'DARK ONES': Larry Arrn's conditional apology after he was criticized for referring to "dark ones" in responding to criticism about a lack of diversity at his college.

Just say you’ll know, here’s another Arkie lurking on the  list of mentionables for Donald Trump administration jobs: Larry Arrn, president of Hillsdale College, in Hillsdale, Mich.

He’s a native of Pocahontas and a graduate of Arkansas State University. He is, to put it very mildly, a conservative. He’s a trustee and was once offered leadership of the conservative Heritage Foundation. I once chanced to be on a cruise with a contingent of Hillsdale benefactors, hosted by the college. Keynote speakers included Phil Gramm. Breakfast table talk I overheard included fervently voiced fears about the threat Barack Obama posed to the U.S. way of life. A note from Wikipedia:

Advertisement

In 2013, Arnn was criticized for his remarks about ethnic minorities when he testified before the Michigan State Legislature. In testimony against the Common Core curriculum standards, in which Arnn expressed concern about government interference with educational institutions, he recalled that shortly after he assumed the presidency at Hillsdale he received a letter from the state Department of Education that said his college “violated the standards for diversity,” adding, “because we didn’t have enough dark ones, I guess, is what they meant.” After being criticized for calling minorities “dark ones”, he explained that he was referring to “dark faces”, saying: “The State of Michigan sent a group of people down to my campus, with clipboards … to look at the colors of people’s faces and write down what they saw. We don’t keep records of that information. What were they looking for besides dark ones?”[11] Michigan House Democratic Leader Tim Greimel condemned Arnn for his comments, which he called “offensive” and “inflammatory and bigoted”, and asked for an apology.[12] The College issued a statement apologizing for Arnn’s remark, while reiterating Arnn’s concern about “state sponsored racism” in the form of affirmative action policies.

Arrn is being talked up on a variety of conservative websites.

Invest in the future of great journalism in Arkansas

Join the ranks of the 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts who know that the Arkansas Times is the go-to source for tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, our progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock has been on the front lines of the fight for truth, and with your support, we can do even more. By subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers and expand our coverage. Don't miss out on the opportunity to make a difference with your subscription or donation to the Arkansas Times today.

Previous article Leslie Rutledge visits with Trump team Next article Thursday’s open line and a roundup of news comment