Raimondo: "Arianna Huffington, Racial Profiler"?

Antiwar.com contributor Justin Raimondo takes Arianna Huffington and "her army of "progressive" blogger-harpies" to task over what he considers to be "racial profiling" in her analysis of and opposition to the Dubai Ports World deal in his latest column.

Even though Raimondo is a libertarian and our views don't always align, I have respect for his knowledge on many vital issues. But, this time, he selectively quoted a small portion of Huffington's post and held it up as the barometer for the left's reaction to this deal on the blogosphere - unwittingly falling into the very trap he alleges Huffington to have played a part in.

Here's a copy of the letter I sent to Raimondo after reading his article:

I have to wonder, Justin, if you would have labeled Huffington a "racial profiler" if this ports deal had been with China. After all, there are many issues to take into consideration when it comes to doing business with a communist government that has little regard for its citizens basic human rights and freedoms. I suspect that such a discussion would not involve pulling out the race card at all.

Yet, when bloggers raise criticism - and many are concerned with the flawed process around this deal, not with the race of those involved - you accuse them of racial profiling, just like those aligned with Bush on this issue when they attempt to respond to their critics.

Ironic, isn't it?

This charge of "racial profiling" is a canard and it muddies what ought to be real concerns about this entire fiasco - and there are legitimate concerns that have nothing to do with the nationality of those involved ie. the questionable (and possibly illegal) regulatory process and the failure to properly inform congress.

And, as I pointed out previously, the Bush administration shot itself in the foot over the "security" issues by releasing confusing statements. That was their doing - not their critics. They totally mismanaged the spin on this one and created a frenzy that infected the left and the right.

I don't exist to serve as an apologist for Huffington or progressive bloggers on any issue but, on this one, Raimondo's narrow view of the situation is unfairly skewed. If he believes this ports deal should go ahead, he's well-equipped to defend it without pulling out the race card. Bad form, Justin.