Two days ago Dissent magazine ran my warning that critics of racism in Republican presidential campaigns should beware of compounding that scourge by reinforcing the Republicans' social-conservative claim on "whiteness." But that's what a January 15 New York Times essay by Lee Siegel does, intentionally or otherwise.

As long ago as 1999 I pegged Siegel for a tummler -- the Yiddish word for a character, familiar in that culture, who cavorts through the marketplace turning cartwheels and overturning pushcarts, mainly to call attention to himself -- in Siegel's case as a scourge of conventional wisdom. That appeals to punch-drunk editors staggering around in search of lampposts to light up their ratings.

Siegel works hard to elevate his antics to Dostoyevskyan brilliance. And sometimes he succeeds! But this time wasn't one of them, and somebodyhaddasayit, for this time there are serious consequences. So I've said it, and although the Dissent site doesn't take comments, responses I've gotten to it encourage me to share my warning right here.