Backlash to C.R.T. has dominated recent headlines and manifestos. Americans remain divided on whether it should be taught, and on the sustainability of book burning. This survey asked individuals a simple question: What exactly is C.R.T.?
“It’s their plan to get even. You can roll over if you want, but I don’t roll. I’m unrollable. I’m a proud cube.”
—John Avery, retiree
“. . . Twitter?”
—Bella Poole, political correspondent
“Karl Marx’s plan to fake two hundred years of slave trading. Don’t fall for it.”
—Lianne Stamponi, influencer
“Do you need my name? I’m not answering if you need a name.”
—Redacted, public-relations intern
“C.R.T. is a Black writer from the eighteen-fifties. I read some of his stuff in high school—it’s really beautiful. I’m glad we fixed racism. He’d be proud of us today.”
—Arnold Ringer, judge
“Anti-white emojis. Clapping-hands emoji, hundred emoji, Black-woman-crossing-her-arms emoji—that’s all C.R.T. in action.”
—Neil Tanner, bouncer
“It’s misunderstood. My girlfriend’s Black, and her brother has C.R.T. It’s a really painful condition, and doctors assume that the afflicted are only after drugs. We need more C.R.T. awareness and better funding for treatment. Wouldn’t you want help if you had C.R.T.?”
—Thomas Anderson, boyfriend
“Critical race tactics.”
—Steven Carter, project manager
“C.R.T. was the series between ‘Zeta’ and ‘Char’s Counterattack.’ The characters have charm, but there’s a lot of fluff in the middle. That’s tough in a franchise known for its taut, thoughtful plotting.”
—Lia Morrison, nurse practitioner
“It’s how I’m getting reëlected.”
—Vanna Loman, city comptroller
“C.R.T. is twenty thousand strangers crawling up my in-box for tweeting a ‘Boondocks’ quote.”
—Ryan Portnoy, unemployed
“Critical race theory? I took that after studying abroad. The teacher’s assistant called me a ‘cultural tourist’ twice a week for breathing another continent’s air. I had to burn a pass/fail to get through it. Not a fan.”
—Issac Baron, graduate student
“Hell if I know.”
—Pete Winger, Republican Party strategist
“It’s a danger to the children, and the government does nothing. I tell my son every week, ‘If there’s a C.R.T., don’t be a hero. Take cover and wait for the SWAT team.’ ”
—Wanda Smith, entrepreneur
“They’re starting it at my daughter’s school. A bus full of C.R.T. every morning, writing graffiti on desks and tanking property values. I think it’s time to move somewhere more moderate.”
—Barret Tanner, pastor
“C.R.T. is when a white woman runs a two-hour diversity-training session and a Black guy gets fired for missing it.”
—Darius Cole, civil engineer
“[Slur redacted.]”
—Logan Redding, police sergeant
“I can’t say the three forbidden letters. Not in public. The governor would imprison me for a year.”
—Penny Silverman, history teacher
“C.R.T. is what my white friends ask me about when a match gets slow. We’ve got SummerSlam tickets, so I hope Roman Reigns is on his A game.”
—Davin North, security consultant
“Dad says C.R.T. got him taken off the radio. We should get rid of it—he loved that job. Now I have to deal with him all day.”
—John Avery, Jr., lifeguard in training
“[Chef’s kiss.]”
—Simon Cruz, think-tank associate
“C.R.T. is a literary journal implying that ‘Heart of Darkness’ might be racist.”
—Lita Orin, producer
“You know what it is, and what we need to do to stop it. Even if it requires taking action. Or steel. I hope that the sons of Europa have the courage.”
—Arin Kincaid, kindergarten teacher
