I actually think his proposals are wrong headed for the same reasons

that the things he often rails against are wrong headed.

Rufo's proposals are, often, just the other side of the "cancel culture," the "left shouting down conservatives" and "DEI culture" that he claims to fight against. Just like a group of undergrads who shout down a speaker who they think has ideas, thoughts, teachings they don't like, Rufo wants to use "conservative" power to shut down ideas, thoughts, teachings he doesn't like. They both stem from the, IMO, wrong headed fear that people are too stupid to think for themselves and that giving good counter arguments can't win over all these stupid people.

Operating from the perspective that hearing "wrong" ideas are dangerous and one cannot address that danger by debating those "wrong" ideas and presenting other ideas - but that one must prevent the "wrong" ideas from being spoken in the first place.

One way to do that is to find a term that you can use codify something as "wrong" (CRT being one for Rufo) and then broadly branding all the "bad" stuff you find as CRT. Not unlike branding an opponent as "racist" because he has "wrong" ideas. Don't listen to that, its promoting CRT or don't read that, its promoting racism.

I think he is plenty bright in some ways, but he just fundamentally doesn't trust other people to think as well as he does and so wants to make sure they do not learn the wrong things. Again, it is the same motivation that would have a speaker being shouted down because students believe they would be hurt by being subjected to their "harmful" ideas.

[Post edited by RML Hoos at 02/01/2024 3:02PM]

(In response to this post by 111Balz)

Posted: 02/01/2024 at 2:38PM

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And in news that surprises nobody: Christopher Rufo is a racist -- WahooMatt05 02/01/2024 08:19AM

Interesting — but not coincidental — that the outside world… -- Los Angeles Hoo 02/01/2024 09:37AM

You don’t argue here. Arguments are fact-based. You fantasize. ** -- SixerHoo 02/01/2024 10:52AM

Nonsense ** -- 111Balz 02/01/2024 10:08AM

Yes. Rufo is always the victim and it's always the left's fault. -- Blah 02/01/2024 09:43AM

Surely you can do better than that for a hit piece -- TomKazanski 02/01/2024 08:48AM

That quite a leap. The general recommendation of a publication means that -- RML Hoos 02/01/2024 08:33AM

Government is deciding that the bad ideas are taught. Your posting has -- ryno hoo 02/01/2024 10:14AM

I think a recommendation without context is generally seen as an -- 111Balz 02/01/2024 10:12AM

So listen and learn? Nah I'll just dismiss, deflect and demean anyone -- Hoodafan 02/01/2024 10:11AM

In other words, BAU for you ** -- 111Balz 02/01/2024 10:13AM

Great point about the importance of understanding rather than caricaturing -- SysHoo 02/01/2024 09:39AM

Don't look into what 'debate' contests look like now. ** -- ryno hoo 02/01/2024 10:11AM

Syssy, meet WahooMatt. ** -- ResistHoo 02/01/2024 10:09AM

So what is Rufo arguing? What's his point in your own words? ** -- Blah 02/01/2024 09:45AM

I only skimmed the article. Have no real knowledge or opinion on Rufo -- SysHoo 02/01/2024 09:51AM

Great. Then you acknowledge you don't understand why some people ... -- Blah 02/01/2024 10:12AM

Correct, I just like the point RML made and often feel it, here and in life ** -- SysHoo 02/01/2024 10:14AM

Fair. I agreed with RML's opinion below.** -- Blah 02/01/2024 10:18AM

I’d say it’s clear that Rufo is trying to take all the concepts we tend to -- hoolstoptheheels 02/01/2024 10:08AM

Buh UltraMAGA ** -- ResistHoo 02/01/2024 10:10AM

His stance on CRT made his racism quite obvious -- WahooMatt05 02/01/2024 08:46AM

When in doubt, play the racist card! ** -- Hoodafan 02/01/2024 12:28PM

So he is a victim of that in this case? ** -- BKhoo 02/01/2024 2:24PM

This would not be a smart move if the people he is influencing are well -- BKhoo 02/01/2024 10:04AM

I’ve listened to/read a fair amout of Rufo. I vehemently disagree with his -- RML Hoos 02/01/2024 09:06AM

So what else would drive the majority of his proposals being wrong headed -- 111Balz 02/01/2024 10:20AM

I actually think his proposals are wrong headed for the same reasons -- RML Hoos 02/01/2024 2:38PM

My first introduction to him was that CRT tweet last year -- WahooMatt05 02/01/2024 09:35AM

My first introduction to Rufo was when JMHoo plagiarized his definition ... -- Blah 02/01/2024 10:28AM

If Rufo is pushing his agenda of "colorblindness," one certainly must ... -- Blah 02/01/2024 08:52AM

He’s colorblind like Trump is only 215 pounds ** -- WahooMatt05 02/01/2024 09:00AM

At the very least, Rufo needs to address it and admit that he screwed up... -- Blah 02/01/2024 09:08AM

I guess you don't know how leftist smear tactics work. ** -- ryno hoo 02/01/2024 08:44AM

Fair, but there is a line, right? Do you read Nazi Quarterly? And further -- BKhoo 02/01/2024 08:38AM

It's a fair argument by RML, but if Rufo is going to rip everything ... -- Blah 02/01/2024 08:50AM

Perhaps Florida's former DEI Director was right and JMHoo was wrong (link). -- Blah 02/01/2024 08:28AM