Yesterday, David Ignatius had a piece in the Washington Post that uncovered the attempt of the Trump administration to reorder the Middle East along an axis anchored by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudia Arabia (more popularly known as MBS), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, and Jared Kushner of the U.S.
This tired woman leaves the Middle East, Jared Kushner and Critical Race Theory to your able minds. I'll return to give the subjects more time tomorrow.
Before I say goodnight, here's a message for you.
I started reading Letters from an American at the beginning of January, 2021. The drumbeat of Heather’s Letters begins my mornings. Eventually, I joined the forum.
You have been my friends, teachers, dramatists, sources of amusement and arguments. Men and women from around the country, a few living in other places; a mixture of professions; different ages; retirees, married, single, widows and widowers are the beating heart of this forum.
Heather’s Letters inform me and you are my community. Without seeing each other’s faces or voices, we are close. Together, we share a pivotal point in America’s history.
I have a personal project to begin this month. With its start, I must end my time on the forum. The loss of your sensibilities will grow stronger, not fade away. I am grateful for Heather’s and your predictability during the early months of Joe Biden’s presidency. Subscriber friends, you have brought me an abundance of life and a 2nd sunrise each morning. Please accept this wide smile of appreciation to each and every one of you. Salud!
Will you be back? As you know, I am a new contributor, but I have been a reader for several months, and whenever I see your name I stop scanning, and read what you have to say. I see you as a flanking rider, keeping the herd on track with your straight-on replies when the dialogue gets off the path or runs out of wisdom.
I will miss you Fern! And, selfishly, who will replace you?
I wish you blessings and success with your endeavor.
I seldom write anything, but read HCR and the comments everyday. Your words have educated, inspired, and challenged me, Fern. I’m will miss you dearly. Thank you….
I agree . . . I started reading HCR's daily Letter many months before subscribing to Substack last year for the (very early!) daily email delivery and access to this community's comments which definitely enrich the discussion and education!
In these times, this wonderful community is like lifeblood. When one leaves, it is felt deeply and your good-bye brought tears to my eyes. It is hard to articulate how important everyone here is during this moment in our history and through the isolative experiences of this pandemic. Will miss your voice, Fern, wishing you much success in your project. I know that it is so hard to stay away from this community of thinkers and learners. This is big. Salud back, dear friend!
Fern, you will be sorry missed for your friendship and camaraderie, for your intellect and wisdom, for your openness and good will, and for being you! So this is not a long good-bye, but a quick adieu, until we meet again ... Be well, be happy, and all the very best with your project.
I find Dr. Peggy McIntosh's article "White People Facing Race: Uncovering the Myths that keep Racism in Place" very helpful in understanding how racism and white privilege are both denied and perpetuated. The five myths she discusses are: 1. "The Myth of Meritocracy is the myth that the individual is the only unit of society, and that whatever a person ends up with must be what he or she individually wanted, worked for, earned and deserved." 2. "The Myth of Manifest Destiny includes the idea that white people were intended by God to take the lands of indigenous people and others in order to possess the whole of what is now the continental United States." 3. "The Myth of White Racelessness is the notion that white people do not have race or racial experience. In this view we [whites] are just "normal." 4. "The Myth of Monoculture is that there is one American culture and that we all experience it more or less the same way." and finally 5. "The Myth o White Moral Elevation, also called internalized superiority." Here is the link to the entire article. https://nationalseedproject.org/images/documents/peggy/Peggy_McIntosh_White_People_Facing_Race.pdf What this tells me is that we won't address the biases in our systems - in the law, medical care, etc. -- until we face these myths and acknowledge their impact in distorting our society and culture. Here is Peggy's TEDtalk on How to recognize your white privilege — and use it to fight inequality. https://www.ted.com/talks/peggy_mcintosh_how_to_recognize_your_white_privilege_and_use_it_to_fight_inequality Whites as a whole do not recognize their white privilege.
In her TEDtalk, Dr. McIntosh’s description of a hypothetical, imaginary line of social justice above which is unearned advantage (privilege) and below is unearned disadvantage reminds me of another hypothetical, imaginary line that I have been using for years to guide my life.
I don’t remember who to credit or where I learned the analogy of using the airline pilot’s system of correcting flight course drift to an imaginary line. The essence is that when the plane drifts off course due to outside forces like wind, the pilot makes a conscious decision to turn the plane back on to the correct course - the imaginary line - thus always moving forward to the desired destination.
In our household we call this the squiggly path. You are never off the squiggly path. When you realize the current direction your life is taking is not in line with your desired destination, it is time to make a correction. You make a conscious decision to turn your life back towards that imaginary line and keep moving forward towards your desired destination.
Whether it’s losing weight, managing your career, raising children, selecting college classes, planting a garden, being kind - respecting the squiggly path and making the necessary corrections along the way will get you where you want to end up.
Seems to me that Americans (and people around the globe) are beginning to see the hypothetical, imaginary line of social justice and are working to make course corrections to get us where we want to be. And that’s a good thing. Not an easy thing. But a good thing.
I like your analogy, and it's something I wish was accurate. It seems to me, however, that like most analogies, it neglects the completely corrupt, hateful and immoral people who populate the party of Trump. The only way this Squiggly Path works for the Trumpery sort is if we accept their destination as desirable which, of course, it is not!
Myth #3 is the one that floors me. Many discussions with decent, intelligent people who think this way. My approach is to ask "how in the world do you make decisions then?" They generally ask what do I mean. "How do you know what kind of music you like, or what clothes to wear when? How do you know what foods to eat, or what kind of store to shop at? What to call your mother and father? How to carry a child? When it is appropriate to walk into a neighbor's house without knocking? How to define god/gods/whatever? I can go on and on, but at some point most people start to get it, and actually starting to realize that they do have a culture and that other cultures may have different answers. Or they get mad because they truly still don't get it, and therefore have no way to grasp how other people think and live.
Myth #3 is a good explanatory as to why white people are the only power structure that are racist. Because they “invented” the power structure and have never felt the effects of the affect they created.
One cannot accuse a person of color as being racist.
It’s a bit mind blowing. When I wrapped my head around it, it shut me up for awhile and got me listening a whole lot more.
"Myth #3 is a good explanatory as to why white people are the only power structure that are racist..." Really??? I must be misunderstanding what this seems to assert because this white who has lived in another culture that is not white, indeed has seen and experienced a racist power structure. Racism is not unique to the Caucasian race.
When I first moved to Alaska I was walking down the street one day and a car full of Native American men pulled up beside me and started harassing me. "HEY! WHITE GIRL! pick up your feet" and other taunts. It was shocking as I had never experienced it before. It was not particularly hurtful as I do in fact identify as a white "girl", they were laughing and having a bit of fun at my expense, and I didn't feel "threatened" as to violence. At one time it was called "reverse racism". Nothing reverse about it, and not limited to white folks. As shocking as a one time incident in my life was, can you imagine how hurtful it would be to be called N____ or Squaw, and being hated or bullied by people who do not know you at all as a person, but see you only through the lens of your race, and having this be a constant occurrence? Something I recently saw labeled as "racial gas lighting".
Racism is unique to the race that creates the power structure that is based not on equity or fairness.
My apology. For this discourse, I was referring only to this country.
The white race decided the black race was definitive enough by color to use that characteristic to create opposite rungs on the ladder of wealth and opportunity.
The race at the top do not experience that effect. Thus, white privilege.
This is true. In multi-cultural San Francisco, people seek out preschools that represent their culture and beliefs. In this city that is probably representative of every nationality, race and culture, I still saw groups of preschool children walking along the street consisting of only one race/nationality. People still choose to voluntarily segregate themselves by culture/race, and this applies to people of other nationalities and color, who prefer not to be with whites.
I agree with your thought re: culture/race and I’d add language and values. I find this true in may own life. I will not practice zen by sitting in an Asian temple, because it is culturally foreign to me. The most segregated time of one’s life in America is “Sunday mornings”, or the time of celebrating the spirit, which of course is universal. I’ve celebrated mass at a Mexican church, BUT without knowledge of Spanish and customs, I and my wife felt as outsiders. AND, I can empathize with ethnic families not wanting their child to be immersed with American children, especially young boys. My judgement here is that young American males adopt aggressive behavior of their male role models.
The desire to feel comfortable and safe is archetypal. We are tribal creatures.
I agree, especially with your statement that begins with "I can empathize with ethnic families . . . ." American children can seem wild to an outsider. Many American boys parrot anything they see on television, and emulate aggressive behavior. They may be too young to reflect or understand, but their parents are not too young. They seemingly accept this behavior as normal.
Without thinking, people accept whatever pervades their childhood culture, and accept it as normal and true. Myth #3, the myth of white racelessness, embodies the myth of white sameness. It fails to acknowledge differences in cultures among white people in America, and fails to respect cultural heritages of white people/POC who came from other countries, or whose parents/family came from other countries. It assumes that the "American way of doing things" is the right and only way. For example, the American legal system has an idea of how children should be raised, and it assumes that what are traditionally American beliefs are normal and healthy and should be applied to all white/POC cultures, and anything different from that is "wrong." - - Although every white culture is probably guilty of this.
This tension in the air we all breathe is indeed this dynamic of accepting the racism in our culture, history, family and one’s own life. As soon as I admitted I have a racist view (that ‘others’ are different and less than), I have been able to embrace this and open to loving the other.
I 've had the delight of being a guest in her a number of times. Yes, she is wonderful and amazing. Her husband is an MD at Boston Children's Hospital. In the 90s he coordinated all the world wide research on Aides in children. Good people making a big difference in the world!
If you absorb the written word better than the spoken word, like me, there's a link below the video of her TEDtalk for the transcript. Listening to a long discourse often results in mind wander; I find it a lot easier to backtrack and reread if/when I want to further consider something 'said'.
Can’t tell you how much today’s LFAA bothers me. Let’s just forget thousands of years of violence, hatred and enmity including the Holocaust, the Crusades and the world wars. No problem is too big for money and American individualism. And by the way, let’s throw those who have helped preserve a very fragile peace under the bus ‘cause they really aren’t one of the big dogs. Americans, led by a rich, arrogant punk kid, will show you how to get it done. Don’t bother the kid with the details of history because he has the attention span of a gnat - and the morals of, well, I guess no morals involved since that might cloud things.
Just when I think I have learned the worst things 45’s administration threw at us and the world, I learn more. And become ever more concerned about how to preserve American democracy and our role as a respected leader. Biden is doing a good job. So too his cabinet, staff, advisors. But the damage done by Trump and his minions is deep, wide and dangerous. Add the pandemic into the equation and the cauldron is boiling. How do we keep it from exploding?
I am an American of Irish, English and Scots descent with one set of Catholic grandparents and a set of Protestant grandparents. When I lived in Ireland in 1978 as a student, the so called “Troubles” were raging. 800 years of subjugation based on religion and ethnicity resulted in terrorism, war on the streets, poverty, death, destruction and seemingly endless hatred. Took a hellava lot more than money and political will to even start the discussion about peace, let alone how to end the cycle of death and destruction. Kushner’s and Trump’s mindset could well have set off a world war. Just unbearably arrogant and stupid, not to mention immoral. Did I mention it was dangerous?!
Rather than wallow in fear and anger today, I’m going to write more postcards to potential voters, and organize my equipment - I have my first outdoor art fair in a year and a half next weekend. As an artist, I sometimes wonder how bringing beauty into this world matters right now. Then I realize that sharing the joy of my work might raise another’s spirits too which really does matter. Do something you love today too. Then, let’s all be active as hell in defense of democracy.
Yes! I had my first art show opening last weekend, and it will be up throughout the month. I’m a photographer and needless to say, I wasn’t doing much exploring or documenting much beyond my immediate surroundings throughout that ‘dark age’. I struggled with what and how to express myself, and how to affirm what we experienced together… I kept coming up empty as I scrolled through my photographs. Finally I decided to put together a collection of all things joyful and named the show, ‘Here Comes the Sun’. My husband played his guitar and sang, and everyone had a wonderful time. My photos were pretty much in the background, as people stayed outside in the beautiful sun, and it truly was a celebration of ‘being back’ for all of us. I felt so good that I had the opportunity to
Sheila, fellow artist (musician/teacher) chiming in here with you and the other artists...trying to bring some beauty into the world DOES matter right now. Other people depend on our expression to help them see and hear what they might be feeling, or need to feel. We HAVE to keep on keeping on. The ugliness that surrounds us in the world mustn't get the upper hand. I'm trying to not let things overwhelm me--I have a LOT on my plate right now dealing with my mom's recent passing--and all y'all on here help me anchor myself by simply showing me there IS hope in this world by some right-thinking, sane people. It's reassuring to know there are folks out here who have your back!
Sheila B, yes! Artists of all sorts, tradespeople, everyone needs to keep speaking Truth to power, resist and take action or we will be steamrolled by the oppressors. I'm of your heritage as well and have written lots of postcards :) Let's keep up the the good work! Slainte!
Thank you for your comments. As an artist - a musician - I agree with you. As David’s music soothed Saul’s soul, may our art effect souls both near and far.
You have to remember that this punk kid solved an overwhelming financial disaster for his family's real estate business by securing a loan with Middle East assistance. He knows money will ease his struggles and can't help but think that it will solve the conflicts in the Middle East.
I will never get over the roles Kushner played in the Trump administration. Trump, ignorant of history, chose his "highly educated" son-in-law - who must have slept through history classes - to change the face of the Middle East! That is chutzpah to the nth degree! And don't even get me started on Kushner's disastrous response to the Covid epidemic!
Kushner was a C student before he went to Hahvahd, and he only got in because the place is so corrupt that if your daddy buys a building, they let you in. And then he was a C student in Bid'nezz. But if you ask him, he'll tell you both he and his father-in-law a "very stable geniuses." (whatever in hell a stable genius is - I've known a few actual geniuses and stable has nothing to do with it - unless he's the genius from the stable).
Beyond chutzpah! Criminal dealings by-passing the Constitutionally-founded workings of our democracy and undermining specialists in international law and diplomacy already in place within government institutions. Such a train wreck.
I know. We didn't need any more proof that all the former guy and his family care about is money, but the disastrous effects of throwing the car keys to Kushner and letting him take the wheel on Middle East issues is horrifying. How many other Lucy and Ethel schemes were hatched by this scary duo that we don't know about? The "what ifs" are terrifying.
The importance of history! Being educated about history. If we don’t learn from it, we are doomed to repeat it. Seems like our countries lack of support for education continues to be a sticking point. But if we have a strong educational system that teaches history, critical thinking skills, differentiating between reliable information and an unreliable source, then the masses are harder to dupe. Harder to control.
Good points, Denise. However states are trying to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory in schools.
“Florida Board of Education approves new academic standards opposing Critical Race Theory”
Emily Bloch, Florida Times-Union, June 10,2021.
This prohibition is scary and occurring in other Red states. On local levels, all over the country, right wing opponents are showing up at school board meetings spreading misinformation regarding anti-bias, tolerance policies.
Pay attention, it’s probably happening in your town.
Thanks for starting this discussion, Dr. Richardson!
Desantis signed law "banning the teaching of CRT" statewide in FL. A gigantic book burning next? They can burn books, but not stop ideas. They can restrict voter access, but not votes!
I teach in Texas. Controlling content has always been going on! Politicians control what is taught and our objectives. We currently have a realtor at the head of our state education system, TEA. His actions give realtors a bad name! Trying to rent expensive properties to our education offices, would have taken millions from education and retirement system, TRS. The governor has turned down federal money for special needs children because he doesn’t want to be told how to spend money. He diverted education funding to take care of other financial problems. My friend who teaches history at our district high school was warned about not teaching current events. No BLM, no information about the election last year.
We are the district on the national news from parents suing to block us from teaching inclusion and diversity, basically anti bullying! I know all too well how politics and under informed people control education. Such as Betsy DeVos ,heir to Amway fortune, at the federal level under Dumpty telling people teachers are so lost we just cry for guidance.
And being forced back f2f last August, teachers, principals, even our superintendent, are moving in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride for a very long time! We teach what we know students need including integrity, kindness, and compassion. But yes, it’s definitely happening in Texas!
My son’s teacher in 3rd would not allow him to read Harry Potter in her room. She left the next year to teach in a Baptist school. He kept reading Harry Potter
Absolutely agree, Denise. CRT is an easily spouted term that makes foxxers feel smart, like Benghazi. What we are talking about is Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States vs. cleanedup superpatriot speciallyprinted history textbooks like Texas has been doing for years.
If you replace "Evolution" or "Sex Education" for "Critical Race Theory," doesn't all the protest sound horribly familiar? Yet not so long ago, legislators were busy trying to find ways to prevent schools from educating students about those things, with cases being argued all the way to the Supreme Court.
Sometimes the willful ignorance is just tiring, instead of tiring AND appalling.
ml, reminds me of the Spencer Tracy movie, Inherit the Wind. 😟. Unfortunately a teacher or school district may have to go to court to have this resolved.
“The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal loaves of bread” - Anatole France
In 1981 I wrote in my diary to my newborn daughter my fear and sadness for our country had just elected Ronald Reagan. Today we are celebrating her 40th birthday. I am proud to say she is educating me on the extent of racism in our country and white supremacy. My hope for the future comes as I join her and her children in BLM rallies.
Thank you Heather for your gift of putting these events in historical perspective. I so appreciate this forum.
My father once said to me, a history major, and a long time reader of all sorts of history, that history does not matter. I let him know what I thought of that and reminded him that history does matter in all sorts of situations large and small. People do not forget what has happened to them and history is replete with examples of this. Thank you, Professor Richardson, for this excellent summation of the awful Middle East that Kushner was trying to build based on money and deals. That turns my stomach.
I confess have not read it through in detail; reliving anything about trump is crushingly depressing and I have to pace myself!
The last one is titled "The Case for Prosecuting Donald Trump" . The sidebar summary succinctly sums up what I have feared since he appeared on the scene.
"Donald Trump’s presidency made clear that our institutions are currently incapable of holding presidents accountable for breaking the law. Unless he faces consequences, the message to future corrupt leaders is that they will not face consequences either".
The problem was less about what DJT did that wasn’t specifically illegal, but what Congress, and especially the Senate refused to acknowledge was in fact illegal and unconstitutional. From the very beginning, Congress could have impeached him for breaking the emolument clause of the Constitution, and they would have been successful.
This series has had a few mentions this past week in our comment stream. Very compelling. Authored by the Editorial Board so the plethora of voices is appreciated. Part 5, Rewards for doing the president’s bidding, gave me pause. I had to do some yoga breathing before continuing. Honestly, the hairs on the back of my neck where intuitive response lies, were raised.
I’m passionately grateful for our very ethical and brilliant journalists at this tipping point in the landscape of our country.
By now, you've probably read it. Although it sounds a bit daunting as a "6-part" series, it's actually a pretty straightforward and quick read. I recommend it!
Yes, I did read. It is discouraging that so little has been done when the crimes committed (particularly January 6th) are so blatant. It shouldn’t take years….. and he should have been removed from office after the first impeachment. Right now, it feels like there is no justice.
I read one of the early news items about CRT in Florida, and de Santis' argument is that it makes our children "hate America."
That seems to me like saying the Declaration of Independence made people hate America.
After all, the DoI has a bit to say about what a shambles the colonial government was, a hateful government, a hateful system, a thing that needed to be destroyed by warfare. Now, it's Holy Writ.
My take is that the people who hate CRT are the people who are mired in the past, and in an illusion of perfection that is being destroyed by ... well, by change itself. If the past was perfect, every change is, by definition, a decline.
Personally, my fairly recent exposure to CRT has made sense of a lot of the history I've seen and lived, and it gives me a vision of an America that is no longer burdened by its history of slavery and racism. And that is not a vision that I hate. It is a vision that I love.
Kids are anything but stupid. CRT will not make them hate America. It will make them hate injustice. And it will only make them hate America if America clings to injustice.
This part of your post - "My take is that the people who hate CRT are the people who are mired in the past, and in an illusion of perfection that is being destroyed by ... well, by change itself. If the past was perfect, every change is, by definition, a decline." - is probably the best thing I read on here today.
Today, I saw this statement: "The fact that you have a social security card means that you literally are a card carrying socialist." Loved it. One aspect of right wing messaging is that "socialism" is to be feared. I don't understand this. Wouldn't you rather live in Norway than North Korea?
Indeed, may we reflect on the the actual NAME of the card, and it's implications, "SOCIAL" security. That may separate out some "independents" from crazy tyranny loving republicans.
As a daughter of Holocaust victims, history can have all the theories it wants. Proof is in the pudding, as they say. All I know is that most of us have had our heads buried in the sand not to realize that all of our lives are at stake here. If anything, the Reagan and Trump administrations caused undue chaos. Reagan deregulated banks, helped tear down the wall in Germany while convincing our government to take much needed welfare money away from blacks and poor people. Reaganites insisted that blacks were “lazy” and didn’t work hard enough. The result was homelessness and more hardship. We already know about Fake45 and his band of deniers, liars, grifters, misogynists, and rapists. Rapists in the biblical sense as well as ripping us all off…”the biggest heist” we have ever seen. Kushner is quite the squeaky little criminal, is he not? I would not doubt that he and MBS arranged Khashoggi's gruesome death. I never ever knew that there was a Jewish mafia as dangerous as the Nazis. My precious parents are buried not realizing the further harm created by their own. I am grateful they are not alive.
CRT should, in fact, be taught by people of color because who better knows how to educate those who question the beginnings of hatred.
Before I even start reading tonight's threads I have an idea to offer that I've gotten from other Forums I participate in. It's called "trolliquette" or proper handling of trolls and trollbots. First, thanks to Fern for putting a label on it and to Roland for his super due diligence in tracking down our troll buddies. Here's the idea:
1. Have fun with this and don't take trolling too seriously. Clowns are supposed to help us laugh.
2. Upon noticing a troll, simply reply "Ploop". That's the cartoon sound of poop hitting the floor. Extra "O" in there to signify it then sliding, or ozzing, off to the side.
3. If so inclined, reply with SNARK (see Urban Dictionary). Good snark is a high literary art form and should be practiced.
4. A little Southwestern Buddha thought. "Your ego is not your amigo". You can't control what others do, you can only be responsible for your reaction to it.
I hope this news about the Middle East gets the attention it deserves. It's astounding on so many levels. And just think how many people died because of Kushner's handling of the pandemic.
As for Critical Race Theory, Fox News has turned it into just another bogeyman, a wedge of manufactured hysteria to further mislead and divide the country. Who would have thought that teaching the truth about America's original sin of slavery and how it so adversely affects the country today would actually provoke more racism and hate.
So we pay teachers poorly, expect them to do double work during the pandemic, order them to teach from a racist perspective, then bodycam them for constant oversight. Welcome to the modern plantation.
Florida will be next. Commisioner Corcoran is pleased about Desantis “abolishing” Critical Race Theory from curriculum and advancing it as law. According to him, it makes it easier to “police” teachers.
The ONLY reason I restrain myself from feeling too violent is because of their idiocy. They confine everything to the “curriculum” which is what legislatures target. Nowhere do they talk about pedagogy which relates more to instructional approach. Already teacher and civil organizations are subtly responding already to teachers. Critical Race Theory has never been in the curriculum because it can’t be. I was an educator for years and adapted this theory and SIMILAR THINKING in my instruction because it’s always been important for me to achieve equity in my instructional approach to appeal to and reach all students.
Wow!! I don't know whether to put this in the 'stupid' pile or the 'ludicrous pile? This just cries out for massive snark, but I will restraint myself (at least for right now).
The truly bizarre thing is that virtually everything they touched or even got near was befouled because of their proximity to it, the stench is going to be with us for a long time to come.
I had never heard of "Critical Race Theory" until today but I totally get just how unbalanced our system is. The last couple years have been a real eye opener for me. If you believe in our constitution and that all men are created equal, then it's obvious that we need to make some deeply systematic changes, I pray we have the courage to accomplish what will be a Herculean task.
Unfortunately, people are NOT created equal, that's just plain old biology. What is important is that people have EQUAL opportunities to grow and develop their potentials.
I truly hope that we get to the point where we can just drop "ploop" and words like it. Is the point to be demeaning? Dismissive? It makes more sense to simply pass by, or to express one's thoughts in a way that adds to the discussion. Please? It may have seemed cute at first. It's not. And it's becoming an abrasive code. Surely, as reasonable people, we can do better than that.
If you lived in a community where everyone truly is loved and cared for whatever they bring instead of seeing everyone as a competitor it would be easier to understand that we are equal. It’s not about ability. A community where love for each other is the glue maximizes everyone’s individual strengths for what they bring to the whole. I’m not nearly as articulate as I want to be. We could learn from our indigenous communities. Tragic that Europeans tried to erase them.
Hello kimceann. Actually, by quoting the written words in the Declaration of Independence and mentioning our Constitution, Dick Montagne points us in the right direction. Of course there is no way to amend the Declaration, and little chance of amending the Constitution anytime soon, but founding documents are important and the words there matter.
Nevertheless, we are certainly free to say and write whatever we wish, including "all people are created equal", but that is not what the Declaration says, nor was it intended to say that. And that is a problem.
I'm saying we are handicapped by having to refer to founding documents that do not mean exactly what we would like them to mean. Our founding "fathers" did not imagine women, slaves, native Americans or even non property-holding white men as full participants in democracy. That they are now is the result of subsequent amendment to the constitution. But more changes are needed, unlikely given the current political situation.
The founders of the USA were not a unified block with the same sense of values. There was considerable discussion about slavery, equity (by whichever term serves), access to opportunity for all (even for women) among the people pondering freedom. They knew it would be imperfect. Some did want to keep the status quo. Some clearly wanted independence so that they could access the rich lands to the west that the British had reserved for Indigenous people. Some wanted to keep slaves. Not all supported all of these things. One thing they did agree on was that things would change, and so they made it possible. There are weaknesses in our Constitution, but there are remarkable strengths as well. The ability to change it is one of them.
Nevertheless, our imperfect democracy is now threatened by a minority party determined to make voting more difficult in such a way as to make it impossible for the majority party to govern. Both the Electoral College and the US Senate are institutions which, by their very nature, make it impossible for the vote of a Californian or a New Yorker to carry the same weight as that of a Wyomingite or an Alaskan. Our Constitution shows many signs of the compromises that needed to be made in order for it to be ratified by the founders, but so much in the USA has changed over the years that the document is no longer capable -- despite amendments -- of guaranteeing that essential legislation strongly desired by a large majority of Americans will become law. When 3/4 of the states are required to ratify amendments to the Constitution and Wyoming's 600,000 citizens are given the same weight as California's 40,000,000, something is screwed up. This is not democracy, it is not equitable, and it will lead to some very negative consequences, probably sooner than most Americans imagine.
Deconstructing the mythology exalted in a hundred years of cowboy movies and fully embraced in Reaganism would be a monumental task for white Americans, even if they were inclined to take it on, which they aren’t.
I'd prefer not to stereotype all Americans as quite that intransigent. The fact that "Critical Race Theory" has been around for a long time within a small cadre of scholars but is now becoming a household word that people will Google to understand shows that a much wider swath of people are willing to "take it on."
Fox may just have unwittingly led to a widespread curiosity that Fox never intended occur. The last thing Fox ever tries to do is educate. It's important not to let Fox redefine "Critical Race Theory" in a bastardized way to prepare a straw man attack that produces widespread absurdity.
I've watched pop cliques try to redefine "science" too, in order to attack a "science" that bears no semblance to what actual scholars of science established as science's way of knowing. Straw-man fallacies seem rampant in corporate and social media. Either the pontificators never took logic courses, or they presume none of their audience ever did.
In the spirit of “all publicity is good publicity,” I see your point. Unfortunately, it seems likely that Fox’s definition of critical race theory, whatever their definition turns out to be, will appeal to more white Americans (probably by a 20 point margin) than the definition scholars have been diligently working on for the past fifty years.
Well, at least to white Americans who watch Fox News and accept their interpretations uncritically. There are far too many of them but I believe that there are far more of us, many of us pushing back against Fauz interpretations.
We have them outnumbered about 60-40 in California and in Oregon, Washington, and a few other states, too. But they far outnumber us in most of the states in which the 17% of the electorate that elect 52 senators and a control disproportionate number of electoral votes reside. Nationwide, we just barely outnumber them, and among white Americans, they outnumber us 60-40. So, outvoting them is a monumental task.
Like Fox, all mainstream media profits by selling confirmation bias, not news. Nevertheless, some people follow up on things they've heard on mainstream media and dig deeper by going to primary literature, or to non-mainstream sources like The Intercept, The Daily Poster, The Guardian, etc. I'm not expecting a raging majority to do this or understand the way of reasoning of Critical Race Theory. If you ask people to explain how science works or what constitutes critical thinking, a majority can't give an informed explanation of either despite our spending billions to produce such literacy, and I've been working most of my life to promote both.
I just find people talking of "Critical Race Theory" when they never heard of the term two months ago as kinda encouraging and pretty cool. Maybe that is in part because now I am reading to learn more about it too.
This tired woman leaves the Middle East, Jared Kushner and Critical Race Theory to your able minds. I'll return to give the subjects more time tomorrow.
Before I say goodnight, here's a message for you.
I started reading Letters from an American at the beginning of January, 2021. The drumbeat of Heather’s Letters begins my mornings. Eventually, I joined the forum.
You have been my friends, teachers, dramatists, sources of amusement and arguments. Men and women from around the country, a few living in other places; a mixture of professions; different ages; retirees, married, single, widows and widowers are the beating heart of this forum.
Heather’s Letters inform me and you are my community. Without seeing each other’s faces or voices, we are close. Together, we share a pivotal point in America’s history.
I have a personal project to begin this month. With its start, I must end my time on the forum. The loss of your sensibilities will grow stronger, not fade away. I am grateful for Heather’s and your predictability during the early months of Joe Biden’s presidency. Subscriber friends, you have brought me an abundance of life and a 2nd sunrise each morning. Please accept this wide smile of appreciation to each and every one of you. Salud!
Will you be back? As you know, I am a new contributor, but I have been a reader for several months, and whenever I see your name I stop scanning, and read what you have to say. I see you as a flanking rider, keeping the herd on track with your straight-on replies when the dialogue gets off the path or runs out of wisdom.
I will miss you Fern! And, selfishly, who will replace you?
I wish you blessings and success with your endeavor.
I hope your project reaches the end you desire and look forward to your return.
Stay well, come back soon, Fern.
I seldom write anything, but read HCR and the comments everyday. Your words have educated, inspired, and challenged me, Fern. I’m will miss you dearly. Thank you….
I agree . . . I started reading HCR's daily Letter many months before subscribing to Substack last year for the (very early!) daily email delivery and access to this community's comments which definitely enrich the discussion and education!
The appreciation is mutual Fern, come back as and when you can. Best of luck with the new project.
Hope you can rejoin conversation later, I know I will miss you!
I wish you a productive project, Fern, and look forward to your speedy return!
Missing you already, Fern! Please don't forget us, for we will not ever forget you.
Are you assigning "plop" duties?
See my first comment. Wrote it before I saw Fern's. I'd be happy to pick up the 'ploop' duties. Whoops, that's not quite the image I intended.
Yes Charlie! I nominate you for PLOOP.
I am humbled. I will endeavor to apply my derpitude to notable posts.
Second!
procedurally passed!
LOL!
In these times, this wonderful community is like lifeblood. When one leaves, it is felt deeply and your good-bye brought tears to my eyes. It is hard to articulate how important everyone here is during this moment in our history and through the isolative experiences of this pandemic. Will miss your voice, Fern, wishing you much success in your project. I know that it is so hard to stay away from this community of thinkers and learners. This is big. Salud back, dear friend!
It has been my good fortune to read your contributions to the forum, Fern. Best wishes on your project.
Miss you already, Fern
Best wishes on your project, Fern. We will await your most wonderful return.
I hope you’ll only be stepping away for awhile and will return, at least intermittently. You will be missed Fern.
Fern, you will be sorry missed for your friendship and camaraderie, for your intellect and wisdom, for your openness and good will, and for being you! So this is not a long good-bye, but a quick adieu, until we meet again ... Be well, be happy, and all the very best with your project.
"Sorely missed" not "sorry"! 😏
Thank you Fern. You have been a wonderful voice in our choir. You will be missed.
I find Dr. Peggy McIntosh's article "White People Facing Race: Uncovering the Myths that keep Racism in Place" very helpful in understanding how racism and white privilege are both denied and perpetuated. The five myths she discusses are: 1. "The Myth of Meritocracy is the myth that the individual is the only unit of society, and that whatever a person ends up with must be what he or she individually wanted, worked for, earned and deserved." 2. "The Myth of Manifest Destiny includes the idea that white people were intended by God to take the lands of indigenous people and others in order to possess the whole of what is now the continental United States." 3. "The Myth of White Racelessness is the notion that white people do not have race or racial experience. In this view we [whites] are just "normal." 4. "The Myth of Monoculture is that there is one American culture and that we all experience it more or less the same way." and finally 5. "The Myth o White Moral Elevation, also called internalized superiority." Here is the link to the entire article. https://nationalseedproject.org/images/documents/peggy/Peggy_McIntosh_White_People_Facing_Race.pdf What this tells me is that we won't address the biases in our systems - in the law, medical care, etc. -- until we face these myths and acknowledge their impact in distorting our society and culture. Here is Peggy's TEDtalk on How to recognize your white privilege — and use it to fight inequality. https://www.ted.com/talks/peggy_mcintosh_how_to_recognize_your_white_privilege_and_use_it_to_fight_inequality Whites as a whole do not recognize their white privilege.
In her TEDtalk, Dr. McIntosh’s description of a hypothetical, imaginary line of social justice above which is unearned advantage (privilege) and below is unearned disadvantage reminds me of another hypothetical, imaginary line that I have been using for years to guide my life.
I don’t remember who to credit or where I learned the analogy of using the airline pilot’s system of correcting flight course drift to an imaginary line. The essence is that when the plane drifts off course due to outside forces like wind, the pilot makes a conscious decision to turn the plane back on to the correct course - the imaginary line - thus always moving forward to the desired destination.
In our household we call this the squiggly path. You are never off the squiggly path. When you realize the current direction your life is taking is not in line with your desired destination, it is time to make a correction. You make a conscious decision to turn your life back towards that imaginary line and keep moving forward towards your desired destination.
Whether it’s losing weight, managing your career, raising children, selecting college classes, planting a garden, being kind - respecting the squiggly path and making the necessary corrections along the way will get you where you want to end up.
Seems to me that Americans (and people around the globe) are beginning to see the hypothetical, imaginary line of social justice and are working to make course corrections to get us where we want to be. And that’s a good thing. Not an easy thing. But a good thing.
Thank you for this… Golden Rule part two!
As a pilot this strikes home with me. I'll use this idea to keep my life on course. Thank you.
Fabulous thinking.
If I may, I'd like to adopt this great analogy into our household. Just brilliant!
Squiggly line. Perfect. Thank you.
I like your analogy, and it's something I wish was accurate. It seems to me, however, that like most analogies, it neglects the completely corrupt, hateful and immoral people who populate the party of Trump. The only way this Squiggly Path works for the Trumpery sort is if we accept their destination as desirable which, of course, it is not!
Two great posts in a row
Cannot help but embrace this way of thinking 💙
Myth #3 is the one that floors me. Many discussions with decent, intelligent people who think this way. My approach is to ask "how in the world do you make decisions then?" They generally ask what do I mean. "How do you know what kind of music you like, or what clothes to wear when? How do you know what foods to eat, or what kind of store to shop at? What to call your mother and father? How to carry a child? When it is appropriate to walk into a neighbor's house without knocking? How to define god/gods/whatever? I can go on and on, but at some point most people start to get it, and actually starting to realize that they do have a culture and that other cultures may have different answers. Or they get mad because they truly still don't get it, and therefore have no way to grasp how other people think and live.
Myth #3 is a good explanatory as to why white people are the only power structure that are racist. Because they “invented” the power structure and have never felt the effects of the affect they created.
One cannot accuse a person of color as being racist.
It’s a bit mind blowing. When I wrapped my head around it, it shut me up for awhile and got me listening a whole lot more.
"Myth #3 is a good explanatory as to why white people are the only power structure that are racist..." Really??? I must be misunderstanding what this seems to assert because this white who has lived in another culture that is not white, indeed has seen and experienced a racist power structure. Racism is not unique to the Caucasian race.
When I first moved to Alaska I was walking down the street one day and a car full of Native American men pulled up beside me and started harassing me. "HEY! WHITE GIRL! pick up your feet" and other taunts. It was shocking as I had never experienced it before. It was not particularly hurtful as I do in fact identify as a white "girl", they were laughing and having a bit of fun at my expense, and I didn't feel "threatened" as to violence. At one time it was called "reverse racism". Nothing reverse about it, and not limited to white folks. As shocking as a one time incident in my life was, can you imagine how hurtful it would be to be called N____ or Squaw, and being hated or bullied by people who do not know you at all as a person, but see you only through the lens of your race, and having this be a constant occurrence? Something I recently saw labeled as "racial gas lighting".
Racism is unique to the race that creates the power structure that is based not on equity or fairness.
My apology. For this discourse, I was referring only to this country.
The white race decided the black race was definitive enough by color to use that characteristic to create opposite rungs on the ladder of wealth and opportunity.
The race at the top do not experience that effect. Thus, white privilege.
No apology needed. I felt that I was missing something and you clarified it.
Thanks.
This is true. In multi-cultural San Francisco, people seek out preschools that represent their culture and beliefs. In this city that is probably representative of every nationality, race and culture, I still saw groups of preschool children walking along the street consisting of only one race/nationality. People still choose to voluntarily segregate themselves by culture/race, and this applies to people of other nationalities and color, who prefer not to be with whites.
I agree with your thought re: culture/race and I’d add language and values. I find this true in may own life. I will not practice zen by sitting in an Asian temple, because it is culturally foreign to me. The most segregated time of one’s life in America is “Sunday mornings”, or the time of celebrating the spirit, which of course is universal. I’ve celebrated mass at a Mexican church, BUT without knowledge of Spanish and customs, I and my wife felt as outsiders. AND, I can empathize with ethnic families not wanting their child to be immersed with American children, especially young boys. My judgement here is that young American males adopt aggressive behavior of their male role models.
The desire to feel comfortable and safe is archetypal. We are tribal creatures.
I agree, especially with your statement that begins with "I can empathize with ethnic families . . . ." American children can seem wild to an outsider. Many American boys parrot anything they see on television, and emulate aggressive behavior. They may be too young to reflect or understand, but their parents are not too young. They seemingly accept this behavior as normal.
Absolutely!
Without thinking, people accept whatever pervades their childhood culture, and accept it as normal and true. Myth #3, the myth of white racelessness, embodies the myth of white sameness. It fails to acknowledge differences in cultures among white people in America, and fails to respect cultural heritages of white people/POC who came from other countries, or whose parents/family came from other countries. It assumes that the "American way of doing things" is the right and only way. For example, the American legal system has an idea of how children should be raised, and it assumes that what are traditionally American beliefs are normal and healthy and should be applied to all white/POC cultures, and anything different from that is "wrong." - - Although every white culture is probably guilty of this.
It assumes America IS white, all the rest interlopers.
This tension in the air we all breathe is indeed this dynamic of accepting the racism in our culture, history, family and one’s own life. As soon as I admitted I have a racist view (that ‘others’ are different and less than), I have been able to embrace this and open to loving the other.
💞
I appreciate you sharing your summary and the link to the article. Thank you.
Thanks for that, Cathy.
I like her TEDtalk. She’s a warrior.
Thank you for this Cathy.
Myth #3 is “blow it out of the water” for me.
Ditto
Thank You fir this, Cathy! Peggy McIntosh is amazing! Legislators should require THIS in school curricula!!
I 've had the delight of being a guest in her a number of times. Yes, she is wonderful and amazing. Her husband is an MD at Boston Children's Hospital. In the 90s he coordinated all the world wide research on Aides in children. Good people making a big difference in the world!
WOW!! I can feel their goodness through and through!
If you absorb the written word better than the spoken word, like me, there's a link below the video of her TEDtalk for the transcript. Listening to a long discourse often results in mind wander; I find it a lot easier to backtrack and reread if/when I want to further consider something 'said'.
Can’t tell you how much today’s LFAA bothers me. Let’s just forget thousands of years of violence, hatred and enmity including the Holocaust, the Crusades and the world wars. No problem is too big for money and American individualism. And by the way, let’s throw those who have helped preserve a very fragile peace under the bus ‘cause they really aren’t one of the big dogs. Americans, led by a rich, arrogant punk kid, will show you how to get it done. Don’t bother the kid with the details of history because he has the attention span of a gnat - and the morals of, well, I guess no morals involved since that might cloud things.
Just when I think I have learned the worst things 45’s administration threw at us and the world, I learn more. And become ever more concerned about how to preserve American democracy and our role as a respected leader. Biden is doing a good job. So too his cabinet, staff, advisors. But the damage done by Trump and his minions is deep, wide and dangerous. Add the pandemic into the equation and the cauldron is boiling. How do we keep it from exploding?
I am an American of Irish, English and Scots descent with one set of Catholic grandparents and a set of Protestant grandparents. When I lived in Ireland in 1978 as a student, the so called “Troubles” were raging. 800 years of subjugation based on religion and ethnicity resulted in terrorism, war on the streets, poverty, death, destruction and seemingly endless hatred. Took a hellava lot more than money and political will to even start the discussion about peace, let alone how to end the cycle of death and destruction. Kushner’s and Trump’s mindset could well have set off a world war. Just unbearably arrogant and stupid, not to mention immoral. Did I mention it was dangerous?!
Rather than wallow in fear and anger today, I’m going to write more postcards to potential voters, and organize my equipment - I have my first outdoor art fair in a year and a half next weekend. As an artist, I sometimes wonder how bringing beauty into this world matters right now. Then I realize that sharing the joy of my work might raise another’s spirits too which really does matter. Do something you love today too. Then, let’s all be active as hell in defense of democracy.
Yes! I had my first art show opening last weekend, and it will be up throughout the month. I’m a photographer and needless to say, I wasn’t doing much exploring or documenting much beyond my immediate surroundings throughout that ‘dark age’. I struggled with what and how to express myself, and how to affirm what we experienced together… I kept coming up empty as I scrolled through my photographs. Finally I decided to put together a collection of all things joyful and named the show, ‘Here Comes the Sun’. My husband played his guitar and sang, and everyone had a wonderful time. My photos were pretty much in the background, as people stayed outside in the beautiful sun, and it truly was a celebration of ‘being back’ for all of us. I felt so good that I had the opportunity to
‘Kick-off’ our return to life.
Sheila, fellow artist (musician/teacher) chiming in here with you and the other artists...trying to bring some beauty into the world DOES matter right now. Other people depend on our expression to help them see and hear what they might be feeling, or need to feel. We HAVE to keep on keeping on. The ugliness that surrounds us in the world mustn't get the upper hand. I'm trying to not let things overwhelm me--I have a LOT on my plate right now dealing with my mom's recent passing--and all y'all on here help me anchor myself by simply showing me there IS hope in this world by some right-thinking, sane people. It's reassuring to know there are folks out here who have your back!
Sheila B, yes! Artists of all sorts, tradespeople, everyone needs to keep speaking Truth to power, resist and take action or we will be steamrolled by the oppressors. I'm of your heritage as well and have written lots of postcards :) Let's keep up the the good work! Slainte!
Slainte!
Dear Sheila -
Thank you for your comments. As an artist - a musician - I agree with you. As David’s music soothed Saul’s soul, may our art effect souls both near and far.
Amen! Here's to soothing souls, our own and others.
This, too, is a Letter from an American. Thank you.
For those who don't bother to read the lengthier comments posted here, just go back and read Sheila B's last two sentences.
Bless you, Sheila B
And as you say, it's essential to start your activity now, right now! Don't wait until Spring of 2022. That's way too late.
You have to remember that this punk kid solved an overwhelming financial disaster for his family's real estate business by securing a loan with Middle East assistance. He knows money will ease his struggles and can't help but think that it will solve the conflicts in the Middle East.
I will never get over the roles Kushner played in the Trump administration. Trump, ignorant of history, chose his "highly educated" son-in-law - who must have slept through history classes - to change the face of the Middle East! That is chutzpah to the nth degree! And don't even get me started on Kushner's disastrous response to the Covid epidemic!
I can't call that chutzpah, more righteous elitist ego and stupidity....a schmuck.
He's not a schmuck, he's a putz (Yiddish for "a penis that thinks it's a person"_
HA! That’s so correct, TC!
I’ll add that to
my Webster.
LOL, i couldn't decide which one to call him, glad we have both of then on record now:)
Now you are insulting penises!
Yep.
LOL! I always think of him as a Stepford boy who looks like a plastic Ken doll. Now you've given me an image I can't unsee.
Kushner was a C student before he went to Hahvahd, and he only got in because the place is so corrupt that if your daddy buys a building, they let you in. And then he was a C student in Bid'nezz. But if you ask him, he'll tell you both he and his father-in-law a "very stable geniuses." (whatever in hell a stable genius is - I've known a few actual geniuses and stable has nothing to do with it - unless he's the genius from the stable).
John Oliver dubbed Gilbert Gottfried’s voice on to Kushner. It’s all I can hear now when I read his statements. Perfect.
I always thot "stable genius" meant a horse ass.
I love that!
That's pretty funny. Good one.
😄
Who buys a magazine at peak internet boom?
We always called it the Absorber since it went into the litter box.
Who did Jared sell Daddy’s apartment building to again?
And who would buy 666 5th Ave?
Which Middle eastern sovereign wealth fund maybe??? How they fit into the peace plan for Palestine/Israel?
Bail out my daddy’s distressed real estate, and I’ll pay u back ten fold by changing US policy towards your authoritarian regime.
Beyond chutzpah! Criminal dealings by-passing the Constitutionally-founded workings of our democracy and undermining specialists in international law and diplomacy already in place within government institutions. Such a train wreck.
I know. We didn't need any more proof that all the former guy and his family care about is money, but the disastrous effects of throwing the car keys to Kushner and letting him take the wheel on Middle East issues is horrifying. How many other Lucy and Ethel schemes were hatched by this scary duo that we don't know about? The "what ifs" are terrifying.
"Lucy and Ethel schemes" made me laugh. Someones "got some splainin' to do!"
The importance of history! Being educated about history. If we don’t learn from it, we are doomed to repeat it. Seems like our countries lack of support for education continues to be a sticking point. But if we have a strong educational system that teaches history, critical thinking skills, differentiating between reliable information and an unreliable source, then the masses are harder to dupe. Harder to control.
Thank you, Heather!
Good points, Denise. However states are trying to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory in schools.
“Florida Board of Education approves new academic standards opposing Critical Race Theory”
Emily Bloch, Florida Times-Union, June 10,2021.
This prohibition is scary and occurring in other Red states. On local levels, all over the country, right wing opponents are showing up at school board meetings spreading misinformation regarding anti-bias, tolerance policies.
Pay attention, it’s probably happening in your town.
Thanks for starting this discussion, Dr. Richardson!
Desantis signed law "banning the teaching of CRT" statewide in FL. A gigantic book burning next? They can burn books, but not stop ideas. They can restrict voter access, but not votes!
I teach in Texas. Controlling content has always been going on! Politicians control what is taught and our objectives. We currently have a realtor at the head of our state education system, TEA. His actions give realtors a bad name! Trying to rent expensive properties to our education offices, would have taken millions from education and retirement system, TRS. The governor has turned down federal money for special needs children because he doesn’t want to be told how to spend money. He diverted education funding to take care of other financial problems. My friend who teaches history at our district high school was warned about not teaching current events. No BLM, no information about the election last year.
We are the district on the national news from parents suing to block us from teaching inclusion and diversity, basically anti bullying! I know all too well how politics and under informed people control education. Such as Betsy DeVos ,heir to Amway fortune, at the federal level under Dumpty telling people teachers are so lost we just cry for guidance.
And being forced back f2f last August, teachers, principals, even our superintendent, are moving in. It’s going to be a bumpy ride for a very long time! We teach what we know students need including integrity, kindness, and compassion. But yes, it’s definitely happening in Texas!
The Thought Police are in every state. I live in NC and the Assembly has passed a bill to make it illegal to "promote" critical race theory. Yep, they are unable to distinguish between education and promotion! See this piece about how anxious these legislators and other right-wing Republicans have become. http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/2021/06/03/national-reckoning-on-race-runs-into-resistance-from-nc-conservatives/
So much for freedom of speech.
Teachers, principal, superintendent moving on. Leaving the profession. Not in. Sorry for the typo.
Yes, Texans actually do hold book burnings, right?
Uh no none that I know of
That's one good thing!
Harry Potter comes to mind? Jeesh.
My son’s teacher in 3rd would not allow him to read Harry Potter in her room. She left the next year to teach in a Baptist school. He kept reading Harry Potter
Cobb Co., Ga school district just banned CRT. Isn’t this just maintaining the status quo?
Yes I think so. The crazy nazi racist religious hypocrites kicking and screaming against the 21st century.
So true Denise. Sorry to say: looks like the education of the masses is restricted on purpose.
It always has been. For example , The burning of Greenwood was not taught in any of my history classes.
I didn’t learn about Greenwood in school. I don’t remember how I came to know about it. History so often written by the victors.
Sad...
Absolutely agree, Denise. CRT is an easily spouted term that makes foxxers feel smart, like Benghazi. What we are talking about is Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States vs. cleanedup superpatriot speciallyprinted history textbooks like Texas has been doing for years.
If you replace "Evolution" or "Sex Education" for "Critical Race Theory," doesn't all the protest sound horribly familiar? Yet not so long ago, legislators were busy trying to find ways to prevent schools from educating students about those things, with cases being argued all the way to the Supreme Court.
Sometimes the willful ignorance is just tiring, instead of tiring AND appalling.
ml, reminds me of the Spencer Tracy movie, Inherit the Wind. 😟. Unfortunately a teacher or school district may have to go to court to have this resolved.
“The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal loaves of bread” - Anatole France
In 1981 I wrote in my diary to my newborn daughter my fear and sadness for our country had just elected Ronald Reagan. Today we are celebrating her 40th birthday. I am proud to say she is educating me on the extent of racism in our country and white supremacy. My hope for the future comes as I join her and her children in BLM rallies.
Thank you Heather for your gift of putting these events in historical perspective. I so appreciate this forum.
My father once said to me, a history major, and a long time reader of all sorts of history, that history does not matter. I let him know what I thought of that and reminded him that history does matter in all sorts of situations large and small. People do not forget what has happened to them and history is replete with examples of this. Thank you, Professor Richardson, for this excellent summation of the awful Middle East that Kushner was trying to build based on money and deals. That turns my stomach.
A little off Heather's specific topic today, but the Boston Globe has a 6-part editorial series called "Future-Proofing the Presidency" https://apps.bostonglobe.com/opinion/graphics/2021/06/future-proofing-the-presidency/
I confess have not read it through in detail; reliving anything about trump is crushingly depressing and I have to pace myself!
The last one is titled "The Case for Prosecuting Donald Trump" . The sidebar summary succinctly sums up what I have feared since he appeared on the scene.
"Donald Trump’s presidency made clear that our institutions are currently incapable of holding presidents accountable for breaking the law. Unless he faces consequences, the message to future corrupt leaders is that they will not face consequences either".
The problem was less about what DJT did that wasn’t specifically illegal, but what Congress, and especially the Senate refused to acknowledge was in fact illegal and unconstitutional. From the very beginning, Congress could have impeached him for breaking the emolument clause of the Constitution, and they would have been successful.
Couldn’t agree more!
This series has had a few mentions this past week in our comment stream. Very compelling. Authored by the Editorial Board so the plethora of voices is appreciated. Part 5, Rewards for doing the president’s bidding, gave me pause. I had to do some yoga breathing before continuing. Honestly, the hairs on the back of my neck where intuitive response lies, were raised.
I’m passionately grateful for our very ethical and brilliant journalists at this tipping point in the landscape of our country.
By now, you've probably read it. Although it sounds a bit daunting as a "6-part" series, it's actually a pretty straightforward and quick read. I recommend it!
Yes, I did read. It is discouraging that so little has been done when the crimes committed (particularly January 6th) are so blatant. It shouldn’t take years….. and he should have been removed from office after the first impeachment. Right now, it feels like there is no justice.
I read one of the early news items about CRT in Florida, and de Santis' argument is that it makes our children "hate America."
That seems to me like saying the Declaration of Independence made people hate America.
After all, the DoI has a bit to say about what a shambles the colonial government was, a hateful government, a hateful system, a thing that needed to be destroyed by warfare. Now, it's Holy Writ.
My take is that the people who hate CRT are the people who are mired in the past, and in an illusion of perfection that is being destroyed by ... well, by change itself. If the past was perfect, every change is, by definition, a decline.
Personally, my fairly recent exposure to CRT has made sense of a lot of the history I've seen and lived, and it gives me a vision of an America that is no longer burdened by its history of slavery and racism. And that is not a vision that I hate. It is a vision that I love.
Kids are anything but stupid. CRT will not make them hate America. It will make them hate injustice. And it will only make them hate America if America clings to injustice.
You’ve just given a wonderful comment about “theory”. In that a theory helps us to think. And gives us the right to choose to apply.
Desantis suffers many illusions and disillusions many about peace.
This part of your post - "My take is that the people who hate CRT are the people who are mired in the past, and in an illusion of perfection that is being destroyed by ... well, by change itself. If the past was perfect, every change is, by definition, a decline." - is probably the best thing I read on here today.
Today, I saw this statement: "The fact that you have a social security card means that you literally are a card carrying socialist." Loved it. One aspect of right wing messaging is that "socialism" is to be feared. I don't understand this. Wouldn't you rather live in Norway than North Korea?
Indeed, may we reflect on the the actual NAME of the card, and it's implications, "SOCIAL" security. That may separate out some "independents" from crazy tyranny loving republicans.
“Get your government hands off my Medicare”.
As a daughter of Holocaust victims, history can have all the theories it wants. Proof is in the pudding, as they say. All I know is that most of us have had our heads buried in the sand not to realize that all of our lives are at stake here. If anything, the Reagan and Trump administrations caused undue chaos. Reagan deregulated banks, helped tear down the wall in Germany while convincing our government to take much needed welfare money away from blacks and poor people. Reaganites insisted that blacks were “lazy” and didn’t work hard enough. The result was homelessness and more hardship. We already know about Fake45 and his band of deniers, liars, grifters, misogynists, and rapists. Rapists in the biblical sense as well as ripping us all off…”the biggest heist” we have ever seen. Kushner is quite the squeaky little criminal, is he not? I would not doubt that he and MBS arranged Khashoggi's gruesome death. I never ever knew that there was a Jewish mafia as dangerous as the Nazis. My precious parents are buried not realizing the further harm created by their own. I am grateful they are not alive.
CRT should, in fact, be taught by people of color because who better knows how to educate those who question the beginnings of hatred.
Hearts to you, Marlene.
Before I even start reading tonight's threads I have an idea to offer that I've gotten from other Forums I participate in. It's called "trolliquette" or proper handling of trolls and trollbots. First, thanks to Fern for putting a label on it and to Roland for his super due diligence in tracking down our troll buddies. Here's the idea:
1. Have fun with this and don't take trolling too seriously. Clowns are supposed to help us laugh.
2. Upon noticing a troll, simply reply "Ploop". That's the cartoon sound of poop hitting the floor. Extra "O" in there to signify it then sliding, or ozzing, off to the side.
3. If so inclined, reply with SNARK (see Urban Dictionary). Good snark is a high literary art form and should be practiced.
4. A little Southwestern Buddha thought. "Your ego is not your amigo". You can't control what others do, you can only be responsible for your reaction to it.
Now, let's all have a nice day.
Yes, Charlie. And farther along we started concluding about that adorable emoji that says PLOOP—💩
Charlie, What a great post!! I love your suggestion of ploop!!! Thank you!!!
I hope this news about the Middle East gets the attention it deserves. It's astounding on so many levels. And just think how many people died because of Kushner's handling of the pandemic.
As for Critical Race Theory, Fox News has turned it into just another bogeyman, a wedge of manufactured hysteria to further mislead and divide the country. Who would have thought that teaching the truth about America's original sin of slavery and how it so adversely affects the country today would actually provoke more racism and hate.
You know we've reached peak crazy when there's a push in Nevada to force teachers to wear body cams to ensure the public will know if they dare teach Critical Race Theory. https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-nv-state-wire-nevada-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-6185b8f9c5b56e1fa1347b7f4a203a52
So we pay teachers poorly, expect them to do double work during the pandemic, order them to teach from a racist perspective, then bodycam them for constant oversight. Welcome to the modern plantation.
Florida will be next. Commisioner Corcoran is pleased about Desantis “abolishing” Critical Race Theory from curriculum and advancing it as law. According to him, it makes it easier to “police” teachers.
The ONLY reason I restrain myself from feeling too violent is because of their idiocy. They confine everything to the “curriculum” which is what legislatures target. Nowhere do they talk about pedagogy which relates more to instructional approach. Already teacher and civil organizations are subtly responding already to teachers. Critical Race Theory has never been in the curriculum because it can’t be. I was an educator for years and adapted this theory and SIMILAR THINKING in my instruction because it’s always been important for me to achieve equity in my instructional approach to appeal to and reach all students.
R U serious? WTF?
All too serious. Here's another article which contains more detail than the AP article. Sorry about the source, not usually the most balanced but it's worth reading in this case. The comments are disturbing as well. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9677295/Nevada-group-wants-teachers-wear-body-cameras-stop-CRT.html
Wow!! I don't know whether to put this in the 'stupid' pile or the 'ludicrous pile? This just cries out for massive snark, but I will restraint myself (at least for right now).
Sadly I do not think we have yet reached the peak. 😥
😞
The truly bizarre thing is that virtually everything they touched or even got near was befouled because of their proximity to it, the stench is going to be with us for a long time to come.
I had never heard of "Critical Race Theory" until today but I totally get just how unbalanced our system is. The last couple years have been a real eye opener for me. If you believe in our constitution and that all men are created equal, then it's obvious that we need to make some deeply systematic changes, I pray we have the courage to accomplish what will be a Herculean task.
could we say all people are created equal? That would be a start.
Unfortunately, people are NOT created equal, that's just plain old biology. What is important is that people have EQUAL opportunities to grow and develop their potentials.
Actually, people need more than opportunities to grow and develop their potentials. They need help.
sounds like the Framers were not biologists
would you prefer the term equity?
what about the phrases, "equal in the eyes of the law?"
or health care? or education?
Ploop! Your insights into human behavior are amazing /s
I truly hope that we get to the point where we can just drop "ploop" and words like it. Is the point to be demeaning? Dismissive? It makes more sense to simply pass by, or to express one's thoughts in a way that adds to the discussion. Please? It may have seemed cute at first. It's not. And it's becoming an abrasive code. Surely, as reasonable people, we can do better than that.
LOL
Christy15 min ago
If you lived in a community where everyone truly is loved and cared for whatever they bring instead of seeing everyone as a competitor it would be easier to understand that we are equal. It’s not about ability. A community where love for each other is the glue maximizes everyone’s individual strengths for what they bring to the whole. I’m not nearly as articulate as I want to be. We could learn from our indigenous communities. Tragic that Europeans tried to erase them.
Well put, Christy. You brought some beautiful clarity to what equal is really all about. Thank you.
Thank you for your kindness Annie. I appreciate that you understood. ❤️
Did you mean "erase" them?
I certainly did. Thanks for catching that Penelope!
How about this dear kimceann…I’ve said it before.
I adore our differences. So I say…
We are all in this together. THERE IS ENOUGH TO GO AROUND.
Everyone, worldwide, say it once. Believe it once.
No more war. Instantly.
And Bingo is his name-o.
in celebration of the magical creativity of diversity,
and the radical power of love to change the world
It’s Sunday. We can preach, Sister!
Hello kimceann. Actually, by quoting the written words in the Declaration of Independence and mentioning our Constitution, Dick Montagne points us in the right direction. Of course there is no way to amend the Declaration, and little chance of amending the Constitution anytime soon, but founding documents are important and the words there matter.
Nevertheless, we are certainly free to say and write whatever we wish, including "all people are created equal", but that is not what the Declaration says, nor was it intended to say that. And that is a problem.
Whaaaaat?
I'm saying we are handicapped by having to refer to founding documents that do not mean exactly what we would like them to mean. Our founding "fathers" did not imagine women, slaves, native Americans or even non property-holding white men as full participants in democracy. That they are now is the result of subsequent amendment to the constitution. But more changes are needed, unlikely given the current political situation.
The founders of the USA were not a unified block with the same sense of values. There was considerable discussion about slavery, equity (by whichever term serves), access to opportunity for all (even for women) among the people pondering freedom. They knew it would be imperfect. Some did want to keep the status quo. Some clearly wanted independence so that they could access the rich lands to the west that the British had reserved for Indigenous people. Some wanted to keep slaves. Not all supported all of these things. One thing they did agree on was that things would change, and so they made it possible. There are weaknesses in our Constitution, but there are remarkable strengths as well. The ability to change it is one of them.
Hello Annie. Everything you say is true. It is.
Nevertheless, our imperfect democracy is now threatened by a minority party determined to make voting more difficult in such a way as to make it impossible for the majority party to govern. Both the Electoral College and the US Senate are institutions which, by their very nature, make it impossible for the vote of a Californian or a New Yorker to carry the same weight as that of a Wyomingite or an Alaskan. Our Constitution shows many signs of the compromises that needed to be made in order for it to be ratified by the founders, but so much in the USA has changed over the years that the document is no longer capable -- despite amendments -- of guaranteeing that essential legislation strongly desired by a large majority of Americans will become law. When 3/4 of the states are required to ratify amendments to the Constitution and Wyoming's 600,000 citizens are given the same weight as California's 40,000,000, something is screwed up. This is not democracy, it is not equitable, and it will lead to some very negative consequences, probably sooner than most Americans imagine.
Rick Wilson said it best in the title of his book, “Everything Trump Touches Dies”.
Like the republican party...
from your mouth...
With you
Deconstructing the mythology exalted in a hundred years of cowboy movies and fully embraced in Reaganism would be a monumental task for white Americans, even if they were inclined to take it on, which they aren’t.
I'd prefer not to stereotype all Americans as quite that intransigent. The fact that "Critical Race Theory" has been around for a long time within a small cadre of scholars but is now becoming a household word that people will Google to understand shows that a much wider swath of people are willing to "take it on."
Fox may just have unwittingly led to a widespread curiosity that Fox never intended occur. The last thing Fox ever tries to do is educate. It's important not to let Fox redefine "Critical Race Theory" in a bastardized way to prepare a straw man attack that produces widespread absurdity.
I've watched pop cliques try to redefine "science" too, in order to attack a "science" that bears no semblance to what actual scholars of science established as science's way of knowing. Straw-man fallacies seem rampant in corporate and social media. Either the pontificators never took logic courses, or they presume none of their audience ever did.
https://twitter.com/LeonardPittsJr1/status/1403694501659562002?s=20
And I found this on that thread! After having two Proud Boy parades on my road, this warmed the cockles of my heart! https://twitter.com/OccupyDemocrats/status/1403765104911523843/photo/1
Hahahahahahaha. I’ll ride in that truck train, Penelope!!!
Just gotta love me some Leonard Pitts any day of the week.
Oh Ellie Kona, THAT is spot on. Chuckle/cry at the same time.
Great thread of discussion in that thread too. Thanks for sending the link.
😓 true
In the spirit of “all publicity is good publicity,” I see your point. Unfortunately, it seems likely that Fox’s definition of critical race theory, whatever their definition turns out to be, will appeal to more white Americans (probably by a 20 point margin) than the definition scholars have been diligently working on for the past fifty years.
Well, at least to white Americans who watch Fox News and accept their interpretations uncritically. There are far too many of them but I believe that there are far more of us, many of us pushing back against Fauz interpretations.
We have them outnumbered about 60-40 in California and in Oregon, Washington, and a few other states, too. But they far outnumber us in most of the states in which the 17% of the electorate that elect 52 senators and a control disproportionate number of electoral votes reside. Nationwide, we just barely outnumber them, and among white Americans, they outnumber us 60-40. So, outvoting them is a monumental task.
Thanks for the hope, Ed.
Good luck with this Ed. Turning fallacies into “fact” is at the heart of Fox’s mission.
Like Fox, all mainstream media profits by selling confirmation bias, not news. Nevertheless, some people follow up on things they've heard on mainstream media and dig deeper by going to primary literature, or to non-mainstream sources like The Intercept, The Daily Poster, The Guardian, etc. I'm not expecting a raging majority to do this or understand the way of reasoning of Critical Race Theory. If you ask people to explain how science works or what constitutes critical thinking, a majority can't give an informed explanation of either despite our spending billions to produce such literacy, and I've been working most of my life to promote both.
I just find people talking of "Critical Race Theory" when they never heard of the term two months ago as kinda encouraging and pretty cool. Maybe that is in part because now I am reading to learn more about it too.
I agree. The controversy over CRT has made me dig deeper - oh what my "liberal" mind did not know.
Not all are. But many. More every day as they realize the intentionally wrong history they were taught.