Defending Keyes

This from an anonymous commenter:

Why is there all this trashing of the brilliant Alan Keyes? Is it because he is a black conservative? Minorities who are conservatives are scorned in academia, and usually hounded out. Even if you don't agree with Keyes, you have to admit that Ambassador Keyes is one of the brilliant voices on the political scene-- not like Joe Biden or these other washed up political hacks. Keyes is beholden to nobody and he tells the truth: that's why people hate him. In politics it's important to admire the emperor's clothes.

My problem is not that Keyes is black, or that he's a conservative, or that he's a black conservative. No, my problem with him is that he's a bit loony. Actually, it's not really a problem. I find him highly entertaining. If the Democrats could combine Dennis Kucinich, Ralph Nader, and Jerry Brown, they'd have their own version of Alan Keyes. If you want to find a smart black conservative, I suggest you start with John McWhorter. I disagree with him on just about everything, but his intelligence is beyond dispute.