that is of course in the matter of afhrmatix’ernaction legislation. ProfessorrnLoury is unimpressed:rnThe growing black “underclass”rnhas become the constant reminderrnto many Americans of anrnhistorical debt owed to the blackrncommunity. I suggest that, werernit not for this continued presencernamong us of those worst off of allrnAmericans, blacks’ ability to sustainrnpublic support for affirmativernaction, minority-business setasidesrnand the like would be vastlyrnreduced. That is, the suffering ofrnthe poorest blacks creates a fundrnof political capital upon which allrnmembers of the group can draw inrnthe pressing of racialH-basedrnclaims.rnWhat Mencken would have called thernblack booboisie are the chief beneficiariesrnof affirmative action, not the blackrnpoor, whether deserving or otherwise.rnThe reward of the “New Black Vanguard”rnis largely vituperation from theirrnracial brethren, who have accused themrnof “insensitive,” “divisive,” “self-critical,”rnand “polarizing” behavior. “VidkunrnQuisling,” Carl Rowan wrote, “in his collaborationrnwith the Nazis surely did notrndo as much damage to the Norwegiansrnas Sowell is doing to the most helpless ofrnblack Americans.” To all of which Sowellrnhimself has responded with simplerndignity: “Dissenting views are commonrnin every group of people and in every societ.rnA more balanced judgment oftenrnemerges out of these clashes of ideas.rnThere is no reason why black Americansrnmust be the only people on this planetrnwho have to skip this process and hit thernnail on the head with the first try.” Notrnquite the only people, dissent amongrnAmerican blacks being no less popularrnthan it is among American conservatives.rnAs for Public Truth, it remains a fascesrnof lies and illusions capable of flourishingrnonly in the Fools’ Paradise that the UnitedrnStates, from affluence and good fortune,rnhas become. While optimists mayrncomfort themselves with the thoughtrnthat the country will not be able to affordrnsuch levels of unreality forever, pessimistsrnare likely to suspect that a secondrnGreat Awakening, when it comes, willrnhave arrived too late.rnChronicles ^ REAL American Calendarrnliy spend next year grumbling about the propaganda holidays decreed byrnCongress and the greeting card industry’?rnWith Chronicles’ L’NOFFICIAL CALENDAR, you can commemorate the birthdays ofrnWashington and Jefferson, Dante and Cicero. Lindbergh and MacArthur. You can weep or rejoicernover the great battlcs-Salamis and Tours, Agincourt and Culloden. the Alamo and Gettysburg.rnWITH OUR CALENDAR you can ignore grandmother’s day and celebrate the holy days of thernChristian year.rnDecorated with 12 of Chronicles’ most effective covers of the past decade, the calendai” w ill sell forrnS15 when AV/VILABLE IN NOVEMBER (shipping and handling charges included). ORDERrnyours NOW in advance and pay only $12.rnTO ORDER BY CREDIT CARD, CALL:rn1-800-383-0680rnOR SEND YOUR CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO:rnCHRONICLES CALENDAR,rn934 NORTH MAIN STREET, ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS 61103rn32/CHRONICLESrnrnrn