The Intelligent Race ...

... discussion continues. Thank goodness for John McWhorter and Glenn Loury.

If you don't know these guys, here's a bit of background.

McWhorter is a former Berkeley professor who is now a writer, in addition to holding a position at the Manhattan Institute. He had quite the rep for being conservative while on campus, and continue{d|s} to present that image in much of his writing. He became a darling of the right, unsurprisingly, because of some of the things he has said that criticized, for example, hip hop culture. He is considerably more nuanced, and less easily pigeonholed, than that, I have come to learn. In what was fairly surprising to many, he has announced his support for Obama.

Loury is currently a professor at Brown. He used to be another "black friend" for the conservative bloc, but has long since changed his attitude on a lot of issues, and is now pretty much a solid liberal. He mixes a clear-eyed view of reality with a deep belief that aspiring to the higher ground and our better angels is the best way to go. He supports … Clinton!

Their latest diavlog was recorded yesterday, 20 March 2008. They talk about Obama's speech and the surrounding issues, mostly. I won't attempt to summarize it. The complexity of their conversation deserves not to be condensed. You can watch the streaming video, or download the video or audio, all by visiting the page titled If Obama Wasn't Black Before, He Sure Is Now. (The image above is just a screen grab. Sorry if you clicked on it and were mystified.)

At the risk of turning this post into an infofanboymercial, I cannot express how much of a privilege it is to listen to these guys, and I cannot overstate how much I've learned from them. Plus, their diavlogs are not at all dry or hectoring. Glenn and John have really good chemistry, whether they're agreeing or in strenuous debate. They often make me feel, "You know, maybe grad school isn't out of the question …"

If you like what you see in their latest, here are links to their previous diavlogs:

• 24 Jan 2008: Me vs. We
• 17 Jan 2008: Hillary Can't Be a Black Guy
• 12 Dec 2007: Communal vs. Civic Edition
• 12 Nov 2007: Lies, Damn Lies, and Narratives

Also of note: a diavlog between McWhorter and Randall Kennedy, of Harvard:

• 22 Feb 2008: Bad Words

Obviously, you're not going to listen to them all right away (they're each about 45-70 minutes long), but you might make a note of the links. Highest possible recommendation.

Find more diavlogs, with Loury or McWhorter in other pairings, by visiting the BH.tv search page. NB: Be sure to check the "All" box in the "Date" section.