Last week, Florida approved an overhaul of its African American history standards, including guidance that middle schoolers should be instructed that “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”Outrage ensued, including from Vice President Kamala Harris, who blasted the standards, saying, “They insult us in an attempt to gaslight us.”She’s right.
But I think the project underway in Florida is far larger, and far more consequential than many comprehend.
The insult to Black people — and to the country — is incidental.
In the same way that Donald Trump made his bones as America’s white nationalist in chief, Gov.
Ron DeSantis of Florida is trying to make his as the country’s chief Christian nationalist, a subset of white supremacy that holds that God has ordained America as a Christian nation, and that its ideals must be protected from the encroachment of pluralism — racial, religious or otherwise.
Persons:
Kamala Harris, “, ”, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis
Locations:
Florida, America