> Terms like “Regressive left”, “Social justice warrior”, and of course, Marxism, Socialism, and Communism, have actual, specific meanings
I think a lot of people on the right see CRT, and modern left embrace of 'woke' ideology, as an inherently communist tactic.
Old school communism said "The disparities in society are the result of the evils of the bourgeoise; they have exploited you, they have stolen from you, they are the reason for all the problems in your life, and all they have is stolen. Therefore the right thing to do is whatever is necessary to destroy the divide between you and them; thus you are under no obligation to show them any empathy or humanity."
The various aspects of wokeism says: "The disparities in society are the result of the evils of the straight/white/Christian/males; they have exploited you, they have stolen from you, they are the reason for all the problems in your life, and all they have is stolen. Therefore, the right thing to do is whatever is necessary to destroy the divide between you and them; you are thus under no obligation to show them any empathy or humanity."
The parallels are rather striking.
So, wokeism has come to resemble a combination between a neo-marxist ideology, a very institutionally powerful racial hate movement, and a religion.
It's even more dangerous by the fact that most of the core ideas are supported by the corporate media complex, something you can't say about, for instance, creationism. This is part of what I mean when I describe it as 'institutionally powerful.'
You might understand why some people are so alarmed by it, even if as you rightly point out, their responses are haphazard and largely ineffective.
"A conservative cannot encounter an objectionable facet of left-thought without generalizing it to the entire left and accusing everything that comes from the left half of society as an example of it," said the person who apparently is unable to describe conservative thought without generalizing it to the entire right and accusing everything that comes from the right half of society as an example of it.
"These are the same people who wanted creationism and “intelligent design” taught in biology classes, “abstinence only” taught in sex-ed, and who have done everything in their power to blur the line between church and state in public education."
Are they the same people though? Most of the right-wingers from 20 years ago are either dead or demented. Speaking personally I'm a conservative who is also an atheist, I don't think abstinence-only sex ed works, and I'm fully in favor of banning Creationist garbage in public schools. As a modern 2020s conservative right-winger, my views are perfectly consistent.
No one is proposing to ban CRT in its entirety. The desired limitations prevent its being imposed on people in workplaces, schools, and similar situations where people are required by law or circumstance to be, and are not able to fully exercise the right they’d have in their own home, say, to eject a rights-offending person from the premises. CRT is as much a violation as imposing rules that women have to act subservient to men in the workplace, or telling kids that they need to let the white kids have their own space because they’re happier that way.
This isn’t a “marketplace of ideas” equivalency situation. People have the right not to have to suffer that bullshit as they labor to keep the wolf from the door.
As for children, they need to learn actual critical thinking skills before they are exposed to special pleading and abusive manipulation, both of which are found in CRT as it’s packaged for delivery to unschooled audiences. It doesn’t belong in k-14, yes 14, even as an abstract topic.
> Terms like “Regressive left”, “Social justice warrior”, and of course, Marxism, Socialism, and Communism, have actual, specific meanings
I think a lot of people on the right see CRT, and modern left embrace of 'woke' ideology, as an inherently communist tactic.
Old school communism said "The disparities in society are the result of the evils of the bourgeoise; they have exploited you, they have stolen from you, they are the reason for all the problems in your life, and all they have is stolen. Therefore the right thing to do is whatever is necessary to destroy the divide between you and them; thus you are under no obligation to show them any empathy or humanity."
The various aspects of wokeism says: "The disparities in society are the result of the evils of the straight/white/Christian/males; they have exploited you, they have stolen from you, they are the reason for all the problems in your life, and all they have is stolen. Therefore, the right thing to do is whatever is necessary to destroy the divide between you and them; you are thus under no obligation to show them any empathy or humanity."
The parallels are rather striking.
So, wokeism has come to resemble a combination between a neo-marxist ideology, a very institutionally powerful racial hate movement, and a religion.
It's even more dangerous by the fact that most of the core ideas are supported by the corporate media complex, something you can't say about, for instance, creationism. This is part of what I mean when I describe it as 'institutionally powerful.'
You might understand why some people are so alarmed by it, even if as you rightly point out, their responses are haphazard and largely ineffective.
Well Done! You crushed it in every aspect. The most intelligently thought out piece I’ve read on CRT.
interesting article
"A conservative cannot encounter an objectionable facet of left-thought without generalizing it to the entire left and accusing everything that comes from the left half of society as an example of it," said the person who apparently is unable to describe conservative thought without generalizing it to the entire right and accusing everything that comes from the right half of society as an example of it.
"These are the same people who wanted creationism and “intelligent design” taught in biology classes, “abstinence only” taught in sex-ed, and who have done everything in their power to blur the line between church and state in public education."
Are they the same people though? Most of the right-wingers from 20 years ago are either dead or demented. Speaking personally I'm a conservative who is also an atheist, I don't think abstinence-only sex ed works, and I'm fully in favor of banning Creationist garbage in public schools. As a modern 2020s conservative right-winger, my views are perfectly consistent.
No one is proposing to ban CRT in its entirety. The desired limitations prevent its being imposed on people in workplaces, schools, and similar situations where people are required by law or circumstance to be, and are not able to fully exercise the right they’d have in their own home, say, to eject a rights-offending person from the premises. CRT is as much a violation as imposing rules that women have to act subservient to men in the workplace, or telling kids that they need to let the white kids have their own space because they’re happier that way.
This isn’t a “marketplace of ideas” equivalency situation. People have the right not to have to suffer that bullshit as they labor to keep the wolf from the door.
As for children, they need to learn actual critical thinking skills before they are exposed to special pleading and abusive manipulation, both of which are found in CRT as it’s packaged for delivery to unschooled audiences. It doesn’t belong in k-14, yes 14, even as an abstract topic.