Critical race theory is a racist worldview that applies Marxism’s theory of economic class conflict to race, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said.
Speaking at the Faith & Freedom Coalition Road to Majority Conference in Orlando, Cruz recounted how a reporter scurried up to him on Capitol Hill last week and asked him to define Critical Race Theory, or CRT.
“Apparently, he thought I would turn to him and say, ‘Gosh, I have no idea,’” Cruz said. “It’s a theory that derives from Marxism. Karl Marx viewed the entire world as a conflict between classes, between the owners of capital and the working men and women, the proletariat; a fundamental battle in society. Critical Race Theory takes that same Marxist concept, except it replaces class with race.
“And it says all of America and all of the world is a battle between the races. Critical Race Theory says every white person is a racist. Critical Race Theory says America is fundamentally racist and irredeemably racist. Critical Race Theory seeks to turn us against each other, and if someone has a different color skin, seeks to make us hate that person. And let me tell you right now, Critical Race Theory is bigoted, it is a lie and it is every bit as racist as the Klansmen in white sheets.”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis echoed his comments.
READ: Iowa bans critical race theory
“As a Christian and as an American, I love my brothers and sisters, whatever skin color you are, whatever ethnicity you are, whatever faith you are, whatever creed you are,” he said. “I mean, give me a break. This country has had more opportunity for more people than any country in the history of the world, and it doesn’t matter where you trace your ancestry from. We’ve had people that have been able to succeed.
“So it’s a very harmful ideology, and I would say, really, a race-based version of a Marxist-type ideology. So we’ve banned it in our schools here in Florida. We’re not going to put any taxpayer dollars to Critical Race Theory, and we want to treat people as individuals, not as members of groups.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice