S.M.A.R.T. Thinking: Master The Five Habits of Daily Critical Thinking

[S.M.A.R.T.Thinking]

Submission for Review by aalbc   — African American Literature Book Club

**Title:** S.M.A.R.T. Thinking: Master the Five Habits of Daily Critical Thinking
**Author:** William M. White, Ed.D., MLE
**ISBN-13:**  B0F8N6ZDZ9
**Publication Date:** May 13, 2025
**Format:** eBook — downloadable to your phone for quick, daily reference

 

 

 

We are living in a time when African Americans, other people of color, and women — particularly African American women — are under unprecedented attack. From voting rights rollbacks to book bans erasing Black history, from policies targeting immigrants to the disproportionate impact of economic cuts on communities of color, the signs are everywhere.

- **African Americans and People of Color:** Voter suppression laws are spreading across the country. Black history courses are being stripped from schools. Economic inequality is widening, and hate crimes — particularly against Black, Asian, and Latino communities — are rising at alarming rates.
- **African American Women:** Facing the double bind of racism and sexism, African American women have been targeted in attacks on reproductive rights, job security, and political participation. Since 2017, Black women have lost hundreds of thousands of federal jobs, despite representing a critical 12% of the federal workforce. Their leadership in movements for justice has been met with harassment, threats, and attempts to silence their voices.

In the midst of these assaults on truth, dignity, and opportunity, *S.M.A.R.T. Thinking* offers a lifeline — a practical, everyday method for cutting through misinformation, asking the right questions, and making sound decisions that protect our freedoms.

**Why This Book Matters to Your Readers:**
**For Society:**
The United States is drifting dangerously toward the same tyranny the early settlers fled when they left England — only now, it is homegrown. Leaders and movements are stoking division, eroding democratic norms, and silencing dissent. Book bans are replacing dialogue. Propaganda is replacing fact. Adding to this threat, foreign adversaries are influencing our elections through targeted misinformation on social media — a new battlefield where truth itself is under siege. *S.M.A.R.T. Thinking* teaches citizens to pause, investigate, and challenge false narratives before they take root. Examples include:
- Identifying media manipulation designed to pit neighbor against neighbor.
- Evaluating political claims against actual policies and their real-world impact.
- Recognizing when fear is being used as a weapon to restrict freedoms.
**For Religion & Faith:**
Across all faith traditions — from Christianity and Judaism to Islam, Buddhism, and beyond — truth-telling, compassion, and justice are sacred duties. Yet in recent years, we have seen religion weaponized to justify discrimination, exclusion, and even violence. This directly contradicts the Judeo-Christian values upon which this nation was founded:
- “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31) is incompatible with hatred and prejudice.
- “Let justice roll down like waters” (Amos 5:24) demands that we confront injustice, not enable it.
- The Qur’an’s call to stand firmly for justice (Surah An-Nisa 4:135) aligns with the obligation to challenge wrongdoing, even against one’s own interest.

*S.M.A.R.T. Thinking* gives believers the tools to discern whether leaders, laws, and social movements align with their moral convictions — or betray them.
**For Women — Especially African American Women:**
Women are facing renewed attacks on bodily autonomy, workplace equality, and representation in leadership. For African American women, these challenges are compounded by systemic racism. They are often the backbone of both faith and community movements, yet they bear the heaviest burdens in times of political and economic instability. This book equips women with strategies to analyze threats, advocate effectively, and protect the rights of future generations.

**The Right Questions It Teaches Readers to Ask:**
1. Who benefits from this message, and who is harmed by it?
2. What facts — not opinions — support this claim?
3. How does this align with my values, my faith, and my community’s well-being?
4. Whose voices are missing, and how can they be included?
5. What action can I take that will move us toward justice?

**Sustainability & Impact:**
This is not a book to read once and forget. It is designed as a pocket companion — downloadable to your phone — to carry, consult, and practice until critical thinking becomes a natural habit. Readers who use the five habits daily will be better equipped to:
- Protect their families from harmful misinformation.
- Defend their rights in the voting booth, the workplace, and the public square.
- Teach the next generation how to think independently and act with integrity.

I believe your readers will find *S.M.A.R.T. Thinking* urgent, empowering, and transformative. It does more than explain the need for critical thinking — it shows exactly how to practice it every day, in every decision, in every conversation.

Thank you for considering this work for review and inclusion on your site. I am confident it will inspire meaningful discussion and equip your audience to face these trying times with clarity, courage, and conviction.

**More Information:** nationaldiversitycollaborative.org
— **William M. White, Ed.D., MLE**