Is DEI a Racial Slur? Rise in Term Outrages Black Americans

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Black Americans say "DEI" has been co-opted as a racial slur after conservatives sought to blame diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives for the deadly Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore.

Posted by lamplighter at 04:33 PM | 41 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... Authorities say a cargo ship lost control and struck one of the bridge's supports, causing it to collapse. Two of the construction workers who were on the bridge were rescued. The bodies of two missing construction workers were recovered on Wednesday, while four others are still missing and presumed dead.

DEI programs have become a frequent target of right-wing activists in recent years, and Republican lawmakers are backing dozens of bills targeting DEI initiatives at universities and other public institutions.

Some sought to cast Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who is Black, as a diversity hire, despite him being elected to office with more than 70 percent of the vote in a city with a predominantly Black population.

He was dubbed Baltimore's "DEI mayor" in one post on X, formerly Twitter, by a verified account with almost 300,000 followers. It has amassed more than 25 million views. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-30 03:31 PM | Reply

DEI is just the latest dog whistle for hateful bigots. I guess they grew tired of being called out for their mischaracterization of woke, and before that, CRT and BLM, and before that, civil rights, and before that ... well, you get the picture.

#2 | Posted by cbob at 2024-03-30 03:40 PM | Reply | Funny: 1 | Newsworthy 3

Is DEI a Racial Slur?

I dunno. I'm still trying to get a handle on "negronomics."

#3 | Posted by censored at 2024-03-30 04:01 PM | Reply

@#2 ... DEI is just the latest dog whistle for hateful bigots. ...

The ironic aspect is that they didn't seem to mind when all the favorable prejudices and biases of the system fell in their favor, likely because they controlled those prejudices and biases.

So now, it seems their main complaint is that they seem to have lost control of tilting the playing field in their own favor. So they cry "foul."

#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-30 04:53 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Why would someone be offended at being a DEI hire? Unless they feel they Didn't Earn It to begin with and are simply there for quota reasons.

#5 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2024-03-31 09:31 AM | Reply | Funny: 1 | Newsworthy 1

#%5 ... Why would someone be offended at being a DEI hire? ...

It is not how such a person would feel, but how the term has been co--opted and used as a racist slur by the right.

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-31 01:51 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

but how the term has been co--opted and used as a racist slur by the right.

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-31 01:51 PM | Reply | Flag:

Why don't you start by explaining to the class what isn't racist. Because at this point, "racist" is all the left has.

#7 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-03-31 04:28 PM | Reply

@#7 ... Because at this point, "racist" is all the left has. ...

Huh?

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-31 04:36 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Huh?

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-31 04:36 PM | Reply | Flag

The term DEI has been used for many years just like Affirmative Action. Saying it doesn't make anyone racist. It simply weighs on the insecurities of those hiding behind the term because of their under achievements.

#9 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-03-31 05:09 PM | Reply

What critical statement about the Lumper ideology isn't a racial slur?

#10 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-03-31 05:29 PM | Reply

The ironic aspect is that they didn't seem to mind when all the favorable prejudices and biases of the system fell in their favor, likely because they controlled those prejudices and biases.

You mean like merit?

#11 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-03-31 05:44 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

"Saying it doesn't make anyone racist."

But how you say it can. Republicans have learned well from the Russians how to twist the truth of anything.

...

You mean like merit?

#11 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Yes. Like character and merit.

None of which trumped the color of your skin before 1965.

#12 | Posted by donnerboy at 2024-03-31 05:52 PM | Reply | Funny: 2

@#9 ... Saying it doesn't make anyone racist. ...

I did not say that saying it makes a person a racist.

I spoke of how it is used, i.e., the context, not the utterance.

#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-31 05:58 PM | Reply

After 50 years of EEO most Americans including myself thought that race differences and friction were pretty well gone until Obama and the new leftist radical Democrats purposely stirred the pot again and made everything about race. They want anarchy and turmoil and to turn us into a race war. They hate peace here just like elsewhere. They want a border war too. Keep war mongers out of power.

#14 | Posted by Robson at 2024-03-31 06:27 PM | Reply

This is what DEI means to racist repug filth.

#15 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2024-03-31 06:36 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

@#14 ... After 50 years of EEO most Americans including myself thought that race differences and friction were pretty well gone ...

"Most Americans" ... Got any links to substantiate that assertion?

Or is it the usual MAGA, ~everyone thinks like me~ diatribe?

Without such links, the rest of your comment is, well, based upon nothing.

#16 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-31 06:45 PM | Reply

"After 50 years of EEO most Americans including myself thought that race differences and friction were pretty well gone"

Shows how stupid you are.

#17 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-03-31 06:58 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

If I were ever disparage people it would be soley because of their individual actions and character. It has nothing to do with group behavior, race etc. Now if bad behavior oddly becomes related to culture, race or ethnicity then they will rightly face disparagement until they clean up their act.

#18 | Posted by Robson at 2024-03-31 06:59 PM | Reply

---- off ------

#19 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-03-31 08:30 PM | Reply

---- off ------

#19 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-03-31 08:30 PM | Reply | Flag

LMAO the desperation is thick.... thick as this loser's brainless skull.

#20 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-03-31 09:25 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

I did not say that saying it makes a person a racist.

#13 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-03-31 05:58 PM | Reply | Flag

Your headline, not mine. "Is DEI a racial slur"

You can quit playing dumb anytime now. By labeling DEI as a racist slur, it makes it off limits to even say because "muh feelings"

#21 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-03-31 09:30 PM | Reply

---- off moron.

#22 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-03-31 10:03 PM | Reply

You're a god damn joke nobody wants to get.

#23 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2024-03-31 10:04 PM | Reply

Didn't Earn It.

Yeah, make it racial commies. Oh, wait, it was designed that way from the beginning to be racial. Heh heh. My bad.

#24 | Posted by HeliumRat at 2024-04-01 07:34 AM | Reply

It comes preloaded with the assumption that whoever got hired did not get there through qualifications. So, yeah, racist af.

#25 | Posted by morris at 2024-04-01 04:34 PM | Reply | Funny: 1 | Newsworthy 2

#25 | POSTED BY MORRIS

So it shouldn't have a name?

Because any name would imply the same thing, but somehow the process isn't racist?

That's your position.

#26 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-04-01 04:47 PM | Reply

I did not say that saying it makes a person a racist.
#13 | Posted by LampLighter

Morris said what you couldn't say.

#27 | Posted by oneironaut at 2024-04-01 04:48 PM | Reply

It comes preloaded with the assumption that whoever got hired did not get there through qualifications.

#25 | Posted by morris at 2024-04-01 04:34 PM | Reply | Flag:

Assumption by who? You?

It means that the person hired under DEI rules was hired because of a quota that needed to be met. If that makes someone feel insecure about their employment, that's on them - not me.

#28 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2024-04-01 10:31 PM | Reply

Saying might not make you rscist. No, you ere already racist or you wouldn't have been saying it.

#29 | Posted by danni at 2024-04-02 12:26 AM | Reply

Why would someone be offended at being a DEI hire? Unless they feel they Didn't Earn It
#5 | POSTED BY BLUEWAFFLES

Why would getting something you didn't earn make you feel bad?

When you go to Burger King and you order fries with your combo meal and there's a bonus onion ring at the bottom of the bag, you don't get offended.

You don't say to the manager, this is wrong, I did not earn this onion ring.

#30 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-04-02 02:22 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Why would someone be offended at being a DEI hire? Unless they feel they Didn't Earn It to begin with and are simply there for quota reasons.

Clarence Thomas probably has an opinion on this.

#31 | Posted by FedUpWithPols at 2024-04-02 07:51 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

"After 50 years of EEO most Americans including myself thought that race differences and friction were pretty well gone until Obama and the new leftist radical Democrats purposely stirred the pot again and made everything about race. They want anarchy and turmoil and to turn us into a race war."

It did seem we were making progress but the right wing racist made sure to stop progress because the GQP has depended on racism to wBut then you amplify the stupidity of your comment by n elections since Nixon's Southern Strategy was used to help him win the 1972 Presidential election. IMHO Richard Nixon started the division in America, I know I despised him at the time, quite honestly I still do. Coincidentally Roy Cohn was a mentor to both him and Donald Trump.

#32 | Posted by danni at 2024-04-02 09:36 AM | Reply

"Why would someone be offended at being a DEI hire? Unless they feel they Didn't Earn It"

Um if you won a Presidential election twice you might find it offensive that racists claiming even years later that it was a DEI hire. DUH!!! BTW, Obsmacare is still here am]nd serving the needs of millions of Americans of all races; even some of the Red states have finally begun accepting Medicaid expansion which was and still is part of Obamacare, even many racists have signed up. Oh I bet they hate being reminded of that. So where is that GQP replacement for the ACA anyway?

#33 | Posted by danni at 2024-04-02 09:59 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

So where is that GQP replacement for the ACA anyway?

My favorite were the (soon to be) red hats wheeling around on their government paid scooters holding signs saying "KEEP YOUR GOVERNMENT HANDS OFF MY MEDICARE!"

They're a special kind of stupid.

#34 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-04-02 02:15 PM | Reply

racists claiming even years later that it was a DEI hire.

The biggest racist of the bunch that was calling Obama an "affirmative action hire" has been dirt napping for three years now.

#35 | Posted by Nixon at 2024-04-02 02:16 PM | Reply

Anything is slur with the right inflection

#36 | Posted by kwrx25 at 2024-04-02 03:18 PM | Reply

Republicans are absolute -----.
They do this all the time.
The did this with CRT.
Repeat a lie over and over and over.
They've shown themselves all to be noting but a waste of resources. A resource sink. Oxygen thieves.

#37 | Posted by YAV at 2024-04-02 03:23 PM | Reply

Of course it's a slur.

Republicans made "Community Organizer" a slur.

#38 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-04-02 03:25 PM | Reply

Anything can be a racial slur if the speaker means it to be. The most pernicious aspect of human language is that words can be ambiguous and used as a shield to hide a speakers true intent. There is a reason so many politicians, lawyers and liars are masters of half truths and innuendo. We certainly hear it and use within the context of almost all our communications. I sometimes even wonder whether linguistic ambiguity is a function of human evolution. How could we as human beings actually feel safe and free to speak if everyone around us were able to clearly discern what we "really" mean every time we posit a new or controversial idea.

#39 | Posted by moder8 at 2024-04-02 03:28 PM | Reply

It comes preloaded with the assumption that whoever got hired did not get there through qualifications. So, yeah, racist af.
#25 | POSTED BY MORRIS AT 2024-04-01 04:34 PM | REPLY

That's correct. To take it even further, calling someone a "DEI Mayor" or "DEI Pilot" or whatever 100% discounts all their training and hard work to get where they're at. It automatically assumes that the only thing that matters is their skin color and presumes that no person of color, or "DEI Hire", could EVER be qualified for a position. Just look at the last "DEI President" - The Right still thinks he was unqualified for the job (or did you think the birth certificate whining was really about paperwork?)

Question for those that don't think it's racist, how did the "DEI Mayor" of Baltimore become mayor, and was it through a different process than the other mayors before him? If he was duly elected, why the "DEI Mayor" slur that the Right is so fond of?

#40 | Posted by bartimus at 2024-04-02 03:53 PM | Reply

Republicans go out of their way to remove all doubt that they are racist only to then cry when someone points it out as obvious.

#41 | Posted by YAV at 2024-04-03 09:20 AM | Reply