Hysteria over 'critical race theory' is to deny bigotry still with us

Prodded by Gov. Brian Kemp, the state Board of Education last week waded into the controversy over “critical race theory,” or more accurately, into a cartoon version of the theory that has been ginned up by Fox News and the conservative entertainment industry to keep its viewers in a state of racial panic.

“The United States of America is not a racist country, and … the state of Georgia is not a racist state,” the board informed us in a resolution passed in a specially called meeting. Furthermore, the board instructed Georgia educators not to teach that “one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex,” or that “an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual’s race.”

These are not, ordinarily, the kind of controversial sentiments that require hastily called meetings to endorse, but the context here is important. Kemp and the Board of Education are following the example of other conservatives all around the country who are rushing to pass similar laws and resolutions. They have convinced themselves that white is the new black, that schools and universities are engaged in a conspiracy to discriminate on the basis of race, and that this time the target of that discrimination is white people.

I know, I know: It’s a ridiculous claim. But if you can convince millions of people that non-existent vote fraud cost Donald Trump the election, in contradiction to every piece of available evidence, then you can convince them of almost anything if they want to believe it hard enough.

Read more: https://georgiarecorder.com/2021/06/10/bookman-hysteria-over-critical-race-theory-is-to-deny-bigotry-still-with-us/