Greetings and Salutations;

There is much controversy today over “CRT” – which is an acronym for “Critical Race Theory“. In short, it is a focus on how racism has infiltrated and shaped American thought and law from day one. It has never been taught except in Law School, as a post-graduate course. Perhaps later on I shall go into some more depth on this, and, how nutty the Republicants are.

In this essay, though, I want to focus on one example of why it is vital that it become more widely taught. This idea came to me as I was reading a posting detailing the following story of an event that happened during the second world war, in 1943. The post was by a fellow named Christopher Williams, and was apparently published July 17, 2020 

In 1943 black American soldiers faced off with white American Military police during World War II on British soil. Yes you read correctly black American soldiers had to fight their own white American soldiers, while in England, where they were fighting for the world.

Why? Because the English town of Bamber Bridge in Lancashire was not segregated so they treated the black soldiers like all other races, aka blacks were free to eat, drink anywhere, BUT back in America segregation of blacks and whites still existed. So essentially the American army went to someone else’s country and demanded they adopted America’s racist practices

The folks in Lancashire were like hell no we like the black soldiers in fact during that time the American created Jitterbug dance was popular and the British women were eager to learn it from the black soldiers. The fondness for the black American soldiers was also supported by those famous essays written by George Orwell who stated that the black American soldiers had the best manners of all the American troops.

So when the American Military police found out that their own black American soldiers were drinking at the same pubs as white people they went in to arrest them. The people in the town got mad about the treatment of the black soldiers and decided to then turn their pubs into “BLACKS ONLY DRINKING PUBS” the very opposite of what was taking place in America with their WHITES ONLY businesses.

Of course this pissed off the American military so guns went blazing, and when word spread back at camp that black soldiers had been shot, scores of men formed a crowd, some carrying rifles and by midnight more American military police arrived with a machine gun-equipped vehicle, so the black soldiers had no choice but to get rifles from British stores while others barricaded themselves back on base, so now it was American white soldiers versus American black soldiers. Several soldiers died including 17 black American soldiers.

Back in America the battle was hushed up because they didn’t want the country to find out that they were fighting their own soldiers which would anger the black population and weaken the moral in the country.

You may read about the ill treatment of black American soldiers by their own army in the book FORGOTTEN.

What I have quoted here is just a part of the story. A lengthier discussion of the event is available HERE. I assure you it is well worth reading. For greater details on the battle itself, and its aftermath, read This Article.

One may ask…”Why am I discussing this?” As I mentioned above, this is a perfect example of why CRT should be a vital part of our curriculum planning from day one. I went through nearly 18 years of education, from elementary school through college, and not ONCE did I hear a word about this event. Not once did I hear of the Tulsa Massacre. Not once did I hear of the vast flood of inventions and innovations that people of color have given us through the years. At most, all I heard about was George Washington Carver, and his work with Peanuts. On the other hand I did hear through much of that educational period, way too much about how the White Man came to a country filled with resources and uncivilized savages, and thanks to Manifest Destiny, was able to move across it, and “civilize” it. This white-washing of history is, as I have come to understand over the years since school, a pile of crap. It not only denigrates the cultures of other ethnic groups, it attempts to absolve white America from the stain of Slavery, and, totally ignore the amazing benefits we were given by them.

The Republicants are making all kinds of claims about how CRT is designed to make white people hate themselves, or be ashamed to be white. They are screaming that it is saying everyone is racist (And THAT cannot be true, because they have black friends, and have not lynched ANYONE). This view DOES have some merit….if one is presented with the reality of one’s own racism, and how it controls our actions and thoughts. My view of CRT is rather different though. My understanding is that, while there is no question that generations of whites have engaged in some pretty horrific racist attitudes and acts, we should not hate ourselves, or be ashamed of ourselves for them. In this case, the Sins of the father are on the father, and do not stain for generations. That having been said, It is up to each of us to be reflective and mindful; To understand how the racism we all carry within us does or does not control our actions. As This Essay (and many others found online) discuss, racism is deeply rooted in our psyche, and for what were, very good reasons. However, simply because we have the roots of racism in our heads, it does not make us racist. It depends on how much control they have over our thoughts and actions. CRT exists as a topic of study to ensure that we will be mindful of this nearly hidden reality of racism, and will be able to move beyond it, and ensure that it holds no control over us.

As such, I strongly support all of us looking objectively at CRT, learning from it, and using that knowledge to address the continuing problems of racism in America. I believe that those who so vocally oppose this are specifically the ones that need to come to understand it the most. They are, I suspect, either trying to ignore or minimize their racism, and yet, allowing it to control their minds, or they are full-blown, prideful racists who would turn America into a Lily-White country in a heart beat, and have no more regard for people of color than they would a cockroach.

God Help Us All! Be Safe, wear your mask, get vaccinated, wash your hands, social distance.

Bee Man Dave