Dialogue on “Woke Racism” by John McWhorter

Thursdays, October 13 and 27, 7:00–8:45 p.m. in King

UUC’s 4th Principle Dialogue Group invites you to discuss John McWhorter’s book Woke Racism: How a New Religion has Betrayed Black America.

McWhorter, a linguist at Columbia University, criticizes the contemporary antiracism movement, represented most prominently by Robin DiAngelo and Ibram Kendi. He says “Third Wave Antiracism,” as he calls it, is a religion that undermines Black America by lowering standards for Black people. This book is a good explication of the “anti-woke” position in today’s culture wars. Unitarian Universalists get a brief mention, and congregants at UUC have already been reading it. Now the 4th Principle Dialogue Team is scheduled to discuss Woke Racism. Come to either session or both.

The 4th Principle Dialogue Group is a relatively new group at UUC, and you’re welcome to join. Together we conduct a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. In particular, we follow intentional dialogue practices so that our hard conversations can be productive instead of divisive. We think that a Unitarian Universalist congregation might be the best sort of community for dialogues like these. Look us up in UUC Connect for more.

Please consider supporting the UUC bookstore by buying a copy from Cindy on Sunday morning.

Whether or not you decide to read the book, here are two reviews worth reading: in the NY Times (mostly positive) and in the Washington Post (negative).