Obama Accuses Republicans of 'Stoking the Fear and Resentment of a White Population'
Former President Barack Obama mocked conservatives’ pushback on critical race theory on Monday night during a CNN interview, claiming “right-wing” outlets are promoting fear among white Americans in an increasingly diverse nation.
Obama said during the CNN interview with Anderson Cooper that it is “hard for the majority… of white Americans to recognize you can be proud of this country and its traditions and its history and our forefathers and yet, it is also true that this terrible stuff happened.”
“The vestiges of that linger and continue,” the former president said. “And the truth is that when I tried to tell that story, oftentimes my political opponents would deliberately not only block out that story but try to exploit it for their own political gain.”
“I also think that there are certain right-wing media venues, for example, that monetize and capitalize on stoking the fear and resentment of a white population that is witnessing a change in America and seeing demographic changes, and do everything they can to give people a sense that their way of life is threatened and that people are trying to take advantage of them,” Obama also told Cooper, according to Fox News. “And you’re seeing it right now.”
On critical race theory, Obama said, “You would think with all the public policy debates that are taking place right now, that the Republican Party would be engaged in a significant debate about how are we going to deal with the economy, and what are we going to do about climate change, and what are we going to do about — lo and behold, the biggest single most important issue to them apparently right now is critical race theory.
“Who knew that that was the threat to our republic?”
They have now deployed former president Barack Obama to defend, downplay, and deflect from critical race theory.
We are making incredible progress. Keep pushing forward. pic.twitter.com/BiCvLgIT5Q
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) June 8, 2021
The interview came on the same day three GOP senators introduced a resolution on Monday to condemn critical race theory in K-12 public education, arguing the controversial teaching “has no place in American schools.”
Florida Sen. Rick Scott, Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Indiana Sen. Mike Braun presented Senate Resolution 246 to push back against liberals who are working to include critical race theory in public schools.
The summary of the resolution says, “Expressing the sense of the Senate that Critical Race Theory serves as a prejudicial ideological tool, rather than an educational tool, and should not be taught in K–12 classrooms as a way to teach students to judge individuals based on sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.”
Scott said in a statement from the three lawmakers, “Since America’s founding, our nation has strived to be a land of opportunity for all. While we cannot ignore the scars of our past, we also cannot tolerate the attempts of the woke left to weaponize our history in radical curriculums that teach our children to see America only for its worst days, and the American people only for their darkest hours.”
I won’t allow woke liberals to divide Americans with Critical Race Theory. Our students deserve better. I’m proud to be joined by @MarshaBlackburn & @SenatorBraun in standing up against this dangerous policy: https://t.co/qUhGGzqTQ2
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) June 7, 2021
He added, “The far-left wants Americans to believe that our nation is inherently racist and bad. They want to discredit the values America was founded on. They’re wrong.
“We can’t stand by and allow ’woke’ liberals to divide our nation. Students in Florida and every state across this nation deserve better and I’m proud to lead my colleagues today in a resolution to stand up against this dangerous policy.”
Blackburn said, “Critical race theory has no place in American schools. The tenets of critical race theory are based in the destructive ideal of inherent racism and will teach our children to judge and self-segregate based solely on skin color.
“In Tennessee, we believe in equality and opportunity for all. Students should not be discriminated against on the basis of race under any circumstances. This resolution is an important step to prevent the far left from pushing their radical political agenda in our classrooms.”
Braun said, “America’s kids need to know that the fundamental values of our country are liberty, equality, and opportunity for all – not racism and oppression. I’m proud to join my colleagues in speaking out against divisive political agendas being pushed in our classrooms.”
The resolution followed a letter in April from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and more than 30 senators to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to request “the withdrawal of the Department’s ‘Proposed Priorities’ on American history and civics education,” according to the statement.
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