Jason Riley of the Manhattan Institute, whom you may recognize as a frequent panelist on Fox News's Special Report, has written an elegant short book that makes a powerful case on the solution to race relations in the United States.  As the title indicates, Riley believes that America's African-American community has been badly served by the emphasis on achieving political power as a means to advance.  Much more important, in his view, are the "skills, habits, and values" (p.43) necessary for personal ambition and achievement. It is not a message that will be received eagerly by nearly all of the political class, which believes itself to represent black political interests.  The people therein are invested deeply in the victimology narrative, in which all the troubles of blacks are attributable to white racism. What makes this book shine is the clarity of its logic and accessibility of its writing style.  In a short book, Riley...(Read Full Post)