Sen. Tom Cotton corners Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on critical race theory in the military

As we often warn, critical race theory is being slipped into schools, corporations, and the government under the umbrella of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) departments. That’s why the New York Times frames its story on the military on “diversity.” As John Noonan points out, Republicans certainly don’t oppose diversity in the military.

There's a legitimate framing problem here. No one questions that the military is and should be diverse. If you can fight, we want you.

It's the problem of injecting all the bad habits of college campus activism and the impact on our military's lethality https://t.co/tMN23ksrAV

— John Noonan (@noonanjo) June 10, 2021

there's a big gap between "the military should be diverse" (duh) and saying "the military should promote based on identity and not operational excellence, certain races are a problem and should be ashamed, and you should hate your country b/c it's a racist and evil place."

— John Noonan (@noonanjo) June 10, 2021

Well said. Speaking of hating your country because it’s racist, we noted a while back that the Navy had put Ibram X. Kendi’s “How to Be an Antiracist” on its recommended reading list for sailors, along with an equally woke selection of books. Sen. Tom Cotton addressed that with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who folded pretty quickly when pressed on the issue:

I’m glad Secretary Austin agrees—Critical Race Theory has no place in our military. pic.twitter.com/Xk1ELnHBPF

— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) June 10, 2021

I don't think he agrees, he's just going to call it something else.

— Goldens Rule (@jamesbranch3) June 10, 2021

We can't remedy the mistakes of historical figures with exaggerated responses attempting to offset societal injustices, even disadvantages, with further discrimination or oppression. Class and race conflict is not progress and shame on those who teach that it is.

— Christopher Taylor (@Jesus_arose) June 10, 2021

Talk is cheap, watch his actions!

— Dominic Weskamp Photography (@DominicWeskamp) June 10, 2021

The "full context" is that Kendi says worse than that, proposing a Department of Antiracism that would have totalitarian veto-power over any law within the United States that its members deemed to be "unequitable".https://t.co/ncADtwhfI1

— Raymond McCue 💗⚤💜⚣💙 (@RayMcCue) June 10, 2021

Fact-check: True. Kendi wants an anti-racist amendment to the Constitution that would set up a federal Department of Anti-Racism that would wield all the power of any other government department, and its task would be to “investigate private racist policies when inequality surfaces, and monitor public officials for expressions of racist ideas.” It would also be “empowered with disciplinary tools to wield over and against policymakers and public officials who do not voluntarily change their racist policy and ideas.”

Give em hell, Tom. Keep our institutions on the right track.

— CrewDog83 (@CrewDog83) June 10, 2021

It has no place anywhere. People need to stand up against all of this racist rhetoric.

— Zuko (@zuko7381) June 10, 2021

Good work, Senator.

— Steve Lewis (@03410341USMC) June 10, 2021

A lot of the people in the comments are challenging Cotton to define critical race theory. Christopher Rufo has put together a CRT Briefing Book on his website that does just that, as well as lists a number of real-life examples of critical race theory being put into practice in schools, corporations, and government agencies.

The political left has adopted the silly argument that conservatives "don't even know the definition of critical race theory."

Here's a definition from my CRT Briefing Book, a free resource for parents, schools, and policymakers: https://t.co/xBLjQflo3J pic.twitter.com/IaGbx1xPCA

— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) June 9, 2021

Related:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin believes that diversity among the senior ranks ‘is a readiness issue’ https://t.co/ASryzjvUuJ

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 6, 2021