Critical Race Theory, Cuba, and “Equality” Scams

In many chapters of human history, race is an important factor to consider. But if we become hell-bent on examining every shred of history through the lens of skin color, facts are bound to be badly mangled.

This was proven true recently, with audio unearthed of the 1619 Project and critical race theory architect Nikole Hannah-Jones calling Cuba the “most equal” country in the West.

Here’s the direct quote from the 2019 podcast interview: “if you want to see the most equal, multiracial democ … it’s not a democracy — the most equal, multiracial country in our hemisphere, it would be Cuba… and that’s largely due to socialism.”

Now, let me say something surprising: Hannah-Jones’ statement is partially true… It just doesn’t make the point she was trying to make.

If “equality” is the gold standard, Cuba is doing great. 99% of Cubans are equal in their lack of freedom, lack of opportunity, and lack of access to basic necessities. They’re all seen equally in their status as pawns for the corrupt ruling class. And as Hannah-Jones said herself, this is due to Socialism.

So why are people rioting in the streets? Dare I say it’s because government-enforced “equality” doesn’t actually make life better?

I can’t talk about the notion of equality without thinking of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The pigs, which have staged a Marxist revolution in their barnyard and seized power, force their subjects to live by one simple rule: “all animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

This is conveniently very favorable for the pigs, who enjoy being “more equal” than the others and end up betraying and killing even their most loyal allies to enrich themselves. Of course, they do this in the name of “equality.”

It is a demonstrable fact that we can’t end suffering and achieve a high standard of living through government engineering. From Mao’s China to Stalin’s Russia, this has been tried time after time. It’s cost hundreds of millions of innocent lives and crippled what once were thriving countries. Cuba is only the most recent example.

History shows us that liberty is a far greater tool of empowerment than equality: the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s was built on the Constitutional ideal that all humans have God-given freedoms, which are not to be taken away through discriminatory laws. But when your worldview is shaped by the Marxist notions that private property shouldn’t exist, objectivity is impossible, and merit-based systems are oppressive, that’s not the most convenient of truths.

To be clear, I’m willing to have an honest conversation about how we teach kids about the past. (In fact, I’m working on an American history textbook right now…) I’m no apologist for the government. Its involvement in the education system has been disastrous.

But this push to reframe education isn’t only about race, or even history. It’s about raising “equality” as the gold standard… and liberty as an archaic, evil, merit-based value system.

The left is smart to take these grievances directly to education boards and teachers’ unions. Using government force to spread ideas is much easier than staging a successful public persuasion campaign.

Murray Rothbard wrote about this in Anatomy of the State, a rebuke of big government and its pattern of becoming corrupt, harmful, and oppressive. It’s a fiery explanation of how countries end up in the toilet when people give their rights away for candy-coated promises of “equality.”

I wanted to make these important ideas more accessible for children, so I wrote The Tuttle Twins and the Fate of the Future. This book explains why good ideas don’t require force—and how predatory people use the government to get what they want. And it’s as timely as ever.

This kid-friendly version of Rothbard’s book will set the backdrop for fruitful conversations with your kids about all of the crazy issues of today, from critical race theory to Communism.

“Intellectuals” like Nikole-Hannah Jones and her army of CRT apologists are waging war for the minds of our children because they know that young people are the future.

So join me, and let’s teach the next generation to know better.

—Connor