Editor, Gazette-Journal:
Last week I attended David Anthony’s presentation titled “The History of Critical Race Theory.” Mr. Anthony shared a rapid-fire outline of 19th and 20th century philosophies, emphasizing “Critical Theory” which, he said, led to Critical Race Theory.
Anthony’s presentation sounded credible until he started editorializing and playing loose with facts to create a picture of a monolithic Atheist philosophy devoid of morality. He chose a scapegoat (Atheists), combined philosophies (Marxism, Darwinism, and Progressivism, among many), conflated documents (all of the Humanist Manifestos), confused names (Franklin for Frankfurt), and assigned historic figures (Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton) to the wrong place on the timeline.
Critical theories (there are many) attempt to identify social wrongs and set achievable goals to correct them. Anthony lumped them all into one theory he held responsible for eugenics, the Holocaust, and millions of deaths under Stalin and Mao Zedong. He targeted the Frankfurt School, first claiming its ideas were at the root of the Holocaust, then blaming it for the creation of Critical Race Theory, because the Nazis banned it, so the members moved to Columbia University.
Critical Race Theory tries to identify American laws that treat people of color unfairly, and make changes to achieve fairness. Anthony made it sound like Critical Race Theory is part of a huge, dangerous conspiracy. “This is dangerous!” he ranted. “This is life and death!”
Kudos to Mary Sampson for speaking out, saying Anthony’s history did not speak to the Black experience in this country, including her own. Whites in the audience generally responded warmly to her, appearing eager to dispel any suspicion of racism, but the prevailing sentiment seemed to be against actually talking about racism. Someone said we all just need to forgive each other.
I’m all for forgiveness, but the burden should not be placed solely on the shoulders of the wronged. True reconciliation will require White acknowledgment of participation in racism, be it past or present, direct or indirect, intentional or accidental. For that, knowledge of the full truth will be essential. Unfortunately, David Anthony’s version of history will not qualify.
Molly Hoffman
Gwynn, Va.