{"id":1118284,"date":"2021-12-14T14:29:24","date_gmt":"2021-12-14T19:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1118284"},"modified":"2021-12-14T14:29:26","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T19:29:26","slug":"exclusive-i-took-the-salvation-armys-internal-survey-on-racism-within-the-organization-heres-what-i-discovered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/exclusive-i-took-the-salvation-armys-internal-survey-on-racism-within-the-organization-heres-what-i-discovered\/","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: I Took The Salvation Army\u2019s Internal Survey On \u2018Racism\u2019 Within The Organization.\u00a0Here\u2019s What I Discovered."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fexclusive-i-took-the-salvation-armys-internal-survey-on-racism-within-the-organization-heres-what-i-discovered%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1118284&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Salvation Army has recently come under significant <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/salvation-army-withdraws-anti-white-lets-talk-about-racism-guide-after-uproar\">fire<\/a> for asking white donors to \u201coffer a sincere apology\u201d for racism. The nearly 150-year old organization created a curriculum entitled <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/184xr9KICHSqsYUvLAKHqeRAcfVnnAhZK3bdmRaSpROM\/edit?usp=sharing\">\u201cLet\u2019s Talk About Racism\u201d<\/a> and shared it with its members, along with associated DEI Trainings that cite and draw from Robin DiAngelo and Ibram X. Kendi\u2019s work.&nbsp; The packet argues that Christians should \u201cstop trying to be \u2018colorblind\u2019\u201d and that they should apologize for being \u201cantagonistic.. to black people or the culture, values and interests of the black community.\u201d In response, donors by the thousands <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/salvation-armys-donors-withdraw-support-response-racial-wokeness-initiative-1645658\">have vowed not to donate<\/a> until the organization reverses their stance.<\/p>\n<p>The Salvation Army has denied any wrongdoing, defiantly calling the allegations that they have gone woke <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salvationarmyusa.org\/usn\/story\/the-salvation-armys-response-to-false-claims-on-the-topic-of-racism\/\">\u201cfalse.\u201d<\/a> While they admit that the topic of race in America can be fraught with controversy, they have denied they have \u201cgone woke.\u201d&nbsp; Much of their denial centers around their claim that use of the guide was completely voluntary, and that they are not peddling critical race narratives in their organization.<\/p>\n<p>I obtained a copy of The Salvation Army\u2019s internal survey on \u201cracism within the Salvation Army\u201d and tested that claim.<\/p>\n<p>One Salvation Army officer reached out on condition of anonymity to <a href=\"https:\/\/colorusunited.org\/\">Color Us United<\/a>, the raceblind advocacy organization which I run, to reveal an internal survey he was asked to take. It was not a voluntary survey, and was sent by the Territorial Diversity and Inclusion Secretary to every Salvation Army Officer in the US Central Territory. The purpose of the survey, according to an email from the \u201cTerritorial Racial Diversity and Inclusion Secretary,\u201d was \u201cto better understand perception of institutional racial bias within The Salvation Army.\u201d The accompanying email stated that there was no \u201cpreconceived idea\u201d with regard to whether or not racism existed in The Salvation Army, and told recipients that there were no wrong answers.<\/p>\n<p>I sat down and went through the questions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>First, Questions #1, #2, and #3 asked me for my race, age, and gender.&nbsp; I could not skip these questions.&nbsp; Already, I felt uncomfortable being required to list my personal attributes.&nbsp; If I was an officer, I would be wondering: how could this information be used against me in the future? (They did promise anonymity in this survey.)<\/p>\n<p>The survey then asks Salvationists if they agree with the following definition of racism: \u201cInstitutional racism refers to organizational or system processes, behaviors, policies, or procedures, which produce negative outcomes for nonwhites relative to those for whites.\u201d The remaining questions in the survey are dependent upon agreeing to this definition of racism. For any Officer or Soldier who disagrees with this framing, there is no way to express any disagreement or nuance apart from plainly saying that racism does not exist.<\/p>\n<p>Question #6 goes on to ask the survey taker whether they believe there is any institutional bias or racism in The Salvation Army. Question #7 says: \u201cIf you answered no to question #6, do you think others in The Salvation Army think there are racial tensions or institutional racism?\u201d The purpose of these questions, I started to feel, was to force the survey taker to admit that The Salvation Army is institutionally racist according to their definition of racism. There is no room for any Officer to elaborate on how they disagree with the definitions, framing, or worldview informing the questions.<\/p>\n<p>The final question asks: \u201cWhat is the best way to address Racism in The Salvation Army?\u201d The answer options are: \u201cindividual reconciliation,\u201d \u201cgroup reconciliation,\u201d \u201caddressing structures and practices that cause racism,\u201d \u201call of the above,\u201d or \u201cother.\u201d Note that there is no option for the survey taker to simply say that racism is not a problem in The Salvation Army. The survey (which according to the email, was \u201cintended to go to all the officers within your division, employees, and soldiers\u201d for the Central Territory) simply assumes that racism is present in the organization.<\/p>\n<p>Going through the survey, it became apparent that the survey was attempting to lead me to making only one conclusion about The Salvation Army \u2013 that it harbored problematic racism.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This belief is one of the core tenets of critical race theory. Critical race theorists teach that racism is ubiquitous in all aspects of American life. They also teach that it works systemically; that is, by being ingrained in the systems and institutions that operate in society. Their primary evidence of the system being racist is the reality that individuals from different demographics have different life outcomes on average, without taking into account any variables that might impact said life outcomes apart from the color of their skin. All of these concepts are reflected in The Salvation Army\u2019s survey.<\/p>\n<p>Any officer who believes in individualism, colorblindness, and meritocracy will be unable to answer any of the survey questions in good faith. Any officer who believes that The Salvation Army<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Salvation Army has recently come under significant fire for asking white donors to \u201coffer a sincere apology\u201d for racism. The nearly 150-year old organization created a curriculum entitled \u201cLet\u2019s Talk About Racism\u201d and shared it with its members, along with associated DEI Trainings that cite and draw from Robin DiAngelo and Ibram X. Kendi\u2019s work.\u00a0 The packet argues that Christians should \u201cstop trying to be \u2018colorblind\u2019\u201d and that they should apologize for being \u201cantagonistic.. to black people or the culture, values and interests of the black community.\u201d In response, donors by the thousands have vowed not to donate until the organization reverses their stance.The Salvation Army has denied any wrongdoing, defiantly calling the allegations that they have gone woke \u201cfalse.\u201d While they admit that the topic of race in America can be fraught with controversy, they have denied they have \u201cgone woke.\u201d\u00a0 Much of their denial centers around their claim that use of the guide was completely voluntary, and that they are not peddling critical race narratives in their organization.I obtained a copy of The Salvation Army\u2019s internal survey on \u201cracism within the Salvation Army\u201d and tested that claim.One Salvation Army officer reached out on condition of anonymity to Color Us United, the raceblind advocacy organization which I run, to reveal an internal survey he was asked to take. It was not a voluntary survey, and was sent by the Territorial Diversity and Inclusion Secretary to every Salvation Army Officer in the US Central Territory. The purpose of the survey, according to an email from the \u201cTerritorial Racial Diversity and Inclusion Secretary,\u201d was \u201cto better understand perception of institutional racial bias within The Salvation Army.\u201d The accompanying email stated that there was no \u201cpreconceived idea\u201d with regard to whether or not racism existed in The Salvation Army, and told recipients that there were no wrong answers.I sat down and went through the questions.\u00a0\u00a0First, Questions #1, #2, and #3 asked me for my race, age, and gender.\u00a0 I could not skip these questions.\u00a0 Already, I felt uncomfortable being required to list my personal attributes.\u00a0 If I was an officer, I would be wondering: how could this information be used against me in the future? (They did promise anonymity in this survey.)The survey then asks Salvationists if they agree with the following definition of racism: \u201cInstitutional racism refers to organizational or system processes, behaviors, policies, or procedures, which produce negative outcomes for nonwhites relative to those for whites.\u201d The remaining questions in the survey are dependent upon agreeing to this definition of racism. For any Officer or Soldier who disagrees with this framing, there is no way to express any disagreement or nuance apart from plainly saying that racism does not exist.Question #6 goes on to ask the survey taker whether they believe there is any institutional bias or racism in The Salvation Army. Question #7 says: \u201cIf you answered no to question #6, do you think others in The Salvation Army think there are racial tensions or institutional racism?\u201d The purpose of these questions, I started to feel, was to force the survey taker to admit that The Salvation Army is institutionally racist according to their definition of racism. There is no room for any Officer to elaborate on how they disagree with the definitions, framing, or worldview informing the questions.The final question asks: \u201cWhat is the best way to address Racism in The Salvation Army?\u201d The answer options are: \u201cindividual reconciliation,\u201d \u201cgroup reconciliation,\u201d \u201caddressing structures and practices that cause racism,\u201d \u201call of the above,\u201d or \u201cother.\u201d Note that there is no option for the survey taker to simply say that racism is not a problem in The Salvation Army. The survey (which according to the email, was \u201cintended to go to all the officers within your division, employees, and soldiers\u201d for the Central Territory) simply assumes that racism is present in the organization.Going through the survey, it became apparent that the survey was attempting to lead me to making only one conclusion about The Salvation Army \u2013 that it harbored problematic racism.\u00a0\u00a0This belief is one of the core tenets of critical race theory. Critical race theorists teach that racism is ubiquitous in all aspects of American life. They also teach that it works systemically; that is, by being ingrained in the systems and institutions that operate in society. Their primary evidence of the system being racist is the reality that individuals from different demographics have different life outcomes on average, without taking into account any variables that might impact said life outcomes apart from the color of their skin. All of these concepts are reflected in The Salvation Army\u2019s survey.Any officer who believes in individualism, colorblindness, and meritocracy will be unable to answer any of the survey questions in good faith. Any officer who believes that The Salvation Army is not a racist organization would not be able to answer these questions in good faith either.\u00a0 Many (if not most) Americans believe that racism is primarily an issue of individuals who harbor feelings of hate against those of other races, not a society-wide conspiracy as alleged by antiracist activists. This survey totally excludes the colorblind perspective from the conversation and forces Officers and other Salvationists into a critical race theory-informed box.And yet the organization remains steadfast in their denial that their actions are indicative of a commitment to wokeness or critical race theory. They explicitly deny claiming that \u201cAmerica is an inherently racist society\u201d and say that \u201cno one is being told how to think.\u201dBut their actions speak louder than their words. Asking Salvationsists to take a survey that implies only nonwhite people can be the victims of racism is an implicit condemnation of America as a racist society. Framing all the questions within a critical race theory-based lens is telling them how to think.There can be no true dialogue so long as \u201cantiracism\u201d is still the foundation of The Salvation Army\u2019s race discourse. It is divisive, opposed to the fundamental principles of Christian colorblindness, and serves only to insult and marginalize the good people who run and operate The Salvation Army on the ground.Kenny Xu is the President of Color Us United and the author of the book \u201cAn Inconvenient Minority.\u201dThe Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a\u00a0member.The views expressed in this piece are the author\u2019s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":356,"featured_media":2315279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1118284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1118284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/356"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1118284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1118284\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2315279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1118284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1118284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1118284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}