I’m well aware of the expressed belief from many people who claim that Kamala Harris wasn’t a diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) hire. Apparently, some people have deluded themselves into idiocy.
Nevertheless, in 2020, Joe Biden stated, “I am not committed to naming any [running mates] but the people I’ve named, and among them there are four black women.” Excluding nonblack candidates while including only black contenders is precisely what the Orwellian term DEIA represents.
Of course, this isn’t the first blogpost in which I’ve addressed this matter. In 2022, I posted a blog entry entitled Swimming in Controversial Belief in which I stated:
It very well may be that alleged DEIA-inspired hiring practices are popular among some U.S. citizens. Are you a fan of treating some people unequally so that others are given special privileges?
President Biden has a pattern of purportedly nominating people based on identity, apparently to include positions to for his running mate, press secretary, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health, U.S. Treasurer, U.S. ambassador, the SCOTUS, and continued support for one sex over another.
Set aside the ad hominem attack on people who criticize DEIA-based discrimination. Try to use logic and reason (rationality) when considering this matter. Think about Biden’s actions taken within months of assuming presidential office, as he stated:
On my first day in office, I signed Executive Order 13985 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government), which established that affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government. To further advance equity within the Federal Government, this order establishes that it is the policy of my Administration to cultivate a workforce that draws from the full diversity of the Nation.
Now, following Biden’s poor performance at a presidential debate against Donald Trump on June 27, 2024, many people are beginning to question who will likely replace Biden. For instance, one source states:
The natural choice for Joe’s replacement would be his vice president – but, for the past four years, Kamala Harris has been consistently more unpopular than Biden himself. And picking anyone but Harris to replace Biden would raise a painful debate among liberals about why a black woman is being passed over.
Surely, only Michelle Obama could pull off a replacement seamlessly, but she’s never shown interest in being a candidate herself.
Democratic activists may have a wish list of dream candidates topped by governors such as California’s Gavin Newsom, Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro.
Given Biden’s ostensible commitment to the discriminatory practice of DEIA, what message will be sent to the nation about replacing Biden with a nonblack candidate when Harris is already available? To better understand this matter, consider the following syllogism:
Form –
If p, then q; and if r, then s; but either p or r; therefore, either q or s.
Example –
If DEIA is a virtue, then Harris ought to replace Biden; and if nonblack candidates are chosen over Harris, then DEIA isn’t actually virtuous.
But either DEIA is a virtue or nonblack candidates are chosen over Harris.
Therefore, either Harris ought to replace Biden or DEIA isn’t actually virtuous.
If an adherent to DEIA ideology is to remain logically consistent, the aforementioned syllogism is a moral and ethical standard to which one will adhere. However, I suspect that DEIA policy was, is, and will continue to remain ill-advised and idealistically should be dissolved.
In any case, the current post is for posterity. I suspect that the DEIA nonsense to which our nation has been subjected for years prior to Biden taking office will quickly fall out of favor and that Harris will be overlooked for Office of the President.
If this prediction is correct, then people can take the logic and reason upon which DEIA is predicated (listed herein) and outright reject this discriminatory ideology. After all, doing so will be in accordance with rationality if my prediction holds.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
Dr. Kenneth Reid. (2024, June 9). Kamala Harris [Image]. Playground. Retrieved from https://playground.com/post/kamala-harris-speaking-with-intensity-for-democracy-centra-clx84p43n0d0wlohpur24glvg
Hollings, D. (2023, October 15). Ad hominem. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/ad-hominem
Hollings, D. (2023, May 11). Catering to DEIA. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/catering-to-deia
Hollings, D. (2024, January 7). Delusion. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/delusion
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2023, January 8). Logic and reason. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/logic-and-reason
Hollings, D. (2023, October 2). Morals and ethics. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/morals-and-ethics
Hollings, D. (2024, June 16). On virtue. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-virtue
Hollings, D. (2022, October 7). Should, must, and ought. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/should-must-and-ought
Hollings, D. (2024, April 9). Shoulding at the supermarket. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/shoulding-at-the-supermarket
Hollings, D. (2022, August 12). Swimming in controversial belief. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/swimming-in-controversial-belief
Hollings, D. (2023, October 17). Syllogism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/syllogism
Hollings, D. (2024, June 28). The puppeteer and the puppet. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-puppeteer-and-the-puppet
McLaughlin, D. (2024, June 28). Democrats are now gagging to replace Biden. This is how they could do it... but, warns Dan McLaughlin, after leaving it so late, they may only have one disastrous option. Daily Mail. Retrieved from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13581223/biden-replace-resign-debate-newsom-obama.html
National Center for Transgender Equality. (2021, January 19). President-elect Biden announces groundbreaking nomination of Dr. Rachel Levine. Retrieved from https://transequality.org/press/releases/president-elect-biden-announces-groundbreaking-nomination-of-dr-rachel-levine
NPR. (2022, May 5). Karine Jean-Pierre will become White House’s 1st black press secretary. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2022/05/05/1096942696/karine-jean-pierre-is-replacing-jen-psaki-as-white-house-press-secretary
PBS News Hour. (2020, July 31). July 31, 2020 - PBS NewsHour full episode [Video]. Public Broadcasting Service. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/video/july-31-2020-pbs-newshour-full-episode-wxehbs/
Sullivan, K. & Mucha, S. (2020, July 21). Joe Biden says he is considering four black women to be his running mate. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/politics/joe-biden-four-black-women-vice-president/index.html
Sullivan, K., de Vogue, A., Klein, B., Lee, M. J., & Vazquez, M. (2022, January 27). Biden commits to nominating nation’s first black female Supreme Court justice as he honors retiring Breyer. CNN. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/27/politics/biden-breyer-announcement/index.html
U.S. News. (2022, June 21). Biden to name 1st Native American US Treasurer to head mint. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2022-06-21/president-biden-nominates-1st-native-american-us-treasurer
Weissert, W., Mascaro, L., & Peoples, S. (2020, December 4). Pressure mounts on Biden to make diverse picks for top posts. AP News. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-politics-race-and-ethnicity-antony-blinken-cabinets-c2fff649dda5e1c751228c90aac6d637
White House, The. (2021, June 25). Executive order on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the federal workforce. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/06/25/executive-order-on-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-accessibility-in-the-federal-workforce/
White House, The. (n.d.). Vice President Joe Biden. Retrieved from https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/vp
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Donald Trump. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Gavin Newsom. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavin_Newsom
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Gretchen Whitmer. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretchen_Whitmer
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Joe Biden. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Josh Shapiro. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Shapiro
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Kamala Harris. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamala_Harris
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Michelle Obama. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Obama
Williams, J. (2021, July 9). Biden nominates first openly-gay woman to serve as US ambassador. The Hill. Retrieved from https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/562220-biden-nominates-first-openly-gay-woman-to-serve-as-us-ambassador/
Wise, A. (2021, February 5). Biden pledged historic cabinet diversity. Here’s how his nominees stack up. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/president-biden-takes-office/2021/02/05/963837953/biden-pledged-historic-cabinet-diversity-heres-how-his-nominees-stack-up
Comments