👏👏👏 Such an outstanding, well-written and thoughtful article, Sher! There is no doubt that DEI at least in its current form is very bad for our society and doesn’t work. But still, we need something like it. The JEDI approach is so much better! It makes room for ALL kinds of diversity including diversity of political views and recognizes that no group of people is a monolith, that those groups directly being affected should be centered, that a group of people should not be spoken over but listened to, and to take tangible action to change our country. I especially appreciate as someone who is neurodivergent, you speaking on how ableist, paternalistic and patronizing people and organizations can be toward us. People who think they know what’s best for us in the disability community without consulting or centering our voices in the discussion is NOT it! I really admire your parents and how they raised you to be open-minded, question everything and accept people with all different political view and ideologies! I also appreciate how you showed how the left and the right in their own way can be rigid and enforce hierarchies. I think it’s important for people to see neither side of the political spectrum is immune from these sins! I would know this well as someone who is neither a Democrat nor a typical Republican either. I’m what’s called a Rockefeller Republican or a moderate to liberal Republican. I’m socially liberal, fiscally conservative and hawkish on foreign policy. I don’t fit into the boxes our society likes to put people in politically so you can see why both liberals and conservatives react angrily toward me for my more nuanced views and I have trouble finding places online or in today’s political ecosystem where I really fit in. Another example, I’m a disabled person but I don’t agree with the stop the “R” word campaign. I think the disability community needs to be focused on substantive issues that effect us such as discrimination, disabled people being paid sub-minimum wages in some states, making sure building are accessible for us, and resources for disabled children in schools. I also think censorship and language policing will only hurt the Disability Rights Movement and is ineffectual and unproductive. I’d be regarded by some as a traitor to the community and neurotypical liberals would speak over me or accuse me of “internalizing oppression” for this opinion. But under the JEDI system, I would be able to feel comfortable being who I am and expressing my own unique opinions and feelings and not be stereotyped or expected to think a certain way. We all need to get out of our bubbles, take substantive action and let those we advocate for speak for themselves if we want a better future!
👏👏👏 Such an outstanding, well-written and thoughtful article, Sher! There is no doubt that DEI at least in its current form is very bad for our society and doesn’t work. But still, we need something like it. The JEDI approach is so much better! It makes room for ALL kinds of diversity including diversity of political views and recognizes that no group of people is a monolith, that those groups directly being affected should be centered, that a group of people should not be spoken over but listened to, and to take tangible action to change our country. I especially appreciate as someone who is neurodivergent, you speaking on how ableist, paternalistic and patronizing people and organizations can be toward us. People who think they know what’s best for us in the disability community without consulting or centering our voices in the discussion is NOT it! I really admire your parents and how they raised you to be open-minded, question everything and accept people with all different political view and ideologies! I also appreciate how you showed how the left and the right in their own way can be rigid and enforce hierarchies. I think it’s important for people to see neither side of the political spectrum is immune from these sins! I would know this well as someone who is neither a Democrat nor a typical Republican either. I’m what’s called a Rockefeller Republican or a moderate to liberal Republican. I’m socially liberal, fiscally conservative and hawkish on foreign policy. I don’t fit into the boxes our society likes to put people in politically so you can see why both liberals and conservatives react angrily toward me for my more nuanced views and I have trouble finding places online or in today’s political ecosystem where I really fit in. Another example, I’m a disabled person but I don’t agree with the stop the “R” word campaign. I think the disability community needs to be focused on substantive issues that effect us such as discrimination, disabled people being paid sub-minimum wages in some states, making sure building are accessible for us, and resources for disabled children in schools. I also think censorship and language policing will only hurt the Disability Rights Movement and is ineffectual and unproductive. I’d be regarded by some as a traitor to the community and neurotypical liberals would speak over me or accuse me of “internalizing oppression” for this opinion. But under the JEDI system, I would be able to feel comfortable being who I am and expressing my own unique opinions and feelings and not be stereotyped or expected to think a certain way. We all need to get out of our bubbles, take substantive action and let those we advocate for speak for themselves if we want a better future!
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