legal pedigrees were more often hired, arguing that it limited the success of women and blacks.

“The faculty’s decision to distrust and ignore non-traditional qualities in choosing and tenuring law professors merely reinforces racist and sexist stereotypes,” Mrs. Obama wrote, ”which, in turn, serve to legitimize students’ tendencies to distrust certain types of teaching that do not resemble the traditional images.”

In particular, she condemned the Harvard law professor ideal made famous in John Osborn’s 1970 book “The Paper Chase” and Scott Turow’s 1977 autobiographical novel “One-L,” for promoting the view that law school faculty should be “cold, callous, domineering, old, white men who took pleasure in engaging their students in humiliating and often brutal discourse.” She faulted her fellow students for being “racist” and “sexist” and buying into that particular “image” of a proper law school education.

Instead, she praised the teaching of several professors who didn’t use the Socratic method, including the far-left academics Martha Minow and Charles Ogletree. Minow’s father, Newton Minow, later recruited Michelle and Barack Obama to Sidley Austin, the Chicago law firm where the two met. Ogletree, who mentored both Michelle and Barack at Harvard, admitted during the 2008 election that he had concealed a videotape of Obama praising “critical race theory” architect Derrick Bell.

Michelle also gushed praise for critical race theory itself — the view that law is an instrument of the powerful against the powerless, rather than an effort to seek justice.

“Now, unlike before, students are being made to see how issues of class, race, and sex are relevant to questions of law,” she wrote. These issues, she said, were “being presented by people who possess the enthusiasm, sensitivity, and ingenuity necessary to bring excitement back into the classroom.”

Her choice of language bore clear similarities to the “empathy” test Barack Obama promised to use when deciding on nominees for the judiciary. If the advances of the critical race movement were stymied, Michelle worried, this “new breed of law professors will be systematically excluded” from Harvard.

During the final weeks before she received her Harvard law degree, Mrs. Obama participated in a sit-in protest along with about 50 other BLSA members. In what The New York Times called an “occupation,” the future lawyers stormed the office of Dean James Vorenberg on May 10, 1988 with a list of 12 demands.

Carrying signs demanding an “end to racism,” they occupied the dean’s office for 24 hours and demanded that Harvard Law School hire 20 female or minority professors in the next four years as tenured, or tenure-track, professors. Seven of those professors, they insisted, must be black — and four of those seven female.

They also demanded tenure for Ogletree and a deanship for Bell, and dictated a new plan for curriculum diversity that would include a required course on racial issues.

During the Obama presidency, the same Mrs. Obama has reportedly helped the president pick appointees to the federal courts. Along with Cassandra Butts — a former White House deputy counsel and another Derrick Bell disciple — the first lady reportedly helped Obama decide on the “wise Latina” Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court nominee.

President Obama also named Robert Wilkins, the president of the Harvard BLSA in 1988 and organizer of the occupation of the dean’s office, to a federal circuit judgeship in the District of Columbia.

“Diversity in this country is a good thing,” Mrs. Obama told MSNBC when asked about Sotomayor, “whether it’s gender or race or socio-economic background or religion. You know, that’s the world I come from.”

http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/15/in-harvard-essay-young-michelle-obama-argued-for-race-based-faculty-hiring/2/

Do you disagree with one part you made bold?

Michelle also gushed praise for critical race theory itself — the view that law is an instrument of the powerful against the powerless, rather than an effort to seek justice.

I think history proves that correct.

Edited August 16, 2012 by Sousuke

[JohnR! 5,495]

Is she running for any public office?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Diversity might be a good thing. HOWEVER rewarding someone less qualified based on the sole fact that they are "diverse" from the rest of the crowd is absurd.

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Diversity might be a good thing. HOWEVER rewarding someone less qualified based on the sole fact that they are "diverse" from the rest of the crowd is absurd.

Completely agree with you. The challenge is encouraging bright and experienced law graduates from diverse backgrounds to come back to academia after being out in the workplace.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Diversity might be a good thing. HOWEVER rewarding someone less qualified based on the sole fact that they are "diverse" from the rest of the crowd is absurd.

[X Factor 1,110]

A leopard doesn't change its spots. However, people are known to change their viewpointd as they grow older and mature. It has been over 20 years ago since that the essay was written. And I have changed many of my viewpoints from when I was in college.

[Danno 1,228]

Do you disagree with one part you made bold?

Michelle also gushed praise for critical race theory itself — the view that law is an instrument of the powerful against the powerless, rather than an effort to seek justice.

I think history proves that correct.

Naturally you are assuming that all we need to do to get every runner across the finish line at the same time is to have them all start the race at the same time.

Some people run faster.

She wants equal outcome.

Not that I blame here she has milked the system and it has worked for her.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Is she running for any public office?

Could you post a site that would have a list of the Kenyans College essays.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Could you post a site that would have a list of the Kenyans College essays.

I think it depends on your assignment. Ask your advisor or dean to refer you to an online library.

Good luck!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I have changed many of my viewpoints from when I was in college.

Who hasn't?

[Danno 1,228]

Who hasn't?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Didn't know you were so close to the Obama's as to be able to seriously make that statement.

[Danno 1,228]

Didn't know you were so close to the Obama's as to be able to seriously make that statement.

Dude we are all so close.

So often we only have a persons words to judge what they really hold in their heart....

With these two we have so much more to go on.

[rocks 494]

Dude we are all so close.

So often we only have a persons words to judge what they really hold in their heart....

With these two we have so much more to go on.

You mean you make wild accusations based on nothing but your own opinion? Yes, that is very true.