What is he talking about?

Re “When haven’t we talked about race?” Opinion, March 25

Jonah Goldberg claimed that Barack Obama’s “More Perfect Union” speech called for “yet another ‘conversation’ about a topic we’ve never, ever stopped talking about.” I disagree and take exception to his mischaracterization of me and my organization.

In a cheap shot that ironically makes Obama’s point about the need for more conversation, Goldberg tries to make his case by mistranslating the name of the National Council of La Raza to mean “the race” in its most exclusive sense.

Our website notes that “La Raza” has its origins in early 20th century Latin American literature and translates most closely as “the people,” or, to some scholars, “the Hispanic people of the New World.” The term was coined by Mexican scholar Jose Vasconcelos to reflect the mixture of the world’s races, cultures and religions within the people of Latin America.

In addition, Goldberg incorrectly suggests that the council has made a career of calling people “racists.” A visit to our website would show we rarely use the term. Goldberg worries that a “conversation” about race will be more “instruction” than dialogue. I worry that he never deigned to listen in the first place.

Janet Murguia

President, Chief Executive

National Council

of La Raza

Washington