Template:Critical race theory

Critical Race Theory

Critical race theory is a theoretical framework in the social sciences, developed out of epistemic philosophy, that uses critical theory to examine society and culture as they relate to categorizations of race, law, and power.

What is epistemic philosophy?

• Epistemologists study the nature of knowledge, justification, the rationality of belief, and various related issues.

The key word to is "justification".

Critical race theory (CRT) is a school of thought meant to emphasize the effects of race on one's social standing. Social standing in nature can be a sort of pecking order which establishes a hierarchy at least in the imagination if not in reality.

If you think your social standing is actually determined by race or the opinion of another race then, That is racism.

Thinking or having the belief that a race is inherently racists as a group takes power from the individual and gives that power, whether real or imagined, to a collective. The idea contradicts the thinking of held by freed slaves who proved other wise be progressing against "prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism".

"No man, who continues to add something to the material, intellectual and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward." Booker T Washington

Slavery in the south made more white men poor in the south than it made them rich. Cheap labor cheapened the labor of the individual in the market.

"An old and sincere friend of America, I am uneasy at seeing Slavery retard her progress, tarnish her glory, furnish arms to her detractors, compromise the future career of the Union which is the guaranty of her safety and greatness, and point out beforehand to her, to all her enemies, the spot where they are to strike." Alexis de Tocqueville

"No greater injury can be done to any youth than to let him feel that because he belongs to this or that race he will be advanced in life regardless of his own merits or efforts." Booker T Washington

People filled with unreasoning anger and contempt for people of the past they do not even know nor have taken the time to know will desire to destroy the statues placed in honor of what good they did. The same people who hold the men of the past in contempt will do little to nothing for the present sins of slavery pervasive in the world today.

"Everyone hated the idea of being a slave but few had any qualms about enslaving others. Slavery was just not an issue, not even among intellectuals, much less among political leaders, until the 18th century – and then it was an issue only in Western civilization. Among those who turned against slavery in the 18th century were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry and other American leaders. You could research all of the 18th century Africa or Asia or the Middle East without finding any comparable rejection of slavery there. But who is singled out for scathing criticism today? American leaders of the 18th century."

"Deciding that slavery was wrong was much easier than deciding what to do with millions of people from another continent, of another race, and without any historical preparation for living as free citizens in a society like that of the United States, where they were 20 percent of the population." The Thomas Sowell Reader, chapter “Twisted History”

Condemning the slavery of the past is much easier and much more convenient than doing something about the mountain of slavery and injustices of today.

"There are an estimated 27 million men, women, and children in the world who are enslaved — physically confined or restrained and forced to work, or controlled through violence, or in some way treated as property.

"Therefore, there are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade [11 million total, and about 450,000, or about 4% of the total, who were brought to the United States]. The modern commerce in humans rivals illegal drug trafficking in its global reach—and in the destruction of lives." “21st Century Slaves“, National Geographic article, Thomas Sowell

Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to physical appearance and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another.

It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against other people because they are of a different race or ethnicity. To imagine that an entire race can be assigned characteristics of "prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism" toward another race is also racism.

Origins of CTR

"Critical race theory" first emerged as a challenge to the idea that the United States had become a color-blind society where one's racial identity no longer had an effect on one's social or economic status.

Critical race theory arose as a challenge to the idea that in the two decades since the Civil Rights Movement and associated legislation, abusive racial inequality observed and identified in the system had been resolved and affirmative action was no longer necessary.

Character not color mattered.

Affirmative action policies, were becoming obsolete.

Some people obtain a sense of identity and justification from being abused and oppressed. It can be seen in abused people all the time and leads to numerous syndromes and compulsive behaviors. The battered wife or girlfriend returns to her abuser or the hostage defends their kidnapper, even joins them.

Could not the victim of racism become the racist?

When that source of identity and justification was slipping away with rapid moves in society toward equality some felt an inner compulsion to reestablish that oppression or some sense of it in order to maintain that victim identity.

Critical Race Theory was a way to claim racial oppression and inequality continued.

Any fact or even the "messenger" who points to the fact that contradicted that theory of racial oppression is the enemy. Like religious zealots who use their ideology to justify themselves, despite their weakness and frailties, will gather their "pitchforks and torches" and burn you at the stake even if they set the whole world on fire.

This idea was financially lucrative for many who depended on continuing racial friction or the appearance of it. Men have depended on keeping the people at odds from Caesar to Al Sharpton.

Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Richard Delgado, argued that racism and white supremacy were defining elements of the American legal system and despite the actual law they conjectured "equal protection." did not exist.

Derrick Bell argued that Brown v. Board of Education was a result of the self-interest of “elite whites”.

He protested Harvard's failure to hire female faculty of color because he felt they should have jobs based on the color of their skin.

Drawing on ideologies, including feminism, Marxism, and postmodernism the term "intersectionality," was used to highlight the multiple and overlapping systems of oppression.

Race as a social construct essentially means that race has no scientific basis or biological reality.

Race differences make up a fraction of genetic elements and tell us nothing about the content of our character, intelligence, behavior, or moral capacity. None of these are inherent to any single race.

The Critical Race Theory “society frequently chooses to ignore these scientific truths.” Instead they are compelled by their need to be justified, to create races, endow “them with pseudo-permanent characteristics” which is racism.

1. . Critical race theory was a response to the idea that America had become a color-blind society.
2. . While "race" or color effects economic, educational, and the legal system.
3. . Critical race theory inspired "intersectionality" and pushed identity politics.