Cori Bush and Ibram X. Kendi Discuss Replacement Theory’s Role in Politics
A book promotion and public discussion event, centered around Ibram X. Kendi’s Chain of Ideas: the origins of our authoritarian age, was held this past Saturday evening. The evening of intellectually stimulating conversation was hosted by The Novel Neighbor bookstore at John Burroughs School in Ladue, MO.
The event featured former Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush (D) facilitating the discussion with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, who holds an endowed chair in history at Howard University. He is the author of several important books on the history of racism and its antidotes, including Stamped from the Beginning and How to Be an Antiracist. The conversation centered on his new book’s thesis that an enlarged and nuanced version of ‘The Great Replacement Theory’ has become an important organizing principle, globally, for authoritarian governments.
Ms. Bush and Dr. Kendi discussed what is meant by ‘replacement theory’ and how it is used to promote the identification of a constituency’s enemies and their leaders to inspire loyalty and votes for an in-group, which is usually ethnic in nature. The strategic practice is in use in many countries, including Turkey, France, and the United States. Under this theory of political organizing, there is a ‘chain of ideas’ strung together to make groups feel threatened by immigrants, different races, cultures, religions, and/or sexualities. Once their status as “other” is established, the political leaders of these minorities are denounced as wanting to ‘replace’ the threatened majority. The majority group then becomes willing to trade rights and freedom for protection from the ‘enemy.’
After this introduction and further discussion, Bush moved the discussion to a discussion of ways for communities to respond to the divisive rhetoric and to find hope. To this end, Kendi said, “I feel most hopeless when I don’t know what’s going on around me.” He went on to explain that the confusion he felt around replacement theory inspired him to write the book. He said, “I now have a sense of clarity which gives me hope.”
Dr. Kendi also shared experiences from other public talks he feels inspire hope. In one instance, a white man in his 80s approached him and let him know that, having read several of Kendi’s books, he is giving up the racist ideas that were so long a part of his life. The elderly man even stated that he was glad not to die with the ignorance he had held for most of his life. A second instance involved a talk at a high school about the history of racist ideas and anti-racism. After the event, he was approached by a Black student around the age of 15. The student said, “So basically you’re saying there’s nothing wrong with us?” Of course, Kendi assured him that was true.
