Critical Race Theory and "Kangaroo History"

I believe Critical Race Theory has something important to teach us and something to which we need to give attention. I do not appreciate those who are trying to keep this out of our schools, churches, and minds. After all, we have not had such a wonderful history. We stole lands from the Native Americans and built our cities on their sacred grounds. We captured Africans and brought them to this country as slaves to do for us what we did not want to do for ourselves. It is not surprising that many want to keep this part of our history silent. For example, I grew up in Oklahoma, attended two Universities in Oklahoma and I had never heard of the Tulsa Massacre until recently. The Tulsa massacre is evidence of why we need to learn from all of our history and not select only those parts of our history that make us look good. Critical Race Theory helps make us aware that systemic racial prejudice has been and continues to be a reality. An old friend would talk about “kangaroo history” by which he meant that we jumped over those historical parts about which we wanted to forget. Critical Race Theory challenges our kangaroo history.

Post-Pandemic Spirit

A colleague found a New York Times article on “languishing.” Languishing seems a good term to describe this after-pandemic spirit. I have also used the word, melancholy to describe what the Pandemic has done. Melancholy is an old term and concept that indicates a sadness, grief, heaviness or darkness. The Pandemic certainly created a lot of losses so an undefined feeling of grief seems a natural response. I have asked folks, “What have you lost during this COVID pandemic?” The responses have been many and varied. There have been losses and some of those losses will not be able to be recovered. For example, we will never again be able to gather for a child’s first birthday. That child’s first birthday party will not happen again. Acknowledging our losses and grief is a healthy way of dealing with our sense of languishing or melancholy.