America isn’t a racist country. So why doesn’t the Salvation Army just say it?
The beloved charity’s leaders have tied themselves into knots for the past several weeks trying to explain why they made their staff attend a Critical Race Theory training that told white members to repent for the country’s racism.
Critical Race Theory is a school of thought that views everything in American history and life today through the lens of racism. Proponents of Critical Race Theory have managed to convince universities, corporations, and now charities to force members of their staff to take lessons on issues like white privilege, microaggressions, and the oppression hierarchy.
The Salvation Army promoted a Critical Race Theory curriculum called “Let’s Talk About Racism.” In the document, the Army grossly calls for Salvationists to “repent on behalf of the church” for its supposed racism. It also says that a wall of “white supremacy” within the Salvation Army separates its members. The document also calls for Salvationists to forsake “colorblindness” and embrace race as a God-given difference.
When news broke that the Salvation Army was teaching its staff that America was racist, donors were outraged. The issue immediately started trending on Twitter. Why? Because Americans know this is not a racist country.
In response, the Salvation Army maintained that the issue was being sensationalized by groups like my own who were pushing “falsehoods” about the curriculum. But the organization then changed its mind and announced that it would be halting use of the curriculum, writing, “Elements of the recently issued ‘Let’s Talk About Racism’ guide led some to believe we think they should apologize for the color of their skin.” (Maybe the direct line in the curriculum is what led them to believe that, but who am I to say?)
Commander Kenneth Hodder then continued his clean-up effort, telling CBN News, “Clearly that document was causing confusion amongst our people and externally.”
If Commander Hodder really wants to end the confusion, it’s simple. America is not a racist country. Just say it.
The Salvation Army is the epitome of a colorblind organization. The Army embraced a colorblind attitude towards their Black members decades before the Civil Rights Movement. And the Salvation Army has made service to people of all colors and creeds their primary goal. This statement is not a political one, it simply affirms the foundations of the Army.
America’s history includes racism and discrimination, but that is not the America we live in today. The vast majority of Americans are good people who do not care at all about what color their neighbor’s skin is. That is especially true of the Salvation Army’s supporters.
When my organization, Color Us United, was first notified of the Critical Race Theory training in April, we found thousands of Salvationists who were mortified to see what disgusting claims were made in the curriculum.
They had witnessed years of Americans emptying their pockets into red buckets just to help someone in need. None of these donors knew if their money would be helping someone of a different race – and they didn’t care. The Salvation Army reflected America’s values of generosity, colorblindness, and a desire to help our neighbors. But the Salvationists were being told that their idea of America was wrong and that Critical Race Theory was right.
If the Salvation Army’s leaders want to end the “confusion” they caused by painting a dystopian view of a racist America, they can simply say that America is NOT a racist country
Admitting this shouldn’t be difficult. If you want the “confusion” to end, just say it.
Christian Watson (@officialcwatson) is a spokesman for Color Us United and the host of Pensive Politics with Christian Watson.