Five Ugly Truths About Critical Race Theory

May 24, 2021 James Lindsay

Critical Race Theory is currently getting a ton of attention on the national and international stage, which is long overdue, but there are also many misconceptions about it. Here are five questions that many people are asking about Critical Race Theory along with straight answers, explanations, and a raft of proofs from the Critical Race Theory literature itself. My hope is that people will be able to use these proofs to show people that Critical Race Theory is every bit as bad as its critics contend. Since these proofs run rather long in some cases, here are the questions and answers as a summary: 

• Is Critical Race Theory racist? Yes. 
•  Does Critical Race Theory advance the vision and activism of the Civil Rights Movement? No. 
• Does Critical Race Theory say all white people are racist? Yes. 
• Is Critical Race Theory Marxist? Yes and no. 
• Is Critical Race Theory an analytical tool for understanding race and racism? No, not really. 

Question: Is Critical Race Theory racist?

Answer: Yes.

Critical Race Theory begins by asserting the importance of social significance of racial categories, rejecting colorblindness, equality, and neutrality, and advocating for discrimination meant to “level the playing field.” These things lead it to reproduce and enact racism in practice. It also explicitly says that all white people are either racist or complicit in the system of racism (so, racist) by virtue of benefiting from privileges that they cannot renounce.

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