A conservative revolution is in order.
A Statement Regarding “Critical Race Theory”
All Americans of good will and common sense must oppose the spread of this pernicious ideology.
Editors’ Note
The editors of The American Mind offer this statement as a salvo against the accelerating influence of the idea that America’s institutions are shot through and riddled with racism. We encourage reasonable people to take up the challenge of stopping this noxious idea from undermining the nation, and to demand that their representatives, government officials, and public school leaders affirm and abide by the statement. In conjunction with this Note, we encourage you to read Christopher Rufo’s related article, “Standing against Critical Race Theory.”
As Americans concerned for the common good of the nation, we reject the following tenets of “Critical Race Theory” as directly opposed to the fundamental principles of American government and political order:
- That any human being simply by virtue of being born in a given racial category (e.g., their “whiteness”) is inherently evil or bears guilt for actions committed by others in the past or present.
- That the principle of the inherent equality and dignity of all human beings insofar as they are human enables racism instead of serving as the firmest bulwark against it.
- That those who oppose replacing the equality of all citizens under the law with a system of “equity” that treats people unequally based on racial categories are complicit in racism or white supremacy.
- That establishing a legal regime of racial hierarchies is equitable or just.
We hold instead that:
- Human beings are fundamentally equal insofar as they are human and citizens and must be treated as such by law.
- Blaming groups of citizens for evils they did not commit based on their race, color, or ethnicity is morally wrong and will result in civic disorder and balkanization.
- A system based on “equity”, in which equity means rejecting equality under the law and distributing goods and services on the basis of race alone is neither equitable nor just.
- Government and public institutions must not discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to persons on the basis of race, color, or ethnicity.
The American Mind presents a range of perspectives. Views are writers’ own and do not necessarily represent those of The Claremont Institute.
The American Mind is a publication of the Claremont Institute, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, dedicated to restoring the principles of the American Founding to their rightful, preeminent authority in our national life. Interested in supporting our work? Gifts to the Claremont Institute are tax-deductible.
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