Upbeat update on Linda Chavez

Ms. Chavez has calmed herself down, recognized that she crossed a line that she should not have crossed, and apologized handsomely. Which as far as I'm concerned ends the matter. (As long-term readers of the blog know, I have strong views about good apologies and tend to admire people more if I have seen them make a truly mature apology, than if I don't yet know of anything they need to apologize for.)

She further goes on to restate the point she wished to make, much more carefully this time, and I think reasonably effectively. I am particularly glad to see her not making the facile "bad cultural stereotypes = racism" assumption; instead she attempts the much more arduous task of showing that the bad cultural stereotypes to which she objects, are actually not valid. Whether you find yourself convinced or not (and I don't have the subject matter expertise to feel confident either way), this is exactly the way a responsible person approaches a discussion of this sort.

This doesn't excuse the fact that her column was terribly written and didn't come close to saying what she was trying to say -- but I can finally reconcile her stated intent with the column, something that I just couldn't manage with her earlier attempts to defend herself. A few days ago I listed three conclusions to which I felt myself "reluctantly forced;" but her apology today allows me with relief to abandon at least the first and the third, and to reduce the second to a mere possibility. For it would seem she was just still too wrapped up in emotions to be able to read what she actually wrote. And being a bad writer when angry, while regrettable, is no major offense.

So I am happy to record here my restored, and indeed greatly heightened, admiration of Ms. Chavez, and to recommend her piece to persons interested in the debate on immigration.