Jeff Hurvitz: DEI, rescinded
In Philip Roth’s 2000 novel, The Human Stain, protagonist Coleman Silk is a light-skinned black person who poses as a white professor in order to gain a teaching position at a small-town college. After commenting about the ongoing absence of two girls and utilizing a term that was falsely interpreted as racist, directed at girls he never realized were African American, he is forced out of his position. The irony is strong, and a fictional but profound example of why erasure of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) programs is welcomed by those who are fair-minded.
When President Lyndon Johnson used executive privilege to promote governmental affirmative action in 1965, a long-victimized group of people was given a boost in what had been systemically discriminatory practices. It was the paying of a collective IOU for past misdeeds. That was then. That this practice was still ongoing, some 60 years later, has been an affront to achievement-oriented peoples of all persuasions.
The recent rescinding of those efforts by President Trump represented a logical move in a largely mixed bag of executive measures by him. It makes particular sense for anyone who has suffered through the twisted hand of reverse racism.
While in my late twenties, I interviewed for a job for which my career had prepared me. Previously, I had spent several years selling radio ad time for a small station in Camden, New Jersey. I had managed to place advertising on a vehicle that had a limited broadcast signal, a small audience and a smaller budget.
When an opening came about at a major Philadelphia station, I set up an interview. This was more than a decade after the affirmative action programs had been put in place. Stations, of course, fell under the control of the Federal Communications Commission. And, therefore, they were apt to adhere to the FCC’s directive to hire minority candidates.
The sales manager told me I had everything he had been looking for in terms of experience and professionalism. He also told me he was unable to hire me. “Why?” I asked. He responded: “I was told by New York I had to hire a black person.” Apparently, since we had a mutual friend, he trusted that I could deal with the truth without causing a stir. I later lamented not bringing legal action. But that was the era of contortionism in order to atone for past injustices.
These days, if we look around at our various businesses and institutions, we largely see a diverse gathering. Pure and simple, it is illegal to discriminate against anyone, be they black, white, brown, Christian, Jew, Muslim, male or female, gay or straight. While prejudice will likely always exist, it cannot be used in hiring or firing.
In Roth’s novel, the protagonist suffered a stroke, attributable to the stress sustained from his termination process. The ramifications of injustices always run deep. But now, a long overdue process has been put in motion. And with it, the stain of reverse racism is also being removed.
Jeff Hurvitz (jrhurvitz@aol.com) is a freelance writer and Philadelphia native.
“While prejudice will likely always exist, it cannot be used in hiring or firing.” Really? There have been studies done where identical resumes have been submitted for multiple women’s, men’s, and ethnic names where they get rejected.
“These days, if we look around at our various businesses and institutions, we largely see a diverse gathering. Pure and simple, it is illegal to discriminate against anyone, be they black, white, brown, Christian, Jew, Muslim, male or female, gay or straight.” – This does not explain why for over 25 years when coworkers, friends, and I need the High Holidays off we have to HR because management won’t authorize it. The comments I have heard about Martin Luther King Day and the employees who take the to help their community. ” Or the outright refusal to respect and accommodate Muslim coworker’s ability to pray
“…to HR because…” HR is a verb? What type of verb?
The difference between transitive and intransitive verbs lies in whether they require a direct object to complete their meaning.
Transitive Verbs: These verbs require a direct object to receive the action. In other words, the action of the verb is performed on something or someone. For example:
“She kicked the ball.” (Here, “the ball” is the direct object receiving the action of the verb “kicked.”)
Intransitive Verbs: These verbs do not require a direct object. The action is complete in itself and does not act upon anything. For example:
“He sleeps.” (There is no direct object; the action of sleeping does not act on anything.)
Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on how they are used in a sentence. For example:
Transitive: “She sang a song.” (Here, “a song” is the direct object.)
Intransitive: “She sang beautifully.” (No direct object is present.)
Understanding the distinction helps in constructing sentences correctly and conveying clear meanings.