Since taking office in January, one of controversial far-right Republican Representative Lauren Boebert's chief strategies has been to position American conservatives as hapless victims of evil liberals in every political argument that arises.
But her most recent attempt at conservative victimhood blew up in her face spectacularly, as Boebert tried to claim, without irony, that the right has been drawn into the "culture wars" against its will.
Boebert made the ludicrous claims in a tweet, seen below, about the right's current favorite obsession and buzz-phrase, Critical Race Theory.
For years, conservatives refused to fight the so-called culture wars and it\u2019s gotten us to the point where Critical Race Theory is now mainstream.\n\nIf you cede the culture, you cede the country. It\u2019s a battle that needs to be fought.— Lauren Boebert (@Lauren Boebert) 1624370930
In her tweet, Boebert claimed "conservative refused to fight the so-called culture wars," an assertion ludicrous on its face. The modern conservative movement was born in the 1970s "culture wars" that were the backlash response to the Civil Rights, LGBTQ rights, and abortion rights movements of the 60s and 70s.
Those conservative "culture wars" have since come to encompass everything from same-sex marriage to the supposed erasure of Christianity by the phrase "Happy Holidays."
But Boebert's tweet went even further into ridiculousness, claiming that conservatives' non-existent eschewing of the culture wars has resulted in Critical Race Theory taking over the "mainstream" of the country, a thing which has not happened.
And even if it had, Critical Race Theory is not what Conservatives routinely claim it to be: a movement based in the idea that all White people are inherently racist and that advocates for replacing White supremacy with Black supremacy.
None of that is true. Rather, Critical Race Theory posits that American racism is not just a by-product of people's bigotry, but most importantly a social construct embedded in societal and governmental structures that are in turn enforced by the legal system.
It is not new, either: the theory has existed in academic circles for more than 40 years.
Put it all that together, and you have one heck of a ridiculous tweet from Boebert, and the internet came in fiery hot with a fact-check on both points.
You've been manufacturing the "culture wars" for more year than I can remember. "The war on Christmas, Gay Marriage, Climate change." In fact it's all you really operate on any more.— 100% vaxed! - Jeff (@100% vaxed! - Jeff) 1624372198
Can you explain what Critical Race Theory is and where it\u2019s taught?— JayEff \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f (@JayEff \ud83c\udff4\u200d\u2620\ufe0f) 1624371066
pic.twitter.com/72YIZ9n8HF— Dreamweasel (@Dreamweasel) 1624371931
I don\u2019t think she\u2019s learned anything more than the phrase.— CJS Photostore (@CJS Photostore) 1624373913
I really want to know who comes up with this stuff for you.— \ud83d\udc89Get Vaccinated! Be Smart! \ud83d\udc89 (@\ud83d\udc89Get Vaccinated! Be Smart! \ud83d\udc89) 1624371336
Critical Race Theory is basically\u2026learning about racism in America.— Evan (@Evan) 1624371008
How is generations of book burnings "refusing to fight the culture wars"?— Bill Shapiro (@Bill Shapiro) 1624373751
Name one Critical Race Theory book.— Chocolate Giddyup (@Chocolate Giddyup) 1624370985
Look up Phyllis Schlafly, Anita Bryant, both Jerry Fallwells, etc, etc, etc. Conservatives have been fighting culture wars for quite a while.— Bob Butler (@Bob Butler) 1624388010
Critical Race Theory is mainstream only if you are seeking an advanced degree. In other words how did you even find out about it?— liddle\u2019 Carter BLM (@liddle\u2019 Carter BLM) 1624371501
Here's hoping Boebert one day learns at the very least the history of her own political party.
@BrentTerhune/X and @VivekGRamaswamy/X