Is the Los Angeles Bird Population Racist?

Well, because more birds, and a greater diversity of birds, are found in areas with more trees and shrubbery. Those areas tend to be wealthier, both now and historically. Fewer birds are found in areas made of mainly concrete and buildings. And those areas tend to be more impoverished.

Those who look at the world only through the lens of so-called race will see racism everywhere.

Birds preferring greener habitats are, of course, not surprising to anyone who knows even a little bit about birds. But those who look at the world only through the lens of so-called race will see racism everywhere—even observing “remarkably segregated” birds! Such ideas are permeating our culture.

Yes, this kind of thinking can now be found everywhere—from bird studies like this to which classical music is selected for students to learn to play. I was recently speaking with a piano and voice teacher who has a passion for high-quality music education. He shared that progressivism has completely overwhelmed the fine arts, including music, to the point where the standard canon of Western classical music (think Bach, Beethoven, Handel, etc.) is being ignored in favor of only minority or underprivileged group music (so music isn’t selected based on merit or even historic value but on intersectionality).

Training Top-Level Musicians

So this music teacher, Lane Keister (the nephew-in-law of AiG’s late board member Dan Manthei, who passed away in August 2023), is doing something about it! He is part of the Lakeside Guild and Academy, a K–12 music academy in northwestern Indiana that teaches choir and orchestra. And they are ready to launch the world’s first top-quality music conservatory that’s not overtaken by progressive ideology.

They will teach music through the lens of a biblical worldview, tying in the all-important “why” and the larger context (often a biblical context!) of classical pieces of music.

Great Lakes Conservatory of Music will train top-level musicians without progressive ideology driving what they do. Instead, they will teach music through the lens of a biblical worldview, tying in the all-important “why” and the larger context (often a biblical context!) of classical pieces of music. And they’re designing this conservatory to be very affordable (most good conservatories are very expensive), with an innovative new integrated curriculum that has students studying one musician at a time across all of their classes, giving them a much greater appreciation for each composer.

This conservatory plans to launch classes in the fall of 2024 and is currently looking for students and like-minded individuals who will support the project financially. You can learn more about the conservatory or donate on their website. Or meet them in person November 2–4, 2023, at our Creation College Expo at the Ark Encounter, a free event for students in grades 7–12.

It’s exciting to see more and more ministries and organizations rising up to train the next generation to think according to God’s Word in whatever way he’s gifted them! We pray God will greatly bless this new venture.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.