a Marmotic faux pas

Robert Koehler recently blogged about the bizarre case of Judge Roy L. Pearson versus the Chung family. Judge Pearson is suing the Chungs, who run a dry cleaning service, for $67 million. Why? Essentially because he didn't receive a pair of pants on time. I agree with Robert's exasperation at the judge, and had no trouble with Robert's main post.

But then he added this update:

Now, I know I’m treading on dangerous territory here, but might I suggest that race could be a factor here-- Pearson is black, and this being Northeast DC, I’m going to assume for the moment that many of Pearson’s neighbors and fellow customers are, too. Black community, Korean business...

I respect Robert and believe he's sincere in writing the above, but I think this observation is uncalled for because it seems to assume that people in the black community will not share non-black folks' astonishment at the enormity of the suit.

We don't really know what Judge Pearson's deeper motives are in suing the Chungs for this ridiculous amount (and I agree he's way out of line), but to assume this is motivated by race is to make a rather large intuitive leap.

Taken literally, Robert's words aren't controversial. It's entirely possible that, as Robert phrases it, race could be a factor in Pearson's actions. But moving straight to that speculation without first wondering whether, say, Pearson is simply a nutcase, is a bit disturbing to me.


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