truthout--2020-11-18--GOP Fails to Block Election Certification in Michigan

Despite later reversing their decision , two Republican members of Michigan ’ s Wayne County Board of Canvassers were told their woeful legacies had already been sealed after they attempted Tuesday to block the certification of the county ’ s 2020 election results , including an effort during the process to carve out Detroit — which voted overwhelmingly for President-elect Joe Biden and other Democrats — from its wealthier suburbs .
While President Donald Trump initially praised the move by Monica Palmer , the Republican chair of the committee , and William Hartmann — the other Republican on the four-member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ beautiful thing ” and declared “ Flip Michigan back to TRUMP , ” the two later changed course after fierce public condemnation , including charges that their refusal was both racist in origin and an assault on the democratic will of the people .
As of this writing Wednesday morning , Trump has not acknowledged the reversal of the GOP members and ultimate certification of the Wayne County results .
“ Our democracy is built on respecting the will of the people when they express it at the ballot box , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director of the Lawyers ’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law , following word that the GOP members had blocked the certification late Tuesday afternoon .
“ President Trump and his allies ’ relentless and anti-democratic attempts to undermine the election combined with the Wayne County Board of Canvassers ’ failure to certify the vote , ” charged Clarke , “ are part of an attempt to promote chaos , confusion , and discord.
” As the Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday evening , “ After initially voting against certifying the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be open to certifying the election results for other jurisdictions but not Detroit.
” That move in particular was seen as an overt effort to disenfranchise a huge number of Black voters in the city .
Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) , who represents large portions of Wayne County in the U.S. House and easily won reelection on Nov. 3 , characterized what Hartmann and Palmer did as “ disgusting , ” something no community deserves “ It ’ s plain and simple , folks , ” Tlaib tweeted .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Board of Canvassers put politics above their duty to our residents .
Suggesting that all of Wayne County can be certified , EXCEPT for Detroit , is horrifying racist and a subversion of our democracy.
” The idea that local or state election boards could somehow override 2020 results has been a concern since before the Nov. 3 election , with experts warning that Trump ’ s repeated efforts to undermine confidence in the results was part of a long-game ploy to create enough doubt in the minds of voters that GOP electors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thesis spelled out in journalist Bart Gellman ’ s piece in The Atlantic , published online in October , titled “ How Trump Could Attempt a Coup.
” What transpired in Michigan on Tuesday — though ultimately unsuccessful — is nearly exactly the kind of effort that Gellman and others had warned about .
Jonathan Kinloch , the Democratic vice chair of the board accused the two GOP members of putting partisan politics — including a fealty to Trump — before their legal obligation to certify the legitimate election results .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this board , ” Kinloch said added .
And Allen Wilson , the other Democrat on the board , echoed that sentiment and said : “ I ’ m actually appalled to be sitting here today.
” In the midst of Tuesday ’ s battle over the certification in Wayne County , the progressive advocacy group MoveOn said the “ refusal by GOP partisans to certify Detroit ’ s votes is their latest attack on democracy .
Fortunately , voters decide who wins .
Candidates don ’ t get to throw out votes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of County Boards of Canvassers definitely don ’ t. ” In its statement , MoveOn turned out to be correct .
Not long after , while a virtual feed of the board ’ s meeting was apparently offline , both Palmer and Hartmann ended their obstruction and both joined with the two Democratic members to approve the certification .
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan , according to the Free Press , celebrated the unanimous vote to certify the county ’ s election results .
“ Every court on the Detroit election results has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error were baseless , ” Duggan said .
“ Had the Board of Canvassers disenfranchised 1.4 million Wayne County voters over partisan politics , it would have been an historically shameful act .
Glad to see common sense prevailed in the end.
” But for many people like local resident Ned Staebler , a board member of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. , the GOP ultimately unsuccessful effort was unforgivable and will not be forgotten .
During an online public comment period ahead of the final vote , Staebler excoriated the two in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The Trump stain , the stain of racism that you , William Hartmann and Monica Palmer , have just covered yourself in is going to follow you throughout history , ” Staebler declared .
When the election was finally certified — which means that Michigan will remain safely and dominantly in President-elect Joe Biden ’ s winning column — Trump offered no followup comment via Twitter or otherwise , leaving some to wonder whether he was aware that the effort he referred to as courageous and “ beautiful ” had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hammoud ( D-15 ) , noticed Trump ’ s silence and asked online : “ Who wants to break the news to him ?
” Congresswoman Tlaib accepted the duty .

Trump has not acknowledged the reversal of the GOP members and ultimate certification of the Wayne County results.
Despite later reversing their decision, two Republican members of Michigan’s Wayne County Board of Canvassers were told their woeful legacies had already been sealed after they attempted Tuesday to block the certification of the county’s 2020 election results, including an effort during the process to carve out Detroit — which voted overwhelmingly for President-elect Joe Biden and other Democrats — from its wealthier suburbs.
While President Donald Trump initially praised the move by Monica Palmer, the Republican chair of the committee, and William Hartmann — the other Republican on the four-member panel — to halt the certification as a “beautiful thing” and declared “Flip Michigan back to TRUMP,” the two later changed course after fierce public condemnation, including charges that their refusal was both racist in origin and an assault on the democratic will of the people.
As of this writing Wednesday morning, Trump has not acknowledged the reversal of the GOP members and ultimate certification of the Wayne County results.
“Our democracy is built on respecting the will of the people when they express it at the ballot box,” said Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, following word that the GOP members had blocked the certification late Tuesday afternoon.
“President Trump and his allies’ relentless and anti-democratic attempts to undermine the election combined with the Wayne County Board of Canvassers’ failure to certify the vote,” charged Clarke, “are part of an attempt to promote chaos, confusion, and discord.”
As the Detroit Free Press reported Tuesday evening, “After initially voting against certifying the election results, [Palmer] said she would be open to certifying the election results for other jurisdictions but not Detroit.” That move in particular was seen as an overt effort to disenfranchise a huge number of Black voters in the city.
A majority Black city’s votes don’t count. Is this what they are saying? https://t.co/JfIHaoNsVf — Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) November 17, 2020
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), who represents large portions of Wayne County in the U.S. House and easily won reelection on Nov. 3, characterized what Hartmann and Palmer did as “disgusting,” something no community deserves
“It’s plain and simple, folks,” Tlaib tweeted. “The Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers put politics above their duty to our residents. Suggesting that all of Wayne County can be certified, EXCEPT for Detroit, is horrifying racist and a subversion of our democracy.”
The idea that local or state election boards could somehow override 2020 results has been a concern since before the Nov. 3 election, with experts warning that Trump’s repeated efforts to undermine confidence in the results was part of a long-game ploy to create enough doubt in the minds of voters that GOP electors would have room to refuse certifications — a thesis spelled out in journalist Bart Gellman’s piece in The Atlantic, published online in October, titled “How Trump Could Attempt a Coup.”
What transpired in Michigan on Tuesday — though ultimately unsuccessful — is nearly exactly the kind of effort that Gellman and others had warned about.
Jonathan Kinloch, the Democratic vice chair of the board accused the two GOP members of putting partisan politics — including a fealty to Trump — before their legal obligation to certify the legitimate election results. “This is reckless and irresponsible action by this board,” Kinloch said added. And Allen Wilson, the other Democrat on the board, echoed that sentiment and said: “I’m actually appalled to be sitting here today.”
In the midst of Tuesday’s battle over the certification in Wayne County, the progressive advocacy group MoveOn said the “refusal by GOP partisans to certify Detroit’s votes is their latest attack on democracy. Fortunately, voters decide who wins. Candidates don’t get to throw out votes they don’t like and GOP members of County Boards of Canvassers definitely don’t.”
The refusal by GOP partisans to certify Detroit’s votes is their latest attack on democracy. Fortunately, voters decide who wins. Candidates don’t get to throw out votes they don’t like & GOP members of County Boards of Canvassers definitely don’t. MI voters chose Biden by 148K. https://t.co/ULCRTHd3nH — MoveOn (@MoveOn) November 18, 2020
In its statement, MoveOn turned out to be correct. Not long after, while a virtual feed of the board’s meeting was apparently offline, both Palmer and Hartmann ended their obstruction and both joined with the two Democratic members to approve the certification.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, according to the Free Press, celebrated the unanimous vote to certify the county’s election results.
“Every court on the Detroit election results has ruled that Trump’s claims of error were baseless,” Duggan said. “Had the Board of Canvassers disenfranchised 1.4 million Wayne County voters over partisan politics, it would have been an historically shameful act. Glad to see common sense prevailed in the end.”
But for many people like local resident Ned Staebler, a board member of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., the GOP ultimately unsuccessful effort was unforgivable and will not be forgotten. During an online public comment period ahead of the final vote, Staebler excoriated the two in a video that has since gone viral. “The Trump stain, the stain of racism that you, William Hartmann and Monica Palmer, have just covered yourself in is going to follow you throughout history,” Staebler declared.
Local democracy saving our democracy ♥ wherever you live, be more like @NedStaebler 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/XcQiiFz4wP — Tara McGowan (@taraemcg) November 18, 2020
When the election was finally certified — which means that Michigan will remain safely and dominantly in President-elect Joe Biden’s winning column — Trump offered no followup comment via Twitter or otherwise, leaving some to wonder whether he was aware that the effort he referred to as courageous and “beautiful” had been scuttled.
When Michigan state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-15), noticed Trump’s silence and asked online: “Who wants to break the news to him?” Congresswoman Tlaib accepted the duty.
“I will,” she said.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-11-18--Trump Fires Top Election Security Official Who Refuted Baseless Lies About Fraud

President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening fired Christopher Krebs , who served as head of the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency ( CISA ) and who had correctly disputed many of the president ’ s misleading and false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election .
Trump made the announcement on social media that he was firing Krebs based on recent statements the agency head had made contradicting Trump ’ s false assertions of fraud .
“ The recent statement by Chris Krebs on the security of the 2020 Election was highly inaccurate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and fraud – including dead people voting , Poll Watchers not allowed into polling locations , ‘ glitches ’ in the voting machines which changed votes from Trump to Biden , late voting , and many more , ” the president wrote .
“ Therefore , effective immediately , Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
” None of the contentions Trump listed in his statement announcing Krebs ’ s termination hold any water — according to numerous fact-checking websites and court rulings , ballots were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individuals , poll watchers were granted access to observing the election , no glitches resulted in votes for Trump being dropped or switched to President-elect Joe Biden , and votes that were counted after Election Day were in fact legitimate , processed “ late ” because of a huge influx in absentee or mail-in ballots this year owing concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic .
In short , Krebs ’ s firing appears to have been based entirely on the falsehoods perpetrated by the president and his supporters .
Krebs has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election was secure and that no mishaps occurred that would have resulted in a change of outcome .
The agency he led even set up a “ rumor control ” webpage , which debunked a number of errant claims of election fraud as they propped up ( including several promulgated by Trump ) .
CISA was also part of a joint statement with other government agencies , which announced , in what was largely seen as a direct rebuke to the president , that this year ’ s election “ was the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , Krebs stood by his agency and the statements he had made , but in statements to his associates over the past week he recognized he would likely be fired by Trump .
Before he was fired , Krebs managed to retweet from his government social media account a post on Twitter from elections expert David Becker , who singled out Trump specifically as someone who couldn ’ t be trusted to be honest about election security this year .
“ Please don ’ t retweet wild and baseless claims about voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by the president , ” the tweet from Becker read .
“ These fantasies have been debunked many times.
” Following his termination , Krebs has become active on his personal Twitter account .
He immediately announced he was “ honored to serve ” in the role that he did .
“ We did it right .
Defend Today , Secure Tomrorow [ sic ] .
# Protect2020 , ” Krebs wrote .
Many came to the defense of Krebs after his firing was announced .
After Star Wars actor Mark Hamill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former CISA head quoted Hamill in his own tweet , paraphrasing lines from the movie franchise Hamill is best associated with .
“ In defending democracy , do or do not , there is no try .
This is the way , ” Krebs wrote .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decried Krebs ’ s firing , describing him in a statement as a “ deeply respected cybersecurity official.
” “ The President ’ s insistence on distracting and dividing the country by denying his defeat in the election undermines our democracy , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blast Trump for focusing on punishing those who disagree with him rather than addressing real and present dangers that Americans are facing at the moment .
“ Instead of stooping to this dangerous and shameful charade , Trump needs to get serious about crushing the accelerating pandemic that has killed nearly 250,000 Americans , infected over 11 million people in our country and devastated the livelihoods of tens of millions more , ” Pelosi said .

In the past week, Christopher Krebs told his colleagues that his work would likely result in his termination by Trump.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening fired Christopher Krebs, who served as head of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and who had correctly disputed many of the president’s misleading and false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Trump made the announcement on social media that he was firing Krebs based on recent statements the agency head had made contradicting Trump’s false assertions of fraud.
“The recent statement by Chris Krebs on the security of the 2020 Election was highly inaccurate, in that there were massive improprieties and fraud – including dead people voting, Poll Watchers not allowed into polling locations, ‘glitches’ in the voting machines which changed votes from Trump to Biden, late voting, and many more,” the president wrote. “Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.”
None of the contentions Trump listed in his statement announcing Krebs’s termination hold any water — according to numerous fact-checking websites and court rulings, ballots were not cast illegally on behalf of dead individuals, poll watchers were granted access to observing the election, no glitches resulted in votes for Trump being dropped or switched to President-elect Joe Biden, and votes that were counted after Election Day were in fact legitimate, processed “late” because of a huge influx in absentee or mail-in ballots this year owing concerns about in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic. In short, Krebs’s firing appears to have been based entirely on the falsehoods perpetrated by the president and his supporters.
Krebs has for several days now maintained that the election was secure and that no mishaps occurred that would have resulted in a change of outcome. The agency he led even set up a “rumor control” webpage, which debunked a number of errant claims of election fraud as they propped up (including several promulgated by Trump).
CISA was also part of a joint statement with other government agencies, which announced, in what was largely seen as a direct rebuke to the president, that this year’s election “was the most secure in American history.”
After the election, Krebs stood by his agency and the statements he had made, but in statements to his associates over the past week he recognized he would likely be fired by Trump.
Before he was fired, Krebs managed to retweet from his government social media account a post on Twitter from elections expert David Becker, who singled out Trump specifically as someone who couldn’t be trusted to be honest about election security this year.
“Please don’t retweet wild and baseless claims about voting machines, even if they’re made by the president,” the tweet from Becker read. “These fantasies have been debunked many times.”
Following his termination, Krebs has become active on his personal Twitter account. He immediately announced he was “honored to serve” in the role that he did.
“We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomrorow [sic]. #Protect2020,” Krebs wrote.
Many came to the defense of Krebs after his firing was announced. After Star Wars actor Mark Hamill criticized Trump for terminating Krebs, the former CISA head quoted Hamill in his own tweet, paraphrasing lines from the movie franchise Hamill is best associated with.
“In defending democracy, do or do not, there is no try. This is the way,” Krebs wrote.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decried Krebs’s firing, describing him in a statement as a “deeply respected cybersecurity official.”
“The President’s insistence on distracting and dividing the country by denying his defeat in the election undermines our democracy,” Pelosi said.
The speaker went on to blast Trump for focusing on punishing those who disagree with him rather than addressing real and present dangers that Americans are facing at the moment.
“Instead of stooping to this dangerous and shameful charade, Trump needs to get serious about crushing the accelerating pandemic that has killed nearly 250,000 Americans, infected over 11 million people in our country and devastated the livelihoods of tens of millions more,” Pelosi said.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-11-18--Trump Is Attacking Critical Race Theory Because It Is a Force for Liberation

Trump and his administration are on the offensive against critical race theory and diversity training .
Federal workers are currently banned from participating in anti-racism trainings , and Trump used the presidential debates to further denounce such trainings as “ racist.
” The Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping that Trump issued on September 22 , 2020 , rejects the claim that racism “ is interwoven into every fabric of America , ” and labels as “ divisive concepts ” such claims as “ the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist.
” Indeed , the executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identifies as a form of “ malign ideology.
” Critical race theory ( CRT ) was developed in the 1980s within the context of a critical cadre of Black legal scholars and scholars of color who deployed , and continue to deploy , powerful narrative writing and who pulled from their personal experiences to explicate and resist the problematic entanglement of the law and legal discourse as embedded within structures of white power .
Trump ’ s attacks on CRT are consistent with his attacks on the press , his intolerance for facts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consciousness itself , his rebuff of dissent , and his need to create scapegoats as a process for maintaining his predominantly white base .
Yet , within a thriving democracy , critical thought , thoughtful dissent , and counter-hegemonic efforts and activism are crucial — the very lifeblood of an informed citizenry .
Prominent scholar Mari Matsuda is one of the founding voices of critical race theory and holds the distinction of being the first Asian American tenured law professor in the United States .
She is a law professor at the William @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Hawaii , and has published a number of books , including Where Is Your Body ?
: And Other Essays on Race , Gender , and the Law ; Words That Wound : Critical Race Theory , Assaultive Speech , and the First Amendment ; and We Won ’ t Go Back : Making the Case for Affirmative Action .
In this interview , Matsuda discusses the real goal of critical race theory , the struggle against anti-Asian attacks and how to envision , and work toward , a future of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a pleasure to speak with you in this format .
Yet , the occasion is dire .
Trump has attacked critical race theory , white privilege training and diversity training .
He supports their characterization as “ divisive , un-American propaganda training sessions.
” I am fairly certain that Trump has no idea what critical race theory means .
As one of its original creators , briefly share with us just how essential critical race theory continues to be , especially at this moment in the U.S. ’ s history .
Mari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who drafted the executive order banning critical race theory have read a word of our work .
Law journal articles have hundreds of footnotes .
It takes work to read critical race theory , the kind of work they are not accustomed to .
They have some vague sense that critical race theorists are anti-racist intellectuals .
That is the basis of their attack .
Their goal is to telegraph white tribalism : We share your anxiety about replacement and only we can defend you against all enemies .
This is an old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power .
First , invent an enemy .
Then , proclaim yourself the faithful source of protection against that enemy while you pick people ’ s pockets .
Anyone who has actually read the work knows critical race theory is not about replacing white supremacy with Black supremacy , or any kind of supremacy .
The goal of critical race theory is not to make white people feel guilty , oppressed , disregarded or disrespected .
Nothing in my work does that .
The stated goal of critical race theory is , first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How was race as an idea developed and deployed ?
Second , CRT seeks to dismantle racism as part of a project of dismantling all forms of oppression .
For me , this includes a lot of utopian work : imagining a world of mutual care and mutual respect .
The idea that people seeking racial justice want to put down white people is a massive projection .
We want a fair and just world for everyone — white folks included , obviously , since they have been integral to progressive struggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speak to what motivated your conceptual and activist engagement with critical race theory .
I am often motivated by a blues sensibility as I write about racism in this country .
I find myself having to touch the pain and the anger caused by racism , but never allowing it to have the last word .
My sense is that this blues motif and the jazz motif of improvisation motivates your work and passion .
The jazz musician and theorist Vijay Iyer talks about embodied cognition , and you and I , George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pain , and the transcendence of that pain , in the blues .
I often ask my students , “ How did reading this make you feel ?
” when we encounter a critical race theory text .
They tell me that this is not a question they are used to .
Much of standard education is about getting us to shut down that feeling of unsafety that lodges in the gut .
Just forge ahead as if nothing we are discussing here is connected to the disregard of your humanity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ academy , listening to our bodies and writing our way out of places where we felt trapped and assaulted was the source of our intellectual work .
When I was a law student back in the ’ 70s , I helped organize the local chapter of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression , which came out of the “ Free Angela Davis ” movement .
The National Alliance proclaimed , as one of its goals , “ Outlaw the Klan.
” At that time , I was also volunteering for my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This created a contradiction between what I knew had to happen to protect people I cared about , and what prevailing ideology said could not happen .
The [ Ku Klux ] Klan was gunning down labor organizers in the street .
The material conditions were fueling a sense of personal frustration , that I worked out , eventually , in the book , Words That Wound : Critical Race Theory , Assaultive Speech , and the First Amendment , written with founding critical race theorists Charles Lawrence , Richard Delgado and Kimberlé @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by no means homogenous , do you see stereotypes of Asian Americans continuing to abound in this country , as you argued in your 1996 book , Where Is Your Body ?
Do you think that it has increased given Trump ’ s unabashed xenophobia ?
Just think here of Trump ’ s appellation , “ China virus ” to refer to COVID-19 .
Trump has an intuitive grasp of the fear of the foreign as a driver of right-wing populism in the U.S .
He has deployed it with a snarl , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans .
My family now extends to the fifth generation in the U.S .
I have Chinese friends that are in their seventh generation here .
These are deeper roots than many of the MAGA folks , but our kids still get “ Go back where you came from ” hollered at them from passing cars , or compliments for fluent use of the English language .
The deployment of “ foreign ” in maintaining a system under which the many toil for the benefit of the few is clear if you look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Chinese threat ” to generate violent pogroms , to keep white workers focused on the wrong target , goes back to the 19th century .
I would add that this history is not taught at most elite institutions .
In 2020 , students are still in struggle to institute ethnic studies at Harvard .
Given your status as the first tenured Asian American law professor in the U.S. , how did you resist and reject images that are designed to render you static and that attempt to denude you of your complexity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the room and talking , while everyone takes notes , an Asian woman disrupts expectations about who should speak with authority .
When you are objectified , taking the subject position is a radical act .
The backlash is really quite astonishing .
Ask any Asian woman who has tried speaking against power .
It generates a disproportionate rage , a terrorized response , when the “ object ” speaks .
What allowed me to survive that rage is knowing that my validation has never come from the institutions where I get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by my communities in struggle .
If I am useful to my home communities , and if I am a useful ally to my extended family in the beautiful “ another world is possible ” coalition , then my work has value .
Keeping clear about whom I will allow to judge me , whose criticism I need , keeps me sane .
This is especially true when you tread on difficult ground : What is my responsibility , as the descendant of immigrants , to support Indigenous sovereignty struggles ?
What does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” mean for native Hawaiians holding allegiance to the Nation of Hawai ’ i , who are struggling to reinstate their stolen country ?
I have found that working to build solidarity leads to more complicated , nuanced and incisive analysis .
You ask about retaining our complexities : We are our most complicated selves when we are engaged political actors .
The level of self-knowledge , the self-criticism , the openness to revision , the layers of understanding that work in coalition-building requires , takes us out of little , defended spaces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plain where the wind blows free and we ’ re able to consider what we can become .
This country has failed miserably in terms of effectively addressing so many existentially important issues — racism , COVID-19 and the despicable handling of immigration .
I ’ m also thinking here of children being put in cages or breastfeeding babies being torn from their mothers by border patrol agents .
Out of these catastrophes , how do you envision a future of healing ?
I believe , both from the empirical evidence and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most humans are other-regarding beings who seek joy and safety in community .
Most of us feel pain watching a screaming child pulled from a parent ’ s arms .
We will make the road to a kinder world by finding every way we can to nurture our collective best impulses .
We have to create experiences , now , that give people the feeling of joy that comes from working with others on something of value — whether that is a collective art practice , or a Black Lives Matter march , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or one of those academic panels where the good ideas are flying so fast you can ’ t write it all down .
We have to live like we want all humans to live : supporting one another and seeing what each person adds to our own experience of being sentient on a wondrous planet .
I am not a dreamer about this — there is hard work to do , the work that organizers do , going door to door and talking to people very unlike themselves , people taught to fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and if the music is irresistible , the fear will give way to open doors .
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity .

Trump and his administration are on the offensive against critical race theory and diversity training. Federal workers are currently banned from participating in anti-racism trainings, and Trump used the presidential debates to further denounce such trainings as “racist.”
The Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping that Trump issued on September 22, 2020, rejects the claim that racism “is interwoven into every fabric of America,” and labels as “divisive concepts” such claims as “the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist.” Indeed, the executive order rejects workplace diversity training, which it identifies as a form of “malign ideology.”
Critical race theory (CRT) was developed in the 1980s within the context of a critical cadre of Black legal scholars and scholars of color who deployed, and continue to deploy, powerful narrative writing and who pulled from their personal experiences to explicate and resist the problematic entanglement of the law and legal discourse as embedded within structures of white power.
Trump’s attacks on CRT are consistent with his attacks on the press, his intolerance for facts and truth, his rejection of critical consciousness itself, his rebuff of dissent, and his need to create scapegoats as a process for maintaining his predominantly white base. Yet, within a thriving democracy, critical thought, thoughtful dissent, and counter-hegemonic efforts and activism are crucial — the very lifeblood of an informed citizenry.
Prominent scholar Mari Matsuda is one of the founding voices of critical race theory and holds the distinction of being the first Asian American tenured law professor in the United States. She is a law professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaii, and has published a number of books, including Where Is Your Body?: And Other Essays on Race, Gender, and the Law; Words That Wound: Critical Race Theory, Assaultive Speech, and the First Amendment; and We Won’t Go Back: Making the Case for Affirmative Action. In this interview, Matsuda discusses the real goal of critical race theory, the struggle against anti-Asian attacks and how to envision, and work toward, a future of healing.
George Yancy: It is such a pleasure to speak with you in this format. Yet, the occasion is dire. Trump has attacked critical race theory, white privilege training and diversity training. He supports their characterization as “divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions.” I am fairly certain that Trump has no idea what critical race theory means. As one of its original creators, briefly share with us just how essential critical race theory continues to be, especially at this moment in the U.S.’s history.
Mari Matsuda: Neither Trump nor his minions who drafted the executive order banning critical race theory have read a word of our work. Law journal articles have hundreds of footnotes. It takes work to read critical race theory, the kind of work they are not accustomed to. They have some vague sense that critical race theorists are anti-racist intellectuals. That is the basis of their attack. Their goal is to telegraph white tribalism: We share your anxiety about replacement and only we can defend you against all enemies. This is an old tactic that elites have used to keep power. First, invent an enemy. Then, proclaim yourself the faithful source of protection against that enemy while you pick people’s pockets.
Their goal is to telegraph white tribalism: We share your anxiety about replacement and only we can defend you against all enemies.
Anyone who has actually read the work knows critical race theory is not about replacing white supremacy with Black supremacy, or any kind of supremacy. The goal of critical race theory is not to make white people feel guilty, oppressed, disregarded or disrespected. Nothing in my work does that. The stated goal of critical race theory is, first, to understand the concept of race: How was race as an idea developed and deployed? Second, CRT seeks to dismantle racism as part of a project of dismantling all forms of oppression. For me, this includes a lot of utopian work: imagining a world of mutual care and mutual respect. The idea that people seeking racial justice want to put down white people is a massive projection. We want a fair and just world for everyone — white folks included, obviously, since they have been integral to progressive struggle since the founding of the republic.
Speak to what motivated your conceptual and activist engagement with critical race theory. I am often motivated by a blues sensibility as I write about racism in this country. I find myself having to touch the pain and the anger caused by racism, but never allowing it to have the last word. My sense is that this blues motif and the jazz motif of improvisation motivates your work and passion.
The jazz musician and theorist Vijay Iyer talks about embodied cognition, and you and I, George, talked recently about the collective experience of pain, and the transcendence of that pain, in the blues. I often ask my students, “How did reading this make you feel?” when we encounter a critical race theory text. They tell me that this is not a question they are used to. Much of standard education is about getting us to shut down that feeling of unsafety that lodges in the gut. Just forge ahead as if nothing we are discussing here is connected to the disregard of your humanity. For many people of color in the academy, listening to our bodies and writing our way out of places where we felt trapped and assaulted was the source of our intellectual work.
When I was a law student back in the ’70s, I helped organize the local chapter of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, which came out of the “Free Angela Davis” movement. The National Alliance proclaimed, as one of its goals, “Outlaw the Klan.” At that time, I was also volunteering for my local American Civil Liberties Union affiliate. This created a contradiction between what I knew had to happen to protect people I cared about, and what prevailing ideology said could not happen. The [Ku Klux] Klan was gunning down labor organizers in the street. The material conditions were fueling a sense of personal frustration, that I worked out, eventually, in the book, Words That Wound: Critical Race Theory, Assaultive Speech, and the First Amendment, written with founding critical race theorists Charles Lawrence, Richard Delgado and Kimberlé W. Crenshaw.
While Asian Americans are by no means homogenous, do you see stereotypes of Asian Americans continuing to abound in this country, as you argued in your 1996 book, Where Is Your Body? Do you think that it has increased given Trump’s unabashed xenophobia? Just think here of Trump’s appellation, “China virus” to refer to COVID-19.
Trump has an intuitive grasp of the fear of the foreign as a driver of right-wing populism in the U.S. He has deployed it with a snarl, and this has increased violence against Asian Americans. My family now extends to the fifth generation in the U.S. I have Chinese friends that are in their seventh generation here. These are deeper roots than many of the MAGA folks, but our kids still get “Go back where you came from” hollered at them from passing cars, or compliments for fluent use of the English language. The deployment of “foreign” in maintaining a system under which the many toil for the benefit of the few is clear if you look at Asian American history. Using the “Chinese threat” to generate violent pogroms, to keep white workers focused on the wrong target, goes back to the 19th century. I would add that this history is not taught at most elite institutions. In 2020, students are still in struggle to institute ethnic studies at Harvard.
Given your status as the first tenured Asian American law professor in the U.S., how did you resist and reject images that are designed to render you static and that attempt to denude you of your complexity?
Just by standing in the front of the room and talking, while everyone takes notes, an Asian woman disrupts expectations about who should speak with authority. When you are objectified, taking the subject position is a radical act. The backlash is really quite astonishing. Ask any Asian woman who has tried speaking against power. It generates a disproportionate rage, a terrorized response, when the “object” speaks. What allowed me to survive that rage is knowing that my validation has never come from the institutions where I get my paycheck. My worth is determined by my communities in struggle. If I am useful to my home communities, and if I am a useful ally to my extended family in the beautiful “another world is possible” coalition, then my work has value. Keeping clear about whom I will allow to judge me, whose criticism I need, keeps me sane. This is especially true when you tread on difficult ground: What is my responsibility, as the descendant of immigrants, to support Indigenous sovereignty struggles? What does the political goal of “no borders” mean for native Hawaiians holding allegiance to the Nation of Hawai’i, who are struggling to reinstate their stolen country? I have found that working to build solidarity leads to more complicated, nuanced and incisive analysis.
We have to create experiences, now, that give people the feeling of joy that comes from working with others on something of value
You ask about retaining our complexities: We are our most complicated selves when we are engaged political actors. The level of self-knowledge, the self-criticism, the openness to revision, the layers of understanding that work in coalition-building requires, takes us out of little, defended spaces. It brings us onto the open plain where the wind blows free and we’re able to consider what we can become.
This country has failed miserably in terms of effectively addressing so many existentially important issues — racism, COVID-19 and the despicable handling of immigration. I’m also thinking here of children being put in cages or breastfeeding babies being torn from their mothers by border patrol agents. Out of these catastrophes, how do you envision a future of healing?
I believe, both from the empirical evidence and as a matter of political strategy, that most humans are other-regarding beings who seek joy and safety in community. Most of us feel pain watching a screaming child pulled from a parent’s arms. We will make the road to a kinder world by finding every way we can to nurture our collective best impulses. We have to create experiences, now, that give people the feeling of joy that comes from working with others on something of value — whether that is a collective art practice, or a Black Lives Matter march, or a neighborhood bike repair shop, or one of those academic panels where the good ideas are flying so fast you can’t write it all down.
We have to live like we want all humans to live: supporting one another and seeing what each person adds to our own experience of being sentient on a wondrous planet. I am not a dreamer about this — there is hard work to do, the work that organizers do, going door to door and talking to people very unlike themselves, people taught to fear. We will take musicians with us, and if the music is irresistible, the fear will give way to open doors.
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
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