DEI

 

        I just read a great article by a woman who wrote and tracked the government change in Turkey over ten years, and it weirdly brought me hope.

        She begins by asserting that the US will not collapse in four years. There are too many local government policies as well as ornery independent business owners for the collapse of democracy and rise of a dictatorship to happen that fast.

        However, her premise depends on Americans holding on, going deep into their communities and not giving up.

        This is where I became concerned.

        Already I've spoken to people who are exhausted by the waterfall of rescinded  rights and declarations of mass exporttions.

        As of today, 26 January, 538 arrests have been made nationwide.

        While this is double the usual number, it is not as alarming as the thousands promised on his first day in office.

        Already stories have surfaced of schools refusing entry to government officials. In this case in Chicago, it may have been a case of mistaken identity---the secret service claims it was them, not ICE at the building---but they were not allowed in and left.  ICE says it wasn't them, the Secret Service says it was Secret Service and the school mistook the ID's...when "Homeland Security" is on BOTH badges guys, the average American is not going to read the fine print.

        When ICE arrives in any school, they're going to have problems. First---go find a criminal, leave the kids alone. And Second---leave the kids alone. The suggestion is they would target an elementary because parents must arrive to get the kids home. Nice idea, but buses are a thing, and parents can easily have neighbors or other classmates' parents give their student a ride if they are not using the bus.

        DPS has  been vigilant in pushing out information in the "immigration tool kit" to all parents, students and teachers. The district's policies and student rights are clearly stated and communicated freely. Ours is one of two districts in Colorado stepping up in this way. Sadly, my old district (unnamed because you know) has chosen to remain silent and tell staff to "defer to admin". I'm saying, if ICE is in the office, admin is right there. However, based on my experience in A Building in That District, admin will either hide or happily comply by turning over kids. I wish I felt differently.

         Let's switch to rolling back DEI. As a female, I've likely been a DEI hire and I have something to say. DEI policies exist as legislation because people cannot behave in a fair and equitable manner. Businesses were not hiring outside of CIS white men, and were openly discriminatory. When it became clear that most of the population needed jobs, and could not find any due to this ridiculous Frat Boy Policy, equal rights had to be codified.

        Because white male humans are not, by nature, equitable.

        With the striking of DEI and Trump telling federal workers who are DEI hires to "find another job", we have a few problems.

        First, he's firing them because they were DEI hires. He did this after he essentially outlawed hiring these people by striking DEI policy. Where would he like them to find other jobs?

        Secondly, striking this policy has given bullies free reign to discriminate in any way they feel in their hiring and firing practices. This opens the door for more bullying when folks can't find jobs and lose their homes. These Neanderthals will celebrate the reigniting of the worst years in our country's existence and will happily don their pointy white hoods and begin again. 

        It will take no time--once they've ripped through immigrants, black folks, and LGBTQ ---to come after women. They think they "fixed it" by shifting abortion laws back to the states, but that only empowered the states on the right side of that choice to fight harder, while those on the wrong side weep and wonder why babies are being abandoned at an alarming rate in their cities. 

        Then it'll be our turn. They're poised to start with anyone declared "elderly", the swipe at that age group with cutting social security is the first strike. Then it'll be ageism, doing more than softly pushing us out of our jobs and becoming more deliberate, emboldened by their Felon Leader, and firing people without cause. 

        Then our daughters will struggle to get hired, since there is no DEI or any laws to see that they are treated equitably, they will be not be employable. And then, the Big Move, when all women are stripped of rights and the ability to work, we'll be told to go back to the kitchen and stay there, pregnant and silent.

        And that is where I've stopped breathing...and lost hope.

        The article swears he cannot do all of this in four years.

        But he's already campaigning for Dictator, so the four year limit brings little hope.