In The Root, Michael Harriot misreads the presidential candidate’s old comments on role models.

A beautiful illustration of the difference between Twitter and the real world is the viral status of Michael Harriot’s attack on Mayor Pete Buttigieg in The Root as a “lying MF.”

Buttigieg’s sin was to state, in 2011, that inner-city black kids are hobbled from getting the education they need because they lack role models who attest to the benefits of education. “And there are a lot of kids—especially [in] the lower-income, minority neighborhoods—who literally just haven’t seen it work. There isn’t someone who they know personally who testifies to the value of education.”

Many will already wonder what was wrong here: After all, is it not a mantra of enlightened thought about race to bemoan the absence of role models for various beneficial behaviors? However, to Harriot, Buttigieg’s reference to this truism was “lying.” The nut of the issue is that there are other reasons inner-city kids fail to graduate or go to college, such as funding disparities, unequal curriculum resources, and violence.

All of those things are real. Unreal, however, is Harriot’s leap of logic: that in not mentioning those things, Buttigieg was inherently denying their existence, and that in noting the lack of role models, he was blaming black people for their own problems. Buttigieg’s transgression seems to have been that he did not mention all of the reasons black kids have trouble accessing education in underserved neighborhoods. A more elaborate answer would have been more sophisticated. But why would anyone read him as an “MF” for not ticking off the whole list?

Civil-rights leaders of the recent past would be baffled by the pique here, as, I’m sure, would Americans who don’t spend most of their waking hours on social media. It’s been widely noted of late that “woke” white people are “woker” than most black people. It is also true that “woke” black people in academia and media are “woker” than a great many black people who don’t have the privilege of a byline. Harriot is a*suming that Buttigieg must have meant that the lack of role models is due simply to some pathology among black people, when actually, almost anyone who publicly talks of role models in this way intends, via implication, that the lack of role models is due to larger societal factors.

Harriot and those who agree with him are reading Buttigieg as having simply preached that black people don’t care about school. But sheer psychological plausibility rules out that this is what he meant. Let’s suppose that for some reason, this is what thoughtful, Millennial Buttigieg, who at the time was running for mayor of a town with a large black population, actually believed. Let’s just suppose that. But: Would a sober, ambitious figure like Buttigieg sit in public casually a*sailing black America as too lazy, stupid, or unfocused to present role models to its kids?

John McWhorter: The show-trial rhetoric that took down a charter-school founder

Buttigieg was speaking out of informed sympathy, as anyone familiar with American sociopolitical discussion should have noticed. Our antennae must go up when notions of what an insult is become this strained. We must heed our inner blip of confusion instead of suspending logic when we grapple with race issues.

The degree of aggrievement here must be clear. I will let Harriot speak for himself:

This is why institutional inequality persists. Not because of white hoods and racial slurs. It is because this insidious double-talk erases the problem by camouflaging it. Because it is painted as a problem of black lethargy and not white apathy. Pete Buttigieg is standing over a dying man, holding the oxygen machine in his hand and telling everyone: “Nah, he doesn’t need CPR. He’s just holding his breath.” Negligent homicide is still homicide.

Recall, folks, that this is being written about Pete Buttigieg. Pique of this heat in this situation seems totally unjustified, unless you perceive Buttigieg’s comments as a form of blasphemy. It is as if Buttigieg gave a Christian sermon without mentioning God or Jesus, or listed only five Commandments. It’s one thing to observe that someone’s analysis is incomplete. It’s another to read that incompleteness as a kind of willful denial, sit in fury, and tar someone as a lying MF guilty of negligent homicide. As I’ve said before, this sort of response is more religious than rational; it bypasses the bounds of logic into the realm of imposed liturgy, of ritual: We are less to think than to pose and follow.

Yesterday, Buttigieg was large enough to actually telephone Harriot, upon which they had what The Root billed as a “productive” conversation. However, this verdict is based on the a*sumption that Buttigieg had something to apologize for and needed to be “schooled” on how structural racism works. That is based on a kabuki version of race relations, all about striking poses. Buttigieg has made it glaringly obvious in countless ways that he understands structural racism. He also understands the rituals of our current race debate, amid which, as a candidate for president, it will serve him well to seek out Harriot to “listen” and “acknowledge.”

If Pete Buttigieg has done anything that reveals him as an MF, it was not that night in 2011.


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Great an opinion piece response to a terrible opinion piece

To Bernie/Liz supporters and also to Mayor Pete supporters.

The media is lining you up to be the 2019 version of the Hilary supporter vs Bernie supporter beef of 2015/16.

I seen how some of you on both sides have started to weaponize who you support.

Dont fall for this bullsh*t again.

OldBusiness said To Bernie/Liz supporters and also to Mayor Pete supporters. The media is lining you up to be the 2019 version of the Hilary supporter vs Bernie supporter beef of 2015/16. I seen how some of you on both sides have started to weaponize who you support. Dont fall for this bullsh*t again.

They already have or they’d already be with Bernie. Media props up anyone but Bernie even when these people aren’t viable. Kamala has her moment then she faded, now Pete has his shine but it’s manufactured, it’s cus none of these people are on Bernie level, his polling been consistent like him, we don’t need these other bum candidates muddying the waters

Pete's last name is Buttigieg.


OP is a booty Judge..... Man booty.

OldBusiness said To Bernie/Liz supporters and also to Mayor Pete supporters. The media is lining you up to be the 2019 version of the Hilary supporter vs Bernie supporter beef of 2015/16. I seen how some of you on both sides have started to weaponize who you support. Dont fall for this bullsh*t again.

Bro, I have been saying that on here for MONTHS!!!!

That whole "it's my ball, i'll just stay home" mentality is EXACTLY why we were in the predicament we were in after 2016. Folks seem to forget that there's more than just POTUS on the ballot.

OldBusiness said To Bernie/Liz supporters and also to Mayor Pete supporters. The media is lining you up to be the 2019 version of the Hilary supporter vs Bernie supporter beef of 2015/16. I seen how some of you on both sides have started to weaponize who you support. Dont fall for this bullsh*t again.

Seems like people aleready falling for it too.

PineappleOG said Great an opinion piece response to a terrible opinion piece

I personally enjoy the discussion.

tdnupe3 said Bro, I have been saying that on here for MONTHS!!!! That whole "it's my ball, i'll just stay home" mentality is EXACTLY why we were in the predicament we were in after 2016. Folks seem to forget that there's more than just POTUS on the ballot.

This round it’s a lot of divide and conquer, there are too many candidates.

But agree that people need to realize and I think a lot do in practice is recognize local and state elections have a significantly larger impact on daily life than the president.

Ymmot said I personally enjoy the discussion.

I enjoy some of the discussion. I think it’s healthy and necessary. I thought the first opinion piece being responded to was bad, so this opinion piece was kinda unnecessary, it’s like it somehow validated the first awful opinion. When it comes to mayor Pete I’d knock him for faking his endorsements not something he said 8 years ago where he was wrong or just didn’t say enough to clarify if he was right

PineappleOG said I enjoy some of the discussion. I think it’s healthy and necessary. I thought the first opinion piece being responded to was bad, so this opinion piece was kinda unnecessary, it’s like it somehow validated the first awful opinion. When it comes to mayor Pete I’d knock him for faking his endorsements not something he said 8 years ago where he was wrong or just didn’t say enough to clarify if he was right

Aight, fair enough.

@, you ready to stop being a sheep or what?

piece of sh*t article in response to a piece of sh*t article ignoring Pete Buttigiegs major flaws in regards to his campaign financing, his flip flopping on progressive issues since he began taking corporate and wall street contributions and his intentionally poor management of his racist police department in South Bend

Ymmot said I personally enjoy the discussion.

If mayor Pete was black the liberal media would be deepthroating and swinging from his balls like they did with Obama, but since he's white and not perfect on every issue they give him a negative viewpoint. He's def top 3 of the candidates. I bet Bloomberg will dominate in the next debate and take 1st place easily though.

tdnupe3 said Bro, I have been saying that on here for MONTHS!!!! That whole "it's my ball, i'll just stay home" mentality is EXACTLY why we were in the predicament we were in after 2016. Folks seem to forget that there's more than just POTUS on the ballot.

People begrudgingly voted for Hilary in 2016. She won the popular vote by over 2 million votes.

And we still have Trump as president.

How about trying to stick by your convictions versus always looking to placate a base that will always treat your input as, at most, secondary.

QdobaCasanova said People begrudgingly voted for Hilary in 2016. She won the popular vote by over 2 million votes. And we still have Trump as president. How about trying to stick by your convictions versus always looking to placate a base that will always treat your input as, at most, secondary.

Ok, see, it's comments like this one that make me wonder if you even really care about what is being said, or if you just want to argue.

Your smart enough to know that the popular vote, while still important, isn't what actually elects the president. Republican/Russians/bots did a great job last time of getting people riled up about how the dnc swept the rug out from under bernie, and they targeted districts with propaganda and misinformation.

In short, many people stayed homes in the districts that she needed to win in order to become president. Now some of that was her fault for thinking she had certain states "in the bag", but let's be honest with one another here: you want "Bernie or nobody" then hey that's your choice. But to sit at home because your guy didn't get the nod is just flat out childish bro.

We've had this discussion before, so I'm not trying to sway you or change your mind. Just making a point for anyone that may be gullible enough to fall for the okie doke and stay home if their guy doesn't win the democratic nod.

Lastly, my input will NEVER be secondary because I vote with my dollar and time in addition to what I do at the polls. My boy running for office in the state of New York and knew he could call on me to help out. I don't play the "just giving my opinion on the web" game.

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quarter said If mayor Pete was black the liberal media would be deepthroating and swinging from his balls like they did with Obama, but since he's white and not perfect on every issue they give him a negative viewpoint. He's def top 3 of the candidates. I bet Bloomberg will dominate in the next debate and take 1st place easily though.

I don't agree with you on the race thing. He just doesn't have a big enough backing yet, but I think he'll just keep building momentum.

tdnupe3 said Ok, see, it's comments like this one that make me wonder if you even really care about what is being said, or if you just want to argue. Your smart enough to know that the popular vote, while still important, isn't what actually elects the president. Republican/Russians/bots did a great job last time of getting people riled up about how the dnc swept the rug out from under bernie, and they targeted districts with propaganda and misinformation. In short, many people stayed homes in the districts that she needed to win in order to become president. Now some of that was her fault for thinking she had certain states "in the bag", but let's be honest with one another here: you want "Bernie or nobody" then hey that's your choice. But to sit at home because your guy didn't get the nod is just flat out childish bro. We've had this discussion before, so I'm not trying to sway you or change your mind. Just making a point for anyone that may be gullible enough to fall for the okie doke and stay home if their guy doesn't win the democratic nod. Lastly, my input will NEVER be secondary because I vote with my dollar and time in addition to what I do at the polls. My boy running for office in the state of New York and knew he could call on me to help out. I don't play the "just giving my opinion on the web" game.

He just wants to be right, he doesn't care about what you're actually talking about. I've given him plenty of points to think about and he always dismisses everything with umbrella statements.

tdnupe3 said Ok, see, it's comments like this one that make me wonder if you even really care about what is being said, or if you just want to argue. Your smart enough to know that the popular vote, while still important, isn't what actually elects the president. Republican/Russians/bots did a great job last time of getting people riled up about how the dnc swept the rug out from under bernie, and they targeted districts with propaganda and misinformation. In short, many people stayed homes in the districts that she needed to win in order to become president. Now some of that was her fault for thinking she had certain states "in the bag", but let's be honest with one another here: you want "Bernie or nobody" then hey that's your choice. But to sit at home because your guy didn't get the nod is just flat out childish bro. We've had this discussion before, so I'm not trying to sway you or change your mind. Just making a point for anyone that may be gullible enough to fall for the okie doke and stay home if their guy doesn't win the democratic nod. Lastly, my input will NEVER be secondary because I vote with my dollar and time in addition to what I do at the polls. My boy running for office in the state of New York and knew he could call on me to help out. I don't play the "just giving my opinion on the web" game.

1. If you’re black, your input will always be, at best, secondary. Ignoring the socioeconomic totem pole that’s been in place for us since, well, forever, we only make up 12% of the US population. It doesn’t make sense for any politician to invest more than that percentage into their policies, for fear of alienating the core base of this country.

2. Your proposition to vote for feckless, limpwristed politicians in fear of Trump not winning effectively keeps us in a state of do-nothing. You harp about people staying home(those people weren’t going to vote anyway) but you advocate for the placement of politicians whose only attributes are “well, at least i’m not Trump”.

3. If we’ve had this conversation before, then I more than likely mentioned how Du Bois posited that we(black folk) get it all — or we get nothing at all.


If you disagree with the 3rd point then we are fundamentally different people and my initial point still stands.

It isn’t an okie doke; i’m not rusing anyone. I may be disillusioned but i’m not hoodwinking anyone with what I said.

QdobaCasanova said 1. If you’re black, your input will always be, at best, secondary. Ignoring the socioeconomic totem pole that’s been in place for us since, well, forever, we only make up 12% of the US population. It doesn’t make sense for any politician to invest more than that percentage into their policies, for fear of alienating the core base of this country. 2. Your proposition to vote for feckless, limpwristed politicians in fear of Trump not winning effectively keeps us in a state of do-nothing. You harp about people staying home(those people weren’t going to vote anyway) but you advocate for the placement of politicians whose only attributes are “well, at least i’m not Trump”. 3. If we’ve had this conversation before, then I more than likely mentioned how Du Bois posited that we(black folk) get it all — or we get nothing at all. If you disagree with the 3rd point then we are fundamentally different people and my initial point still stands. It isn’t an okie doke; i’m not rusing anyone. I may be disillusioned but i’m not hoodwinking anyone with what I said.

If black people are not a monolith why are black people always talking about "what we need to do" and "black people need to do so and so"? I'm not black, but I am for the betterment of all people, race and socioeconomic status doesn't matter. I think we all need to vote for people who better the situation for the greater good and stop making everything about division and race. Liz Warren, Pete, Castro, Bernie seem to be the best candidates for that. But Bernie supporters seem to want to cause the most division. You won't find me posting any Bernie bashing propaganda or bullsh*t.

The writer is basically giving him a pass because he thinks Pete has “informed sympathy”. Even brushes off the idea of Pete having racists opinions because he’s a white millennial running for office in a city with a large black population. South Bend isn’t even a majority black city. It’s not even half . I don’t even think it’s 30% black.

To the people saying don’t let them break sh*t up and don’t let them make us argue. Wrong.

Pete is nothing like Bernie. We should do everything in our power to let that be known. Pete is a snake doing whatever his donors tell him to.

quarter said If mayor Pete was black the liberal media would be deepthroating and swinging from his balls like they did with Obama, but since he's white and not perfect on every issue they give him a negative viewpoint. He's def top 3 of the candidates. I bet Bloomberg will dominate in the next debate and take 1st place easily though.

Obama knows if Bernie wins, his "legacy" gets sh*t on within a year and he can't have that

MemphisBleek said The writer is basically giving him a pass because he thinks Pete has “informed sympathy”. Even brushes off the idea of Pete having racists opinions because he’s a white millennial running for office in a city with a large black population. South Bend isn’t even a majority black city. It’s not even half . I don’t even think it’s 30% black. To the people saying don’t let them break sh*t up and don’t let them make us argue. Wrong. Pete is nothing like Bernie. We should do everything in our power to let that be known. Pete is a snake doing whatever his donors tell him to.

How is he doing whatever his donors tell him? He's just a candidate on the campaign trail. He returned all his big donor money, you can't control who donates to your campaign, but you can return the money if you don't want it. You're just making baseless claims. Your stupidity gives me a headache.

Ymmot said If black people are not a monolith why are black people always talking about "what we need to do" and "black people need to do so and so"? I'm not black, but I am for the betterment of all people, race and socioeconomic status doesn't matter. I think we all need to vote for people who better the situation for the greater good and stop making everything about division and race. Liz Warren, Pete, Castro, Bernie seem to be the best candidates for that. But Bernie supporters seem to want to cause the most division. You won't find me posting any Bernie bashing propaganda or bullsh*t.

I dont get how you can infer all of that from what I said.

I’ll elaborate:
I mentioned Du Bois because he and Booker T Washington had two different inputs on how black people should accrue economic sustainability in this country. Booker T Washington suggested that we needed only a fraction of what white people had in order to thrive. Du Bois argued that we get all the rights that white people get or we get nothing at all. He wasn’t going to settle for anything.

That was what I was saying.

Secondly, this notion of Bernie supporters creating a schism in the party is somehow “bad” just highlights how fu*king encroaching neoliberalism is in this country.

Boo hoo, there’s dissent in how economic and social progress should be invoked in this country.

What a travesty; why can’t we all just bend to the whims of the old guard that has effectively done nothing for the past 30 years other than partake in morally posturing and wage a futile war with an equally old and antiquated party.


There should be arguments; there should be disagreements; there should be divisive arguments. Because you should be backing policies and politics that you’re passionate about.

If you’re willing to be morally sodomized for the sake of “everyone else”, why even care about politics in the first place?