It’s been obvious that the Trump-Musk coalition would see DEI as something to oppose, but the single-mindedness and vehemence with which they have attacked it have surprised me.

DEI – Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and we might add Accessibility – is the latest acronym for efforts to treat people decently. It’s important to say that explicitly. You have skills to bring to working with us? Welcome. What do we need to do to help you do the best job? That’s relative to employment. Hilzoy makes a more general argument.

Attacking DEI rallies conservatives and brands things that Musk-Trump don’t like. Thus USAID is DEI. DEI is a synonym for “woke” and less subject to parody. It is being used to negate the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the acceptance of people of color and women in positions of authority and perhaps the work force generally. Darren Beattie, the Trump administration’s choice for the top public diplomacy post at the State Department, has said “competent white men must be in charge.” Public diplomacy means the part of the State Department that deal with the media and universities.

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