Pardon the Interruption
A lot has changed since January 20th, the day of Donald Trump’s second inauguration. While many expected shifts in policy, the speed and trajectory of these changes have taken many by surprise. One of the first areas targeted was Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices within the federal government.
DEI is a framework designed to promote representation, fair treatment, and belonging for individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities. It has helped create opportunities in workplaces and communities where they were never guaranteed—benefiting people who are blind, deaf, or have other disabilities.
However, MAGA conservatives have been waging war against certain three-letter acronyms, including DEI, Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). Figures like Daniel Buck from the National Review have labeled SEL a “Trojan horse for progressive pieties in education.” Throughout the 2024 campaign, these acronyms were weaponized to stoke conservative outrage and mobilize voters.
As Jen Sorensen’s cartoon suggests, the attack doesn’t stop at three-letter acronyms. The recent addition of "A" for "Accessibility" (DEIA) underscores the importance of ensuring physical and digital spaces are inclusive for people with disabilities. But now, the Trump administration is rolling back accessibility protections. This raise questions about how Texas Governor Greg Abbott—who has used a wheelchair since an accident in his late 20s—feels about these attacks on disabled individuals.
As Sorensen highlights, the political weaponization of acronyms has eroded the effectiveness of words like "civil rights" and "equal rights." Perhaps, for MAGA conservatives, that was the goal all along.
Source:
https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/08/conservatives-are-right-to-be-skeptical-of-sel/
https://diversity.syracuse.edu/what-deia-is-and-why-it-should-matter-to-you
No comments:
Post a Comment