Critical Race Theory, which is coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, is a concept established by academic legal scholars and civil rights activists in the United States to studiously examine, through the formal education system and elsewhere, how racism is embedded in America’s institutions and laws, mitigating against minorities. This forms part of Americans’ quest to create what some say is a “more perfect union” or to be accepted as an “equal society.”
The theory is three decades old but has taken on greater public attention as America grapples with calls for racial justice that evoked from the killings of African Americans by the police. Notable of which is George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Floyd died May 25, 2020, after policeman Derek Chauvin held him down by placing his knee on his neck for 9 minutes and 22 seconds. Taylor died March 13, 2020, in her bed after police, without a warrant, entered her apartment and fired a hail of bullets claiming they were looking for her ex-boyfriend.
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Coiner of the concept ‘Critical Race Theory’
The academic conversation has, however, in recent times been hijacked through political misinformation and distortion by some in the leadership of the Republican Party and peddled by friendly media, warping the intent and purpose for such conversation. Within recent months several Republican led states have proposed bills to stymie educational discussions about race, racism, and systemic oppression in America, which has the potential to eliminate the conversations altogether.
On Wednesday, June 23, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley appeared before Congress for a hearing and addressed the matter of the military academies teaching Critical Race Theory. His response is to a question posed by Representative Matt Gaetz, Republican from Florida. Take a listen to General Milley here:
