Spring forward.
To delete this message, click the X at top right.

Critical Race Theory

User avatar
Tiredretiredlawyer
Posts: 7541
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:07 pm
Location: Rescue Pets Land
Occupation: 21st Century Suffragist
Verified: ✅🐴🐎🦄🌻5000 posts and counting

Critical Race Theory

#1

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

I didn't know I didn't know.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/5 ... ust-answer
Marc Lamont Hill cut the mic on a Republican, then demolished efforts to ban critical race theory

Republican lawmakers across the country are pushing to ban critical race theory from schools in a giant effort to create a culture war and distract from the fact that what they really want to ban is any teaching about race and racism in the U.S. since the early 1960s. There’s one key question all of these Republicans need to be asked, and Marc Lamont Hill got one of them on his show Black News Tonight and asked it.

The question? “What is critical race theory?”

Hill posed that question to Vernon Jones, a Democrat turned Trump Republican currently running for Georgia governor who has vowed to ban critical race theory, and—as would probably be the case with a minimum 98% of the Republicans vowing to ban critical race theory in schools—Jones had not a clue. He started talking about Christopher Columbus and people who use “their own ideology and their own party affiliation to go to the extreme.”

Hill pressed, because that isn’t a definition of critical race theory.

“And you’re not going to come on my show and call me dumb,” he concluded. “What I will tell you is that critical race theory is a theory that actually emerged out of critical legal studies. It is a theory that makes an attempt to understand the law through the lens of race and it’s founded on some fundamental presumptions. One is the intractability of race and racism, meaning it’s an intractable problem in America and that we have to use the lens of race to make sense of things. It also is based on the use of counterstories, listening to the, as Derrick Bell, the critical race scholar, said, the voices at the bottom of the well, to make sense of the world and to make sense of the law. These are two big theories, two big pillars of it. And so what we want to do is, if you want to ban it, you have to explain to me why.”
"Mickey Mouse and I grew up together." - Ruthie Tompson, Disney animation checker and scene planner and one of the first women to become a member of the International Photographers Union in 1952.
User avatar
neonzx
Posts: 6120
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 11:01 am
Location: FloriDUH Hell
Verified: 🤩✅✅✅✅✅🤩

Re: Critical Race Theory

#2

Post by neonzx »

"Critical Race Theory"

I've been trying to understand it -- they make it complicated but it sounds like mostly racists trying find a means to justify continuing to be racist. Am I missing something?

ETA: Hillsdale College (you know, the far right school that pushes right-wing bs) just last month had "Critical Race Theory" as their editorial in their monthly print publication. (don't worry, it's free and I'm making them spend money). Even then, after a lengthy, scholarly editorial, I didn't know WTF they were talking about.
User avatar
Phoenix520
Posts: 4149
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:20 pm
Verified:

Re: Critical Race Theory

#3

Post by Phoenix520 »

As I understand it, it’s the attempt to understand exactly how race and racism are woven throughout our culture, history, and laws, and just how inherently unfair that is, so that even dumb white folks can no longer deny its existence.
User avatar
bob
Posts: 5386
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 12:07 am

Re: Critical Race Theory

#4

Post by bob »

neonzx wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 12:17 pmI've been trying to understand it -- they make it complicated but it sounds like mostly racists trying find a means to justify continuing to be racist. Am I missing something?
What critical race theory actually is and how its detractors describe it are very different.

At its most basic level, critical race theory examines (with, as the name suggests, the eye of a critic) how the laws (and political institutions) in the United States have been and continue to be influenced by race and racism.

There are serious detractors who have reasonable criticisms about its criticisms. But what we're seeing now are the unserious detractors just reairing their grievances about political correctness, wokeness, etc. New skirmish in the culture war.

(And please note the irony of the lawmakers trying to make it illegal to teach critical race theory; it only proves that race and racism do shape the U.S.' laws and political institutions.)
Image ImageImage
User avatar
FiveAcres
Posts: 244
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2021 3:25 am

Re: Critical Race Theory

#5

Post by FiveAcres »

neonzx wrote: Tue May 11, 2021 12:17 pm "Critical Race Theory"

I've been trying to understand it -- they make it complicated but it sounds like mostly racists trying find a means to justify continuing to be racist. Am I missing something?

ETA: Hillsdale College (you know, the far right school that pushes right-wing bs) just last month had "Critical Race Theory" as their editorial in their monthly print publication. (don't worry, it's free and I'm making them spend money). Even then, after a lengthy, scholarly editorial, I didn't know WTF they were talking about.
My partner gets it. I am not sure that he bothers to read it. I roll my eyes when I see it delivered and think "At least it's helping the USPS."
Avatar was a photo I took by Killary Fjord in 2005. Killary Fjord is in Northern Connemara, Ireland.
User avatar
sugar magnolia
Posts: 3228
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 12:54 pm

Re: Critical Race Theory

#6

Post by sugar magnolia »

User avatar
AndyinPA
Posts: 9856
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:42 am
Location: Pittsburgh
Verified:

Re: Critical Race Theory

#7

Post by AndyinPA »

The same Nikki Haley who doesn't use her real name, Nimrata?
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
User avatar
raison de arizona
Posts: 17655
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:21 am
Location: Nothing, Arizona
Occupation: bit twiddler
Verified: ✔️ he/him/his

Re: Critical Race Theory

#8

Post by raison de arizona »

“Critical Race Theory” Hysteria Is A “Satanic Panic”-Style Hoax From Fox News
:snippity:
Conservatives Are Obsessed With Critical Race Theory
Critical race theory is having a moment. To listen to Republican politicians and conservative pundits and their affiliated media like Fox News, the New York Post, Newsmax, the Daily Caller and hundreds of others, you would think critical race theory is everywhere.

Republican governors with presidential aspirations like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem mention repeatedly that they are fighting against critical race theory. Republicans in Congress are organizing letters against critical race theory and proposing legislation that would purportedly stop funding of education based on the obscure academic terminology.

Critical race theory is under the bed, its inside your kindergartner’s classroom, it’s sleeping with your spouse, it’s why your lunch doesn’t taste good and why you forgot your grandmother’s birthday. At least it is if you listen to the right.

As a result of this hysteria, which has been building for about two years now, critical race theory will definitely be a major rallying cry among conservative voters and Republicans will try to outdo each other in proving how against it they are.

What Is Critical Race Theory?
The real critical race theory is an intensely academic subject, usually bantered about at the college level in discussions about the long-term effects and causes of systemic racism. It is the kind of thing that is important and worthy of serious academic study, debate, and investigation.

What it isn’t is something that is being taught to grade school, middle school, or high school age children. Sixth grade teachers are not, frankly, being given critical race theory talking points to be included as their lesson plans.

It just isn’t happening. Unfortunately, as is so frequently the case in dealing with the conservative movement in America, real facts do not matter.

:snippity:
https://oliverwillis.com/critical-race- ... -fox-news/

Great column worth a read.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
User avatar
bill_g
Posts: 5342
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 5:52 pm
Location: Portland OR
Occupation: Retired (kind of)
Verified: ✅ Checked Republic ✓ ᵛᵉʳᶦᶠᶦᵉᵈ

Re: Critical Race Theory

#9

Post by bill_g »

I've heard that the removal of Confederate "historical" monuments is driven by CRT which may explain some of the anguish and hand wringing.
MikeDunford
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:17 pm

Re: Critical Race Theory

#10

Post by MikeDunford »

bill_g wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:16 am I've heard that the removal of Confederate "historical" monuments is driven by CRT which may explain some of the anguish and hand wringing.
I think the removal of the Confederate historical monuments is mostly driven by the increasing recognition that they were erected - very explicitly, in many cases - for racist reasons.

Blaming CRT for that increasing recognition is --

let me put it this way. CRT is a bit more focused on the areas where it's necessary to thoughtfully explore a subject to see the role of race or the racist effects. Blaming CRT for people doing things like reading the speeches that were delivered when monuments were dedicated is kind of like blaming meteorology for alerting you to the hurricane outside your window.
User avatar
bill_g
Posts: 5342
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 5:52 pm
Location: Portland OR
Occupation: Retired (kind of)
Verified: ✅ Checked Republic ✓ ᵛᵉʳᶦᶠᶦᵉᵈ

Re: Critical Race Theory

#11

Post by bill_g »

MikeDunford wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:43 am
bill_g wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:16 am I've heard that the removal of Confederate "historical" monuments is driven by CRT which may explain some of the anguish and hand wringing.
I think the removal of the Confederate historical monuments is mostly driven by the increasing recognition that they were erected - very explicitly, in many cases - for racist reasons.

Blaming CRT for that increasing recognition is --

let me put it this way. CRT is a bit more focused on the areas where it's necessary to thoughtfully explore a subject to see the role of race or the racist effects. Blaming CRT for people doing things like reading the speeches that were delivered when monuments were dedicated is kind of like blaming meteorology for alerting you to the hurricane outside your window.
I'll rephrase - the anguish over CRT is in response to the Confederate monument removals. The academic critical race theory and the political football CRT are two different things.
MikeDunford
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2021 7:17 pm

Re: Critical Race Theory

#12

Post by MikeDunford »

bill_g wrote: Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:53 am

I'll rephrase - the anguish over CRT is in response to the Confederate monument removals. The academic critical race theory and the political football CRT are two different things.
This is true. For starters, one of the two isn't a straw man invented by the right.
Uninformed
Posts: 2095
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 1:13 pm
Location: England

Re: Critical Race Theory

#13

Post by Uninformed »

If you can't lie to yourself, who can you lie to?
User avatar
raison de arizona
Posts: 17655
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:21 am
Location: Nothing, Arizona
Occupation: bit twiddler
Verified: ✔️ he/him/his

Re: Critical Race Theory

#14

Post by raison de arizona »

We asked Republicans to explain Critical Race Theory—they couldn’t
Do they actually know what they are talking about? [spoiler: No!]
:snippity:
Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) told the Daily Dot that Critical Race Theory is “different things to different people but the bottom line is that it is a distorted view of racism.” Asked how Critical Race Theory distorts racism, Brooks said, “by trying to turn it into a positive when it is a negative.”

Most Republicans were unwilling to even offer a definition, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) both refused to give any answers. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) of Florida told the Daily Dot, “there’s a lot of people that have a lot of different definitions.” Asked for the Senate Republicans’ definition of Critical Race Theory, Scott said, “I don’t think the Republican caucus has a definition.” In early June, Scott introduced a resolution on Critical Race Theory which defines the theory as “an academic concept based on the belief that racism is embedded in American society, highlighting the differences between Americans instead of the many commonalities that unite them.”

But when asked what the definition of Critical Race Theory might be in upcoming legislation from Republicans, Scott told the Daily Dot, “I’ll reveal when it comes.” Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who signed onto Scott’s resolution, refused to answer when asked for her definition of Critical Race Theory.

Perhaps the clearest definition of the concept came from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who said, “it is a Marxist ideology that conceives of society … Marxist ideology conceives of society as a battle between the classes, Critical Race Study substitutes race for class.”

Some Republicans were a bit more creative in their answers, like Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) who responded, “you give me a definition and I’ll tell you if I agree with it.” Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) was similarly elusive, when asked for a definition, he responded “you find me one.”
:snippity:
More about the real origins here: https://www.dailydot.com/debug/critical ... publicans/
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” —John Adams
User avatar
RVInit
Posts: 3830
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:48 am

Re: Critical Race Theory

#15

Post by RVInit »

So they don't know what it is that they are against. Just that they are against whatever it is. Got it.
There's a lot of things that need to change. One specifically? Police brutality.
--Colin Kaepernick
User avatar
northland10
Posts: 5598
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 6:47 pm
Location: Northeast Illinois
Occupation: Organist/Choir Director/Fundraising Data Analyst
Verified: ✅ I'm me.

Re: Critical Race Theory

#16

Post by northland10 »

RVInit wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:06 pm So they don't know what it is that they are against. Just that they are against whatever it is. Got it.
That's it. Their marks also don't care what it actually is and the politicians only care that their marks are outraged.
101010 :towel:
User avatar
neeneko
Posts: 1431
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:32 am

Re: Critical Race Theory

#17

Post by neeneko »

RVInit wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 5:06 pm So they don't know what it is that they are against. Just that they are against whatever it is. Got it.
Well, it is a winning strategy. Look at most of the things that the right is against and very little of it is self consistent or even related to actual things. It is just one long moral panic with arbitrary symbols attached to it. They don't care what something is because all they really want is for it not to exist and make them feel anxious.
User avatar
RTH10260
Posts: 14353
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:16 am
Location: Switzerland, near the Alps
Verified: ✔️ Eurobot

Re: Critical Race Theory

#18

Post by RTH10260 »

comment based on https://www.rawstory.com/c

Patagoniagirl
Posts: 980
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:11 am

Re: Critical Race Theory

#19

Post by Patagoniagirl »

This ridiculous hysteria over Critical Race Theory reminds me of the racist, bull-horn hysteria of SHARIA LAW TAKING OVER 'MURIKA! FFS! Never mind this isn't something anyone was, or will be teaching in K-12. It is courses which discuss how laws have been formulated that affect race, like Jim Crow laws, for example. It is discussed in law school, Masters programs and PhD programs. Not K-12. It's a non-issue. This is like the same hysteria to pass laws about aborted fetuses being killed outside the womb at 16 weeks. It's the same hysteria as reattaching zygotes.

The ignorance and fearmongering is astounding, but expected from the Republicans who now only know how to stay in power by feeding fear, difference and ignorance.
User avatar
Suranis
Posts: 5830
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 5:25 pm

Re: Critical Race Theory

#20

Post by Suranis »

Plus you would have to say "Sharia law? Which one?"

I have to admit I wouldn't have a clue what "critical race theory" is either. Reading this thread, I would say "An academic discussion on Whether, and to what degree Racism has affected American history, and society," is as decent enough a definition as any.
Hic sunt dracones
User avatar
Notaperson
Posts: 424
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 5:08 pm

Re: Critical Race Theory

#21

Post by Notaperson »

User avatar
Frater I*I
Posts: 3210
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 10:52 am
Location: City of Dis, Seventh Circle of Hell
Occupation: Certificated A&P Mechanic
Verified: ✅Verified Devilish Hyena
Contact:

Re: Critical Race Theory

#22

Post by Frater I*I »

Hmmmmm...they all have one particular trait in common :bored:
"He sewed his eyes shut because he is afraid to see, He tries to tell me what I put inside of me
He's got the answers to ease my curiosity, He dreamed a god up and called it Christianity"

Trent Reznor
User avatar
LM K
Posts: 3144
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:44 pm
Location: Oregon
Occupation: Professor Shrinky Lady, brainwashing young adults daily!
Contact:

Re: Critical Race Theory

#23

Post by LM K »

I'm scared that state and federal gov will tie funding to CRT. I think repubs want to tie funding to CRT in k-12 and higher ed schools that teach "CRT".

I'm not certain that state and the federal gov can regulate what is taught in higher ed (I don't think they can), but they absolutely can block public k-12 schools from teaching CRT.

Repubs have demonized education because education facilitates critical thinking. Critical thinking makes things hard for local, state, and the federal gov.

I'm so angry about repubs attacks against CRT. History is pretty inconvenient for repubs.
"The jungle is no place for a cellist."
From "Take the Money and Run"
User avatar
Chilidog
Posts: 1928
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 4:36 pm

Re: Critical Race Theory

#24

Post by Chilidog »

LM K wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:16 pm but they absolutely can block public k-12 schools from teaching CRT.
Are you sure about that?
User avatar
Chilidog
Posts: 1928
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 4:36 pm

Re: Critical Race Theory

#25

Post by Chilidog »

Sorta
Kinda
Related
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed HB 233 Tuesday.
The legislation will require public universities to survey students and staff annually about their beliefs to assess “viewpoint diversity” on campuses.
The bill does not specifically say what will be done with survey results, but DeSantis suggested budget cuts could be imminent if universities and colleges are found to be “indoctrinating” students.
https://thehill.com/changing-america/en ... faculty-be
Post Reply

Return to “U.S. Culture and Media”