In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave one of the best speeches in American history. He called for a society of equality where the content of one’s character was the basis for judgment over the color of one’s skin. Despite numerous challenges, it would be hard to find anyone who disagrees with that sentiment today.
Movements have a way of acting like a pendulum. To get to the center, sometimes they shift back and forth to the farthest edges. In the 1940s, the term “woke” emerged. It originated from the word “awake” and described someone who was considered well-informed on racial issues impacting the black community.
Over the last three years, the Left hijacked the word, which is now more commonly associated with cancel culture and the politically correct mob who believes it is morally superior. As a result, its meaning has evolved and changed. Woke issues are now considered part of the transformational process that is underway to redefine America.
Politically correctness pretends that woke policies are about minorities overcoming disadvantages through equity (which advances an agenda of equal outcomes instead of equal opportunities) and other far-left agendas. If you disagree with the narrative, you could find yourself on the other side of the mob. The truth is “equity” does everyone a disservice. It doesn’t empower people to pursue their dreams or find success. Instead, it tells people you are a victim and incapable of living your best life. As a result, the Left will tilt the playing field to benefit one over another. That’s called discrimination.
So what are the modern-day “woke issues?”
Among others, the most pronounced are:
- Defunding the police
- Critical Race Theory in K-12 public education
- Reparation payments
- Biological men participating in women’s sports
- Equity replacing “equality”
The fact is, these issues defy common sense, but they are embraced by the most extreme elements of progressive liberalism. As corporate America embraces the progressive movement, many companies (and even the federal government) have introduced DEI initiatives. It stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. If a company doesn’t embrace DEI, some say it suggests they are racists or any one of the “phobes” you can conjure up. Of course, these negative labels could threaten a business.
On the surface, DEI sounds good. Yet, at its roots, it’s still discrimination. If employees don’t share the new company culture, they could be removed from their jobs if they don’t comply. In other instances, companies are making hiring and promotion decisions based on the color of one’s skin or gender instead of qualifications or other merit-based reasons.
This very issue is under consideration in the Supreme Court as it relates to quotas for racial admissions at universities. Asian students say they were rejected for less qualified candidates because they didn’t meet a racial quota, and in turn, that violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act. If the court rules for the students this spring, it could have a far-ranging impact on corporate DEI initiatives.
On November 7, 2022, Resume Builder noted reverse discrimination was real. Here’s what the study found:
- 52% said their companies use reverse discrimination in hiring practices
- 1 in 6 was told to deprioritize hiring white men
- 48% were instructed to prioritize diversity over qualifications
- 53% believed they would lose their jobs if they didn’t hire enough diverse employees
- 70% believed their company employed DEI for the sake of appearance
That’s not all. Disney executives got caught on video pushing an extreme LGBTQ+ agenda in their theme parks and children’s programming.
In October, PayPal got involved in activism by saying it would punish users who put out “disinformation.” Yet, the company didn’t define it, largely because the term has become subjective due to political leanings instead of objective truth.
Despite the obvious problems presented by the new woke ideology of the Left, some progressives believe overcompensating is the answer to rectifying a past problem. Perhaps some wouldn’t feel that way if they became the victim of wokeness. Even liberal comedian Bill Maher has spoken out. He recently noted that Americans are afraid to speak about their political beliefs and oppose the insaneness of the far left. Maher added that it’s easier for most people not to stand up because it’s safer to join the mob.
That may be true, but at what cost?
The bottom line is that common sense Americans must push back on woke culture regardless of political party or ideology. It’s destructive and corrosive to the core.
The Conservative Era, Copyright 2023
