The Daily Populous Friday February 7th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by huffpost.com and submitted by zsreport

In a recent interview on CNN’s “Laura Coates Live,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett once again addressed President Donald Trump’s attack on diversity, equity and inclusion, and it’s got many of us nodding vigorously in agreement.

For those who missed it: Crockett asserted that the only people supportive of the dismantling of DEI are those who benefit greatly from failing forward — for example, conveniently enough, the president himself.

“Coddling for the white boys is what’s happening right now,” said Crockett during the interview, not mincing words while responding to the recent appointment of former speech writer and apparent conspiracy theorist Darren Beattie to a top State Department role. Beattie was terminated from his role as Trump’s speechwriter due to his attendance at a meeting attended by white nationalists.

“Listen, if you are competent, you are not concerned,” said Crockett, adding that “mediocre white boys” are the only people attacking DEI initiatives because they “have been beaten out by people that historically have had to work so, so much harder.”

On X, formerly Twitter, droves of comments about a video clip of the interview called to silence Crockett in Congress and suggested that dismantling DEI allows for “merit-based” opportunity — which is exactly what DEI aims to improve — and the good ol’ bootstrap mentality. The reality is that Crockett’s sentiment struck a nerve not just because of the spiciness of her delivery but because of the truth of her words. And we need not look any further than the Oval Office for evidence.

We’ve watched Trump fail forward for years, partially by tricking millions of voters into believing that certain structurally marginalized people are the reason for America’s downfall. He is our most salient example of a white man unfit for the presidency. Yet here he is, in his second term, and this time sliding other unfit men into positions of authority to make significant cuts to federal funding.

Last October, The New York Times released an article that explored why white men without degrees have “fallen behind” in leading the country’s economy. In 1980, the income of a white man without a degree was 7% higher than the average worker. In the last 40 years, it has declined significantly, and that is likely due to the shift in an economy from manufacturing (which white men dominated thanks to discriminatory labor practices) to one based on services and knowledge. The manufacturing economy provided a cushion for white men that guaranteed them success, even if they weren’t the most ambitious. In the time it took for our economy to evolve, other marginalized groups managed to adapt, working hard to earn degrees and positioning ourselves to excel in constantly evolving economies.

Ultimately, the circumstances created by racism and discrimination led many marginalized people to reject mediocrity because mediocrity is not an option for us. This is why we now have data that shows Black women, one of the most marginalized groups in this country, outpace other groups when it comes to earning postsecondary degrees. We cannot afford to sit back and hope the odds become flipped in our favor.

Salty reactions to Crockett’s sentiments reveal how those who oppose DEI don’t want to have to be competent in order to get hired or promoted. Their problem is not with DEI itself, it is in their comfort in being rewarded for simply taking up space.

TubbyPiglet on February 7th, 2025 at 14:06 UTC »

When trump and maga people hear “if you’re competent/qualified, you have nothing to worry about”, they hear alarm bells. Because they said that for decades, but never meant it. Republicans and anti-affirmation action, anti-DEI people, pushed this idea of meritocracy, when they were just using it as a cover to get away with biased hiring practices.

So when they hear Crocker or anyone else on the Dem/left side saying it, they think it’s going to mean what they meant.

Pure projection.

SquiffyRae on February 7th, 2025 at 13:48 UTC »

That's what all this culture war, anti-DEI, anti-"woke" shit is. Straight white men not liking that they can't succeed by merely existing.

People of colour having protection threatens them. If you have incentives to overcome potential biases in hiring, they then have to compete on a more even playing field for jobs. Suddenly they can't be mediocre and still get the best jobs.

Women is the huge one though. And not just in the workplace. Everything conservatives are going after right now - abortion rights, ending no-fault divorce, women in the workplace, even OSHA which covers things like harassment - it's about asserting control over women. Because if there's one thing women have realised in the last 60-70 years, it's that they don't need mediocre men. Being financially independent and less societal pressure to be shackled to the first man that shows interest in them means men have to actually put in some effort. And they hate that.

That's also why this far-right bullshit appeals to incels and the "tradwife" movement. They love the idea of a bunch of Christofascists taking over and imposing Biblical morality back on everyone. Because literally the only way a woman might look twice at them is if society goes back to the 1950s where they can't be financially independent.

It's actually bonkers that American society is being dismantled by a bunch of rich, Christian nutjobs with the help of a bunch of mediocre white guys who would rather destroy society than put in a tiny bit of effort to make themselves stand out

zsreport on February 7th, 2025 at 13:36 UTC »

A bit from the piece:

> Crockett asserted that the only people supportive of the dismantling of DEI are those who benefit greatly from failing forward — for example, conveniently enough, the president himself.

> “Coddling for the white boys is what’s happening right now,” said Crockett during the interview, not mincing words while responding to the recent appointment of former speech writer and apparent conspiracy theorist Darren Beattie to a top State Department role. Beattie was terminated from his role as Trump’s speechwriter due to his attendance at a meeting attended by white nationalists.

> “Listen, if you are competent, you are not concerned,” said Crockett, adding that “mediocre white boys” are the only people attacking DEI initiatives because they “have been beaten out by people that historically have had to work so, so much harder.”