‘Beware, critical race theory is a shape-shifter. This is classic Leftist strategy’

Critical acclaim: Virginia Republican gubernatorial election winner Glenn Youngkin holds hands with Virginia Republican candidate for lieutenant governor Winsome Sears (L) and his wife Suzanne (R). Picture: Getty Images

Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Bella D’Abrera suggested the race for governor in Virginia won by Republican Glenn Youngkin was, to all intents and purposes, a critical race theory election. Parents of all politician persuasions pushed back, offering an opportunity for Scott Morrison’s government to use education to shape the next election. MichAnne had a warning:

“Beware, CRT is a shape-shifter. See Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s excellent piece at UnHerd on how CRT has become DEI, ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’. That’s why (Virginia Democrat candidate) McAuliffe was able disingenuously to claim it did not exist. This is classic Leftist strategy, eg the Left became Progressives, global warming became climate change, and the original and worst of course is the Greens.”

Angela added:

“Our children attend school to be educated and not indoctrinated and they should be taught ‘how to think’ and not ‘what to think’. Do we want to turnout activists or people who can think, reason and understand both sides of an argument? Opposing the teaching of critical race theory and radical gender theory has no place in our schools and parents should have a little more influence over what their children are taught. Education and not indoctrination could be an election winning formula. Just ask Mr. Youngkin.”

Michael approved:

“Education not indoctrination. A good slogan.”

Interloper was intrigued:

“Wow. For the fourteenth time in the last 15 cycles the Virginia governorship is won by the party not in the presidency. Clearly this is all about isolated examples of stupidity in Australian schools. The link is irrefutable.”

Kevin said:

“Concepts such as CRT, gender theory and unconscious bias have been forced upon peaceful, free, egalitarian societies for decades and it’s refreshing to see some pushback. I’m not however convinced that the coalition government is immune from its tentacles, let alone in a policy mind set to do anything about it.”

Gary M’s take:

“CRT is a new wedge issue created by Republicans to galvanise voters (since they don’t win on any other issues). No matter how much you tell them ‘CRT isn’t being taught in K-12 schools’, it doesn’t matter, because simply talking about race *at all* is being called CRT. “After the George Floyd protests and heightened awareness of racial inequality in the US and how we should strive to be more equitable for everyone, white conservatives don’t want racial issues talked about (because they’re against that equity). So they’ve framed any racial discussion as telling white kids that they are inherently evil, and also that those racial discussions are ‘CRT’; that angers parents and so they want ‘CRT banned’.”

Daniel called for balance:

“In the right balance there is a place in our curriculum for a critical review of our past, including an assessment of whether indigenous people were treated and are being treated appropriately. There is also room for a non-romantic exploration of the successes and failures of our attempt to build a multicultural society.

“The problem is the same as the problem the UN and many public institutions around the world have on issues such as race, gender and climate change. Weak minded zealots take charge because they want the roles more than anyone else. Once they get into the roles they treat it as an opportunity to pursue their agendas rather than to provide a useful and balanced education. Therefore there is no balance, just zealotry.

“I think we are going to have a real problem with this issue. The curriculums are being drafted by zealots who are poorly lead. They will passively and actively resist change. Tudge will have his work cut out finding the levers to make recalcitrant and incompetent State administrations get behind the elimination of these dangerous initiatives in our education system.”

GPH56 said:

“I worry when I see statements like ‘critical review’. I would suggest that ‘factual review’ is a better option. When you create (as we have) a society where you can make (IMHO) silly statements like ‘I identify as….’ Or I am offended by your ‘whiteness’ which is inherently a racist statement, it not only further divides us, it draws battle lines which many will not resile from.

“I do not want my friendships or familial relationships with people of many different races and religions to be defined by such disturbing teachings. Has anybody begun to consider the damage this can do to families where there is more than one racial group represented? In my family alone there are Asians, white Australians (many who are descended from eastern and Western European people) and of course the original inhabitants of this great land, Aboriginal people. We all exist as a group of equal, loving and caring people.”

PatrickJD said:

“The Marxist inspired Safe Schools program was planned in an Australian university. It was intended for dissemination in Australia schools. That is openly on record. The ideology of the Labor leopard does not change its spots. The ideology of the Green chameleon changes its camouflage, but inside it is the same creature.”

School’s out: Protesters and activists stand outside a Loudoun County Public Schools board meeting in Ashburn, Virginia in the lead up to the gubernatorial election. Picture: AFP

Wozfromoz said:

“As soon as you put a skin colour in front of a noun it is racist. The notion that reverse bias will do anything but divide society is absurd.”

Sylvia’s Mother countered:

“What is absurd is the idea that a skin colour in front of a noun makes it racist. Just doesn’t.”

Michael mooted:

“Indeed dumping this apologetic /Gender / CRT / Green teaching from our schools would a vote winner for Morrison. People will tolerate a lot from the left but not when they can see it harming their kids. Put a some nuclear power plants on the agenda as well and stand up to the ABC and he will romp in at the next election.”

John M. reckoned:

“Education Minister Alan Tudge has said he will not be endorsing the draft National Curriculum as it stands. This is not good enough and you need to go much further and much harder. You need to: (1) Sack the group that came up with the draft curriculum; (2) Implement a curriculum that parents would be proud of; (3) Force universities to support free speech; (4) Remove Confucius Institutes from Australian universities and (5) Tie federal funding to achieving all of the above and improvements in education outcomes.”

Lindsay’s theory:

“(Virginia voters) are dismissing the idea that white people are born with ‘white guilt’ and ‘inherited guilt’, and they are repudiating the narrative that all black people are victims. In the US, immigrants from India do extremely well and It's the same with most Asian immigrants.

In China, Japan and most parts of Asia, racism is quite overt but you never hear CRT saying that Asians have inherited guilt or subconscious bias.”

Gregory pointed out:

“The polling shows that 82 per cent of Australians disagree with the statement that school students should be forced to apologise for their skin colour. And 86 per cent disagree that schools should make boys ashamed of being male. Meanwhile, 69 per cent do not believe that school students should be taught that Australia is a racist country. Message here for ScoMo – bread and butter issues are what matters here in voter land.”

Bazzarazzaroo said:

“The most stunning aspect of this election and its genesis is that the Democrats and their supporters, BLM included, thought they could get away with inculcating the CRT and white privilege notion in the community at large. The people of Virginia have proved to be the turning point in this effort to poison all of us against each other. Enough is too much and many across the globe will take heart that this is a return to some semblance of reason.”

GPH56 said:

“I am reminded of a speech by Winston Churchill

‘The Germans have received back again that measure of fire and steel which they have so often meted out to others. Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.’ (Speech at the Lord Mayor’s Day Luncheon, 10 November 1942)

“I suspect some will disagree with my reference, but this Virginia result is in my opinion a turning of the tide in a war of ideology gone wrong.”

DoomPatrol looked to lockdowns:

“Read a couple of comments online that US parents were shocked at the content of their kids’ classes during home schooling and that’s why it’s become a hot issue for voters.”

John’s lament:

“Man, I am so glad I’m not 20. My loved contemporaries and I have had nearly six great decades, mostly with a whole lot of fun free of oppressive ideologies shoved down our throats. With CRT, CC, radical feminism, etc etc, the Left has made huge progress in ruining life in the West, and it doesn’t look like they’ll let up. Unless they make private citizens ‘take the knee’ in mass compulsory meetings and do compulsory courses in ‘white privilege’, which might be too dictatorial even for them, we who’re independent have really dodged a bullet. I just really feel sorry for those with decades to go having to battle these insane ideologies.”

Ashleigh’s experience:

“My children attend a school on the Mornington Peninsula that has a fixation with ‘white shaming’ seemingly because it is located in an very affluent suburb. I questioned the principle about why there is such a push to ‘white shame’ the students most of whom come from incredibly varied and multi-racial backgrounds (my children have indigenous great grandparents and mixed European and Asian) and the response was ‘it is a direction and enforced from the State Labor Party … we don’t like it either’.

“This school already has a massive bullying issue and this policy is creating an even larger divide between the students. We should be teaching that we are all one human KIND, not shaming and segregating between race especially for crimes committed by people long gone centuries ago.”

Uncle Quentin disagreed:

“Since our forefathers cannot atone for their sins isn’t appropriate that their descendant do so, Ashleigh? In Germany now nobody (apart from a fringe element) have anything but shame and guilt for activities of the Nazis and the Third Reich, in spite of the deep complicity of many elements of German society.”

MarkD said:

“It’s happening in our communities and schools right now! It is not acceptable to us as parents who are attempting to raise (kids) as responsible global citizens, who sent them to the local public school instead of gender segregated elite private schools, to have this happen.

“Why should my son apologise for being male, for being white, and to have parents who are tertiary educated and have a job? Why should they be assaulted in a busy shopping centre by a group of older teenagers whose words aren’t printable here but basically called them out for being white? This is what our woke agenda and teachings is leading to!”

Texas Jack’s view:

“Alan Tudge has spent months fiddling over the latest instalment of the woke joke that is the national curriculum. That he didn’t bin it and sack the authors the day it was first published shows how remote and tin-eared our politicians have become. If a CRT mandate in education were ever put to a plebiscite it would get belted here, as it has in Virginia, and Tudge must surely know it?”

Another Peter said:

“Thankfully the worm is seemingly starting to turn. More people are becoming aware of the insidious, divisive nonsense which the left support and try and push on our society. And of the way they bend language to support their agenda, using innocuous terms to camouflage their true intent.

“Hopefully this will result in increasing pushback on this truly awful agenda and common sense will start to return again. If not then our society will become more divided, less united, nastier, more restricted and ultimately weaker and poorer.

“This is why it is so critical for the Coalition to start fighting the culture wars hard rather than just surrendering without struggle. Minister Tudge is doing a great job by drop punting the current curriculum proposal into touch. He needs to be congratulated and supported. But it is only the start.

“Seriously how can anybody sensible think maths is racist? I mean come on. That whole nonsensical proposal should have been laughed out of the room as soon as it was raised. (The concept and belief that people are not good at math because of their skin colour actually seems like a paternally racist construct in my eyes, but perhaps I am just not getting the point).

“Unfortunately far too many people are now afraid to call out nonsense like this, due in part to the vocal cry-bullies on the left supported by their cheerleading talking heads in much of our MSM like their ABC. These groups use gaslighting tactics regularly to try and make sensible, moderate, normal people feel that their views are in the minority. Stand up and call it out. Be brave.”

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Cartoon by Johannes Leak

Peta Credlin reckoned Malcolm Turnbull’s treachery and “smouldering fury” knows no bounds in siding with the French President to score points against Scott Morrison., and suggested the as evidenced by him taking the French President’s side over that of our own Prime Minister in the nuclear subs row. Jennie added:

“Peta’s analysis links all the dots in understanding Turnbull’s character and what drives him.

That he and Rudd, once implacable political enemies, have joined up together, comes as no surprise. Two egomaniacs who indulge one another’s conspiracies, unable to get on with their lives.

“Compare the antics of the duo with former PM Gillard and Abbott. That Labor could go along with Turnbull’s devious strategy makes their traditional supporters think again. To support the claims of a foreign government against Australia’s PM breaks all conventions. It makes me query Labor’s ability to act in support of Australia’s national interest on the national and international stage. Albanese and Bowen have displayed a fundamental and serious error of judgment.”

No mercy, said Maisie:

“Time to do what Turnbull has been crying out for and that is to kick him out of the Liberal Party. He is surely an irrelevancy now and his continued membership whilst doing his utmost to destroy the Party is an embarrassment. By the way, Leak’s cartoon today captures Turnbull superbly!”

ThinkAboutIt said:

“Let him stay in but give him a job like Secretary of the Boggabri branch.”

Susan switched off:

“I am not sure which man; when being interviewed on television; makes me grab the remote control faster to press the ‘OFF’ button, Kevin Rudd, Malcolm Turnbull or Daniel Andrews.”

Margaret said:

“The vanity, egotism and lack of self-awareness is extraordinary. Is this what happens when a man mingles only with a small sycophantic subset of the people, a sort of a mutual appreciation society?”

Fírinne said:

“I loved Mr Morrison’s comment about respecting former PMs … and they say he isn’t diplomatic!”

From John:

“After ruthlessly fighting his way to P.M. he had no idea what to do with it once he got it. Remember all those endless possibilities that were put ‘on the table’ only to be knocked off it again, almost immediately, at the very first sign of dissent. In the end he achieved nothing as PM except inflicting serious damage to our security with the dud sub deal. Now, while enjoying the benefits and entitlements of an ex-PM he continues to undermine the Party that enabled him.”

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Over and out: Alan Jones and Sky have parted ways. Picture: Supplied

After years of polarising viewers and listeners, Alan Jones divided readers with the news that he was leaving Sky News Australia. Iain1 opined:

“Alan going but Christopher Pyne coming in! What is Sky thinking of?”

Warrick was sad:

“Will there be a conservative, centre-right, voice in Australian media for much longer? There are a few others, but none as well researched and experienced as Jones.”

Rebecca said:

“Alan is unique with his amazing intelligence, broad experience, especially given his rural background, his fabulous speaking style and delivery, vocal qualities generally and his incisiveness and scholarly investigation of issues. Finally, he is so good, basically, at simply telling it like it is.”

Tinkerbelle reckoned:

“Alan Jones goes about his business, well informed and without fear or favour. He will be missed greatly. 2GB have not successfully ‘filled’ his spot. Neither will Sky.”

Geoff was unimpressed:

“Jones? Not the best and his research is largely shoddy, he doesn’t even have the courage to admit when he is proven wrong and his viewer emails are sadly edited to suit his agenda.”

Come back, said Barry:

“I used to be a regular and dedicated ABC viewer, and over the last few months because of their fierce anti Liberal bias, I now watch Sky news. Peta Credlin and Alan Jones are my favourites. They bring to the viewer a more even handed approach to politics, whilst always leaning towards the Liberal and National. parties. To me the loss of Alan Jones is very sad, as he brings to Australian viewers a brilliant coverage all of the current important issues.”

Ejected’s analysis:

“Putting Jones in their ‘dead spot’ of 8pm was always a gamble that even he might not be able to sustain a good rating. He followed Credlin then Bolt with the effect of presenting the same opinion three times in a row. This no nonsense conservative approach no longer fits SKY-lite which is clearly drifting to the centre.”

Kate said:

“Despite the claims his ratings had fallen dramatically from where they were. At the peak of his ratings mid last year he was attracting 109,000 viewers. However that had dwindled into a viewership between highs in the 60,000 and lows in the 30,000.”

Last word to Lauren:

“It’s a shame to see AJ leave, but let’s get serious, his Sky News show has become difficult to watch. It’s negative. Extremely self serving and his obsession with Chris Minns has made me really question his judgment.”

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