Utah, "The Big Lie" and Critical Race Theory. And Davy Crockett

I have been thinking about Utah's drift to the hard right on this whole Critical Race Theory thing, with shrill fear mongering pushing reasoned discussion aside. So  I decided to write to two members of the Legislature who I thought might actually pay attention to a reasoned argument about it.

I won't name them now.  They need a chance to respond, but here's what I told them. If they answer, I will post those answers here:

I have spoken with you both in the past about the “message bills” and generally crazy/stupid things that come before the Legislature every year. We’ve always agreed that the majority of lawmakers see them for what they are and treat them accordingly. 

I am also very aware, and understanding, of the dance you have to do to quietly tolerate the people who push those things and gently nudge their silliness aside in order to get the bills through that really do matter. 

I get it, trust me on this. Your job requires some real edge work, especially when it is the leaders of the Legislature pushing the bills. 

At the same time, as I sit here trying to follow the news, I am seeing some really unnerving trends right here in Utah that make me think the time for gentle nudging is past. 

While 1619 Project/Critical Race Theory is the shiny object at the moment, what disturbes me more is the thinking behind this movement that is causing so much screaming. What I see is an opportunity being taken to attempt to legislate what history is, to control what can be taught about it and how it can be interpreted. There’s a measure of the “Big Lie” politics of the moment mixed in as well. 

That’s really, really dangerous. George Orwell’s 1984 says “He who controls the past controls the future,” and the idea of our Legislature telling teachers what history is just makes me itch.

Does that happen?  Just yesterday NPR had an interview with the author of a book called “Forget the Alamo” about Texas history. Here’s a link: https://www.npr.org/2021/06/16/1006907140/forget-the-alamo-texas-history-bryan-burrough

The author notes that Texas, by law, requires that schools teach a “heroic” version of the Battle of the Alamo. What’s that?  If you are my age you think of Fess Parker as Davy Crockett. If you are younger, you have a John Wayne movie. Both are depictions of unmitigated good vs. evil, heroic Texans vs. evil Mexicans. 

The problem with that heroic stuff is that it isn’t true.  Not even close.  While I’m uncomfortable learning that my childhood hero was really an aging, out-of-work drifter who abandoned his family and was in Texas hoping for an easy military gig to get some free land and a fresh start, I can handle it. I won’t even throw away my coon skin hat.

That the Texas land Davy Crockett fought for would be worked by slaves is also uncomfortable, but there it is. Mexico was very opposed to slavery and didn’t want slave owners taking over a chunk of Mexican territory.

(Interesting how slavery comes up so much in our history, isn’t it? Someone ought to study that.)

So there’s the truth. And yet, the law in Texas is the law. 

Here in Utah we seem to be edging along a similar path with this Critical Race Theory (CRT) thing. As I said above, I smell a bit of “Big Lie” politics in this as well.

The Legislature just passed a resolution about CRT, which is odd because the bill is aimed at a segment of our education system where CRT is not taught. Still, the people promoting that bill are making some pretty serious allegations about what CRT will do and don’t seem ready to stop pushing for more restrictions. 

Will study of race and slavery in higher education be next? I would not doubt it.

Are they a few silly folk who can be nudged aside?   One of the loudest proponents of this stuff is a United States Congressman from Utah. He wants any teacher who mentions CRT fired.  He says it will destroy society.

A US Congressman. And he’s not alone. Gov. Cox is making approving noises. The Republican Party in Utah has adopted this as a platform plank.

What’s true? 

Stuart Culver, Dean of the U of U College of Humanities, wrote a very thoughtful piece about CRT which I urge you to read if you have not already.  Here’s a link: https://humanities.utah.edu/news/deans-message-crt.php

CRT is studying history of race and slavery and and looking at how they have steered and formed our national culture and institutions over the years. This is something I, as a historian, find laudable and interesting. Will such study destroy more myths about our history than just that Alamo stuff?  Very possibly, and this will make people upset. My own research has destroyed some very fun myths about Ogden’s history and I really miss them.

One point Dean Culver makes is that the sponsors of the resolution, asked to define CRT, could not do so in an accurate manner, and I’m seeing a lot of that sort of thing out here in the world.  People are reacting to what they are told CRT is by screamers on right wing TV and radio, not what it actually is. I’m positive some lawmakers who know better are happy to use the fear that that misinformation breeds to scare people into voting for them. Tell people lies, then point to their belief of that lie as a reason to pass laws. 

You two know me. I’m trying real hard not to overreact to this stuff.  I spent an entire career in journalism trying to find truth. One thing I learned is that if nobody speaks out for the truth — if they worry about rocking the boat or losing their position for doing so — then the lies win. We saw what happens then on Jan. 6 in DC.

I am very worried that in Utah, as in so many other places, the lies are winning. 

Are they?  And if so, what are you doing about it?