Thread by @TerryBoutonHist

The fixes suggested here for healing the racial divide offer no real solutions because they ignore how entrenched racism stands at the core of the split. White supremacy never gives up without a fight. You don't solve the crisis of democracy by ignoring it's central problems. 1/

https://twitter.com/ForeignPolicy/status/1479513239088205824

In “Cease-Fire in the Culture Wars,” Yascha Mounk blames "the elite" for endangering democracy by putting Trump voters "on the receiving end of a culture war in which the most powerful elements of their own societies look down on them.”
His solution?

Liberal democracies "need to embrace a more ambitious vision of diversity by promising all citizens—majority and minority—social respect and a place at the table." In other words, we need more respect for bigotry, sexism, anti-science ignorance, and gaslighting authoritarianism.

Meanwhile, in "Break Down Barriers," Eduardo Porter says liberal democracy must appeal to "the angry citizens threatening to bring it down." He blasts "anti-racism" for being “divisive by design—cleaving the nation into antagonistic racist and anti-racist camps.”
His solution?

Porter's fix for rising authoritarianism is the creation of affordable housing and desegregating public schools by class and race. Because, as history shows, there's no better way to soothe sensitive white folks than by promoting racial integration of neighborhoods and schools.

Anne-Marie Slaughter calls for healing through "effective conflict resolution." Mostly this means acknowledging "the country's past misdeeds" and accepting how "democracy is failing specific groups, often ethnic, racial, and other minorities."

While I share Slaughter's goals, it's unclear how "effective conflict resolution" and "speaking truth to power" will resolve things with the many who want to ban the teaching of "the country's past misdeeds" and speak disinformation rather than truth.

The rise of authoritarian in the US has deep historical roots, many of which are centered in racism. The country cannot be healed by ignoring the cancer of racism. Nor can we mediate a conflict when we can't agree on the basics of the problem, solution, or even objective reality.