Critical Race Theory. What is it?
Most, if not all of us have heard the term Critical Race Theory and are aware of the division and controversy surrounding the idea, without actually knowing anything about it, and have already formed an opinion, without the benefit of any facts. I wanted to find out more, and this is what I learned:
Some say that Critical race theory is based on the premise that American institutions, laws, and history are inherently racist; that white people have put up social, economic, political and legal barriers between the races in order to maintain their elite status, and this is the sole cause of poverty and criminal behavior in minority communities.
Some of its adherents claim that nearly everything in modern American life is tainted by the legacy of slavery. Incarceration rates, the lack of universal healthcare, the length of maternity leave, minimum wage laws, diminishing union membership, highway systems, explicitly and implicitly discriminatory laws, and poorly performing school systems in minority neighborhoods are examples of the continued effects of racism.
One of the leading proponents defines a racist as anyone who supports “a racist policy through their actions or inaction”, that “Capitalism is essentially racist,” and “racism is essentially capitalist” and that racism occurs when there is any disparity between races, no matter how minor. Some argue that the only reason there is crime in black neighborhoods is because the people who live there are poor; if they had more money, they would not commit crimes.
Keep in mind that like all other social justice causes, even CRT has those who claim to act within its purview who have subverted its original intent, and seek to radicalize and/or capitalize it for their own selfish agenda. I am addressing only those proponents who claim that white racism is responsible for every circumstance and every bad decision made by black Americans.
I have a problem with any theory that discounts free agency and the intellect, emotions, fears, passions and creativity that define the human spirit and existence. If the study of human behavior has taught us anything, it is that homo sapiens are capable of amazing feats, regardless of their initial lots in life. Mother Teresa was born of a modest family in Macedonia, but her faith and spirit drove her to become a beacon of light and a shining example of all that humanity might be. The history of the world is replete with examples of people of all races who were born poor and disadvantaged, yet rose to greatness.
This argument seems to me to destroy all notions of personal responsibility. To accept this premise completely means that black people have no personal responsibility whatsoever for their circumstances or the crimes they commit, which to me makes this concept unbelievably racist. It is insulting and demeaning to black Americans.
It seems to me that to accept this idea on its face is to embrace the very concept of paternalistic racism; that blacks lack the free will or ability to care for themselves and must be treated as a race of people who are incapable of rising above their inherent and “natural” lot in life thrust upon them by the American racist system.
This goes to the very center of the nature vs. nurture, genetics vs. environment argument and presupposes that blacks are a product solely of their environment; incapable of rising above that of base criminals because of their socioeconomic status. If this were true, all blacks in poor neighborhoods would be criminals and all prosperous whites would be saints. Both scenarios are preposterous. This country is filled with millions of hard working, industrious, but economically disadvantaged black citizens, and you have but to watch the news to see stories of rich, white deviants and criminals.
No sane, right-minded person could or should argue that America has been fair to our black citizens. We have a rich history of enslaving, repressing, imprisoning and discriminating against blacks in America, but to distill all of the problems in America to white racism and excuse all blacks from personal responsibility is overly simplistic and utterly wrong.
Black Americans should be treated as equals. No better or worse. They are neither inherently devils nor saints. Like all other people, they are simply people, who deserve dignity and fair treatment. They should be held to the same standards of decency and civility as anyone else. They deserve to be judged on the content of their character, not the color of their skin. To say that they are absolutely incapable of controlling themselves because of poverty or systemic racism is to deprive them of the notion of self-control or governance.
Instead of the views of the most radical proponents of Critical Race Theory, let us teach the theory that America has been critical of the black race for too long. Instead of teaching that Black Americans are simple brutes who cannot control their criminal impulses, why don’t we teach the true American history about their time in, and contributions to, America; the role that race has played, and the roadblocks that have long been erected to subjugate them at every turn since this nation began. We can highlight the fact that they are uniquely and unbelievably resilient in rising above hundreds of years of crushing hatred and obstacles designed to thwart them at every turn. They have persevered in conditions so oppressive that their successes and triumphs are deserving of special note. They have borne what no other Americans have endured, yet have shown themselves to be patient and long suffering to a fault.
We Americans love underdogs and a good underdog story. The story of successful black people in America just might be the greatest underdog story in history. Successful black Americans are not successful because there are no hurdles, they are successful because they are good hurdlers.
Black Americans are a vibrant, creative and dynamic people who deserve nothing more or less than any other American citizen. Martin Luther King said it all came down to equality. What decent person would argue with that?