Earlier this month, during an appearance on former State Sen. Phil Williams' "Rightside Radio" broadcast, State Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) predicted easy passage of a so-called "divisive concepts" bill by the Alabama Legislature.
The legislation would prohibit Critical Race Theory (CRT) and other "divisive concepts" from certain areas of state government.
In his remarks, Oliver claimed one of the objectives of CRT was to "sexualize" little kids.
"Ultimately, the reason that the left wants to push CRT amongst little kids is simply they want to sexualize them. They want to racialize them at an early age to make them easy to manage, pure and simple," he said. "I hate to say a way to create more left-wingers that are woke and will do the things that the left wants them to do, but that's exactly what it is, to divide people. To make groups fight each other, so they're easier to manage."
Oliver's comments drew backlash from Alabama Political Reporter's Bill Britt, among others.
"In any context of a rational conversation, Oliver's observances would be dismissed as vain ravings," Britt declared in a column earlier this week. "CRT has nothing to do with sexualizing children, except in a fevered brain."
In a follow-up interview with Mobile radio's FM Talk 106.5, Oliver did not back away from his statement and responded to Britt directly.
"I'm one of those people — I believe in some things, and I don't know if he does, but I will say this: If Bill Britt is against something I'm for, that means it's probably a pretty good thing I'm working on," he said. "[I] hate to be so flippant about something like that, but if I can get the libs stirred up, it means I've touched a nerve, and it means that something that is important to them. It is a good barometer that we are on the right track and doing the right thing."
"That's fine — and I understand that it might strike a nerve with them," Oliver added. "But CRT, in brief, we know it's an academic legal framework. I guess from their frame of mind, that's a long stretch. But the notion that systemic racism is a part of American society — the left has gone on to expand that. No longer is it just. It's sexual identity, as well. So, when I made that statement, don't think for a second that sexualization and racialization is not part of their agenda."
Jeff Poor is the executive editor of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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