The Art of the Historical Apology and the Twitter Machine
An actual Twitter exchange:
@TheBuddhaBeaer: What exactly is wrong with learning about Critical Race Theory?
@dlrising: It ignores the progress and the founding fathers (sic) vision of equality. It brings to an end any continued improvement.
@JCDenton220: Vision of equality my ass, they were slave owners
@dlrising: Yes slave owners, nothing new there, they worked to remove it, they wrote about it, they passed laws, they freed them, they put language in the Constitution on purpose… all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights
(I know, that last part is not from the Constitution, but rather from the Declaration of Independence, but @dlrising was on a roll)
@discoursemoron: historian here: the founding fathers did not free enslaved people and they did not work to remove slavery, instead they ensured it went on for 75 years after the ratification of the constitution
@dlrising: George Washington 1799
(and then I chime in)
@TheRealProfX: Washington’s will had a provision to free his slaves AFTER the death of his wife. Meaning he still wanted to ensure his wife was served by owned humans. She freed them early. And it didn’t apply to all slaves on the estate. But yeah… Washington.
@dlrising: Many freed slaves stayed on for Martha likely because they were slaves from a previous marriage. And they felt loyal to her. She dies in 1803.
@TheRealProfX: Yikes. Now do Jefferson.
@dlrising: The importation of enslaved African was outlawed by an act of Congress passed in 1807, and signed into law by President Thomas Jefferson. not exactly inline (sic) with your version of their goals.
@TheRealProfX: Lol… Yeah, they just kept slavery in place through breeding. Why this need to apologize for people who owned other humans? Jefferson the emancipator… lol!!! Now do Madison!
So far, there has been no update on Madison.
It gets lost in the conversation, but the original post asked what is so wrong with Critical Race Theory. I would argue that the need to have culturally inclusive perspectives of history is made abundantly clear in this brief exchange. That being said, the term Critical Race Theory (CRT) is currently being weaponized around the country by the same folks who only a few years ago were very concerned and upset about which restrooms people were using and a few years before that were sure that Sharia Law was sweeping the nation! And just like Sharia Law, those currently crusading against Critical Race Theory do not seem to really understand what it is; one need look no further than the phrase, “teaching Critical Race Theory” as proof of that. CRT is a method of exploring history, philosophy, and culture, not a distinct subject to be taught - it speaks to a certain perspective of historical events. It illustrates that all people do not experience events in the same way. But, to many it is just the latest topic to rage Tweet about.
It should also be noted that no K-12 school actually uses Critical Race Theory, but they are accused of attempting to indoctrinate and brainwash students into some ultra-Leftist cult! A few years back I was accused of being un-American because I had my students debate the idea that the same man who wrote, “All men are created equal…” also owned slaves. I believed this to be an important conversation, they considered it to be part of the Leftist takeover. And while we are on the subject, teachers across the country (and the world) have been live streaming our classes for a year and a half, if there was any evidence of teachers trying to indoctrinate their students, it would be recorded and FOX would be playing it on a loop 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The truth is, history is messy. It is not a collection of simple narratives of perfect people doing perfect deeds. Washington was a great general during the American Revolution and he may have been the only person capable of forging an actual union between the independently minded thirteen colonies/states. He also bought and sold human beings for his own profit. Thomas Jefferson did indeed write, “All men are created equal…” and he was 100% correct. His actions however did not live up to his own ideal. Some would call pointing out these contradictions in character as, “teaching Critical Race Theory” and want these types of things banned in the classroom. I can tell you right now, I will never stop having these conversations.
EVER.