No need to call them racists
You also might find yourself weary of dear friends and family members feeling attacked or defensive or hostile at the mere mention of racist language or behavior by anyone, in any context, no matter how far removed from themselves or their own language or behavior.
This can make it difficult to talk about the language or behavior of those now controlling America’s federal government, and their attempts to eradicate investments in “DEI” or “DEIA” (from both the public sector and from private companies who might make these investments in time, effort, and money of their own choosing*).
One way to potentially change the conversation is to understand that in the minds of this new ruling class, “DEI” is a synonym for “desegregation”. That questions raised about the overrepresentation of (cis, straight, and non-disabled) white men in any public or private space are understood by these men as one of the great injustices of the 20th century.
Trump’s war on D.E.I. is a war on the civil rights era itself, an attempt to turn back the clock on equal rights. Working under the guise of fairness and meritocracy, Trump and his allies want to restore a world where the first and most important qualification for any job of note was whether you were white and male, where merit is a product of your identity and not of your ability. As is true in so many other areas, the right’s accusation that diversity means unfair preferences masks a confession of its own intentions. —Jamelle Bouie (gift link)
These men are working to roll back any and all policies aimed at remedying or rebalancing historical hierarchies and injustices*.
We can observe this language, behavior, and policy, and we can call it what it is.
Any official, including the president, who chooses to blame everything from plane crashes to wildfires on non-White, non-male people should be asked whether they believe that desegregation is to blame. Whether they believe resegregation is the answer. We need to bring back the language that describes what is actually happening. —Karen Attiah (gift link)
They are working to remove women, Black and brown people, non-Christians, the disabled, and the gender non-conforming from access to power, wealth, voice, and visibility in both public and private spaces.
History will know them as segregationists. We can understand them as such today.
*Good on you, Costco.*
**(Although they are offering asylum in the US to “dispossessed” white South Africans.)
One @#$%ing thing
I gave almost no money at all to victims of the L.A. Wildfires to gain virtual access to a live reading of The Muppet Movie script, by some incredible performers: Marc Evan Jackson as Kermit, Paul F. Tompkins as Fozzie, The Off Book crew as Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and a ton of Dropout.tv cast members. Nina West’s note-perfect Miss Piggy and Bobby Moynihan’s demented Doc Hopper are more than worth the price of admission.
Tickets might still be available, if you are seeking a dose of joy and delight.
All the @#$%ing things
Night 39: Donated to a non-profit disaster alert service
Night 38: Removed Meta apps from my phone
Night 37: Added a new subscription for politics and culture news
Night 36: Catalogued things we know about Memlon Fuchs
Night 35: Described an early MAGA rift
Night 34: The gap between what voters want and what they’re getting
Night 33: An editorial policy of sorts
Night 32: Requesting records when medical claims are denied
Night 31: Things I’ve learned about money laundering
Night 30: Turned to the words of Frederick Douglass
Night 29: Canceled my OpenAI subscription
Night 28: Donated money to three orgs
Night 27: Addressed a hazardous tile floor
Night 26: Picked up trash with the Trash Falcons
Night 25: Learned more about Pete Hegseth than I wanted to
Night 24: Canceled recurring subscriptions I no longer need
Night 23: Dwelt in gratitude
Night 22: Picked up pie from a favorite local business
Night 21: Downsized my clothes closet
Night 20: Increased my monthly contribution to the ACLU
Night 19: Deleted a blog from two decades ago
Night 18: Researched nonprofit board opportunities
Night 17: Contributed to Trans Lifeline
Night 16: Spent time together with loved ones
Night 15: Bought from a not-for-profit online store
Night 14: Refined an icon and wordmark
Night 13: Contributed to the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund
Night 12: Contributed to The Guardian
Night 11: Read, reflected, and rested
Night 10: Sent money to support vaccinations in Nigeria
Night 9: Sent money to a friend in need
Night 8: Gave gifts and spoke words of appreciation aloud
Night 7: Contributed to a California-focused nonprofit newsroom
Night 6: Made homemade donuts for my team
Night 5: Opted into a paid Buttondown tier
Night 4: Reviewed my local election results
Night 3: Deactivated my X account
Night 2: Contributed to my local nonprofit newsroom
Night 1: Started by starting
Words, sorts, thinks, and actions by Chris Ereneta, from Oakland, California. Thanks for reading! Consider forwarding this to a friend! Thoughtful feedback and questions are welcomed at that.often@gmail.com