GUEST COMMENTARY

The truth is, race-based preferences don't exist in corporate America.

The vile, anti-Semitism of Khalid Abdul muhammad at Kean College, publication of "The Jewish Onslaught" by Wellesley Prof. Anthony Martin, and a media frenzy over Louis Farrakhan at UMass--Amherst has triggered another round of debate about academic freedom and offensive speech on campus. Some think "controversial" ideas should be censored. Others say they should be tolerated so long as all sides are heard. That's the idea embodied in Thomas Jefferson's classic exhortation to: "...tolerate error so long as truth is left free to combat it."

Reflecting on Prof. Shelby Steele's performance as a scholar last month at the Kennedy school of Government's ARCO Forum, prompts my protest against the sorry state of political discourse. There is plenty of toleration for error in an entertaining, "show-biz" format, but little tolerance or patience with truth. Steele, famous for one, thin, bestseller, "The Content of Our Character," said the difficulties of Blacks today result from "a failure to adjust to freedom" and repeatedly denounced policies like affirmative action as "preferences."

During the question-and-answer period, I cited a long line of civil rights cases involving discrimination against individuals: St. Mary's Honor Center v. Hicks, Patterson v. McLean Credit Union, Waston v. Ft. Worth Bank, Ann Hopkins v. Price Waterhouse, Walter Walker v. Consumer's Power, and Christine Kraft v. Metromedia. None of these cases involved "preferences." Before I could finish, an obviously irritated Steele cut me off: "Of course there is discrimination. All I am saying to you is.. [dramatic pause]...don't let oppression define your humanity."

I recently began working here as a computer programmer after 12 years with IBM. From 1981 to 1992, I worked as a systems programmer and volunteered nights and weekends with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and other civic groups.

Two things I can say with absolute confidence: One, the reasons for the spectacular fall of companies like IBM are complex and involve strategic decisions by top people in government and industry. And two, layoffs, cutbacks and economic insecurity strongly correlate with soaring crime, wife-battering, substance abuse and "ethnic" tension.

From my work in the movement, I know about these cases from documents, reports, conversations with activists and direct observation. Consider Walter Walker v. Consumer's Power. Walker was a Black engineer who was fired from a Michigan utility after being passed over seven times for promotion. The defendant never refuted the charge, Supported by 136 exhibits entered into evidence, that the plaintiff was more qualified by a wide margin than the white males who were promoted. Acting as his own attorney, he won before an all-white jury in 1984.

Shelby Steele spoke for nearly an hour about "preferences" without citing one supporting case. Why? There are none! The English professor from San Jose State came to the home of America's most prestigious law school and got away with dismissing a decade of federal case law with a one-liner.

Meanwhile, IBM announces more cutbacks in New Youk and Raytheon announces big layoffs in Massachusetts. In these times the insinuation by anyone, however "notorious" or "respectable", that Jews, Blacks, immigrants, gays or any demonized "Other" enjoys "preferences" is irresponsible, reckless demagoguery. Whatever happened to old-fashioned debates? When Malcolm X came to Harvard he debated. Drop the "show-biz" format. Why not real debates? Let two sides argue, rebut, present evidence, and question witnesses. Let the world know that if you come to Harvard mouthing cliches you'll get hammered and demagogues will censor themselves.

Alex Walker is the former co-chair of the Duchess County (New York) Committee Against Racism and the former vice-president of the Northern Duchess County branch of the NAACP.