It was not surprising that Bill and I would initially disagree about the civil rights movement. In a notorious 1957 editorial called "Why the South Must Prevail," he defended segregation because whites were "the advanced race," and "the claims of civilization supersede[d] those of universal suffrage."Here's more of what Buckley said in "Why the South Must Prevail" (as qtd. in Philadelphia Tribune; a complete quotation of the article is available here):
The central question that emerges — and it is not a parliamentary question or a question that is answered by merely consulting a catalog of the rights of American citizens, born Equal — is whether the white community in the South is entitled to take such measures as are necessary to prevail, politically and culturally, in areas in which it does not predominate numerically? The sobering answer is Yes — the white community is so entitled because, for the time being, it is the advanced race. It is not easy, and it is unpleasant, to adduce statistics evidencing the median cultural superiority of white over Negro: but it is fact that obtrudes, one that cannot be hidden by ever-so-busy egalitarians and anthropologists. The question, as far as the white community is concerned, is whether the claims of civilization supersede those of universal suffrage.Buckley also wrote "On Negro Inferiority", published in National Review on April 8, 1969 -- almost exactly one year after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Yikes. Talk about being on the wrong side of history.
That's a more grievous fail than I would have thought him capable of.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how I feel as well.
ReplyDeleteFreyguy,
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct. Nor can I tease out a nuance that might excuse or at least lessen this disdain Buckley showed for basic human dignity. It is especially disappointing that he remained unapologetic about these early writings. I wonder if he ever witnessed ‘Southern culture’ firsthand.
Traveling through the South on a bus trip to Florida in the late 60’s I was appalled to find drinking fountains and bathrooms labeled ‘Whites Only.’ Not surprisingly the ‘Whites Only’ facilities were disgusting - I can only imagine what the ‘Colored’ facilities were like. Any of those toilets would have made an excellent repository for Southern cultural superiority.
I should point out, in fairness, that Wills says in his essay that Buckley's attitude towards the civil rights movement shifted over the course of his life. Still, Fred is right that Buckley apparently remained unapologetic about these early writings.
ReplyDelete