Am I Racist?

I wish I had done my research before going to see director/co-writer Justin Folk’s mockumentary. Then I would not have been so confused at the end, misthinking the film was an expose’ of those profiting from the antiracist movement, rather than the smear that it actually is. This is a film in which the governors of Florida and Texas might well support and order shown in their schools as part of their campaigns against the Critical Racist theory. Here is the introductory paragraph of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s profile of the star and co-writer of the film, Matt Walsh that I wish I had seen before going to the theater:

“Matt Walsh is a blogger and talk show host for the Daily Wire website. He frequently demonizes LGBTQ+ people and promotes racist and anti-transgender conspiracy theories. Walsh leads a campaign against gender-affirming health care that has targeted American hospitals with harassment and has advocated executing doctors who provide health care to transgender people. Walsh is also known for perpetuating the notion of anti-white racism, which is grounded in white supremacy, and spreading conspiracy theories about supposed campaigns of anti-white violence.”

There follows a long recount of the career of this deeply prejudiced spreader of hatred, which you can access by clicking here.

The film itself pretends to follow in the footsteps of Sacha Baron Cohen, but the goal is far more sinister than getting us to laugh at its targets. It is obviously part of the radical right’s attempt to destroy the Diversity, Equity, Inclusive movement. In the film Matt Walsh becomes certified as a DEI expert and then supposedly visits a bookstore to discover resources on the subject, chief among which is White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo who was interviewed under false pretenses, as you can read at this website. He also mocks the program called Race to Dinner in a lengthy segment in which he somehow is able get hired as a waiter and thus listen in on the table talk of a group of women exploring racism together.

I should add one caveat to my objections: Walsh raises the issue of the “experts” excessively profiting from racism. He lists the fees several of them charge, one of which does seem excessively high. Lots of corporations and educational institutions have been hiring anti-racist experts the past few years, and it looks like a great many individuals have taken advantage of this interest. This concern might need further probing, but preferrably by someone with less of a right-wing axe to grind. (Walsh has also been known for his negative view of the LGBTQ community.)

I recommend this film only for those who want to discover what those on “the other side” are thinking and doing. You will learn little about DEI in this film–there is no probing into our racist history, so necessary if we are really to gain an understand of our situation—no mention of Jamestown 1619, slavery, Jim Crow, or the misuse of the 13^th Amendment. Just the attempt to mock, and thus discredit, the earnest efforts of of those seeking to heal the deep wounds caused by racism. Were this film a medicine, the bottle should include a skull and crossbones and “Poison” on its label. It is obvious that the film’s title is not a sincere question but merely a come-on.

If you watch this film, be sure to read on her website what his chief target, anti-racist trainer Robin DiAngelo, says about his deceptive treatment of her on her website.

This review will be in the October issue of VP along with a set of questions for reflection and/or discussion. If you have found reviews on this site helpful, please consider purchasing a subscription or individual issue in The Store.