What is CRT?

[BCP1928]

How? I think you're imputing to me what you are only surmising about my religious beliefs at this point, BCP. There's a lot I hold back

you are a Protestant, though, aren't you?

.................


The answer will depend on which CRT theorist we attempt to engage and deconstruct. Like Christian theologians, or other philosophers, they're not always consistent among themselves. What they do bring in, usually, is the notion that they somehow should have the imminent right to 'define' their reality (via a Marxian mode of thought) and it's this notion which those on the political, fundamental Right then overreact to.

Notice here I say that the right 'overreacts,' and I say this because where CRT is concerned, there is such a thing as throwing the baby out with the bathwater. The truth is, African-Americans, Native-Americans, Latin-Americans and many others have been suppressed and at times oppressed by various White individuals (which to be clear, doesn't imply that all White individuals have done so). We all know this and to deny these facts is tantamount to creating in one's head one's own social reality...........which doesn't exist.

Is that it? Certainly there are many on CF who live in that "reality."

Critical race theory | Examples, Public Schools, History, Tenets, & Criticism | Britannica

Critical race theory (CRT) is an intellectual and social movement and a framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is a socially constructed category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color. Critical race theorists hold that racism is inherent in the law and legal...

www.britannica.com

Do you have a specific CRT scholar you'd like for me to engage and critique?

I'm not interested in scholars. I can find out about what they have to say myself, and politically active Christians who denounce CRT never read them.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

you are a Protestant, though, aren't you?

I just said I'm not. I may attend Protestant churches here and there, but that doesn't mean I fully agree with them, align with them or identify with them. I'm a philosopher first and foremost, and I don't let anyone else's 'box set' doctrinal statements rule me without critical evaluation. I personally feel free to step in a Trinitarian Church of an of the four major traditions, and I have little qualm in doing so. I've learned a bit from each one in fact.

Is that it? Certainly there are many on CF who live in that "reality."

It's what I have time to right out at the moment. Of course there's always more that can be cited. Where CRT is a focus, I'd start people off in reading those two articles I posted above as a starting point, but it's also best to ask the affected people what their feelings and grievances are where the historical hegemony of 'White Privilege' is a concern, to whatever the actual degree has been.

I'm not interested in scholars. I can find out about what they have to say myself, and politically active Christians who denounce CRT never read them.

As I think I've make clear, I haven't denounced CRT. I will denounce CT, however, and I will do so quite earnestly when given the opportunity.

 

[BCP1928]

I just said I'm not. I may attend Protestant churches here and there, but that doesn't mean I fully agree with them, align with them or identify with them. I'm a philosopher first and foremost, and I don't let anyone else's 'box set' doctrinal statements rule me without critical evaluation. I personally feel free to step in a Trinitarian Church of an of the four major traditions, and I have little qualm in doing so. I've learned a bit from each one in fact.

It's what I have time to right out at the moment. Of course there's always more that can be cited. Where CRT is a focus, I'd start people off in reading those two articles I posted above as a starting point, but it's also best to ask the affected people what their feelings and grievances are where the historical hegemony of 'White Privilege' is a concern, to whatever the actual degree has been.


As I think I've make clear, I haven't denounced CRT. I will denounce CT, however, and I will do so quite earnestly when given the opportunity.

I just thought you might know more about conservative Protestants than I do. All I ever hear from them is that CRT is a determined and vicious attack by Marxist-Leninists against white American Christians. What do they really want?

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I just thought you might know more about conservative Protestants than I do. All I ever hear from them is that CRT is a determined and vicious attack by Marxist-Leninists against white American Christians. What do they really want?

From what I can tell, conservative Protestants are afraid that proponents of CRT will attempt to change (drastically?) the legal structure we have in place through the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution; it's only a more extreme derivation of misinformation that causes them to think that CRT is "all about and nothing but" the infiltration of Marxism or Communism. This latter manifestation can be seen in the teaching of someone like David Barton of Wallbuilders, as per the link below describes.

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www.economicwarroom.com

A more 'middling' and non-extreme critique of concerns about CRT, such as those heard among some educated Southern Baptists, can be seen in this interview of D.A. Horton from California Baptist University, linked below:

Critical Race Theory: What Christians Need to Know - Christianity Today

Let’s talk about the issue tearing the American church and country apart.

www.christianitytoday.com

 

[BCP1928]

From what I can tell, conservative Protestants are afraid that proponents of CRT will attempt to change (drastically?) the legal structure we have in place through the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution; it's only a more extreme derivation of misinformation that causes them to think that CRT is "all about and nothing but" the infiltration of Marxism or Communism. This latter manifestation can be seen in the teaching of someone like David Barton of Wallbuilders, as per the link below describes.

Loading…

www.economicwarroom.com

A more 'middling' and non-extreme critique of concerns about CRT, such as those heard among some educated Southern Baptists, can be seen in this interview of D.A. Horton from California Baptist University, linked below:

Critical Race Theory: What Christians Need to Know - Christianity Today

Let’s talk about the issue tearing the American church and country apart.

www.christianitytoday.com

Thanks. The Horton paper was outstanding.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Appeals court halts Temecula school district ban on critical race theory​

• The court said the district’s policy is unconstitutionally vague and made teachers fearful.

More importantly to the thread, this is the definition of CRT used in the policy.

She added that the resolution “defined CRT as ‘a divisive ideology that assigns moral fault to individuals solely on the basis of an individual’s race and, therefore, is itself a racist ideology.’ The Resolution operates as if this definition is universally accepted, but the text does not indicate where this definition is derived, or whether it is shared with anyone else besides the Board. This definition seems to represent the Board’s subjective perception of CRT.”

So, alas, it's not a very good definition. But it was good for a little grandstanding and chilling of free speech.

 

[RDKirk]

Appeals court halts Temecula school district ban on critical race theory​

• The court said the district’s policy is unconstitutionally vague and made teachers fearful.

More importantly to the thread, this is the definition of CRT used in the policy.

She added that the resolution “defined CRT as ‘a divisive ideology that assigns moral fault to individuals solely on the basis of an individual’s race and, therefore, is itself a racist ideology.’ The Resolution operates as if this definition is universally accepted, but the text does not indicate where this definition is derived, or whether it is shared with anyone else besides the Board. This definition seems to represent the Board’s subjective perception of CRT.”

So, alas, it's not a very good definition. But it was good for a little grandstanding and chilling of free speech.

If you get down into the weeds and origins of CRT, that's exactly what it is and does.

Whether a particular school's program gets down into it that far is a case-by-case issue. The military academies were taking it that far, and I've seen real examples of public schools taking that far, even in elementary schools.

If you see a program that identifies the students in the classroom by race as "oppressors" and "oppressed," there you are for sure...and some of them have been doing that.