Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRon DeSantis's Attack on Black Studies Is Textbook Proto-Fascism
https://truthout.org/articles/ron-desantiss-attack-on-black-studies-is-textbook-proto-fascism/Floridas unapologetically racist governor, Ron DeSantis, announced last week that he is banning an Advanced Placement pilot course that would have taught Florida teenagers about the Black freedom movement, Black cultures and contemporary issues that impact Black people. Anyone who has glanced at the newspaper in the past decade, let alone read a book on the subject, knows that issues of mass incarceration, police, prisons, intersectionality and the politics of sexuality are all deeply relevant to the experience of African American communities.
With a nod toward his homophobic base and illustrating his own ignorance, DeSantis asked the question, how could queer theory be relevant to African American studies? Perhaps if he had taken an African American studies class somewhere along the way he would know the names of world-renowned award-winning writers, artists and courageous activists whose long careers and eloquent words answer that question from myriad angles. He would know about the grand poet Audre Lorde who wrote about love uncircumscribed, facing cancer heroically and the dangers of living our lives in closets and compartments. He would know about the unrivaled James Baldwin, who taught more about the U.S. to the U.S. than any mainstream textbook ever could, and also nurtured his readers into a larger humanity. And he would know about political figures ranging from Bayard Rustin, one of the organizers of the great march on Washington, to Miss Major, the Black trans activist who led in the historic Stonewall protests against unchecked police violence against New Yorks LGBTQ (especially trans) community in the late 1960s. Their lives and stories are why queer theory is important to Black history.
Perhaps DeSantis would have known this had he not had a skewed and impoverished education. If he had taken an African American studies course in the 1980s and 90s when he was in school, perhaps DeSantis would also know about the long and bloody history of racism in Florida, and the righteous freedom fighters who organized against it. These struggles were not just against hate or prejudice; they were a response to systemwide discrimination, greed and domination.
For example, NAACP organizers Harry and Henriette Moore were blown up on Christmas night in 1951, 130 miles from DeSantiss hometown of Jacksonville, by white vigilantes who knew nothing of the Moore familys culture, motives or life experiences and likely didnt want to know. The Moores lobbied for the right of Black teachers to have equal pay and working conditions comparable to their white counterparts.
*snip*
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
5 replies, 1189 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (31)
ReplyReply to this post
5 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Ron DeSantis's Attack on Black Studies Is Textbook Proto-Fascism (Original Post)
Nevilledog
Jan 2023
OP
he knows... just using his anti African Am studies fight to signal to the GOP Base
BlueWaveNeverEnd
Jan 2023
#5
edhopper
(33,587 posts)1. Proto nothing
It's straight up fascism.
dchill
(38,505 posts)4. Nobody needs the proto-.
tulipsandroses
(5,124 posts)2. Did he ban Black history month? So glad I left that state
I am glad hes showing his true colors. If Trump doesnt destroy him, I doubt he will have mainstream appeal.
live love laugh
(13,118 posts)3. First they came for the black history books 📚 ....
We know how the story ends.
BlueWaveNeverEnd
(7,972 posts)5. he knows... just using his anti African Am studies fight to signal to the GOP Base
signal to them... "I hate black people..." like Trump did.