Zaid Jilani: The tide is turning against modern diversity bureaucracies. But that's not necessarily bad news for progressives, at least if they believe in the goals of the civil rights movement.
Great essay! It reminds me of an encounter I had back in 2018 with an NDP candidate who told me MLK's famous line about character was no longer valid, that colour-blindness was itself racist. The NDP (and the Greens and many Liberals) still think like this, and in part explains their declining fortunes. This was when I became aware of how toxic much of woke thinking is. It was at the same time I was called a transphobe for defending the rights of disabled people to their own bathroom.
Jilani is totally correct in saying that much of DEI is supported by the private sector mostly because it distracts workers and society in general from the low wages and mediocre benefits so much of the population receives. Support for unrestricted immigration is also part of this bundle of class-war tactics. As is usual, we'll be 5-10 years behind the US in coming to the realization that change is necessary. Hopefully a new federal government will speed things along.
Outstanding essay, especially when the NET discussion is watched when you reach the link. I certainly hope that Canada takes similar steps to eliminate discriminatory DEI practices, while doing much more to improve the real living conditions and education of people who are not doing as well as others in society because of the conditions they are living under.
Yes, no matter how much money we give to Indigenous Reserves nothing changes. A BC chief wrote a book 15 years ago called "The Dependency Trap" talking about how Indian Affairs trapped his people in poverty. Interestingly, he compared "Trust Fund Babies" and Indigenous people by observing that their behavior was the same, just the Trust Fund Babies drank better alcohol.
As DEI and other progressive policies and practices have been pushed by corporations and institutions in Canada our standard of living has gone down. Decision makers in powerful positions in business and the government get to virtue signal and feel superior while the average person, from every race, struggles. The very real economic issues that should be addressed take a back seat to ideology. I, like so many others, have long admired Martin Luther King for his role in the civil rights movement. I had no idea that he was also focused on issues related to poverty, for all people, regardless of race. DEI, net zero, critical race theory etc. are luxury beliefs promoted by a group of people who are wealthy or secure enough to not be touched by the high cost of living. These ideologies distract them, and us, from addressing the very real costs of these policies as more and more Canadians take on more household debt, go to food banks and struggle to find a home they can afford.
"Diversity politics has given them a way to painlessly massage the consciences of liberal America without upsetting the power structure at all."
On the other hand, I don't think Trump's actions will benefit the "left" because the more he tries to take DEI away the harder the "left" clings to it and fights to retain it. The same lack of reflection seen in Democratic post-election analysis of their loss to Trump, their inability or unwillingness to learn from their experience, applies here too. ("Left" in quotes because DEI is not really leftist.)
My own reaction is to say to the Left, why were you not shutting down the NED 20 years ago? Why were you not demanding that your tax dollars not be used to support Color Revolutions 10 years ago? Why were you not demanding that DEI practices end 10 years ago?
For anyone who believes in "First Do No Harm" it should have been obvious that these ideas should not have been supported.
It is totally false to say that the uprisings in countries such as Ukraine and elsewhere were instigated by "your tax dollars" (perhaps you don't realise that this is a Canadian, not American, Substack account). They were inspired by the desire of local citizens for the democracy , prosperity and security offered by the European Union, seen by the US as a rival. Europeans such as Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Radosław Sikorski and Lech Kaczyński have been much more involved than Americans as intermediaries in Ukraine, Georgia and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, despite cellphone conversations between US diplomats intercepted by Russia.
First, I never said anything about Ukraine. However, my MP is very clear that he supports the war in Ukraine. He even sent his daughter over to Ukraine to help.
I'm so glad to hear that! I should note that the "Orange Revolution" was some 20 years ago... in 2014 it was the Revolution of Dignity. I was addressing the entirety of your comment, which implies disapproval of supporting the citizen revolts against autocracy and Russian influence in post-Soviet states, of which the Orange Revolution was the most significant. P.S.: What is "NED"?
Thank you for presenting this essay. I’m old enough to remember this message from the Department of Labour: Hire on the basis of merit. It was a typically, for the time, Canadian admonition to leave prejudice and nepotism out of the hiring process; in other words, be fair. Now, according to the man who’s been doing Prime Minister impressions for nine years, there is no Canadian identity. It makes his new Team Canada skit all the more ridiculous.
In the end - no "system" will overcome prejudice. It can only invite us to do so. Jesus of Nazareth knew this. So did Ghandi and so did MLK. I mention this bcz more concerning than the moves around DEI, which serve to cement racism in NA, is the rise of X'ian nationalism which seeks to redefine the imperative to "be my brother's keeper".
"X'ian nationalism" is a bit confusing... at first look-up I encountered Chiang Kai-Shek, then Xi Jinping, until realising you were alluding to a certain Chief Designer of rockets (not Korolev...) :-) . I would rather use the term "national populism", since Musk is merely exploiting it for his and his tech bros own ends, and it affects many countries other than the US. Particularly concerning is the involvement of American ideologs in the politics of other countries, especially in Europe. Musk and Vance have explicitly involved themselves in Germany and Romania, and I dread what they will do in the next four months in Poland, where I now live. A crucial presidential election will be held here at the end of May. It was unimaginable until months ago that the US and Russia would be meddling hand in hand in smaller countries' politics.
You are both fixated yet clueless about Musk (atheist). I say this because the previous comment never came near the role of Musk yet you presumed it somehow did (and are spouting nothing but a widely endorsed false narrative about him. The point was that prejudice was and remains a problem that the DEI 'system' is not dismantling but cementing. The author was smart enough to also mention that Christian Nationalism can be just as much a problem cementing prejudice.
I was being a bit facetious. What the heck is Musk, a Brunel/Ford/Kaiser/Korolev sort of engineering industrial visionary and manager, doing smashing institutions and supporting fascistic politicians with his fortune, even in countries not his own? The behaviour of Musk, Trump, Vance and the Trumpists is so far removed from the norms of the past 80 years that everybody is stunned and not knowing how to respond. The open embrace of corruption, violence and loathsome genocidal dictators is pure evil. Trump has exploited the public's justified disapproval of DEI and gender ideology to help him gain power and do stuff that exceeds all notions of reason and decency. And self-proclaiming Christians are cheering this on!
Stefan, what you call "smashing institutions" is seen by Arizona swing voters as doing a necessary and long overdue job of seeing where taxpayer's money is really going and letting the rest of us know. I notice you are relaying a very typical anti-Musk rhetorical narrative that has little bearing and even less critical thought on what's true regarding DEI - the actual subject of the post - so I'm commenting on it because it deserves highlighting as an example of what's so very wrong today with so much social/political commentary. And DEI has only added to this problem (the 'cementing' of divisions Eric mentioned). But, when push comes to shove, this repeating of an untrue narrative to undermine meaningful corrections is not just a problem of your own making but one that guarantees a continuation of ongoing and deepening social division, rancor, and dysfunction for all of us... exactly what real enemies of liberal democracy everywhere find especially beneficial because it helps to tear down the west by doing their job for them... but from within (and so very full of self-anointed righteousness!). That's the effect of doing what you're doing and I think it's worth spotlighting about its caustic effects it has on everyone when practiced widely to suit a preferred narrative - in this case a replacement of the OP - for a few.
You don't examine the books by instantly and totally destroying institutions such as USAID. You don't just out of the blue drop research grant overhead components from up to 70% to just 15%. All of these things, perhaps commendable in the long run, should be done after negotiation and proper consideration of all aspects such as workers' rights, legally and after evaluating the consequences. It's no way to run a very large and complex country.
Take a knee, hands up don't shoot, BLM, mostly peaceful protest, Al Sharpton, Maxine Waters, lowest test scores in recorded history, weekly bloodbath in Chicago.
Tildeb.... I come here for intelligent exchange. Using words like "clueless" doesn't strike me as as terribly productive. I could have written an essay on the topic frankly.
Great essay! It reminds me of an encounter I had back in 2018 with an NDP candidate who told me MLK's famous line about character was no longer valid, that colour-blindness was itself racist. The NDP (and the Greens and many Liberals) still think like this, and in part explains their declining fortunes. This was when I became aware of how toxic much of woke thinking is. It was at the same time I was called a transphobe for defending the rights of disabled people to their own bathroom.
Jilani is totally correct in saying that much of DEI is supported by the private sector mostly because it distracts workers and society in general from the low wages and mediocre benefits so much of the population receives. Support for unrestricted immigration is also part of this bundle of class-war tactics. As is usual, we'll be 5-10 years behind the US in coming to the realization that change is necessary. Hopefully a new federal government will speed things along.
Outstanding essay, especially when the NET discussion is watched when you reach the link. I certainly hope that Canada takes similar steps to eliminate discriminatory DEI practices, while doing much more to improve the real living conditions and education of people who are not doing as well as others in society because of the conditions they are living under.
Yes, no matter how much money we give to Indigenous Reserves nothing changes. A BC chief wrote a book 15 years ago called "The Dependency Trap" talking about how Indian Affairs trapped his people in poverty. Interestingly, he compared "Trust Fund Babies" and Indigenous people by observing that their behavior was the same, just the Trust Fund Babies drank better alcohol.
As DEI and other progressive policies and practices have been pushed by corporations and institutions in Canada our standard of living has gone down. Decision makers in powerful positions in business and the government get to virtue signal and feel superior while the average person, from every race, struggles. The very real economic issues that should be addressed take a back seat to ideology. I, like so many others, have long admired Martin Luther King for his role in the civil rights movement. I had no idea that he was also focused on issues related to poverty, for all people, regardless of race. DEI, net zero, critical race theory etc. are luxury beliefs promoted by a group of people who are wealthy or secure enough to not be touched by the high cost of living. These ideologies distract them, and us, from addressing the very real costs of these policies as more and more Canadians take on more household debt, go to food banks and struggle to find a home they can afford.
On the one hand, spot on:
"Diversity politics has given them a way to painlessly massage the consciences of liberal America without upsetting the power structure at all."
On the other hand, I don't think Trump's actions will benefit the "left" because the more he tries to take DEI away the harder the "left" clings to it and fights to retain it. The same lack of reflection seen in Democratic post-election analysis of their loss to Trump, their inability or unwillingness to learn from their experience, applies here too. ("Left" in quotes because DEI is not really leftist.)
May I leave you with a song? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD_eZg70Ms0
My own reaction is to say to the Left, why were you not shutting down the NED 20 years ago? Why were you not demanding that your tax dollars not be used to support Color Revolutions 10 years ago? Why were you not demanding that DEI practices end 10 years ago?
For anyone who believes in "First Do No Harm" it should have been obvious that these ideas should not have been supported.
It is totally false to say that the uprisings in countries such as Ukraine and elsewhere were instigated by "your tax dollars" (perhaps you don't realise that this is a Canadian, not American, Substack account). They were inspired by the desire of local citizens for the democracy , prosperity and security offered by the European Union, seen by the US as a rival. Europeans such as Aleksander Kwaśniewski, Radosław Sikorski and Lech Kaczyński have been much more involved than Americans as intermediaries in Ukraine, Georgia and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, despite cellphone conversations between US diplomats intercepted by Russia.
First, I never said anything about Ukraine. However, my MP is very clear that he supports the war in Ukraine. He even sent his daughter over to Ukraine to help.
I'm so glad to hear that! I should note that the "Orange Revolution" was some 20 years ago... in 2014 it was the Revolution of Dignity. I was addressing the entirety of your comment, which implies disapproval of supporting the citizen revolts against autocracy and Russian influence in post-Soviet states, of which the Orange Revolution was the most significant. P.S.: What is "NED"?
National Endowment for Democracy, otherwise known as the CIA. It's mandate is Overthrowing governments the US does not like
If you don't even know what the NED is and what it does, maybe you shouldn't be so sure about the funding and support of the Color Revolutions.
Awesome song!🙏
Thank you for presenting this essay. I’m old enough to remember this message from the Department of Labour: Hire on the basis of merit. It was a typically, for the time, Canadian admonition to leave prejudice and nepotism out of the hiring process; in other words, be fair. Now, according to the man who’s been doing Prime Minister impressions for nine years, there is no Canadian identity. It makes his new Team Canada skit all the more ridiculous.
In the end - no "system" will overcome prejudice. It can only invite us to do so. Jesus of Nazareth knew this. So did Ghandi and so did MLK. I mention this bcz more concerning than the moves around DEI, which serve to cement racism in NA, is the rise of X'ian nationalism which seeks to redefine the imperative to "be my brother's keeper".
"X'ian nationalism" is a bit confusing... at first look-up I encountered Chiang Kai-Shek, then Xi Jinping, until realising you were alluding to a certain Chief Designer of rockets (not Korolev...) :-) . I would rather use the term "national populism", since Musk is merely exploiting it for his and his tech bros own ends, and it affects many countries other than the US. Particularly concerning is the involvement of American ideologs in the politics of other countries, especially in Europe. Musk and Vance have explicitly involved themselves in Germany and Romania, and I dread what they will do in the next four months in Poland, where I now live. A crucial presidential election will be held here at the end of May. It was unimaginable until months ago that the US and Russia would be meddling hand in hand in smaller countries' politics.
You are both fixated yet clueless about Musk (atheist). I say this because the previous comment never came near the role of Musk yet you presumed it somehow did (and are spouting nothing but a widely endorsed false narrative about him. The point was that prejudice was and remains a problem that the DEI 'system' is not dismantling but cementing. The author was smart enough to also mention that Christian Nationalism can be just as much a problem cementing prejudice.
I was being a bit facetious. What the heck is Musk, a Brunel/Ford/Kaiser/Korolev sort of engineering industrial visionary and manager, doing smashing institutions and supporting fascistic politicians with his fortune, even in countries not his own? The behaviour of Musk, Trump, Vance and the Trumpists is so far removed from the norms of the past 80 years that everybody is stunned and not knowing how to respond. The open embrace of corruption, violence and loathsome genocidal dictators is pure evil. Trump has exploited the public's justified disapproval of DEI and gender ideology to help him gain power and do stuff that exceeds all notions of reason and decency. And self-proclaiming Christians are cheering this on!
Stefan, what you call "smashing institutions" is seen by Arizona swing voters as doing a necessary and long overdue job of seeing where taxpayer's money is really going and letting the rest of us know. I notice you are relaying a very typical anti-Musk rhetorical narrative that has little bearing and even less critical thought on what's true regarding DEI - the actual subject of the post - so I'm commenting on it because it deserves highlighting as an example of what's so very wrong today with so much social/political commentary. And DEI has only added to this problem (the 'cementing' of divisions Eric mentioned). But, when push comes to shove, this repeating of an untrue narrative to undermine meaningful corrections is not just a problem of your own making but one that guarantees a continuation of ongoing and deepening social division, rancor, and dysfunction for all of us... exactly what real enemies of liberal democracy everywhere find especially beneficial because it helps to tear down the west by doing their job for them... but from within (and so very full of self-anointed righteousness!). That's the effect of doing what you're doing and I think it's worth spotlighting about its caustic effects it has on everyone when practiced widely to suit a preferred narrative - in this case a replacement of the OP - for a few.
You don't examine the books by instantly and totally destroying institutions such as USAID. You don't just out of the blue drop research grant overhead components from up to 70% to just 15%. All of these things, perhaps commendable in the long run, should be done after negotiation and proper consideration of all aspects such as workers' rights, legally and after evaluating the consequences. It's no way to run a very large and complex country.
I'm just here for the roast.
60 years, and about 20 trillion dollars later.
Take a knee, hands up don't shoot, BLM, mostly peaceful protest, Al Sharpton, Maxine Waters, lowest test scores in recorded history, weekly bloodbath in Chicago.
Tildeb.... I come here for intelligent exchange. Using words like "clueless" doesn't strike me as as terribly productive. I could have written an essay on the topic frankly.
Apologies, Eric. My reply was to Stefan and not you. I actually praised your comment.