'Approximately 1,619 Kendis': Ibram Kendi arrives late to debate about quantifying racism, then fails to get the joke



Anti-white activist Ibram Kendi arrived late to a recent debate regarding the quantification of racism — but just in time to embarrass himself.

The set-up

A political science professor at Kentucky State University suggested in the pages of the National Review last week that intersectionality "is just a badly done 'woke' version of regression analysis."

Dr. Wilfred Reilly wrote that "racism or sexism can only be said to exist where we find that pretty much identical people, who differ only in terms of the characteristic of race or sex, are still being treated differently — after all of the other factors which might explain performance differences between them have been accounted for."

"This sort of real bigotry is, today, fairly rare," said Reilly.

"Many 'intersectional' studies that purport to find giant residual effects of race or sex on some specific thing — individuals' chances of going to prison, let's say — literally just consist of unadjusted comparisons between citizens in two or more different groups," continued Reilly. "This, however, is not how serious people conduct this sort of analysis."

Reilly's assertion prickled one Harvard Ph.D. student who apparently found himself in the unserious camp.

Kareem Carr, a self-described statistician, claimed on X that the argument that racism and sexism "are essentially non-existent because their effects on stuff like income disappear if you control for all relevant variables like education, work history and so on" is wrong.

Having indicated he could explain why Reilly and others were wrong, Carr suggested that "[s]ocial forces like sexism and racism aren't magical. They act through specific mechanisms in the physical world."

After granting sexism and racism special powers, Carr then had his followers imagine that the impact of the "racism" could be tracked and measured.

— (@)

Carr later admitted that it is "hard to frame this issue objectively."

The Kendi scale

Christopher Rufo, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, responded to Carr's post, asking, "What is the scientific definition of 'racism' here? How do you measure it quantitatively? How do you determine the causal influence from racism to intermediary institutions to individual income?"

"With what controls?" added Rufo. "And what is the current quantity of racism in the United States?"

Colin Wright, the evolutionary biologist behind "Reality's Last Stand," had an answer ready for Rufo: "Depends on what units you use. But assuming you're using the Kendi scale, as is standard in the US, then approximately 1,619 Kendis."

Wright clarified, "For those not familiar with the Kendi scale, 1 Kendi refers to the quantity of racism, measured in Kendis, in order to reach 1 Kendi."

Ibram Kendi, originally Ibram Henry Rogers, is the identitarian academic who runs the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University — the race-obsessed center that recently fired half its staff and is facing an inquiry over allegations of employee exploitation, poor pay, failing to provide any halfway decent research, and a mismanagement of $43 million in donations, according to the Washington Post.

As the inquiry may soon confirm, Kendi's expertise is not managing think tanks but rather in accusing multitudes of Americans of racism. His antidote is, evidently, more racism.

"The only remedy to racist discrimination is antiracist discrimination," Kendi wrote in 2019. "The only remedy to past discrimination is present discrimination. The only remedy to present discrimination is future discrimination."

The figure Wright used in his joke appears to have been aimed at "The 1619 Project," Nikole Hannah-Jones' fact-averse revisionist history, which spun out a derivative containing direct contributions from Kendi.

Rufo pressed the joke further, writing, "Can't believe we're approaching 1,619 ku of racism in America, in 2024. We need the Department of Antiracism to shut it down—15 days to slow the spread."

On Sunday, Kendi seized upon Wright's days-old joke, writing, "In your imaginary, racism does not exist but the 'Kendi scale' does exist? I am not familiar with the 'Kendi scale' but I am familiar with racism."

"I suspect this is one reason why people like this become propagandists. It is easy to deny reality and make things up," added Kendi.

— (@)

Colin Wright responded to Kendi, "It's just a joke dude."

Wright later noted with apparent glee, "Kendi thought my post about measuring racism in America using the 'Kendi scale,' which I said came out to '1619 Kendis,' was serious. I even defined the units of the Kendi scale with Kendi-esque circularity."

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Investigation: The University of Virginia paid Ibram X. Kendi $541 per minute for 'antiracist' lecture



The University of Virginia (UVA) recently paid tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege of hosting popular critical race theorist Ibram X. Kendi for a one-hour lecture on “racial equity,” reveals a new investigation from the Daily Wire.

An investigative reporter at the Daily Wire, Gabe Kaminsky, wrote that UVA paid Ibram X. Kendi “$32,500, or about $541 per minute.”

UVA hired Kendi through the Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau. The lecture was a free event held in late April of 2021. According to UVA, 876 people attended.

Kendi, author of the 2019 New York Times bestseller “How to Be an Antiracist,” has published several well-selling books through One World, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

In an interview conducted to promote “How to Be an Antiracist,” Kendi claimed that it was not possible for capitalism and antiracism to coexist.

He said, “I classify racism and capitalism as these conjoined twins … the origins of racism cannot be separated from the origins of capitalism the origins of capitalism cannot be separated from the origins of racism. The life of racism cannot be separated from the life of capitalism, and vice versa.”

Despite Kendi’s disdain for the American economic system, capitalism has enabled him to sell hundreds of thousands of book copies.

Kendi’s books, along with his public and sponsored appearances, have propelled him into stardom. Because of public intellectuals like Kendi, critical race theory (CRT) has infiltrated virtually every aspect of American life.

CRT finds some of its most avid supporters in academia. Public schools teaching curricula predicated on the worldview emphasized by CRT caused an uproar from parents across the nation. In Virginia, parents resisting tax-subsidized CRT indoctrination helped to turn the tide of Virginia’s recent gubernatorial race in favor of Glenn Youngkin.

When asked why the university paid someone with such strongly contested views to speak on campus, UVA spokesperson Brian Coy said, “The University of Virginia welcomes speakers from a broad array of perspectives to our Grounds every academic year and we often do pay speakers fees or other compensation. Offering our community access to a diverse set of speakers and points of views is an important part of our academic mission.”

However, according to the Daily Wire, UVA does not have a record of paying tens of thousands of dollars to host culturally or politically conservative speakers. The university even refused to officially recognize the UVA chapter of Young America’s Foundation (YAF). YAF is known for helping students bring prominent conservative speakers to their campuses.

UVA paid Kendi to participate in the school’s Racial Equity Speaker Series that featured other critical race theorists like Eduardo Bonilla-Silva of Duke University. Silva, who has claimed that America has normalized “the standards of white supremacy,” was paid $10,000 to appear on a Zoom event for the university.

Tom Hanks dogged for insufficiently anti-racist film career: 'He's built a career playing righteous white men'



As the heated national conversation over racial injustice escalates, progressive ideologues are becoming increasingly unsatisfied with the conventional non-racist notion of adhering to a colorblind way of life and treating everyone the same way regardless of race or ethnicity.

To be "non-racist" is simply not enough, the argument goes. Citizens, especially prominent ones, must be "anti-racist" if they are to be a benevolent force against America's systemic racism, both past and present. If they fail to demonstrate sufficient anti-racism, they are to be cast aside as something of a foe to the movement.

The latest victim of such an impossible standard appears to have been massively famous actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks.

What happened?

Hanks — known for his work in "Forrest Gump," "Saving Private Ryan," and countless other popular films — attempted to do good by the push for racial equality earlier this month by writing an opinion piece for the New York Times urging Americans to "learn the truth about the Tulsa Race Massacre."

But in response, the actor was dogged by NPR entertainment critic Eric Deggans for not doing enough, especially considering his supposed role in perpetuating white supremacy through his artistic endeavors.

"He's built a career playing righteous white men," Deggans wrote in his own op-ed for NPR over the weekend before going on to suggest that Hanks, like many other prominent white public figures, is "personally and specifically connected to the elevation of white culture over other cultures."

Over the years, [Hanks] has starred in a lot of big movies about historical events, including Saving Private Ryan, Greyhound, Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, Bridge of Spies and News of the World. He has served as a producer or executive producer on even more films and TV shows based on American history, including Band of Brothers, The Pacific, John Adams and From the Earth to the Moon. He was an executive producer of documentaries such as The Assassination of President Kennedy and The Sixties on CNN.

In other words, he is a baby boomer star who has built a sizable part of his career on stories about American white men Doing the Right Thing. He even plays a former Confederate soldier in one of his latest films, News of the World, standing up for a blond, white girl who had been kidnapped and raised by a Native American tribe.

The problem, according to Deggans, is that many of Hanks' works have left out the contributions of black Americans, consequently damaging the movement for racial equality.

What else?

Deggans tried to make clear that he was not calling Hanks a racist — despite his dedicating an entire Sunday column to critiquing the actor's indirectly racist work.

"[But] I am saying it is time for folks like Hanks to be anti-racist," he admitted, noting, "There's a difference between non-racist and anti-racist."

Anti-racism implies action, or "looking around your universe and taking specific steps to dismantle systemic racism," Deggans claimed, then advising Hanks and others to examine how they have contributed to the problem and repent of it.

If he really wants to make a difference, Hanks and other stars need to talk specifically about how their work has contributed to these problems and how they will change. They need to make specific commitments to changing the conversation in story subjects, casting and execution. That is the truly hard work of building change ...

... People often say columns such as the one by Hanks are published to start a conversation. Well, here is my suggestion: Let's make part of that conversation how baby boomer filmmakers have made fortunes amplifying ideas of white American exceptionalism and heroism.

While Hanks is likely respected and popular enough to withstand a little scrutiny, other lesser known figures may not be. If that is the case, then some may choose to remain silent and Deggans' attack may prove to have the opposite of its intended effect.

NYC principal under fire for telling staff to 'take action' against Israel, make 'commitment to Palestinian liberation'



A New York City middle school principal is under fire for telling teachers and administrators to "take action" against Israel and make a "public commitment to Palestinian liberation." Principal Amanda Bueno emailed staffers at MS 136 in Brooklyn a list of actions they should take to support Palestine in the most recent Israel-Gaza conflict.

The email in question, which is titled "Day of Action in Solidarity with The Palestinian Uprising & General Strike," urged teachers to demand sanctions on Israel from U.S. government officials.

"Yesterday was the Day of Action in Solidarity with the Palestinian Uprising & General Strike. If you have been watching the news in absolute horror, you are not alone," Bueno began the email, which was published by the New York Post.

"You can take action today by protesting, attending a vigil, making a public commitment to Palestinian Liberation, signing a petition, or calling your government officials to place sanctions on Israel," Bueno wrote on Wednesday morning.

"The time is now to take a stand for those impacted by state-sanctioned violence and crimes against the humanity of the most vulnerable in our world," the email read. "We need not prove their humanity and right to exist for us to spread awareness about these issues. Empathy is the bare minimum."

The email included a list of links and resources to enable teachers to take action against Israel and support Palestinians.

"Here are some notes and resources from the Institute for Anti-Racist Education," the principal wrote.

She included a link to the "Teach Palestine" website and an article titled "'American Taxpayer Money Is Being Used To Commit Human Rights Violations' In Israel, Says Rep. Rashida Tlaib."

An MS 136 teacher, who is Jewish, told the New York Post, "I opened the email and I was in shock. I felt very targeted and very attacked by her words."

"These resources she provided, it's propaganda," the teacher added. "There was nothing in the email about Hamas rockets targeting innocent Israeli civilians."

Lawyer Inna Vernikov sent a letter to the New York Department of Education calling for Bueno to be punished.

"New York law forbids requesting or encouraging any public servant, city employee, or subordinate public servant/employee to engage in political activities," Vernikov wrote.

StopAntisemitism.org, a non-profit foundation that "works to hold antisemites accountable," stated, "NY law forbids encouraging any public servant or city employee from engaging in politics. This didn't stop Brooklyn Middle School 136 Principal Amanda Bueno from sending out a school wide email titled 'Day of Action in Solidarity with The Palestinian Uprising & General Strike.'"

New York City Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter said Bueno made "a clear exercise of poor judgment."

"The MS 136 principal must apologize for her email," Porter tweeted. "This was a clear exercise of poor judgment & we will take appropriate follow-up action. We must teach complex current events without bringing our political activities or beliefs into the classroom."

Nathaniel Steyer, a spokesman for the Department of Education, said, "The matter is being addressed internally and was referred to [the special commissioner of investigation] for further investigation."

"Schools are not public forums for purposes of political expression, and staff may not use DOE resources in the furtherance of personal or political activities," Steyer added.

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Boston Globe and 'Antiracist' author Ibram X. Kendi to create newspaper



The Boston Globe editorial team and "How to be an Antiracist" author Ibram X. Kendi are joining forces to create a news outlet dedicated to reframing the national conversation on race.

What are the details?

"The Emancipator," as it will be called, is the brain child of Kendi and Boston Globe editorial page editor Bina Venkataraman. The two reportedly met last summer as nationwide protests raged on following the death of George Floyd to discuss how to take advantage of ongoing conversations about race. Then last week they announced the plans.

The publication is to be styled after historic abolitionist newspapers started in Boston in the 19th century and aims to "amplify critical voices, ideas, debates, and evidence-based opinion in an effort to hasten racial justice," according to a news release announcing the initiative.

The outlet will be a one-part scholastic, one-part journalistic work that will "feature oped contributions from world-leading experts and community voices captured by student journalists," the release continued.

Today, the @AntiracismCtr and @GlobeOpinion are announcing a partnership: the resurrection of the first antislavery… https://t.co/gqfgoNkE9S
— Ibram X. Kendi (@Ibram X. Kendi)1615902554.0

Kendi, who is the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, said he hopes the new publication will be as influential as its namesake was in advancing the country toward the end of slavery. Perhaps his publication, he suggested, would lead to the end of all racism and inequality.

"When The Emancipator was first founded in 1820, it was very difficult for people to believe that slavery, 45 years later, would be no more, just as I think there are many people today who can't imagine that there could be a nation without racism and inequality," Kendi said. "This reimagined platform will marry the best of scholarship and journalism to analyze, comment, and seek truth about the racial problems of our time."

In his New York Times bestselling book, Kendi advances the viewpoint that America is a fundamentally racist country and that Americans, in general, are inherently racist. The ideas outlined in his book have since made their way into numerous classrooms across the country.

What else?

The new publication, set to launch this summer, is supported by Boston University and the Boston Globe and has been awarded a hefty seven-figure budget.

It will undoubtedly articulate ideas from a fixed leftist perspective. The project will be guided by an advisory board featuring a host of prominent progressive writers and pundits, including "1619 Project" creator Nikole Hannah-Jones and MSNBC political analyst Joy Reid.

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