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Critical Race Theory and White Guilt

AP Photo/Steven Senne

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, a far-left progressive, recently wrote an article for The Atlantic in which he attacked conservatives opposing the teaching of concepts related to Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the classroom as bigots. It was the typical leftist fare, claiming that parents speaking out against these problematic teachings are only trying to shield white children from learning about America’s true history.

He wrote:

Polling data showed this new branding to be as misleading as the GOP’s framing of critical race theory. In a September Fox News poll, white respondents opposed the teaching of critical race theory by 24 percentage points, while respondents of color were more than twice as likely to favor CRT than oppose it. William Saletan at Slate concluded, “When Republicans talk about a parental backlash against CRT, they’re not talking about all parents. They’re talking about white parents.” Michelle Ruiz summed up in Vogue what has since emerged as the near consensus: “The GOP doesn’t want to be the party of parents; it wants to cement itself as the party of white parents.”

He added: “The Republican Party is clearly not the party of parents. The Republican Party is certainly not the party of parents of color. But is the Republican Party even the party of white parents?”

Kendi continued, arguing that the notion that the GOP is the party of white parents is built on four fallacious premises:

1.Republican politicians care about white children.

2.Anti-racist education is harmful to white children.

3.Republican politicians are protecting white children by banning anti-racist education.

4.The Republican Party is the party of white parents because it is protecting white children.

He then puts forth the idea that white children are being targeted, but not by those preaching the tenets of CRT. He points out how white supremacist extremists routinely attempt to indoctrinate white children in order to recruit them to their cause.

“What are white children being indoctrinated with? What is making them uncomfortable? What is causing them to hate?” Kendi asks. “White-supremacist ideology: the toxic blend of racist, sexist, ableist, homophobic, transphobic, Islamophobic, xenophobic, and anti-Semitic ideas that is harmful to all minds, especially the naive and defenseless minds of youth. Which group is the prime target of white supremacists? White youth.”

The author goes on to explain how many white youth are influenced and groomed by white supremacist agitators through avenues like gaming. He recounts a story of a white boy who was targeted and nearly radicalized in this manner. Kendi’s ultimate contention is that white children do not need to be guarded against the influence of CRT, the real danger are right-wing extremist groups looking for kids to radicalize.

It is true that white supremacist groups use video games and other means to recruit young kids. It is similar to how the Islamic State (ISIS) would find recruits and radicalize them online. But Kendi’s arguments regarding CRT leave much to be desired. In fact, one could say it is a deflection from the reality that teachers, counselors, and others are also attempting to indoctrinate kids using elements related to the theory. This also applies to racial minority children, but for white kids in particular, it is used to elicit a phenomenon known as “white guilt.”

White guilt is a construct that was first discussed in the 1970s:

The construct White guilt is typically motivated by the recognition of unearned and unfair racial privileges, the acknowledgement of personal racist attitudes or behavior, and/or the sense of responsibility for others’ racist attitudes or behavior. Empirical and conceptual work suggests mixed consequences of White guilt: it may correspond with antiracist attitudes and behavior, but it may also motivate defensiveness and disengagement.

To put it simply, white guilt occurs when a Caucasian American takes on the sins of others almost as their own. They might be understandably disturbed by the fact that atrocities like slavery, Jim Crow, and others were perpetrated by white people in the past. Many seem to feel burdened by racism that still exists today. But it goes beyond normal feelings of discomfort – they behave as if they are somehow responsible for these problems.

Not all proponents of Critical Race Theory use it in this way – but many do. Progressives use it as a tool to manipulate well-meaning white Americans into getting on board with a far-left agenda that is ostensibly designed to right the wrongs of the past and to help uplift nonwhite Americans. Of course, most of us know how that ends up.

Here’s an example.

Shortly after the murder of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation (BLMGNF) received $90 million in donations. Most of the funds came from everyday white Americans who believed that by giving some of their hard-earned cash to the organization, they would be helping black Americans. For many, it appeared to be a way to assuage their white guilt-plagued conscience.

But over a year later, it has been revealed that BLMGNF has gotten funny with the money. It has displayed a disturbing lack of transparency in how it has used the funds. Ten local chapters banded together to publicly criticize the global organization for not sharing the money it had amassed. Two weeks ago, it was revealed that the group covertly bought a $6 million home using donations.

In other words, those well-meaning white folks donated to a fraudulent cause because they thought it would help to safeguard black lives.

This is how the far left uses white guilt to achieve its ends. It is why they seek to inculcate children with these ideas. Kendi is being disingenuous when he suggests this is not happening probably because he is a major purveyor of white guilt. Author Robin DiAngelo is another example of folks using white guilt. But in her case, she’s using it as part of her grift to get money.

So yes, white supremacists are certainly trying to recruit youngsters. But this does not mean far-left progressives are not trying to do the same thing. In fact, white supremacists don’t have the luxury of using public schools to disseminate their propaganda and these groups aren’t exactly overflowing with members. However, the far-left wishes to use one of the country’s most powerful institutions to shape young minds which means that parents should be far more concerned about Kendi than Richard Spencer.

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