DIVERSITY

Why DEI Has Become a Scapegoat in the Aftermath of California Wildfires

Amid search and rescue, conservatives fan flames of division.

Stylish portrait of a woman with textured hair | Photo by Nana Kophy via Pexels

Debates over diversity, equity, and inclusion policies have exposed a schism in American society, further exposed by tragedy. Take, for instance, some of the responses conservatives shared about wildfires endangering Southern California. When Robby Starbuck, a far-right activist, suggested DEI is “deadly,” claiming it “made the damage of these fires worse,” Elon Musk, a wealthy South African business owner, who owns the platform cosigned that narrative, claiming that “DEI means people DIE.” These inflammatory comments blame pro-diversity efforts for the damage caused by these fires. Despite the severity of the problem, the fact that fires burned at least 20,000 acres and thousands of homes and caused officials to order the evacuation of 160,000, some are committed to politicizing this moment. They hope to portray DEI as a public threat rather than an effort to level the playing field. And they’re running with this narrative despite Los Angeles facing the “most destructive” fires in its history.

Scott Jennings, a political pundit and journalist, suggested on a CNN segment that diversity programs were implemented to prevent “too many White men” from being “firefighters.” Of course, this isn’t true. The vast majority of Los Angeles firefighters are White men, and no one is pressuring them to resign or telling future candidates they’re unfit for the job based on their race. The goal of diversity programs is to expand opportunities for Black people and other racial minorities who are, far too often, overlooked. Congresswoman Jasmine Crocket argued these programs are designed to “recognize that other people can be qualified.” To bring the message home, she described the irony of White people in the modern era doubting Black Americans’ abilities despite the nation’s historical reliance on slave labor. The quality of their craftsmanship was never questioned then. “It was my ancestors that built the White House,” Crockett declared. “If we are good enough to build the country… we are good enough to serve in other ways.” She added that Jennings and others should “stop acting like White men are the only ones capable.”