Systemic racism. Cancel culture. Police brutality. Tumbling statues. We hear about these everywhere and all the time today. Should this make us optimistic or pessimistic about America’s future? In this episode, EconTalk host Russ Roberts welcomes economist and author Glenn Loury to discuss race and inequality in America today.
This lively conversation covers these issues and more. We are eager to continue the conversation with you, our loyal listeners. Please use the prompts below to join our discussion here at EconTalk, or use them to start a conversation of your own offline. These matters could not be more significant today.
1- The conversation begins with Roberts asking Loury if the “persisting subordinate position of blacks” in America is attributable to systemic racism. How does Loury respond, and what do you find most notable about his response?
2- Roberts and Loury have a fascinating conversation comparing police and public school teachers as public servants. How do they compare the “progressive” views about each? What role do the unions for each profession play in perpetuating discrimination and inequality?
3- The conversation turns to the drug war and mass incarceration, and their disproportionate effects on blacks. What does Loury mean when he talks about endogenous penalties? What is the relationship between the middle and lower classes in the market for drugs, according to Loury?
4- On the trend of tearing down statutes believed to represent racism, Roberts says, “I understand that urge to destroy those things. But they are symbols of more than racism. So, what do we do about that?” How does Loury respond? How would you respond?
5- Loury bemoans that universities today are “footloose and fancy free” compared to when he was an undergraduate in the 1970s. How is that a bad thing? Why does Loury say he doesn’t believe in identity politics, and to what extent do you thinks he’s right? How should universities respond to the challenge of systemic racism?
READER COMMENTS
Idriss Z
Jul 26 2020 at 11:39pm
5- Loury bemoans that universities today are “footloose and fancy free” compared to when he was an undergraduate in the 1970s. How is that a bad thing? Why does Loury say he doesn’t believe in identity politics, and to what extent do you thinks he’s right? How should universities respond to the challenge of systemic racism?
IZ- It’s not. When he was an undergraduate, my kind were not allowed to study what I was able to. Now that we can, we point to the problems that caused them. There’s this horrific, unfortunate trend to defend universities as bastions of free speech for all, rather than rich white chritstian men. The non-rich-white christian-men students are speaking up and not letting that past being brushed under the rug. Their opponents choose to dismiss them as “cancel culture”. I choose to support them because without them, I would be denied my position solely based on my ethnicity. Our universities have not historically been bastions of free speech. Thankfully the left is changing that 🙂
Idriss Z
Jul 26 2020 at 11:42pm
4- On the trend of tearing down statutes believed to represent racism, Roberts says, “I understand that urge to destroy those things. But they are symbols of more than racism. So, what do we do about that?” How does Loury respond? How would you respond?
IZ- Again, Professor Loury is factually wrong. He just made that assertion up. They are symbols of suppressing minority speech. Professor Loury is just making wild imaginary things up. Please, someone, give me one fact, one single fact for why these statues represent something other than racism. One. Just one. It doesn’t exist.
Idriss Z
Jul 26 2020 at 11:44pm
3- The conversation turns to the drug war and mass incarceration, and their disproportionate effects on blacks. What does Loury mean when he talks about endogenous penalties? What is the relationship between the middle and lower classes in the market for drugs, according to Loury?
IZ- Professor Loury is talking about systemic racism. Which for some reason he dismisses as rhetoric, when it is a reality for so many people I know who are brutally hurt by his comments.
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