Calling bullshit on the Cheeto in Chief’s "Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping"11/1/2020 At a faculty meeting, when asked if the university would be fighting this, a member of the upper echelon of administration said that this order is “difficult to resist” because it’s “very cleverly construed.” He assured us that he was in conversation with other “peer institutions” about how best to respond. Then... he acknowledged that “power exists, and if we start losing grant funding….” “Oh for fucks sake are you kidding me?” I screamed (out loud, cause they muted us all so we couldn’t talk back). By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including [blah blah blah] in order to promote economy and efficiency in Federal contracting, to promote unity in the Federal workforce, and to combat offensive and anti-American race and sex stereotyping and scapegoating, it is hereby ordered as follows: ^^ Pretty sure the only thing sincere in this paragraph is the part about wanting to promote economy and efficiency. Settler colonial logics on bold display here. From the battlefield of Gettysburg to the bus boycott in Montgomery and the Selma-to-Montgomery marches, heroic Americans have valiantly risked their lives to ensure that their children would grow up in a Nation living out its creed, expressed in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” It was this belief in the inherent equality of every individual that inspired the Founding generation to risk their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to establish a new Nation.... President Abraham Lincoln understood that this belief is “the electric cord” that “links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving” people, no matter their race or country of origin. It is the belief that inspired the heroic black soldiers of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment to defend that same Union at great cost in the Civil War. And it is what inspired Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to dream that his children would one day “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” ^^ So much to bitch about here ^^ First, does anyone else hear the 1812 Overture being played by the West Point band when reading this? Ugh! Get out of my head, Tchaikovsky!! I think it’s important to note that whoever wrote it (not the trumpster fire, as evidenced by the complete sentences) only knows whatever pile of shit he* read in his* 8th grade social studies book. (I’m fairly certain it’s a he… Stephen Miller in the throes of COVID fever perhaps?) “The Civil War was a huge win for Black folks (the only folks mentioned herein) and Dr. King made everything wonderful.” Read a freakin book, asshole! Thanks to the courage and sacrifice of our forebears, America has made significant progress toward realization of our national creed, particularly in the 57 years since Dr. King shared his dream with the country. ^^ Prove it! I dare you!! Today, however, many people are pushing a different vision of America that is grounded in hierarchies based on collective social and political identities rather than in the inherent and equal dignity of every person as an individual. This ideology is rooted in the pernicious and false belief that America is an irredeemably racist and sexist country; that some people, simply on account of their race or sex, are oppressors; and that racial and sexual identities are more important than our common status as human beings and Americans. ^^ This is “cleverly construed” in the same way as Big Brother’s “war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength.” It makes no sense but it’s easier to go with it than to noodle it through. Anyone who’s read a book (and 1984 in particular) is not falling for this. Let’s just hope enough of us read it before the Common Core kicked in and whole books became beside the point. Crossing my fingers! This destructive ideology is grounded in misrepresentations of our country’s history and its role in the world. Although presented as new and revolutionary, they resurrect the discredited notions of the nineteenth century’s apologists for slavery who, like President Lincoln’s rival Stephen A. Douglas, maintained that our government “was made on the white basis” “by white men, for the benefit of white men.” Our Founding documents rejected these racialized views of America, which were soundly defeated on the blood-stained battlefields of the Civil War. Yet they are now being repackaged and sold as cutting-edge insights. They are designed to divide us and to prevent us from uniting as one people in pursuit of one common destiny for our great country. ^^ First, let me note the proper use of “its” in the first sentence, further proof that the only time the orange menace got his hands on this thing was when he attacked it with his sharpie. Second: Again with Lincoln? Are you calling those of us who want justice “apologists for slavery”? Um: NO. Saying that we are fans of Stephen Douglas? NO! Finally: Our founding documents were written by white folks for white folks. ...by white men for white men …for aristocratic white men for aristocratic white men. In this I agree with Douglas that the Constitution is an “aristocratic slavery document” (john a. powell) and didn’t even START getting good until the 13th Amendment and thanks to the goddess Ava DuVernay we all know where that’s gotten us. Here’s a cutting-edge insight for you: you need to shut up; go home cheeto, you’re drunk - we know that we can’t pursue a common destiny of justice without owning our own shit - individually, group-wise, and as a nation-state. Unfortunately, this malign ideology is now migrating from the fringes of American society and threatens to infect core institutions of our country. Instructors and materials teaching that men and members of certain races, as well as our most venerable institutions, are inherently sexist and racist are appearing in workplace diversity trainings [blah blah blah, “not all white men” etc.] ^^^ Oh, you can’t STAND it when we refuse to stay on the margins!! (pro tip: that’s where we get the word “marginalized” to describe how you treat everyone but the white rich guys) Training materials from Argonne National Laboratories, a Federal entity, stated that racism “is interwoven into every fabric of America” and described statements like “color blindness” and the “meritocracy” as “actions of bias.” ^^^ Rock the fuck on, Argonne National Laboratories! Materials from Sandia National Laboratories… for non-minority males... stated that an emphasis on “rationality over emotionality” was a characteristic of “white male[s],” and asked those present to “acknowledge” their “privilege” to each other. ^^^ I’m gonna push back a little (this is how polite people in committee meetings start off their “fuck no you did not just say that” statements) on your word choice here Drumpfy &Co: First: “Non-minority males” seriously what the fuck? Just be brave and say “white.” “Men.” Now put them together: “White Men.” Also: It is not that individual white males “emphasize” rationality over emotion - some do, some don’t. That would not be a problem except that white / male / settler colonial values do not just “emphasize” this (along with efficiency, ownership, violence, hierarchical ordering of people, things, etc etc etc), but our whole society holds these things above all the others - as the only way of thinking or of doing things. Anyone who doesn’t want to play by your bullshit made-up Calvin-ball rules is out of luck. We see you and we loathe you! A Smithsonian ... graphic recently claimed that concepts like “[o]bjective, rational linear thinking,” “[h]ard work” being “the key to success,” the “nuclear family,” and belief in a single god are not values that unite Americans of all races but are instead “aspects and assumptions of whiteness.” The museum also stated that “[f]acing your whiteness is hard and can result in feelings of guilt, sadness, confusion, defensiveness, or fear.” ^^^ Which Museum(s)? I need to know so I can send them a love letter. All of this is contrary to the fundamental premises underpinning our Republic: that all individuals are created equal and should be allowed an equal opportunity under the law to pursue happiness and prosper based on individual merit. ^^^ If we ever did live up our fundamental underpinnings we wouldn’t have to still be marching in the fucking streets to demand that the government stop killing Black and Brown people for fucks’ sake! [Agencies] should, of course, continue to foster environments devoid of hostility grounded in race, sex, and other federally protected characteristics. Training employees to create an inclusive workplace is appropriate and beneficial. The Federal Government is, and must always be, committed to the fair and equal treatment of all individuals before the law. ^^^ So… we “continue to foster [these kinds of] environments” by ignoring problems and not talking about the reality of our shared history. Because what? That’s worked so well up until now? Nope. But training like that discussed above perpetuates racial stereotypes and division and can use subtle coercive pressure to ensure conformity of viewpoint. Such ideas may be fashionable in the academy, but they have no place in programs and activities supported by Federal taxpayer dollars. Research also suggests that blame-focused diversity training reinforces biases and decreases opportunities for minorities. ^^^ Well you should know about subtle coercive pressure you bastards!! Thanks for calling the academy “fashionable.” It’s really not - ask anybody - oh wait you can’t ask because you can’t be seen talking with anyone “elite” (if by “elite” you mean has read a book in the last 10 years). I can’t go on…. But wait, there’s more!
For a rational adult’s analysis of the Executive Order and its (lack of) constitutionality: Link to entire text of EO.
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