House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is voicing his opposition to critical race theory, saying it is the opposite of everything Martin Luther King Jr. taught Americans.
“Critical Race Theory goes against everything Martin Luther King has ever told us, don’t judge us by the color of our skin, and now they’re embracing it. Right? They’re going backward,” McCarthy said during an interview with BlazeTV host Dave Rubin.
Critical Race Theory goes against everything Martin Luther King Jr. taught us—to not judge others by the color of their skin. The Left is trying to take America backward. pic.twitter.com/ZUx9Wu319Q
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) July 12, 2021
McCarthy also discussed the 2022 midterm elections during the interview.
“The next election is going to be big, right, because all these things about defunding the police. They’re all… these Democrat policies that are now going in place we’re seeing the outcome,” McCarthy said.
He continued, “The woke-ism, the open border, the inflation… where we’re going to have the biggest victory… schoolboards.”
Dr. Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter, responded to McCarthy’s comments on Twitter.
“Rep. McCarthy, I encourage you to study my father’s teachings and words well beyond the last lines of ‘I Have A Dream.’ This nation has yet to firmly commit to the intensive, multi-faceted work of eradicating racism against Black people. You should help with that,” Dr. Bernice King tweeted.
Rep. McCarthy, I encourage you to study my father’s teachings & words well beyond the last lines of ‘I Have A Dream.’ This nation has yet to firmly commit to the intensive, multi-faceted work of eradicating racism against Black people. You should help with that. Please read this: pic.twitter.com/mhiLvvNdxM
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) July 13, 2021
The Associated Press notes critical race theory is “a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism,” adding, “It centers on the idea that racism is systemic in the nation’s institutions and that they function to maintain the dominance of white people in society.”
The outlet also points out former President Donald Trump has spoken out against it. Senate Republicans have introduced a resolution condemning any requirement for teachers to have to train with it, and several Republican-controlled states have included it in legislation when discussing how public schools can teach race.