When you hear people say we need a conversation about race, you know instantly what they mean. They want an accusation: that a corrupt America remains unwilling to confront racial injustice and inequality.
That is what makes Shelby Steele so bracing. He believes a national conversation on race needs to be had. But Mr. Steele believes an honest conversation would acknowledge the real progress America has made since the days when schools and water fountains were segregated.
Above all, he believes that while some people may hold bigoted beliefs, racism is no longer the main barrier to black achievement. To the contrary, he sees affirmative action and dependency as creating a culture that assumes African-Americans can’t compete and hobbles them by disregarding merit.
