By Jennifer C. Braceras
Texas Insider Report: WASHINGTON D.C. Who died and made Bill Richardson the judge of all things Hispanic? Last week Richardson the former Democratic governor of New Mexico had the audacity to say that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) should not be 
defined" as Hispanic because of his views on immigration. (Cruz does not support a path to citizenship for illegals). So what gives Richardson his ethnic superiority?
His membership in the Democratic Party of course!
Cruz is half Cuban (on his paternal side). Richardson is half Mexican (on his maternal side). Both speak Spanish.
Richardsons comments are deeply offensive. Yet when asked about them Cruz took the high road.
will gladly answer the charge.
And to Richardson we say: How dare you!"
How dare you question someones Hispanic authenticity because he doesnt share your views on immigration. (Note to Richardson: according to a 2009 poll by Zogby International a slight majority of Latinos actually favor enforcement rather than a pathway to citizenship for illegals. Does that mean we should revise our census data and cut the Hispanic population in half?)
Unfortunately Richardsons comments are not just the ramblings of a former politician trying to stay relevant. They are emblematic of a certain world-view.
For decades identity politics has been the primary currency of the left. They have doled out jobs government contracts and spots at highly selective colleges on the basis of race and ethnicity. And they have built electoral coalitions with identity politics accusing Republicans of being anti-whatever group they need to win at the polls.
So when a minority comes along whom they cannot control someone who questions the liberal orthodoxy or challenges the Democrats methods the left seeks to neutralize that persons influence by calling him an Uncle Tom."
Dont believe me? Just ask:
And yet ironically liberals willingly accept Liz Warrens claim to Native American heritage (even though she is at best 1/32 Cherokee and perhaps not even that). Why the free pass for Liz? Because shes a liberal.
Are we sensing a double standard yet?
Now to be fair the attack on Cruz is about more than just his politics and his heritage. Its also about the freshman senators personal style.
You see Ted Cruz doesnt suffer fools. Never has. Cruz was a year behind me in law school. We served on the Harvard Law Review together. Even at the Review (an institution populated with the law geeks) Cruz was usually the smartest guy in the room and he had no trouble letting everyone know it.
His intelligence confidence (some say arrogance) and aloof demeanor are off-putting to some.
And since coming to Washington D.C. Cruz has ruffled the feathers of many even within his own party for his unwillingness to defer to seniority.
Yes Cruz has become a lightning rod. But Richardsons attack on him went too far.
And it revealed the truth about what many on the left think of minorities: The only ones who count" are the ones they 
can control.
Jennifer C. Braceras writes about politics law & culture. She served a 6-year term on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights after a 2001 appointment by President George W. Bush. Her columns have appeared in the Boston Globe National Review Online the Wall Street Journal The Weekly Standard and she is a featured commentator on ABC News CNN FOX News New England Cable News & National Public Radio.
defined" as Hispanic because of his views on immigration. (Cruz does not support a path to citizenship for illegals). So what gives Richardson his ethnic superiority?
His membership in the Democratic Party of course!
Cruz is half Cuban (on his paternal side). Richardson is half Mexican (on his maternal side). Both speak Spanish.
Richardsons comments are deeply offensive. Yet when asked about them Cruz took the high road.
In my view" Cruz told Neil Cavuto on Fox News Channel if people ... are attacking your ethnicity that tends to indicate they dont want to engage in the substantive merits of the argument and I certainly have no interest in getting into any sort of mudslinging."Cruz may not wish to engage on the ethnicity question but there are plenty of other Hispanics (myself included) who
will gladly answer the charge.
And to Richardson we say: How dare you!"
How dare you question someones Hispanic authenticity because he doesnt share your views on immigration. (Note to Richardson: according to a 2009 poll by Zogby International a slight majority of Latinos actually favor enforcement rather than a pathway to citizenship for illegals. Does that mean we should revise our census data and cut the Hispanic population in half?)
Unfortunately Richardsons comments are not just the ramblings of a former politician trying to stay relevant. They are emblematic of a certain world-view.
For decades identity politics has been the primary currency of the left. They have doled out jobs government contracts and spots at highly selective colleges on the basis of race and ethnicity. And they have built electoral coalitions with identity politics accusing Republicans of being anti-whatever group they need to win at the polls.
So when a minority comes along whom they cannot control someone who questions the liberal orthodoxy or challenges the Democrats methods the left seeks to neutralize that persons influence by calling him an Uncle Tom."
Dont believe me? Just ask:
- Clarence Thomas
- Robert RG-3" Griffin III
- Juan Williams
- Miguel Estrada
- or Marco Rubio all of whom the left has attempted to marginalize as insufficiently down with their people."
And yet ironically liberals willingly accept Liz Warrens claim to Native American heritage (even though she is at best 1/32 Cherokee and perhaps not even that). Why the free pass for Liz? Because shes a liberal.
Are we sensing a double standard yet?
Now to be fair the attack on Cruz is about more than just his politics and his heritage. Its also about the freshman senators personal style.
You see Ted Cruz doesnt suffer fools. Never has. Cruz was a year behind me in law school. We served on the Harvard Law Review together. Even at the Review (an institution populated with the law geeks) Cruz was usually the smartest guy in the room and he had no trouble letting everyone know it.
His intelligence confidence (some say arrogance) and aloof demeanor are off-putting to some.
And since coming to Washington D.C. Cruz has ruffled the feathers of many even within his own party for his unwillingness to defer to seniority.
Yes Cruz has become a lightning rod. But Richardsons attack on him went too far.
And it revealed the truth about what many on the left think of minorities: The only ones who count" are the ones they can control.
Jennifer C. Braceras writes about politics law & culture. She served a 6-year term on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights after a 2001 appointment by President George W. Bush. Her columns have appeared in the Boston Globe National Review Online the Wall Street Journal The Weekly Standard and she is a featured commentator on ABC News CNN FOX News New England Cable News & National Public Radio.
