. @CharlotteAlter is forcing a vital conversation. At the top of American life, in culture and politics, we need to make room for new blood.

Falsely labeling this discrimination is silly. It needs to happen, and many of our problems are related to it not happening fast enough. https://twitter.com/CharlotteAlter/status/1281606852401397761

Also, read Charlotte's book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/598359/the-ones-weve-been-waiting-for-by-charlotte-alter/

And this is not about age. It's about tenure.

If you're an 80-year-old Black woman, chances are you never got considered for an Op-Ed column. If they'll give you one now, I'm all for it.

But too many people who gatekeep our progress have clung for too long.

Young academics can't get tenure-track jobs. Young journalists can't get columns or even permanent positions. Young people with children are woefully under-represented among the politicians who decide whether childcare is a priority or not.

This is a very big problem.

If you have a column or an elected position or something of the kind that you’ve held for a long time, and you’re financially secure, and, in your heart, you do feel that your grasp of the moment is slipping from you, consider making room for new blood.

You whom I’m addressing are not random people doing random jobs. You are doing jobs that, by their nature, delimit the possibilities of the lives others can lead. If you are not sure you are an accelerant of progress anymore, if you might be a retardant of it, consider this.

Look at this from @LukeRussert.

Will anyone on here sincerely tell me you think this is OK?

https://twitter.com/lukerussert/status/1267187346241318912?s=21 https://twitter.com/lukerussert/status/1267187346241318912

And I am sick and tired of people trying to claim this is ageism akin to racism or sexism.

It is the opposite. It is trying to get out of a chokehold of over-representation by one demographic.

I’m very happy people are buying some woke books right now. But we need a concerted movement of stepping aside from the entrenched old guard for things to meaningfully change.