#they are refusing to eliminate their DEI programs

[cleoselene]

SPREAD IT FAR AND WIDE

Costco sells Plan B OTC and does not require you to have a membership to purchase it.

[obi-wokenobi]

Trump racist efforts to eliminate DEI (diversity initiatives) within the US government just resulted with innocent people dying.

According to recent reports, that plane/helicopter crash on January 29th, resulted from a staffing issue & the failure to follow safety measures.

There already existed a committee that oversaw air safety - the Aviation Security Advisory Committee. However on January 21st, Trump fired all the members of that committee. Arguing that it was a waste of resources. Which is funny because the fucker is now saying that the accident could've been prevented. If only he had not fired those in charge of preventing such accidents.

Also, on January 19th, Elon Musk had asked Trump to fire the director of the Federal Aviation Administration. Because said director demanded Musk's Space X to implement safety measures or else face a hefty fine. The director quit his post the next day, after being pressured to do so. To this day, the FAA does not have a director.

Speaking of the FAA, they had been having a shortage of critical air traffic controllers for years. And of course, Trump made that worse by issuing an anti-DEI executive order to halt recruitement programs that reached out to women and minorities. So now the FAA is limited to only hiring white, straight males.

Speaking of hiring straight white males, Trump appointed Sean Duffy, a former REALITY SHOW "celebrity", to be in charge of travel safety. Who is currently being blasted online for his incompetence and total lack of experience at the job.

I'm posting all of this here, not only because I usually tackle the issues related to DEI. But because the fucking mainstream media refuses to report on Trump's dangerous anti-DEI actions out of fear of facing any repercussions. We're like in freakin' Russia here. With the media being terrified to report facts less they get thrown out a window.

Their silence is complicit, tho. Because they're helping Trump carry out policies that have resulted in people losing their jobs, homes, and as we saw with the recent plane/helicopter crash, even losing their lives.

Anyway, its been less than a month since the orange turd became America's new tyrant. And the country is already fucked.

Have a good day!

[arinzeture]

Trump proposes a merit based system in racist white AmeriKKKa. In other words, Trump and his white supremacist supporters want to take this country back to an AmeriKKKa that existed prior to the Civil Rights Legislation that was passed in the 1960’s. What this means is that employers, banks, educational institutions, etc… can discriminate against you if you are Black by not hiring you for a job, by denying you a loan to start up a business, and by refusing to admit you into their schools NOT because you are less qualified than your white competition BUT BECAUSE of the COLOR of YOUR SKIN.

The yardstick of the merit system that Trump wants to impose on this country is based SOLELY on and nothing but WHITENESS.

To counter all of this hateful discrimination, as the Strong, Brilliant, and Resilient People that we are, we must boycott white institutions that have eliminated their DEI programs. We must Buy Black and support our own Black Businesses. We must unite and continue building our own social-economic-educational-political institutions so that we can operate independently of the white supremacist controlled systems of AmeriKKKa. We must support the unification and total liberation of the African continent.

We Got This!!!

Arinzechukwu Ture

Ready For Revolution

All Power To The People!

[eugenedebs1920]

The master class in deception begins and ends with the once “Grand Ol Party”. Today’s Republican Party has betrayed our veterans, our children, and the middle class in general. The so called “GOP” will decry patriotism while turning their back on those who fought for our freedoms. They will claim to support the troops while slashing funding and eliminating jobs at the veterans affairs. Heck! They even got rid of the veteran suicide hotline.

How is that patriotic!? How does that support the troops!? How does treating our men and women in uniform, who swore an oath to defend the Constitution, who risked their lives, left their families, who faced death in service of our nation, how does voting against their interests show a single ounce of respect to our country’s military members!?

EVERY SINGLE NAY VOTE FOR THE PACT ACT WAS A REPUBLICAN.

It’s not just veterans and service members that Republicans betray and lie to, they hold no regard for the average American. As Helene was forming in the Gulf of Mexico every nay vote to fund FEMA was a republican. Some being representatives from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, then they spread fake stories about Biden refusing aide! It’s mind blowing!!

Republicans voted against paid sick leave. They voted against guaranteed overtime pay. They voted against raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to an actual living wage. They voted for a bill to increase asbestos and other hazardous product levels in building materials. They voted for corporate tax cuts. For giving their constitutional power over taxes and tariffs to the executive branch. How is this the party of the working class!?

Today’s Republican Party is the enemy of the people. As maga goes around defiling our nations flag with superimposed pictures of trumps stupid orange face on it, cheering on the tyrant who is actively destroying our republic. All the while Republicans “leaders” cower in fear to speak out, afraid they might lose power through a primary challenge. The fecklessness is shameful. What happened to protecting the constitution, defending democracy, standing with your country, your constituents, your fellow Americans!?

While they stoke division through culture wars our rights and reputation slowly fizzles away. While the “GOP” and the right wing propaganda machine encourage hate, spread misinformation, blame Americas problems on trans people, gay people, DEI programs, radical left lunatics, it is them who undermine the very foundation this country is built upon.

Republican lawmakers don’t care about veterans. They don’t care about fiscal responsibility. They don’t care about the working class, the only thing of relevance to them retaining power, and supporting the corporations and wealthy donors who fund their campaigns and lavish lifestyle.

The left. Liberals. The Democratic Party. It may have its faults, but it stands with its military members, it sides with the working poor and middle class. I’d take a party that cares for Americans over oligarchs any day.



[justinspoliticalcorner]

Wajahat Ali at The Left Hook:

Elon Musk showed the world that buying the U.S. presidency only costs about $300 million. This is like shopping at The Dollar Store for the world’s richest man. I grudgingly tip my hat to Musk, an immigrant, who is an aficionado of Nazi salutes much like his Hitler-supporting grandparents who moved to South Africa because they were inspired by the Apartheid regime. Musk’s $290 million was a small risk with a massive return on investment. Money alone didn’t move the needle. He also bought Twitter at a loss so he could take over a major social media site and use it to promote misinformation, conspiracy theories, and platform white supremacists and hate-mongers like Tommy Robinson and Nick Fuentes.

He went all-in with Donald Trump after saying he wouldn’t donate to any candidate because he realized Trump is an unethical criminal who would treat the Oval Office like an ATM. It’s all quid pro quo. Donald has returned the favor by allowing Musk to roam free around Mar-a-Lago, join phone calls with world leaders, dine with tech billionaires who bent the knee, and he even publicly thanked him for helping with those “vote counting computers” in Pennsylvania. So far, whatever Musk wants, he gets. Musk decided to torpedo the bipartisan government spending deal via Twitter and Republicans almost shut down the government to appease him. Musk went all-in with H1B visas and referred to MAGA who criticized him as “contemptible fools” and “retards,” and Trump did a 180 on the issue and sided with him.

So, why be content with just the appetizers? Why not raid the fridge and grab everything, including the cake, the cookies, and all the crumbs? Musk has a voracious appetite and the United States of America as his “all you can eat” buffet. As Donald Trump yells at the clouds and threatens to make Canada the 51st state for balking at “the dumbest trade war in history,” Musk is busy gaining access to all of our financial data. On Friday, David Lebryk, a top civil servant at the Treasury Department, was pushed out of his job after he refused to give DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency headed by Musk, access to the system. Please note Musk is a private citizen and not a federal employee. We still don’t know the scope of DOGE’s role, its limits, its budget, its staff, or whether it will function as a department of the government or exist as an independent organization. What we do know is DOGE is behaving like a Trojan Horse and has allowed Elon Musk to gain access to the Treasury’s federal payment system, which includes every US taxpayer’s personal information. Through DOGE, Musk has promised to eliminate wasteful spending, which according to him includes ending DEI programs, “defanging” regulators like the Securities and Exchange Commission and FTC which have investigated his businesses, privatizing the US postal service, “deleting” the IRS, and ending remote work. However, he wants to improve defense spending, so he will continue receiving government subsidies for his SpaceX which will produce rockets that explode in the sky and give Americans the most expensive fireworks.

Another target on his chopping block is eliminating humanitarian spending. He’s accomplishing that goal by attacking USAID, which provides life-saving support to marginalized communities around the world. But to Musk, who loves the pro-Nazi AfD party, USAID is an “evil” and “criminal organization” that deserves to die. As of Sunday, USAID’s X account and website are no longer available. People around the world, such as children in Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine, will die as a result of this cruel, unnecessary action, but, hey, none of that matters to the “pro-life” MAGA movement. On Saturday night, two top security officials from the agency were put on leave because they refused officials from DOGE access to private systems. Thanks to Musk’s interference, the head of the FAA was also forced to resign, which led to the United States being without an FAA chief during a preventable and tragic airline collision in DC that claimed nearly 70 lives. Musk didn’t appreciate Starlink being fined in 2022 for violations of safety protocols.

In two weeks’ time, the Co-”Presidency” of Elon Musk and Donald Trump has destroyed everything that made America great, as the broligarchy has taken over and plundered everything in sight.

See Also:

Let's Address This (Qasim Rashid): MAGAs 7 Deadly Sins—So Far—And How to Fight Back

America, America (Steven Beschloss): Bullies, Criminals and the Fight for America

[mariacallous]

Brian Rosenberg, the former president of Macalester College and now a visiting professor of education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, wrote in an email to Inside Higher Ed that the letter was “truly dystopian” and, if enforced, would upend decades of established programs and initiatives to improve success and access for marginalized students.

“It goes well beyond the Supreme Court ruling on admissions and declares illegal a wide range of common practices,” he wrote. “In my career I’ve never seen language of this kind from any government agency in the United States.”

The Dear Colleague letter also seeks to close multiple exceptions and potential gaps left open by the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action and to lay the groundwork for investigating programs that “may appear neutral on their face” but that “a closer look reveals … are, in fact, motivated by racial considerations.”

...

The department has never revoked a college or state higher education agency’s federal funding over Title VI violations. If the OCR follows through on its promises, it would be an unprecedented exercise of federal influence over university activities.

The letter is likely to be challenged in court, but in the meantime it could have a ripple effect on colleges’ willingness to continue funding diversity programs and resources for underrepresented students.

Adam Harris, a senior fellow at the left-leaning think tank New America, is looking at how colleges responded to DEI and affirmative action orders in red states like Florida, Missouri, Ohio and Texas for clues as to how higher education institutions nationwide might react to the letter.

In Texas, colleges first renamed centers for marginalized students, then shuttered them after the state ordered it was not enough to comply with an anti-DEI law; they also froze or revised all race-based scholarships. In Missouri, after the attorney general issued an order saying the SFFA decision should apply to scholarships as well as admissions, the state university system systematically eliminated its race-conscious scholarships and cut ties with outside endowments that refused to change their eligibility requirements.

“We’ve already seen the ways institutions have acquiesced to demands in ways that even go past what they’ve been told to do by the courts,” Harris said.

Ed Department: DEI Violates Civil Rights Law

[marta-bee]

There's so much going on in the world just now, I want to do twice-a-week news story roundups. Here you go.

Immigration

DOJ orders investigation of local and state compliance with Trump immigration actions.

Afghan refugees approved for resettlement in US under Biden feel betrayed by Trump orders blocking their travel here.

Advocacy groups ordered to stop distributing aid to recent refugee arrivals. (RP)

Trump officials issue quotas to ICE officers to ramp up arrests (RP)

Trump issues 25% tariff against Columbia after Columbia refuses to accept plane of deportees. (RP)

Racism and DEI:

Trump eliminates help for Black and Latino communities hit hardest by pollution.

Trump orders DOJ to pause all civil rights actions, including investigations into state and local police. (RP)

Trump administration to start firing DEI staffers. He's since announced all federal DEI offices will be closed within the next 30 days.

Foreign Affairs

Sec. State Rubio discusses Taiwanese independence with Chinese counterpart.

Donald Trump addresses world leaders about economic issues at Davos.

Trump foreign aid freeze includes all funds for PEPFAR, a successful program fighting HIV/AIDS internationally. (RP)

Autocracy & Oligarchy

FCC reinstates complaints against ABC, CBS, and NBC for bias in election coverage. Biden FCC chair had rejected the complaint as an attempt to weaponize the FCC.

Trump defends decision to pull security details from first-term security advisors. (RP) Also Anthony Faucci and others.

'I am terrified': Workers describe dark mood inside federal agencies.

Gender & Abortion

Trump pardons anti-abortion activists arrested for blocking access to abortion clinics. (RP)

Trump re-instates Mexico City policy forbidding global aid recipients from talking to recipients about abortion.

JD Vance addresses anti-abortion rally, calls for baby boom. (.... Yeah.) (RP)

Anti-abortion activists emboldened by recent executive orders, presidential actions. (RP) A good discussion of what the anti-abortion side hopes to accomplish under Trump.

Congress's first transgender member, Sarah McBride, faces anti-trans pushback. (RP)

[reading-writing-revolution]

Week 17 - The Return

Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you'll remember.

I asked ChatGPT to take all the items in this week's list and sort them into one of three categories -- Fraud, Waste or Abuse. Since that's the reason given that Trump is dismantling everything, I thought we should use that context -- themes -- to help readers understand what is happening. Here are the results -- sorry if this is really long:

Here is a categorization of the actions under Fraud, Waste and Abuse, as defined:

---

FRAUD (Policies that deceive the public or enable corruption)

- Trump delivering misleading, campaign-style speech at DOJ, calling for jailing opponents.

- Executive orders targeting law firms like Perkins Coie and Paul Weiss for their work.

- EEOC targeting DEI programs under the guise of rooting out “discrimination.”

- Demotion of IRS chief counsel to allow Musk’s DOGE access to sensitive tax data.

- Reassignment of FBI background checks to Pentagon to reduce oversight.

- Use of Project Veritas video to justify pulling $14B in EPA grants.

- Suppression and manipulation of USAID, EPA, and foreign aid systems to favor Trump/Musk allies.

- Firing of FTC commissioners without cause, contrary to precedent.

- Ferguson making unilateral FTC decisions after stacking the commission.

- Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac nominee ousting 14 board members with no explanation.

- Promotion of IRS agents tied to House GOP impeachment attempts.

- Secretive dismantling of Ukraine child-abduction tracker program.

- Disinformation regarding autopen voiding Biden’s pardons.

- Alleged attempt to involve Trump family in Binance, which is seeking a pardon.

- Executive order to dismantle federal agencies, including watchdog and equity-focused ones.

- Misuse of executive power to attempt to deport lawfully present individuals without due process.

- DOJ filing to remove judge overseeing constitutional violation, refusing to attend court hearings.

- DOGE reconstructing website to obscure canceled contract details.

---

WASTE (Reckless destruction of necessary government functions and resources)

- Congress ceding budget and tariff authority to Trump, reducing oversight.

- Canceling programs and grants already appropriated by Congress.

- Firing thousands of federal workers, including scientists, educators, and civil servants.

- Elimination of EPA science office and rollback of environmental regulations.

- Halting USAID programs impacting public health and research institutions (e.g., Johns Hopkins).

- Dismantling Food Division at FDA and shuttering infant formula safety committees.

- Cutting staff at National Nuclear Security Administration during peak strategic need.

- Dismantling Radio Free Europe and Voice of America without lawful process.

- Canceling grants to Columbia and other schools unless they change policy on protests.

- Pulling student loan repayment options; firing 1,300 Education Department employees.

- Executive orders to abolish national monuments and dissolve protective orders.

- Demanding remote workers return while cutting building leases, harming SSA and public services.

- Attempting to shift FEMA responsibilities to underfunded local governments.

- Halting FBI background checks and replacing with minimal Pentagon vetting.

- Reassignment of disaster preparation roles away from federal structure.

- Starlink systems routed through White House/GSA data centers without full oversight.

- Executive order targeting DEI in Foreign Service and ordering retaliatory action.

- UCLA issuing “recession watch” as economic instability worsens due to tariffs and chaos.

- Calls to annex Greenland and deploy troops to Panama with unclear planning or necessity.

---

ABUSE (Policies designed to harm, distress, or instill fear)

- Threats to imprison political opponents; labeling DOJ officials “corrupt.”

- Attacks on judges, including demands for impeachment and incitement of harassment.

- Firing Shelly Lowe, Native American NEH head, without cause.

- Strip searches and restraint chairs used on migrants.

- Deportation threats and defiance of court orders (e.g., Khalil case).

- Advising foreign students not to publish views due to risk of deportation.

- Detention of visa holders (e.g., Dr. Alawieh, Jasmine Mooney) without clear cause.

- Use of Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans, many with no criminal record.

- Deporting individuals despite federal judge’s orders to halt.

- Defaming Judge Boasberg and threatening judicial independence.

- Expelling South Africa's ambassador over political criticism.

- Scrubbing DEI references from Arlington National Cemetery site.

- Ending gender-affirming care for veterans.

- AG Bondi labeling anti-Tesla vandalism “domestic terrorism” without due process.

- Spreading vaccine misinformation and suggesting bird flu be allowed to spread.

- Executing sweeping layoffs without evaluating performance or public service needs.

- Erasing public messaging promoting science and figures like Fauci.

- Blocking transgender military service via executive order.

- Intimidation of lawyers and law firms defending opposition interests.

- Labeling mainstream news (VOA, AP, Reuters) as “propaganda” to justify shutdowns.

- Forcing mass employee reassignments to distant offices.

- ICE intimidation tactics targeting peaceful protestors and legal residents.

- Doge staff forcibly entering U.S. Institute of Peace office.

- DOJ and ICE citing “lack of information” as reason for detaining individuals.

[ravagedromance]

Analyzing the Larger Significance of Muldrow v. City of St. Louis: Considering White Employees and Workplace Dynamics

Sergeant Jatonya Muldrow filed a lawsuit against her employer after being transferred from an intelligence position to an administrative one, arguing that the decision reflected discriminatory intent. She claimed that while there were no immediate financial or rank-related consequences following this move, it represented a major negative change in her professional life and career trajectory. The Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of Muldrow constitutes a reinterpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which states that even without demotion or pay cut backs discrimination can still occur under traditional views where those acts manifest themselves; thereby extending its broader implications throughout various social, psychological, economic and political spheres.

 Detailed Case Analysis

This case brings attention to how difficult workplace discrimination can be understood especially what qualifies as an adverse action. Before this judgement courts required employees seeking relief from employment discrimination claims to show that their working conditions had changed for the worse in some tangible way or there was “severe alteration” said Justice Kennedy writing on behalf of himself along with Justices O’Connor, Souter and Ginsburg. But the supreme court has now recognized that subtle alterations may also amount to unlawful treatment if they could hurt employee’s status quo negatively affects feelings about inclusion fairness equity among other things.

 Psychological and Cultural Impacts

The ruling deals directly with mental health issues brought by perceived unfairness at work places; for instance had it been another person such as Muldrow might have felt demoted her sense worth affecting morale creating hostile environment thus leading us into understanding ‘hostile work environment’ more clearly than before through those softer forms shown above Even though these changes did not affect pay rate official status within company itself could still decrease self esteem regarding professionality which may have influenced growth perception due to any institution refusing equal treatment rights towards them because she is a woman of African American descent.

On another level, this decision could have widespread effects on corporate cultures. Organizations may have to become more self-aware and take active steps towards identifying and eliminating not only overt but also subtle forms of discrimination which might require them to be reevaluating how they assign roles or handle promotions so as ensure such processes are objective free from biasness while fostering inclusivity respect among all staff members regardless their race gender age etcetera.

 Socio-Economic and Political Implications

In terms of economy, businesses will now need to invest heavily in training programs for their employees perhaps even beef up HR departments charged with ensuring compliance at workplace; this is aimed at creating an environment where every worker can realize his full potential thereby leading higher job satisfaction levels staff retention rates well being productivity growth.

Amongst other things, this ruling also affects white workers as well as the political setting of employment law. For white employees, this case reinforces the importance of comprehending DEI initiatives and working with them too; fair treatment helps in creating a just working environment for all people. Politically speaking, this verdict could have an impact on future legislative or judiciary steps concerning work and discrimination laws. It establishes a precedent that validates subtle forms of prejudice which can be experienced by anyone thereby opening doors to wider protection against various kinds of bias based not only on gender and race but also possibly other factors. The Supreme Court’s decision in Muldrow v City of St Louis redefines interpretation under Title VII Civil Rights Act thereby expanding what is considered as workplace discrimination. The judgement highlights that it is not necessary for bias to show up through explicit demotions or pay cuts but may include less noticeable yet significant changes in duties performed at work or status within the company due to discriminatory intentions.

To encourage deeper involvement with workplace diversity equity & inclusion programs among white staffs; this means they should take time reflecting over their own hidden biases while also considering structural inequalities present in organizations where they are employed. This can be achieved through offering more advanced trainings targeting reduction of unconscious prejudices among employees who are racially different from each other hence realizing those many subtle types which colleagues might face even without knowing about them thus fostering empathy within such places leading to better relations among members irrespective of rank held.

Additionally, the decision challenges existing norms within organisations by fostering a cultural shift towards fairness. When all members feel respected & valued because new standards were set after this ruling was made; there will likely be higher levels of collaboration between teams thus making them work closely together than before since every person’s ideas count equally now more so than ever before due to diverse backgrounds being recognized equally within these institutions post the court’s pronouncement regarding what constitutes unlawful differentiation grounded upon race and sex etcetera. What is more, it may also influence professional growth opportunities so that promotions are done based on merit and free from favouritism or discrimination against any particular group of people; this could result into creation of an environment where everyone’s abilities can be fully utilized thus optimizing work performance.

Even further, the decision sets forth a broad legal as well as ethical awareness which in turn underscores every employee’s duty to engage only with legally compliant & morally upright practices. This creates not only compliance-driven workplaces but also moral-intensive corporate cultures too; both being essential for sustained success within any organization regardless of its nature.

The supreme court has just made a decision that makes it easier for employees to sue their employers over discrimination. Before this ruling, people had to prove that something really bad happened as a result of their boss being biased against them — like getting paid less or demoted. Now if you can show even small changes in your work duties were because someone didn’t like who you are (and they have a reason), then that’s enough. This means lots more lawsuits will probably be filed claiming company X discriminated against staff member Y on basis Z when transferring them between jobs because now any complaint could count.

Effects on DEI Initiatives and Broader Societal Impacts

DEI initiatives within organizations may need to be reworked after the Supreme Court extended their interpretation of Title VII. Now all businesses are required not only avoid doing anything prejudiced but also make sure it doesn’t look that way too when moving employees around different roles. This might mean having longer courses or changing policies so everyone knows what is fair treatment under various circumstances.

For Caucasian workers and other groups affected by this judgement, it emphasizes the importance of workplaces where decisions about promotions etc happen fairly based on who deserves them most not race/sex etc factors . They should also consider how they implement diversity programs so as not create hidden biases which could be seen as unfair under new “lower” standard set by Title Seven less strictness.

Conclusion

This case sets new standards for job transfers under title seven of civil rights act 1964 effectively written by Muldrow v City Of St Louis law suit . By taking into account even slight alterations in duties performed at work place coupled with reasons which can be connected with such changes , court has lowered bar discrimination claims level hence giving more teeth to the protection offered under seventh chapter litigatorship. The broader effect therefore is that many employers will now find themselves facing increased numbers 0f complaints alleging employee X was moved from position Y because organization Z did not like A’s B.

The decision in Muldrow v. City of St Louis has far reaching implications not only for employment law but across multiple disciplines including psychology, sociology, and political science among others. In what could be described as a landmark ruling by the highest court of the land on matters related to Title VII discrimination cases arising from transfers workers make between jobs; this judgement expands our understanding about what actually constitutes acts or omissions amounting to unfair treatment at workplace which can easily fall within purview 0f anti-discrimination legislations such as those provided under civil rights act 1964 especially section seven thereof. It does so by emphasizing that besides looking at overt acts indicative of bias against an individual based on his or her protected characteristic/s one must also take into account covert actions indicative of animus towards same persons because such steps create equitable environment where everybody feels safe guarded against prejudice regardless their gender identity expression sexual orientation race color religion age national origin disability status etcetera.

The recent Supreme Court decision in Muldrow v. City Of St Louis represents a significant shift in the interpretation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, particularly concerning the standards required to prove discrimination in the context of job transfers. This analysis explores the judicial reasoning behind the decision, its implications for employment law, and its broader effects on society, including impacts on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and specific demographic groups such as white employees.

Reference List

Supreme Court of the United States. (2024). Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, Missouri, et al. No. 22-193. Retrieved from https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/22-193_q86b.pdf

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP. (2024, April 17). Supreme Court Holds That A Title VII Plaintiff Challenging A Work Transfer Need Not Show “Significant” Harm. Retrieved from https://www.gibsondunn.com/supreme-court-holds-that-a-title-vii-plaintiff-challenging-a-work-transfer-need-not-show-significant-harm/

[insightdaily]

California defies Trump order to certify that all school districts have eliminated DEI

On Friday, California refused to comply with a Trump administration directive demanding certification that the state’s 1,000 school districts have dismantled all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The federal government had warned that failure to comply could result in the loss of billions in education funding.

The U.S. Department of Education set an April 24 deadline for states to confirm that each school district has removed DEI programs, arguing these initiatives amount to race-based discrimination and violate civil rights laws.

However, in a letter to district leaders, the California Department of Education defended the legality of DEI, stating there is no law prohibiting the use of the terms “diversity,” “equity,” or “inclusion.” “There is nothing in state or federal law … that outlaws the broad concepts of 'diversity,' 'equity,' or 'inclusion,’” wrote Chief Deputy Superintendent David Schapira.

[theprwriter]

How Trump's Executive Orders Ending DEI Could Reshape Real Estate Strategies

President Donald Trump’s planned executive orders to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the military and reinstate troops discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations have sparked widespread discussion. The measures, which aim to dismantle DEI efforts within federal institutions, have the potential to ripple across industries, including real estate. What do these…

[bllsbailey]

How to Hurt Your Business: Have Rev. Al Sharpton Show Up, As Costco May Be About to Find Out the Hard Way

Costco is trying to swim against the current lately. As Trump tells the divisive and counterproductive Diversity, Equity and Inclusion movement to take a hike and get out of the federal government, and while major companies including Walmart, Meta, Boeing, Ford, John Deere, and more have also eliminated or scaled back their DEI programs under pressure from activists like Robby Starbuck, retail giant Costco is standing firm and refusing to let go of the controversial ideology. 

It’s a mistake that may just cost them, just as similar woke moves thrashed Target and Bud Light in recent years.

And they now have an ally in the “fight,” but he’s one many people won't like (with very, very good reason). Lo and behold, the Rev. Al Sharpton showed up at a Harlem location Sunday with a bunch of his cohorts:

The controversial civil right activist led 100 members of his National Action Network through the Harlem Costco to spend their money in a show of gratitude for the decision. 'Leading a buy-in with 100+ @NationalAction members at the @Costco location in Harlem, NYC to show support for the company's strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI),' Rev. Sharpton said in a post on X.  Sharpton revealed in a speech outside the store that he'd bought 100 $25 gift vouchers for each buy in participant to spend inside.  'We’re going shopping at Costco because they’ve stood with us. People that stand with us, we will stand with them,' he said. 

Watch:

AL SHARPTON: Costco said they will not back off DEI. Today, we are going shopping at Costco, because they have stood with us. People that don't stand with us - we will boycott them. We will not pay them anything.pic.twitter.com/o0nHSy5iDG— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 26, 2025

Costco, however, may wish he hadn’t made the appearance, because the online backlash has been brutal, including from Starbuck himself:

It's time to move on:

Anti-DEI Warrior Robby Starbuck Notches Another Victory—Nation's Largest Retailer Dials Back

Mcdonald's Becomes Latest Corporation to Walk Away From Woke

Will consumers make them pay?

— Karen Kennedy (@realkarenjean) January 26, 2025

Nothing would make me cancel my Costco membership faster than trying to get my shopping done and having this walk in the door…pic.twitter.com/WUi3UhrffK— Big Tom Callahan🇺🇸 (@CallahanAutoCo) January 26, 2025

Sharpton’s despicable past antics—see especially: Tawana Brawley—and his never-ending race-hustling make him an extremely polarizing figure (which is why he’s mostly relegated to that home of the America-hating loons, MSNBC).

Costco may just end up wishing he didn't show up to give out free samples of his alienating rhetoric.

[lololollywrites]

update - the meeting just ended.

unfortunately on the agenda (we only have until march 1 to comply):

-eliminate student affinity group organizations, identity clubs, gay/straight alliance, etc.

-all historic language on our website and programs needs to be changed (center for inclusion – firing staff?)

-canceling an event on women’s leadership in education so we don’t draw too much attention

-deleting our recently-awarded status as an hispanic-serving institution (which our president is nervous about because there is news coverage)

-do we still have academic freedom? unclear, but hopefully we still do (otherwise, many in-process doctoral dissertations will need to be canceled or not published so as not to draw attention to us – NOT YET; we have to assume this is only front-facing programming)

-the DOE could refuse aid to students attending our university if we’re found not to be in compliance, but this is all very embedded in our history and programming and will be extremely difficult

-we need to reword certain courses in the catalog to avoid eliminating them (including some in my program).

-there is the expectation that we will be flagged at least once.

-increased confusion because our state's accreditation policies require dei/culturally responsive measures

our president: “there will be institutions that don’t survive this."

currently in an emergency online faculty meeting led by the hispanic president of my very culturally responsive and diverse university - officially an HSI (hispanic-serving institution) - to discuss how we can comply with the "dear colleague letter" that requires us to eliminate the following words from our website and all programming or we lose our funding, access to student aid/grants, and therefore close:

diversity, equity, inclusion (as dei and each word separately)

feminism

gender

sexuality

pronouns

equality

equity

privilege

anti-racism (and racism)

anti-bias (and bias)

identity

...and i'm sure there are some words i'm forgetting. everyone is stunned. we have no idea what to do. we have an office for diversity, equity, and inclusion - no idea if its employees will need to be fired. i teach in the TESOL department, which means i train teachers to work with immigrant multilingual learners in k-12 schools; my entire research interest is culturally responsive practice.

there may be no other option for me but to leave the country before i lose my employment, but that feels like defeat. i earned two bachelor's degrees, a master's, and a phd to become a professor. i'm so defeated.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Reuters, via The Guardian:

Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders on Monday that remove diversity, equity and inclusion from the US military, reinstate thousands of troops who were kicked out for refusing Covid-19 vaccines during the pandemic, and one that appeared to be aimed at transgender troops. Earlier on Monday, Pete Hegseth, who narrowly secured enough votes to become defense secretary, referred to the names of Confederate generals that were once used for two key bases during his remarks to reporters as he entered the Pentagon on his first full day on the job. Trump signed the executive orders while flying back from Miami to Washington. One of the executive orders signed by Trump was titled eliminating “gender radicalism in the military”. [...] Hegseth, who has promised to bring major changes to the Pentagon, has made eliminating DEI from the military a top priority. The air force said on Sunday that it will resume instruction of trainees using a video about the first Black airmen in the US military, known as the Tuskegee airmen, which has passed review to ensure compliance with Trump’s ban on DEI initiatives.

[...] Trump also signed an executive order that “mandated a process to develop an ‘American Iron Dome’”.

Last night, Trump signed executive orders eliminating DEI programs and reinstated soldiers who got discharged for refusing to get the COVID vaccine with back pay and rank reinstation.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Steven Beschloss at America, America:

I talk a lot about the need to speak out. This emanates from my belief that it’s critical that in confronting this hostile, anti-democratic regime we don’t lose sight of what’s true and false, what’s right and wrong. I worry that as the propaganda intensifies and the public is denied the truth, our capacity to grasp reality will get harder and harder. It’s alarming to see how quickly and energetically Donald Trump and his enablers are attacking free speech and working to silence dissent. Sometimes their intent is obvious, but other times they are using hot-button issues as subterfuge to misdirect the public. Let’s look at a handful of their actions to see how they are part of the same hateful plot against free speech. Press Corps Manipulation: The renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America at first appeared mostly laughable. But apart from Trump’s obvious imperialist ambitions, it soon became clear that he would target journalists and media organizations that refuse to consent to his desire. Sadly, Google quickly assented to the name change on its Google Maps, but the Associated Press was among the media companies that has stood by the Gulf of Mexico. Trump responded by banning AP reporters from White House press briefings, leading the AP to file suit against the administration. In its 18-page complaint, the AP said it was suing “to vindicate its rights to the editorial independence guaranteed by the United States Constitution and to prevent the executive branch from coercing journalists to report the news using only government-approved language.” But note that this preceded Trump’s plan to remake the White House press pool with a thicket of toadies—stripping away the traditional commitment to the major news outlets there to represent a democratic public’s concerns—to make room for media people chosen by Trump’s press operatives and serve his interests. (“We reserve the right to decide who gets to go into the Oval Office,” Trump’s sycophantic press secretary and propagandist Karoline Leavitt said.)

[...]

Eliminating Words: But these attacks on the press only begin to illustrate the assault on free speech and the First Amendment. Of course, Trump’s gaslighting in a day-one executive order said the opposite: “Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society.” In fact, a series of Trump executive orders made clear that his regime would be ending programs and policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), as well as changing and deleting words on government websites that demonstrated the federal government’s commitment to DEI. While it’s the prerogative of any administration to make changes to highlight its priorities, the scale and speed of the effort to eradicate both the programs and the words that address DEI is chilling. A new report by The New York Times identified hundreds of words that had been deleted or amended on hundreds of federal government websites, as well as others flagged for review in order to target grants, contracts and other government projects. As you might expect, that includes words related to diversity (such as diverse, diversify, diverse communities, diverse groups, bias, cultural identity), equity (equality, equal opportunity, equitable) and inclusion (inclusivity, inclusive leadership, belong, sense of belonging, marginalized), it also includes almost anything you can think of related to race (racial justice, racism, racial inequality, antiracist, Black, Latinx, hispanic minority, Native American, indigenous community, segregation, systemic) and sexual or gender identity (biologically female, sexual preferences, transgender, trans, LGBTQ, they/them, feminism, gender, orientation, even pregnant person). And anything that even hints at prejudice, bigotry or their impact? Not in Trump’s America. Out goes all references to bias, hate speech, marginalized, stereotype, underrepresented, underprivileged, underserved, vulnerable populations, even victims and trauma. In other words, out goes understanding and knowledge, in comes ignorance and hate. Canceling Town Halls: Republican leaders have also grasped that they can advance their agenda by refusing to engage with their constituents, a growing number of whom reject their policies. Trump activated the efforts to suppress growing criticism by lying in a Truth Social post last week that the town hall protests are the work of “paid troublemakers.” The chair of the GOP’s campaign arm, North Carolina Rep. Richard Hudson, then privately urged House Republicans to stop holding in-person town halls. House Speaker Mike Johnson continued the evidence-free lie after the GOP meeting, telling reporters, “There are people who do this as a profession, they're professional protesters.” And, he added, it’s best not to “play into that.”

[...]

Slashing University Funding: On Friday, the Trump regime announced that it was canceling $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University, claiming the school failed to protect Jewish students from antisemitism and other harassment. This came on the heels of Trump posting last week that they would “STOP” federal funding to any school that “allows illegal protests.” There is a legitimate conversation to be had about whether Columbia and other colleges found the right balance between protecting students from harassment and ensuring the free-speech rights of pro-Palestine protestors. But note how Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., got in on the act by saying in a press release that “censorship and false narratives of woke cancel culture have transformed our great universities into greenhouses for this deadly and virulent pestilence.” Do you really believe that Trump and RFK are so concerned about the real issue of rising antisemitism? Or is this simply part of the strategy to target higher education, chill speech and silence dissent? This comes on top of the aggressive pressure for colleges and universities to end programs and research projects addressing DEI.

Steven Beschloss wrote an excellent column detailing the various attacks on the freedom of speech under the Trump regime, even as 47 delusionally claims to stand for "protecting free speech.”

[theprwriter]

How Trump's Executive Orders Ending DEI Could Reshape Real Estate Strategies

President Donald Trump’s planned executive orders to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the military and reinstate troops discharged for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations have sparked widespread discussion. The measures, which aim to dismantle DEI efforts within federal institutions, have the potential to ripple across industries, including real estate. What do these…