Thread by @digitalsista

“Through our research, we have found that extremist voices from Conservative media have dominated the online discussions and that Black scholarship, which teaches Critical Race Theory in higher academic institutions, has been silenced…” — @digitalsista link.medium.com/wSM8JTqZGib

Months of research and data collection lead us to the conclusion that Conservative Media isn't just controlling the discourse with mostly disinformation but that left-leaning media is helping to amplify instead of counter the narratives that are leading to legislation.

cc @xinapr @lizscherer @stopovaw

the most interesting part is to see this level of discourse that was potentially started by Southern Baptist Convention to stop diversity and intersectionality discourse within their institutions.

Disclaimer: My fam comes from the Southern Baptist Church environment.

Our data team looked at 10% of over 40,000 pieces of content shared on Facebook and about 18 months of tweets from Twitter. We focused on the month of May based on the spikes of the spread of content about CRT from the start to amplification.

the fact that SBC included Intersectionality is 1 of the biggest tells. The way that people think these moves are neutral is always fascinating to me. We all know that Intersectionality was coined by the amazing Kimberle Crenshaw @sandylocks but she happens to be a CRT scholar.

IMHO none of that is random. It's another tale about disinformation campaigns that are strategically targeting the scholarship of BW. I mean SBC included the 1619 project by the equally amazing @nhannahjones as well. Am I the only one seeing a pattern here?!! Asking for you?!!

Been tracking not only how BW have been targeted online but how that moves into our community overall with very little media highlights or understanding. My pinned post needs to be updated but I've documented this before. This includes electoral disinfo.

https://twitter.com/digitalsista/status/988084938137317376

These key facts are consistently missing from the dialogue yet once "others" catch on its news. But yet that "news" doesn't include our voices. As a matter of fact, it seems to be purposefully avoidance of our voices.

We found that Black-identified CRT Facebook posts comprised only 2.8% of the overall posts and were only .9% of shares.

Yet the debate on the Conservative bias exists while zero focus or framing on how much Black content is actually suppressed. Even when the topic is about it!!

And even when Black-identified Pro CRT content is posted more often than the Conservative Black-identified Anti CRT the shares on Facebook are equivalent in terms of interactions. In essence, making it look like it's a 50/50 split. Curious?!!

Kicker is I'm constantly told that the disinfo targeting my community has no impact. From the start, the level of pushback I got was that this was about intelligence. That I'm somehow disparaging my own community. Yet legislation and bills are in place specifically targeting us.

First off. EVERY single person has been either sharing or interacting with disinformation content. If you think you are immune and unique you aren't just wrong but you are lying to only one person. Yourself. Disinformation is infused into our ecosystem just like racism.

And this is ALLLLL about race in America!!

"We found 37 pieces of legislation that prohibit the ideas of The 1619 Project, prohibit funds for CRT ideas, or simply stated that they prohibit “divisive concepts” related to race within educational curricula and schools".

My team connected these legislative agendas to media activity. It seems that the center-left is being led by Conservative media. I've struggled while I've watched left-leaning media profile the very people with targets on Anti-racism perspectives and our community go unchecked.

This is no different than the highjacking of content/messages from the Black community including Defund the Police, Crenshaw's work on Intersectionality & the way that Anti Woke/Cancel Culture has permeated the discourse as if all of these aren't ways to discredit Blackness.

The perfect example was that Maher "show" with @MalcolmNance who basically said over and over that it's been highjacked but "left-leaning" Maher repeated all the false narrative talking points. I did a whole thread on the entire show and it was painful.

https://twitter.com/digitalsista/status/1424858033037926406

Here is the clip. Maher starts off admitting to what Confederate states are trying to do. Lists the actual stats of Black Americans and then follows up with repeating false narratives about CRT. Malcolm responds accordingly. vimeo.com/586911094

CRT is specifically talking about the laws in this country that include the reflection of its racism not its false narrative of American exceptionalism. What happens in schools is supposed to be an accurate account of American history that should also include all of its flaws.

This country works overtime to keep the false narratives over the facts but then calls it freedom of expression even if that false narrative leads to the death of certain American citizens w/ impunity. The lie is more important than our lives. #VilliansInThisAmericanHorrorStory

While many of you sign off on bills, legislation and policies. Aiding and abetting in these harms you know exist and have bear witness to.

Sundown towns still exist. White mobs are showing up every single day in 2021. But let's keep having this antiwoke - cancel culture debate

The first media to want to discuss this was of course Black Media. Here is the clip from @rolandsmartin Unfiltered Guest Host Farajii Muhammad. I chat with @blackwomenviews, Scholar @AfricanaCarr, & @AmeshiaCross on CRT disinfo #RolandMartinUnfiltered