On Sunday's edition of MSNBC's The Weekend, a frequent MSNBC guest, Fordham professor Christina Greer, unloaded:
"The history of the United States is literally predicated on white supremacy, anti-black racism, patriarchy, and capitalism . . . Let's be clear, our history is filled with murder. We are a bellicose nation. It's filled with rapes and exclusion."
Greer made her comments in the context of a discussion condemning the Trump administration's moves to change the prevailing, negative, approach of the Smithsonian to American history.
But Greer unwittingly made Trump's case. If her incredibly bleak depiction of America is what the museums should be embracing, then the Trump administration's changes are surely needed.
You'll see at about 0:55 Greer shake her head in disgust in reaction to a statement made by Lindsey Halligan, a special assistant to President Trump who is leading the review of Smithsonian content. Halligan called slavery "a horrible aspect of our nation's history," but said that we need to focus on the progress made since then, rather than on the lack of progress. That was evidently intolerable for Greer.
To understand American history, Greer recommended reading the late Bell Hooks, a black, feminist, Marxist. No wonder Greer lumps "capitalism" with white supremacy and anti-black racism as among the evils on which America was built! She will briefly acknowledge racial progress, but then quickly return to the perennial guilt trip and white-privilege slinging.
Note: Looks like Greer might shop for her eyewear at the same place as Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Felss Masino. But in this case, the Smithsonian museums need to be rebranded since its 2020 BLM makeover.
Here's the transcript.
MSNBC
The Weekend
8/24/25
8:39 am EDTJONATHAN CAPEHART: The Trump administration is increasing its pressure on Smithsonian museums, after President Donald Trump accused the institution of focusing too much on, quote, how bad slavery was and not enough on the, quote, brightness of America.
Following the president's criticism, the White House called out seven Smithsonian museums for their exhibits and messaging, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Lindsay Halligan, the White House official leading the administration's review of the Smithsonian, echoed President Trump's sentiments in a Thursday interview on NewsMax.
LINDSEY HALLIGAN: While slavery is obviously a horrible aspect of our nation's history, you can't really talk about slavery honestly unless you also talk about hope and progress. And I think we need to be focusing on the progress that we've made since then. And we need to stop focusing so much on the lack of progress.
CAPEHART: I'll let that marinate for a second. Joining us now, Christina Greer [seen shaking her head in apparent disgust at Halligan's remark], associate professor of political science at Fordham University and author of How to Build a Democracy, From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams.
Professor Greer, always great to see you. I want to play what President Trump said on August 14th about his expectations of museums. Listen to this.
DONALD TRUMP: Well, we want the museums to treat our country fairly. We want the museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.
. . .
CHRISTINA GREER: How can a country move forward if we don't know our history, because we're doomed to repeat some of the horrific mistakes of the past. So, any historian or political scientist, or anyone who reads a book knows that U.S. chattel slavery is one of the original sins of this nation, and that doesn't mean that the nation hasn't progressed. We're about to celebrate our 250th year anniversary next year. However, just like Donald Trump and the labor statistics or any data that he doesn't like, he chooses to just change it and make it in his own image.
You cannot do that with the history of the United States, that is literally predicated on white supremacy, anti-black racism, patriarchy, and capitalism. That's Bell Hooks who laid that out very clearly for all to read . . . And it's so important, not just for Americans, but for people around the globe, to understand the true nature of this really young nation who is such a great leader in the world.
But let's be clear, our history is filled with murder. We are a bellicose nation. It's filled with rapes and exclusion. We've come a very long way, but we still have miles and miles to go before we actually live up to the ideals in the Declaration of Independence.
