March 28th 2024.
The news of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsing in Baltimore shook the city to its core. As Mayor Brandon Scott held a press conference to address the devastating incident, social media was set ablaze by racist comments attacking him. One user, @iamyesyouareno, took to Twitter to share his opinion on Scott's remarks, referring to him as the "DEI mayor" of Baltimore. He wrote, "This is Baltimore's DEI mayor commenting on the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge. It's going to get so, so much worse. Prepare accordingly."
The backlash against this racist comment was swift, with many coming to Scott's defense and condemning the use of such language. User @sacred_cave wrote, "Too scared to say you hate Black people, the infrastructure was built before he became mayor." Another user, under the handle @CandidlyTiff, sarcastically commented, "DEI, the new N-word. I guess." These comments sparked a heated debate and even resulted in the term "DEI" trending on social media.
Amidst the serious discussions, some Black users added a humorous twist to the situation by replacing the term "N-word" with "DEI" in popular songs. User @_CharlesPreston tweeted, "Shoutout to all my real DEIs," while others changed the lyrics of R&B group Xscape's hit song "Just Kickin' It" to "This is for my DEIs. Strictly for DEIs" and "ALL MY REAL LIVE DEIs THROW YO' HANDS UP!"
As the conversation continued to gain momentum, Mayor Scott caught wind of the rhetoric and joined MSNBC's Joy Reid to address the issue. He shared his thoughts on the constant attack on Black men, particularly young Black men, who have always been seen as the "boogie man" by racists. "I know, and we all know, and you know very well, that Black men and young Black men, in particular, have been the boogie man for those who are racist and think that only straight, wealthy white men should have a say in anything," Scott stated.
Addressing the term "DEI," Scott suggested that it actually stood for "duly elected incumbent" and was a way for racists to avoid using the N-word. He stated, "What they mean by DEI, in my opinion, is duly elected incumbent. We know what they want to say, but they don't have the courage to say the N-word." His response garnered support from fellow young legislators like Rep. Maxwell Frost, who defined the term as a "disgusting racial slur."
However, while people on social media continue to make light of the situation, the attack on DEI initiatives is a harsh reality. In the past year, over 22 states have introduced legislation to ban or restrict DEI efforts at universities. Leaders like Rev. Al Sharpton and the NAACP have been working tirelessly to fight against this attack on Black culture. NAACP President Derrick Johnson even called for Black athletes to boycott Division I programs after the University of Florida eliminated their DEI offices. Meanwhile, Sharpton continues to protest outside hedge fund manager Bill Ackman's NYC offices every Thursday, as the billionaire has been actively opposing DEI initiatives.
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