Randall Kennedy

I associate myself with the belief.

It's just that because of the legal rules, the authorities can't say this belief out loud.

But it's still the case that a lot of institutions want to help American society overcome its racial past.

That's the real animating force.

Now, this thing about we'll have better classroom discussions, some discussions.

I mean, with some subjects.

Listen, I'm an ignoramus when it comes to physics.

My sense of it is, however, that if you're talking about physics, you're talking about physics, and frankly, it doesn't much matter in terms of mastering physics.

what the demographics of that classroom are.

You either know physics or you don't.

Okay.

Well, you know, I think,

I think you've made a good point and maybe so.

So let's go back to the physics.

I mean, let's suppose that under one scenario, there's a classroom and a kid sticks his head, a black kid sticks his head in the classroom and doesn't see anybody else black there and has to make a quick decision and says, yeah, you know, nah, this ain't for me.

versus they stick their head in the classroom, they see a smattering of other black people in the classroom, they say, let me try this.

And then they try it and it turns out, damn it, they're, you know, Albert Einstein.

So, you know, to that extent, I can see, you know, under that scenario, maybe it does matter.

So, you know, I'll have to recalibrate.

Still, those are the three leading justifications for affirmative action.