Ibram X. Kendi sort of has a point in his piece in The Atlantic about critical race theory and how there’s no debate over it. His argument is that the debate that’s currently happening isn’t about critical race theory at all, but about an “imagined monster” made up by Republicans to scare people. It’s hardly different from the Washington Post’s recent piece on conservative activists “weaponizing” critical race theory, which it defines as “an academic framework centered on the idea that racism is systemic, and not just demonstrated by individual people with prejudices.”
Kendi instead uses Kimberlé Crenshaw’s definition instead: “a way of looking at law’s role platforming, facilitating, producing, and even insulating racial inequality in our country.” So, essentially, he’s using the argument that critical race theory is taught only in law schools. How, then, does he explain how teachers themselves are putting together talking points about critical race theory, and the NEA is voting to promote it? K-12 public schools aren’t teaching it, right?
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) July 9, 2021
Kendi says Republicans have created an “imagined monster” to fight against, so they’re really fighting against themselves:
There are differing points of view about race and racism. But what we are seeing and hearing on news shows, in school-district meetings, in op-ed pages, in legislative halls, and in social-media feeds aren’t multiple sides with differing points of view. There’s only one side in our so-called culture war right now.
…
The Republican operatives, who dismiss the expositions of critical race theorists and anti-racists in order to define critical race theory and anti-racism, and then attack those definitions, are effectively debating themselves. They have conjured an imagined monster to scare the American people and project themselves as the nation’s defenders from that fictional monster.
So all of those concerned parents “storming” school board meetings are Republican operatives?
Ah, the classic intellectual tradition of, "There is no debate."
— RW (@BikesandBitcoin) July 9, 2021
Just like The Science™
— It's only a 21Matter of time 🍊 (@BLOCKNINETYNINE) July 9, 2021
Does this count as a “pounce” or a “seize?”
— Stephe96 (@Stephe96) July 9, 2021
The left doesn't even realize that this infantile talking point of theirs lost all power years ago. We know they only use "there is no debate about X" when they are losing a debate about X.
— Diana Allocco (@dianamee) July 9, 2021
Exactly.
Wait, Kendi is accusing others of “redefining terms”?
— Joe "Eagle" Biden☠️🇺🇸 (@TrumpUndead) July 9, 2021
— David Carter (@MrDavidCarter) July 9, 2021
This from the guy who says there’s no such thing as “not racist” and wants it eliminated from our vocabulary. There’s only anti-racism, which you can read about in his books “How to Be an Antiracist” and “Antiracist Baby.”
The chef's kiss is his complaining about others "creating their own definition for the term," when his ENTIRE SCHTICK is based on creating a new definition of "racism" and then judging literally everything based on that definition.
— Blawgdawg29 (@gmarksim) July 9, 2021
Yep.
Ladies and gentlemen, the "ideas" section of The Atlantic.
— English Department (@EngDeptTV) July 10, 2021
The science is clearly settled
— Emissary Rose ✞ (@CelestialAgent) July 9, 2021
"We investigated our own theory and found there's nothing wrong with it."
— Benevolent Potato (@BenevolentTator) July 9, 2021
— DylanC137 (@DylanC137) July 9, 2021
It is Schrodinger's theory. It is both exactly what it is when proponents describe it and not what it is when opponents describe it.
— Herodotus (@btmlineman) July 9, 2021
Words, what do they mean?
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) July 9, 2021
The “theory” is one thing, how it’s put to use is another, much like Marxism
— Teodocia Smith (@zuzusmith75) July 9, 2021
I’m sorry. A “theory” is always available for debate.
— nsgordon (@nsgordon) July 9, 2021
Fortunally he just told us he doesn't know or use or advocate for CRT so we can assume he doesn't know what he's talking about.
— Michael Carney (@MpvCarney) July 9, 2021
If he didn't even go to law school and therefore can't speak with authority on the subject, why is he still trying?
— Fading Fast (@Gammon_Famine) July 9, 2021
Activists hate when you notice the terrible ideas they have and then you call out those ideas as bad
— Father of 3 (@whiter069) July 9, 2021
"There is no debate" is code for "I dont want a debate because I would then have to clearly define and defend my position which would then make people aware of how stupid and/or dangerous my position is and I would lose support for my stupid and/or dangerous position."
— Adam Sweeney (@AeroAdam86) July 9, 2021
CRT is the new Witch Trial, anything but admitting to your racism is an admission of your racism.
— Ben Robinson (@TheRobinson1982) July 9, 2021
Yeah, like when Sen. Tim Scott said America wasn’t a racist country and Kendi countered that “the heartbeat of racism is denial,” making Scott a racist.
Kendi is on his remarketing tour
— nomadirish (@nomadirish) July 10, 2021
By “Ibram X Kendi” 🤦♂️
— Independent Fact Checker (@1wein) July 9, 2021
"Shut up," he explained.
— New Caledonia (@RobertVanDame) July 10, 2021
Grifters gotta grift…
— Nestus Venter (@nestus) July 9, 2021
Related:
Washington Post: Conservative activists have weaponized critical race theory to claim schools are teaching children to hate one another https://t.co/0gWlzXkbdU
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 8, 2021
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