Ideas have consequences

I'm sure someone is reading and thinking, "Another piece on critical race theory?"

We will do at least two more. I've had many people comment or message me saying they appreciate that I'm talking about it because it's helped them to understand what's going on. I'm sure many people hadn't heard of it until the president banned it from federal agencies.

I'm also being contacted by people who are immigrants or who travel extensively. They are shaking their heads trying to figure out why in a country that is considered one of the least racist and the freest in the world, people are protesting, rioting, looting and killing over racism.

CRT is the answer. I covered Marxism, which is foundational to the movement. Last week, Village News had a piece outlining how the ideology of divisiveness and shutting down discussion can only make things worse – not better.

People have to be willing to offend others, or be offended themselves, if they are going to have a substantive discussion.

Call the discussion mean, racist, unintelligent, oppressive or whatever you choose. Free speech is how the nation has continually made things better since its founding. If someone is a racist, let them speak. Then everyone will know exactly where they stand and be able to reason for themselves. Let's allow alternative or even offensive thoughts to be heard. Also, don't be quiet, because of name calling. Have the discussion. Don't avoid it. If it seems wrong to you, say so.

When I was young, it was OK to drink and drive. How would people have ever changed that if they weren't allowed to talk about it? Cigarettes and tobacco used to be considered good for your health. It took a cultural shift and rigorous political debate that probably hurt some feelings but was necessary to bring change. I'm sure the people on the front lines were considered "mean." Isn't racism an even more important debate?

Ellen Krause made the point recently that CRT creates divisiveness and shuts down debate, which is not productive.

CRT, derived from Marxism and the Frankfurt School, does not really seek equality or justice. It just categorizes everyone as oppressor or oppressed depending on their race, gender, sexual orientation, and it marginalizes individuals and their opinion if this system determines the individual is part of the oppressor group, as is outlined in "White Fragility," a bestselling book by Robin DiAngelo.

With CRT, all societal structures are believed to be racist, including politics, math, science, engineering, religion, business, history, education, law, etc. Freedom and liberation only come when all existing societal structures are overthrown. History proves that authoritarianism, not utopia, follows revolution, and people need look no further than Cuba, Iran and Venezuela as examples. Revolution only served those in power.

And power is the point. Not truth, not justice.

Have you seen the rioters injure and kill police officers? Have you seen bands of thugs assaulting innocent diners and trying to force them to raise their fist or chant? Have you heard about the veteran who defended himself and his father from attackers and was indicted and committed suicide? That was after two tours of duty in Iraq. His hope was gone.

The problem is our universities have been teaching critical race theory for decades and people didn't know it, or at least I didn't know it. Now the ideas are being taught to young children starting in first grade.

They are erasing and rewriting history, tearing down our culture and our small businesses, our freedoms, our laws, our churches, our schools, etc.

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture ... every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. ... History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right," George Orwell said in "1984."

Critical race theory gives a false hope for salvation that is attained when the oppressed are liberated, but what happens when the oppressed becomes the oppressors?

Julie Reeder can be reached by email at [email protected].