The Root published an article Thursday attacking a National Review writer for his “white” take on the New York Times’ 1619 Project, but failed to realize that the man is black.
The article is titled “Black History, According to White People” and attacked National Review writer and attorney Peter Kirsanow for his Thursday article about the controversial project. Kirsanow wrote about various problems with the NYT’s 1619 Project, starting with its aim “to reframe the country’s history.”
Author Michael Harriot tried to rip apart Kirsanow’s National Review article, writing various comments suggesting that he is a white man and therefore has an incorrect take on the topic. Kirsanow, however, is a black man, according to Jeff Blehar, co-host of the podcast “Political Beats” at the National Review. (RELATED: ‘It’s Embarrassing That The New York Times Is Doing This’: Conservatives React To The NYT ‘1619 Project’)
Throughout The Root’s article, Harriot takes jabs at Kirsanow’s whiteness. At one point, he quotes a section of the National Review’s article and writes that Kirsanow wrote it “whitely.” Kirsanow is also a member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights.
“And, as white people are wont to do, Kirsanow framed his argument in the context of Martin Luther King Jr. White people love to quote King because he is a mythical figure who has been whitewashed by the very version of America that Kirsanow wants to perpetuate,” Harriot adds.
Amazing: this mook wrote an entire article premised around the idea that Peter Kirsanow, as “a white man,” had no right to criticize the 1619 Project…and obviously didn’t bother trying to Google him or else he would have discovered that he’s BLACK. https://t.co/tbbPX5DohF
— Esoteric Jeff (@EsotericCD) January 17, 2020
Harriot also suggests that teaching students about “the insignificant portions of white people who fought for black equality” is “evil.” He notes that he’s “obsessed with race.”
“Does this motherfucker want credit because white people weren’t as ruthless as they could have been?” Harriot wrote. “He wanted Hannah-Jones to praise them for not kicking us out of the country we built for them? To praise them for rescuing us from a house they set on fire?”
Harriot did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller.