There are those who claim that CRT is a legal framework and not being taught in schools. As a legal framework, it is not. However, CRT is supercharged with racial and social justice beliefs. Those beliefs have little to do with the law, and despite the call for justice, the demands are one sided, illogical, and all about taking power.
The two major teachings are that everything is racial, and race is all about the oppressor and the oppressed. It has nothing to do with personal prejudice, and everything to do with power.
Categories of the beliefs in CRT are as follows:
liberalism.
This is the one area that is purely legal. It studies the legal system to examine it for racial inequalities and challenge the way laws are enforced. CRT assumes racism is in every fiber of the law, until it is proved to be non-existent.
Let’s imagine a law says a driver needs to stop at a traffic light, or get a ticket. Simple enough, but CRT would say this is racist. It takes a policeman to issue the tickets, and he’s issuing more tickets to blacks than whites. It doesn’t matter if the cop is black, he’s enforcing oppressive laws meant to benefit white people. It also doesn’t matter that the traffic light is in an all-black neighborhood. It’s racist and oppressive… because I said so!
Storytelling.
Meaning subjective experience matters over objective reasoning. Where logic, science and knowledge differ from the racist claim, the subjective experience of the oppressed trumps truth. Any time a logical argument fails, or justice is proven fair, it doesn’t matter. It’s racist and oppressive… because I said so!
Revisionist history.
This especially relates to critique of civil rights laws and discrimination issues. It supports claims that the 1619 project is true, while the founding of the USA in 1776 is false. A matter that flies in the face of both higher-level historical criticism and textual criticism.
Historical events are taken out of their time, heavily stamped with current social norms, and claims made that suit the arbitrary point, no matter how flawed it may be. For example, concepts that the USA was founded on liberty and justice is turned on its head and America was really built on the tyranny racism.
It doesn’t take much more than a quick read of the founding documents, and other writings of founding patriots to see the fallacy.
Intersectionality.
Examining factors of victimhood, which include Race, gender, disability, etc. These are intended to mark the equitable outcome for the oppressed. The more points of victimhood you can claim the more weight your voice carries in racial discussion. A black man carries more victim points than a white man. But a black woman has more than either one. Add being trans, or homosexual to that and the points grow. It comes back to the color of your skin and how you look, and less about personal character.
Granted, some of the various classes of victims are indeed discriminated against. Largely because they are very rare, and not part of the common human experience. it doesn’t mean the law doesn’t offer protection, or extend life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness. It only means that they are unique people, outside the norm.
People in those fringe groups are deserving of dignity, respect and honor based on the mere fact they are human beings, made in the image of their Creator.
To keep these blog articles short, this is where I cut this off. Stay tuned for one more installment to work through the final teachings of this framework. There’s lots more illogical logic, and critique of this critical system. There are excellent ways to teach about racial reconciliation and equality, but this isn’t one of them.