Martin Luther King’s niece on Critical Race Theory

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When we forget that we are one race—the human race—we begin segregating ourselves and creating division in our nation. This division has ripple effects on all aspects of society. Perhaps most concerning is the effect it has on education.

Our country was founded as one nation under God, and our children used to be reminded of it every day. It used to be standard practice that when the school bell rang, children would stand up, face the American flag, place their right hand over their heart and say the pledge of allegiance. Each day they would speak the words "one nation, under God." The symbolism was clear; we all stood united in our love of country and commitment to equality.

Where did that unity go?

In the enduring song, "Georgia on my Mind," the great Ray Charles sang, "no peace I find" in his home state during the civil rights movement. Indeed, Georgia was at the heart of the movement, and a troubled time it was. Yet we persevered, and we won—schools were desegregated and our civil liberties were enshrined in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Both unity and victory have been undermined by critical race theory (CRT). This new approach to race actively divides our kids every day by leading them to believe that the color of their skin holds more importance than the content of their character. This is precisely the type of ideal that leaders in the civil rights movement fought against, yet here it is again, right here in Georgia.

Atlanta public schools even go as far as providing resources to teachers instructing them to complete a "classroom equity audit" and create "equity-centered environments." Teachers were advised to "make links that show how the historical roots of injustice impact the lived experiences and material conditions of people today."

Apparently, the best way to help Atlanta's underprivileged communities learn and become successful is to tell children that they are oppressed instead of encouraging them with the knowledge that they have the ability to do great things.

My uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., wouldn't recognize this regressive version of the civil rights movement. Nor would his life and leadership mean anything to today's critical race theorists. He preached a vision of the world which focused on character, not skin color. To today's critical race theorists, my uncle was hopelessly naïve. They reject the vision that the civil rights movement fought for, and they will not stop until our institutions are torn down and remade.

Fortunately, thousands of school board seats are up for election in November.

That's why it's important for everyone who cares about our children to learn more about their own local school boards. Find out who's running. Learn what they believe. Will we have unity again, or allow our schools to further devolve into divisiveness? You can decide that direction by learning, and then by voting.

Isn't she the same Alveda King who has championed right wing causes, and who, without any proof, claimed her uncle would have opposed gay rights? As I recall, she has been repudiated by her relatives... who actually knew MLK.

He openly discussed homosexuality while writing an advice column for Ebony Magazine in 1958. According to a transcript released by Stanford University, an anonymous boy asked: “My problem is different from the ones most people have.

“I am a boy, but I feel about boys the way I ought to feel about girls. I don’t want my parents to know about me. What can I do? Is there any place where I can go for help?”

Dr King replied: “Your problem is not at all an uncommon one. However, it does require careful attention. The type of feeling that you have toward boys is probably not an innate tendency, but something that has been culturally acquired.

“Your reasons for adopting this habit have now been consciously suppressed or unconsciously repressed.

“Therefore, it is necessary to deal with this problem by getting back to some of the experiences and circumstances that lead to the habit.

“In order to do this I would suggest that you see a good psychiatrist who can assist you in bringing to the forefront of conscience all of those experiences and circumstances that lead to the habit.

“You are already on the right road toward a solution, since you honestly recognise the problem and have a desire to solve it.”

We can not say for sure how he would feel about gay rights or critical race theory were he alive today. He might very well look back at his 1960s views as naive and be all in with CRT. What can be said unquestionably is his 1960s solutions stand in polar opposite of those under the banners of “anti racism” and “critical race theory” today.

It would not be surprising even in this day that a very religious person would oppose gay rights. As for her Uncle he was very respectful but had the thinking of his time.
This is what Martin Luther King told a gay teen who was struggling with his sexuality in 1958

We can not say for sure how he would feel about gay rights or critical race theory were he alive today. He might very well look back at his 1960s views as naive and be all in with CRT. What can be said unquestionably is his 1960s solutions stand in polar opposite of those under the banners of “anti racism” and “critical race theory” today.

That's a big part of my own opposition to critical theory of all stripes, it's a massive step backwards from the previous color blind activism of the civil rights era, which got things right the first time.

But few if any public schools teach actual critical race theory. It's a means for the right to rid public education of any reference to white people behaving badly toward anyone else. It's no accident that this is a subject of contention in red states where there had been a history of slavery and instituted racism. And no, I don't believe that any white children went home to ask their parents if they were evil for being born white.

This is wishful thinking to fit a pre conceived narrative along the lines of believing that the commies have taken over everywhere. Sure you have your alt right types that want to get rid of any reference to white supremacy but not teaching about slavery and the KKK is not mainstream thinking in the anti CRT movement or the anti CRT legislation(a lot of which I oppose for anti cancel culture reasons) I have read.

Here's a little food for thought:

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2 ... ce-theory/

Using terms such as “white privilege”, and “white fragility” does not convince people you do not mean all white people. That right would be negligent if they did not use the gift given to them.

I concede your point about white fragility, but not white privilege. People who feel blamed by being told they have privilege don't understand what privilege theory actually means. If you are benefitting from privilege, it's not anything you have done, right or wrong, that gave you privilege. It's not your fault that you are benefitting from privilege. It's the fault of the systems and/or people that are giving you privilege.

For example, if you live in a country where marriage is legally defined as "one man and one woman" and you're heterosexual, that law is giving you privilege over gay people. (And polyamorous people, but that's less often discussed.) It's not that you're doing anything wrong - being heterosexual isn't doing anything, and deciding to marry someone you love isn't wrong. It's the law that allows you to marry someone you love but doesn't allow other people the same right that is wrong, and it's wrong in a way that means you're unfairly treated better than those other people.

Or, for a race example, if you're white and you apply to a job, get interviewed by a guy who unbeknownst to you is racist, and get hired over a better-qualified black candidate, you didn't do anything wrong. Nothing wrong with applying for a job, doing the best you can in the interview, and accepting the job when you get it. The one who's doing something wrong is the interviewer, and he's doing something wrong in a way that benefits you and hurts other people.

That whole expanded concept of privilege is the wrong way to describe a real problem. It implies being given an advantage one does not deserve. The problem is not white people more likely to have an unfair/undeserved advantage. Not being harassed for driving while white is not an unfair advantage it is being treated as one should be. The problem is if a you are minority of any kind be it black or autistic you are more likely to be treated unfairly. The problem is not the white race but human nature which is to ignore and s**t on minorities.

CRT is a race-based theory. It will not help us go beyond race. It will perpetuate racism.

I am 100% for teaching true history in all its gore. “Minorities” were (and sometimes still are) treated like crap. We have to be vigilant about the fact of racism.

But some of CRT is just totally erroneous…..it is a gross generalization based on race. It serves to keep racism the status-quo.

Unfortunately, too many on the right equates the teaching of how minorities have been given the short end of the stick with CRT.

Not being harassed for driving while white is not an unfair advantage it is being treated as one should be.