Critical Race Theory

The Wikipedia page lists as criticism of CRT "that it relies on social constructionism, elevates storytelling over evidence and reason, rejects the concepts of truth and merit, and opposes liberalism."

Setting aside, though, this debate over its claims, I see some practical problems with it when it is used in political forums. For the most part I am quite surprised at how little the people using it to make their arguments realize how jarring it is to those unused to it. 

Take the phrases White Supremacy and White Supremacist. Often these are used in remarking on how practices of the past can unknowingly be affecting the way people think and act today. Sometimes I think the intention is even to point out something obvious, but the problem is that these phrases are completely loaded. To the public, the phase White Supremacist indicates a radical of the most deplorable opinions and actions, someone who might try to perpetrate violence. Yet the comment will often be "the thinking on [some matter] is just White Supremacy." The point being made may be simply "the thinking on [some matter] has remnants of the power structure of the past". On that, they might get some agreement, but if they use the highly charged phrases way too many people are just going to quit listening. Of course, in the fever swamps of the faculty lounges these same people never have these things pointed out to them. 

And there is the business of insisting on being 'anti-racist' or else you *are* a racist. Again, the language is just too off-putting. Most people I know will in fact just quit listening when strident arguments like this towards their own behavior are being made. 

Actually I think ... I hope ... most people do not choose to look at life generally through the lens of race. It is definitely a current perversion of public discourse. It totally ignores progress to date and is making things worse.