Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
President Donald Trump promised to return the federal government to a merit-based hiring system, and he’s kept that promise. He just signed an executive order to ban “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) in the federal government.
Federal hiring practices are “broken, insular, and outdated,” according to the executive order. The practices no longer focus on merit, practical skill, and dedication to our Constitution. Racial discrimination has been outlawed, but leftists implement policies that break state and federal civil rights laws under the guise of DEI.
But no more. President Trump has directed government agencies to prioritize recruiting individuals based on merit and prevent hiring based on race, sex, and religion. Agencies are to avoid recruiting individuals unwilling to defend the Constitution or to faithfully serve the Executive Branch.
Governor Mike Braun of Indiana issued his own executive order (PDF) before President Trump was sworn in. He banned DEI initiatives in the state government. Indiana cannot use state resources to support any policies granting preferential treatment based on race.
Affirmative action began as a well-meaning plan to “cast a wider net” and take “affirmative action” to include more qualified black Americans historically excluded from federal government hiring and contracting. It became a mandate to set aside jobs and to lower standards for black Americans.
President John Kennedy first used the term in a 1961 executive order. President Lyndon Johnson followed up with a similar order in 1965. Ironically, President Richard Nixon in 1971 opened the door to racial preferences. He authorized the U.S. Department of Labor to set specific goals (quotas) and timetables to correct the “underutilization” of blacks by federal contractors.
But President Trump will put an end to all that.
My fellow black Americans must understand: a government with the power and authority to discriminate in your favor has the power and authority to discriminate against you. The goal is to put the government out of the racial discrimination business.
