>What Goldberg doesn't mention explicitly, and what this has discussion has
>missed up to now, is the presumption that the family is the default nurturer.
That is a good observation, indeed. I think his is more of a diatribe against the public sphere and universalism and continental Europe as the main bearer of them, as opposed to the US (and insular British) privatism and isolationism - rather than an advocacy of racist views. His strategy is to divide to conquer the universalist public sphere rather than create different spheres for different ethnic groups (which is the essence of racism). This is the same hatred of the public sphere that drives many US-ers from cities (with their ample public spaces) to the burbs, prompts them to buy cars and SUVs (to further insulate themselves from the public sphere), and general rejection of everything tham smack of a public good (health care, education, transportation, etc.)
This, btw, is the trait which I would most likely pick if I were asked to name one most despicable aspect of the US society.
wojtek