I encourage all my grown grandchildren to shop at Costco for me and their families. I am concerned for their duties and my 3 great grands in a craven corporate world of Trumpism.
I am a 96 year old influencer.
Gg he future of the world matters to me and my friends and family.
The anti DEI initiative being pushed is just the tip of the iceberg and in many ways is a smokescreen to divert attention from the real goal. That goal is happening right now and it is an "internal coup" of the federal government! If the Trump Administration is successful in firing federal employees, taking control of federal departments personnel and financial data bases and creating enough chaos to spur large protests that can be incited to violence so that marshal law can be declared and the military called out, then the jig is up. Democracy as we know it will be lost.
We have a limited window of opportunity to head this momentum off, but it will not come without a multi pronged effort from Democrats, Independents and the Judiciary and law abiding American citizens. The clock is ticking.
Trump says they are shutting down DEI programs in order to focus on merit. This seems to suggest that the most qualified should be first choice for advancing in status. How many of his cabinet officer nominees would be considered anywhere close to being the most qualified for that position? Trump wants to replace DEI (diversity, equity, & inclusion) with SOL (subservient, obedient, & loyal)'
If you're rich and/or well connected, you're a Social Darwinist economic winner. Therefore you deserve to rule. If you are an heir, then you're the product of superior genes. Wealth and power are proof of God's favor. Criticism is merely the dangerous envy of inferiors.
Never mind actual nature is predominantly cooperative. Or that no one is self-made. Or that the Bible favors the poor. Or that the old adage "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" was actually meant to show empathy for the poor laborers because it was a physical impossibility. None of this exists in the plutocrats' reality.
Recently a humorist, Borowitz maybe, reminded that when Pat Buchanan gave his highly racist speech at the 1992 GOP convention, Molly said: "That probably sounded better in the original German."
Oh, YES! I have a treasured copy of Ivin's book You've Got to Dance With the One That Brung You," inscribed, "Edith, Raise more hell. Molly." She must be dancing on her cloud at the nonsense that is now going on.
I have cancelled Amazon, Washington Post, NY Times, Target, Facebook, and Instagram. I joined Costco about a week ago. There were other people joining for the same reason I was. I am also proud to be a member.
I never would have gotten my first job out of college if not for DEI. I'm a female engineer. My sister, seven years older than me, was turned away at Texas Tech University School of Architecture because: "We don't accept girls." Them was the good old days.
We're both retired now. The sister got her Master of Architecture degree somewhere else besides Texas after she got a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech. I was one of the first "girls" allowed to take Architecture at Texas Tech. After one year with those misogynists, I went to the University of Texas at Austin and got a BS in Engineering Degree in 1978.
I kept a building from collapsing during construction back in 1988 in Florida. If I hadn't been on that project, 40 to 60 construction workers would probably have been crushed to death under collapsing concrete when shoring was removed. I caught the mistake half a day before the shoring was to be removed. It wasn't my mistake. A woman didn't make the mistake. Neither did a "They."
My sister was the Project Architect on one of the wedges of the Pentagon repair after the 911 attack.
I think DEI has paid off for society with the two of us "girls" contributing over each of our 30-year careers.
To bloody hell with the Trump administration and all the greasy sycophants associated with it.
Bravo to Costco, Cisco, Microsoft, Apple, JP MorganChase, American and Southwest Airlines, Delta and a number of other large companies that stand by their DEI policies and practices (as reported in Axios). These companies highlight the cravenness of the cavers. What's the worst that could happen to billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, for example, if chose to use his spine?
President Trump and the Republicans are on a vendetta against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). If anything at all goes wrong with something, Trump immediately blames DEI. He is on the warpath to eliminate it from our country, has already issued an executive order to purge it from all of our government agencies, and is picking agency heads that share this agenda.
This is nothing new. Republicans (and the former Southern Democrats who converted when the Civil Rights Act passed) have done everything in their power to obstruct it since the Civil War. Neither is it new that corporations and giant, powerful institutions are falling over themselves to comply, feigning mortal terror of our Great Leader when it's actually just getting permission. Most of those that are rolling back their DEI initiatives want to anyway. They have long histories of marginalizing minority and female employees. That's why it was so easy for Harvard to fire their black, female president.
But, let's be clear. The opposite of DEI is not equality or equal opportunity. It is discrimination and sexism. This is all about restoring and securing white male power and privilege.
I encourage all my grown grandchildren to shop at Costco for me and their families. I am concerned for their duties and my 3 great grands in a craven corporate world of Trumpism.
I am a 96 year old influencer.
Gg he future of the world matters to me and my friends and family.
Bless you, Great Grandma!
Makes me proud to be a MEMBER - not just a customer!
This was such welcome news. When I read news like this, it gives me hope.
The anti DEI initiative being pushed is just the tip of the iceberg and in many ways is a smokescreen to divert attention from the real goal. That goal is happening right now and it is an "internal coup" of the federal government! If the Trump Administration is successful in firing federal employees, taking control of federal departments personnel and financial data bases and creating enough chaos to spur large protests that can be incited to violence so that marshal law can be declared and the military called out, then the jig is up. Democracy as we know it will be lost.
We have a limited window of opportunity to head this momentum off, but it will not come without a multi pronged effort from Democrats, Independents and the Judiciary and law abiding American citizens. The clock is ticking.
Trump says they are shutting down DEI programs in order to focus on merit. This seems to suggest that the most qualified should be first choice for advancing in status. How many of his cabinet officer nominees would be considered anywhere close to being the most qualified for that position? Trump wants to replace DEI (diversity, equity, & inclusion) with SOL (subservient, obedient, & loyal)'
If you're rich and/or well connected, you're a Social Darwinist economic winner. Therefore you deserve to rule. If you are an heir, then you're the product of superior genes. Wealth and power are proof of God's favor. Criticism is merely the dangerous envy of inferiors.
Never mind actual nature is predominantly cooperative. Or that no one is self-made. Or that the Bible favors the poor. Or that the old adage "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" was actually meant to show empathy for the poor laborers because it was a physical impossibility. None of this exists in the plutocrats' reality.
Um, merkit--as in five just-out-of-adolescence "engineers (read basement dwelling hackers) employed by Musk to take down the government???
HURRAH FOR COSTCO. At least one store where I can shop in accord with my values.
Jim, I am from Texas. Do you miss Molly Ivins as much as I do, which is a lot. You think Dubya misses her?
Recently a humorist, Borowitz maybe, reminded that when Pat Buchanan gave his highly racist speech at the 1992 GOP convention, Molly said: "That probably sounded better in the original German."
Oh, YES! I have a treasured copy of Ivin's book You've Got to Dance With the One That Brung You," inscribed, "Edith, Raise more hell. Molly." She must be dancing on her cloud at the nonsense that is now going on.
Here is a list of companies kowtowing to Trump on DEI, and those standing firm.
https://www.axios.com/2025/01/16/dei-rollback-companies-amazon-meta-mcdonalds
I have cancelled Amazon, Washington Post, NY Times, Target, Facebook, and Instagram. I joined Costco about a week ago. There were other people joining for the same reason I was. I am also proud to be a member.
Wisdom is "worthless" unless it is shared, keep it coming Jim
I never would have gotten my first job out of college if not for DEI. I'm a female engineer. My sister, seven years older than me, was turned away at Texas Tech University School of Architecture because: "We don't accept girls." Them was the good old days.
We're both retired now. The sister got her Master of Architecture degree somewhere else besides Texas after she got a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Tech. I was one of the first "girls" allowed to take Architecture at Texas Tech. After one year with those misogynists, I went to the University of Texas at Austin and got a BS in Engineering Degree in 1978.
I kept a building from collapsing during construction back in 1988 in Florida. If I hadn't been on that project, 40 to 60 construction workers would probably have been crushed to death under collapsing concrete when shoring was removed. I caught the mistake half a day before the shoring was to be removed. It wasn't my mistake. A woman didn't make the mistake. Neither did a "They."
My sister was the Project Architect on one of the wedges of the Pentagon repair after the 911 attack.
I think DEI has paid off for society with the two of us "girls" contributing over each of our 30-year careers.
To bloody hell with the Trump administration and all the greasy sycophants associated with it.
I love Costco. Just went and bought more of their stock. I would suggest everybody else do the same. It’s not cheap, but fascism isn’t either!🤣
As a Black female born in 1947, it just seems to me that DEI has become the 21st century "dumb nigger." So sad!
May Costco’s humanity become contagious.
Bravo to Costco, Cisco, Microsoft, Apple, JP MorganChase, American and Southwest Airlines, Delta and a number of other large companies that stand by their DEI policies and practices (as reported in Axios). These companies highlight the cravenness of the cavers. What's the worst that could happen to billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, for example, if chose to use his spine?
Sent to the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune 3 Feb.:
President Trump and the Republicans are on a vendetta against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). If anything at all goes wrong with something, Trump immediately blames DEI. He is on the warpath to eliminate it from our country, has already issued an executive order to purge it from all of our government agencies, and is picking agency heads that share this agenda.
This is nothing new. Republicans (and the former Southern Democrats who converted when the Civil Rights Act passed) have done everything in their power to obstruct it since the Civil War. Neither is it new that corporations and giant, powerful institutions are falling over themselves to comply, feigning mortal terror of our Great Leader when it's actually just getting permission. Most of those that are rolling back their DEI initiatives want to anyway. They have long histories of marginalizing minority and female employees. That's why it was so easy for Harvard to fire their black, female president.
But, let's be clear. The opposite of DEI is not equality or equal opportunity. It is discrimination and sexism. This is all about restoring and securing white male power and privilege.