Atlantic Magazine Article Informs Us of the Racial Component to���the Eclipse

A piece over at Newsbusters.org tells of an Atlantic article that discusses the recent solar eclipse from what most would surely see as a rather curious perspective.

The author, Alice Ristroph, who clearly has too much time on her hands, burdens Atlantic readers with a pointless article on the racial orientation of those parts of the U.S. that fell along the path of the eclipse.

That���s right; the article is a racial overview���historical, sociological, etc���.of the sections of the country over which the total eclipse was visible.

How helpful.

While a quick glance at the article, titled American Blackout (because what else would it be called?), might lead a few to conclude Ristroph is saying the eclipse is somehow racist���even an insane person, like some on the left have evidenced themselves to be, likely doesn���t believe the eclipse is racist.

But that���s not the point here. Indeed, author Ristroph says she is not accusing the eclipse of being racist (thank God for that).

The point isn���t that anyone is seriously contending that the eclipse was actually racist. The point is that race, and matters of what���s become known as social justice, have become so thoroughly ubiquitous that nothing - literally nothing - can be discussed now without the invocation of a racial angle. Everything must have a racial component or dynamic today; everything.

Ask yourself this: Just how obsessed must one be with the matter of race���to be aware of the magnificent celestial event and yet so consumed with curiosity about the racial orientation of the people along the path of the eclipse that she���s compelled to write about it? Who reads or hears of a total eclipse on the way and thinks, ���I wonder what the numbers of black, brown, and white faces are along the path of the eclipse?���

Seriously���?

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor at Large