Mediaboss Marketing

Both of these bills have been born from the phony Critical Race Theory outcry. Republicans admit that theyre harping on race in schools because they see it as a winning issue among suburban moms who can help them take back the U.S. House and Senate in 2022.

But the naked ambition for political gain hides a more sinister truth the deliberate attempt to thwart an honest examination of this countrys past and the impact it carries today, despite what the bills proponents say.

HB 322 sponsor Don Jones, (R-Freeport) has 27-co-sponsors, including Plummer, but no lawmakers of color. There are four lawmakers, including Plummer, who come from fairly diverse districts, meaning their populations mirror or exceed state averages for people of color. The remainder represents districts that are, when averaged out, overwhelmingly white 88%.

Of course, white lawmakers can introduce legislation thats fair to everyone (see: 1964 Civil Rights Act and many more). But this situation does call into question the purpose behind the focus on race-based politics and highlights why no people of color have not signed on.

Democratic Rep. Catherine Ingram, a member of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, neatly summed up whats at stake, from the perspective of the sponsors and co-sponsors:

This is a way that we will control what happens in society, and were going to get rid of this nonsense about you thinking that Black people have been mistreated, or Hispanics have been mistreated, or even poor coal miners in (West) Virginia were mistreated. Were not going to tell that part of history because it makes people uncomfortable when there is an oppressor and someone whos being oppressed.

I give Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur all the credit in the world for doing what so many of her colleagues wont stepping forward, even if her comments should be taken with a grain of salt. In an interview with WHBC radio, posted on Facebook on July 22, 2021, she justified HB 327 by saying students shouldnt have to adhere to a Marxist ideology to get a passing grade. She then linked CRT (which isnt taught K-12) to Marxism, bundling two of the rights favorite boogeymen. So really, its her ideology that drives her, not whats best for students.

But at least she speaks, which we cant say (yet) for Plummer. Heres what I want to ask him:

It could be he has really good answers that Im not thinking about. My guess is hes not answering Don Jones didnt either, by the way because they cant defend the indefensible.

Those of us who see these bills for what they are need to stop playing into the culture wars narrative and be far more aggressive in our description.

This is race-baiting and a shameless political effort designed to pit one group of people against another. So call it what it is. How does anybody in elected office justify that?

Maybe, one day, Phil Plummer will tell us his side.

Ray Marcano is a long-time journalist whose column appears on these pages each Sunday. He can be reached at raymarcanoddn@gmail.com.

Read the original post:
MARCANO: State representatives cant defend the indefensible - Dayton Daily News