Your Teacher Lied To You

It has been nothing short of poignant to watch review videos by Black YouTubers as they encounter PragerU's "A Short History of Slavery." I am no fan of PragerU or the host of its video, Candace Owens, as I made clear in a recent essay. However, this presentation is largely accurate, and observing these young Black "influencers" reactions to the facts and point of view presented by Owens as they are disabused of some of America's racial myths has been quite moving and encouraging..

1) Ms. Rogers was wrong.

The host admits to being befuddled and recalls his high school and college teachers.

2) White People are immoral.

3) Never even crossed my mind of anyone who wasn't Black being enslaved in America. I have been in school all my life and I have never even heard of an Irish slave.

4) I had the idea that White people invented slavery. (Unfortunately, this man is a fan of Candace Owens. Maybe some day he will through her.)

5) "Two nations divided by a common language," said Winston Churchill. Two Black Brits say they have been taught that slavery is a White phenomenon. I understood the woman, but I couldn't make out everything the man said. I don't agree with everything they said, but they are bright people and hold an honest discussion.

6) This next video is the one that moved me the most. What stuck out was how ignorant these people are and how intelligent they are. Their ignorance is understandable. They are products of the American school system and have been lied to about race and any number of other topics. Also, it was painful to see the pain on their faces. One of the pillars holding up the house of racism is this idea of collective racial responsibility, which weaponizes guilt. They suffered to learn that their forbears were also to blame for the Transatlantic Slave Trade. They were not responsible, they played no role in it, yet something that happened centuries before their birth hurt them. 

These people are so bright. How quickly, and in my view correctly, they dissected what they had learned. The woman analyzed the appeal of such lies and the man their purpose asking the "who" and "why" questions.