Can the American right really believe this stuff?

Today there's a good rant over at The Volokh Conspiracy, quoting Paul Craig Roberts, Reagan's pick for Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.

Compare an American taxpayer's situation today with that of a 19th century American slave.
...
[Some slaves] were freer than today's American taxpayer.
...
The ''Civil Rights revolution'' destroyed equality before the law. Today rights are race-and gender-based.

Have I somehow managed to quote Roberts out of context, to twist his meaning? Go check out Eugene Volokh's rant and see that no, I didn't.

I honestly, genuinely do not know if educated guys on the right like Roberts really believe this stuff, or if they're just saying it. I recognize that some of the stuff I believe is puzzling to folks like them, but this sort of nonsense just seems impossible for anyone thoughtful to swallow.