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by notacoward 2704 days ago
I think that implies a symmetry that doesn't exist. Vanishingly few people care about effects but not intent, because intent inevitably leads to effects. This creates a continuum, not a mirror image: consider neither, consider only intent, consider both. Those on the left mostly consider both, with a few considering only intent. Those on the right mostly consider only intent, with a few (racists by any definition) considering neither.

Your formulation also misses another very important nuance. I don't think most people on the right don't consider effects. They mostly know that such effects exist, and quite often feel bad about that. However, they also believe that addressing only intent (or "procedural fairness") is sufficient to make those effects go away, and that more assertive measures create "reverse discrimination" and/or infringe upon liberty. I'm not going to argue whether they're right or wrong, but it's not about consideration. "Strategy" might be closer to the mark. Most on the right (not counting the true racists) do want to end racism. They just reject the left/center prescription for doing so.