I recently posted a blog talking about the ongoing assault on school boards across the country. This morning I read a column concerning that very same issue.1 School boards have become cultural battlegrounds where Conservatives are using the guise of ‘parental rights’ to push their agenda – anti-mask, anti-vaccine, anti-Critical Race Theory. I think it’s only a matter of time before these groups start demanding the resumption of school prayers, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as the children face the American flag alongside a large picture of Donald Trump and, perhaps they’ll add the Conservative Credo as well – “I pledge not to engage in critical thinking of any kind.”
I’ve been trying to figure out why Critical Race Theory has become such a big deal being stirred up by the Conservatives. It’s not even being taught in K-12 grades and yet school board meetings have become battlegrounds over this issue – which again, I would argue most people cannot accurately define. I suppose these people would prefer that we teach ‘Uncritical Race Theory’. I think that means that no one should question anything about race – ever. We should just blindly accept the idea pushed by the right that there is no systemic racism in America – even though that is provably false. We should just accept that Columbus discovered America and that was the beginning of ‘civilizing’ the ‘savages’ who already lived here. We should just accept that slavery was a ‘normal’ part of early American life and life is so much better now for all people of color that everyone should just keep quiet about anything race related. I guess that is the view of ‘Uncritical Race Theory.’ All things ‘white’ are good and are not to be questioned.
I think what the Conservatives and the Right-Wing talking heads really object to is ‘critical thinking’ – period. They are uncomfortable, and sometimes get downright violent, when people question them – on anything. Just think about their ‘fearless’ leader, Donald Trump. He cannot stand it when anyone questions anything he says. In Trump world, anything he says is to be taken as fact. There is no room for any type of critical thinking in Trump world. Trump’s wake is replete with individuals who have dared to question or criticize him and, as a consequence of that behavior, have been publicly pilloried, ridiculed and, in some cases, been the target of physical harm, death threats or (Trump’s favorite) lawsuits.
There are various definitions of ‘critical thinking’ but they tend to coalesce around the idea of being able to objectively look at facts, data and whatever information is available to be able to make an informed, rational decision. One of the key words in all of these definitions is ‘objective.’ The definition of ‘objective’ is: “not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts. Contrasted with subjective”. Misinformation and propaganda are the enemies of critical thinking. Since the Trump wing of the Republican party (which now means almost all of them) and the talking heads on Fox News, OAN and Newsmax deal primarily in lies, deception and misinformation, one can understand why they don’t want people to be able to think critically. They prefer teachers would teach ‘Subjective Race Theory,’ which is not based upon facts and data but upon one’s feeling or personal thoughts about an issue.
This explains why, in addition to objecting to Critical Race Theory, they are also trying to deny climate change, the necessity for public health measures in the face of a pandemic, and lastly, are still trying to push the falsehoods about the election. The only way to get people to believe any of these things is to ensure that people cannot or will not think critically. This is so ‘1984’ it is truly sobering. Once you take away people’s ability or willingness to use ‘critical thinking’, it is much easier to control them and herd them, which is exactly the ultimate goal of the rightwing media and Trump land. The Trump diehards would certainly dispute that point but the fact that Tucker Carlson is launching a one-week, full fledged assault geared towards rewriting the history of events surrounding Jan. 6th is just proof that the Trump machine is more interested in brain washing than critical thinking.
Science, whether its physical science, medical science or social science moves forward because people are constantly questioning theories, data and experiments. It moves forward because people ask lots of hard questions. The sad fact is, the assault on school boards around the country is just symptomatic of this backlash against critical thinking of any kind. If the next generation are not taught and rewarded to think critically and ask lots of tough, uncomfortable questions to people in authority, the country is doomed.
The effort to stifle critical thinking is an all-out assault on democracy itself. Critical thinking is vital to democracy and lack of tolerance for critical thinking is the birth of authoritarianism.
Critical Race Theory provides them a platform to promote fear, which is now the basis of the Trumplican / former Republican party. It’s perfect for them – it’s nebulously defined and no one can deny or accurately counter something that is so. Hence, it stays murked in that fearful mud. Just watch Fox News and note the commercials that are run by the network (best not to eat beforehand, or take an upset stomach medication first). Almost all are fear based – home alarm systems, insurance of many types people don’t really need, etc. And think while watching – who are they targetting and what motivation are they using to entice people to buy their product.
The commercials are tongue and groove with their political content – fear and panic that the world is falling apart and the sky has fallen.
Forgot to mention – it also serves as a convenient way for them to pander to the audience that is polite to others on the outside when in public (mostly) – but are actually racist on the inside. Trump has started a movement to make it ok to publicly racist – but just as gay folks locked themselves up in closets previously for fear of how they would be treated by others – many racists still do so the same.
Trumplicans will always find some nebulous not well defined topic concerning race to whoop up those remaining racist dixie-crats in the south that left the democrat party to become republicans after they felt betrayed by Lindon Johnson passing reforms in the 1960s. Probably a lot of George Wallace folks too.
So – even if Critical Race Theory is somehow gone away – something else will replace it that makes sense to anyone walking around like the ScareCrow in the Wizard of Oz – who had brain but didn’t know he could use it until the end.
note – my last sentence is in error – makes sence only to those – I mixed up my NOT… if moderating – please correct