The recent comments by Vice President Al Gore’s national campaign manager, Donna Brazile, confirm that there is no gender gap when it comes to paternalism, petty partisanship, backward thinking, and the unraveling of the progress and achievements by minorities in the 20th century.

In a media interview last week, Brazile, a black woman, stated that President Clinton and Vice President Gore "have worked hard for the last seven years to improve the lives of African Americans and Hispanics. On the other hand," she continued, "the Republicans bring out Colin Powell and J.C. Watts because they have no program, no policy. They have no love and no joy. They’d rather take pictures with black children than feed them."

Though unchallenged in the media, the charges drew a quick response from Gen. Powell, a Gulf War hero, and Watts, a former professional football player. Powell defended his record, which Brazile should have known. Watts did likewise, but also charged that Brazile’s appalling remarks were racist. That is also something Brazile should have known.

Those opposed to abolishing slavery used the stereotype of blacks as helpless simpletons in constant need of wise caretakers. The modern counterpart is the idea that blacks are part of a permanent victim class that should embrace its victimhood. This view sees blacks as helpless without welfare and a host of paternalistic government programs. By these standards, black parents cannot be expected to adequately provide for their own children. Never mind the vibrant and entrepreneurial spirit of the black middle class or the gains that blacks have made in academia, the workplace, and the political world. To these lapses, Brazile adds a classic fallacy.

To support paternalistic government programs is to show love and joy, while those who oppose those programs, in her view, lack love and joy. Further, does Ms. Brazile really believe that African-American parents who do not vote Democrat in presidential elections are denying their children love and joy? Her outburst betrays a fear of independent thinking.

Deviating from one’s own "group" reveals a victim of brainwashing—giving the victim the benefit of the doubt and absolving them for their misguided views—or an evil soul, as in the apparent case of Republicans. Launching attacks from within one’s own group, like Brazile did, provides added credibility for the attack and can serve to shame and silence those group members with deviant views. These attacks also perpetuate the archaic notion that members of a particular racial group, ethnic group, or gender can only be authentic by upholding a single set of political views.

Finally, it’s ironic that Brazile, and others who act similarly, engage in racism by assigning individuals "correct" political values based on their ancestry rather than respecting the values and beliefs they formulate on their own. Like racists, they would rather presume the values of an entire racial group than examine and evaluate the individual.

The battle for equality of opportunity was fought and won in the 20th century. Today "conformism" blocks the path to a true opportunity society. One would hope that Ms. Brazile and others will learn that you can’t—and shouldn’t—judge a book by its cover.

— Naomi Lopez

Naomi Lopez is the director of the Pacific Research Institute’s Center for Enterprise and Opportunity.