Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal

Once again, Mr. Kennedy has been willing to examine a racial topic in which he'll probably be vilified by some for even having the "audacity" to broach the subject. Staying true to form, the author avoids angry or sarcastic polemics in an effort to present a thoughtful and informative book. Pressures to conform to a specific mindset are inherent in any social group. Insecure individuals will invariably gravitate to superficiality and demonizing people that disagree with them (Race, religion, political ideology, whatever.) The author's chapter on the dynamics revolving around the controversial Supreme Court Justice, Clarence Thomas, was especially illuminating. As a middle-aged Caucasian male parenting two young African-American boys, I have found all four of Mr. Kennedy's works to be indispensable. You'll be a better person for reading this book.

I've never read anything by Professor Kennedy before, which was my loss. Sellout is a terrific book. Calmly and rationally, Kennedy tries to explain how one determines whether a person, e.g. Clarence Thomas, is disloyal to his race. His chapter on Thomas was the best of the book. While no fan of Thomas' jurisprudence, Kennedy concludes that many of the left-wing attacks on him are unfair. Kennedy himself recounts the vicious attacks made on him by racial demagogues for dissenting from racial orthodoxy. There's an especially funny story where this woman hysterically accuses him of being married to a white woman. (Kennedy had written a book defending interracial marriage). A black man next to her says no, Professor Kennedy's wife is black. The hysterical woman said no way. Finally, the black man says "Look, my daughter is his wife." End of argument, I would say. One small complaint: I did not agree with him on the subject of affirmative action. Notwithstanding this, I highly recommend Sellout, for liberals and conservatives alike.

This is a great book that provides an insightful and even-handed look at the use of the word "sellout" by some African-Americans against other blacks. Kennedy is personally qualified, as he notes near the end of the book. Besides being a professor at Harvard Law and the author of previous black sociology/studies type books, he has himself been a target of the "sellout" moniker more than once. At the beginning, Kennedy explains that the word is used as part of efforts to maintain racial solidarity. He then notes that other groups use similar tactics, and later in the book draws some parallels to the gay/lesbian community. But, for groups in general and black in general, this raises new questions that Kennedy tackles. What are the defining points of the community, and here, specifically, the black community? And, who are the guardians and gatekeepers? On the former question, Kennedy says it is, without a doubt, affirmative action. He then devoted an entire chapter to exploring how this rubber hit the road with Clarence Thomas. Kennedy isn't afraid to point fingers at many black "guardians" for merely engaging Thomas on his point of view, rather than any evidence he may have for it. He links this to the larger problem of black "guardians" writing off black conservatives in general. He makes clear that wrestling with an opposing point of view on empirical grounds does not necessarily mean agreeing with it. No. 2, after affirmative action, from how I read Kennedy, he would probably say is interracial marriage. And No. 3, quite relevant today with Barack Obama and Tiger Woods, is racial identity. Kennedy defends an ABC reporter a year ago asking Obama about how he identified himself, in part by referencing Woods' "Cablinasian" self-designation.

Comprehensive and illuminating survey about the historical and contemporary meanings of "selling out" in the black community. Kennedy's analysis is wide-ranging and accessible, giving the reader a number of examples of black sellouts from slave rebellion informers to Clarence Thomas. The book's notable virtue is that it approaches its topic judiciously, taking claims of selling out seriously and thinking philosophically about their meaning for community-formation. Kennedy is also even-handed when approaching especially controversial figures like Thomas. His analysis of Thomas's jurisprudence and politics is the most incisive yet sensitive one I've encountered recently -- appropriately critical of the Justice's flaws in legal thinking yet not entirely dismissive of Thomas's right to hold conservative views WITHOUT being deemed a sellout to the black community. In sum, Kennedy's book is one of the more thoughtful ones on contemporary race relations I've read. His measured tone is inviting, and the abundance and diversity of his archival sources (from law, literature, social and cultural history) make reading *Sellout* endlessly fascinating. I strongly recommend this book.

Kennedy has, once again, addressed the issues facing African-Americans. While reading this book, one can't help but wonder to whom blacks should be true - black America? - their country? - their family? - themselves? - do they have to be loyal to their own race? It is especially interesting to read Kennedy's views regarding just what it is that makes someone black (i.e., the one drop theory). And, if one is called a sellout, does that mean he/she is a sellout? The easy answer is no but it isn't that simple. This is a fascinating read - a real page-turner.