 All us Americans of a certain moral persuasion - myself included - are in favor of diversity, equity, and inclusion as policy in our country's institutions and corporations. We're frustrated as hell that so many businesses have dropped their DEI initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive workforce and a more welcoming culture to a diverse population of consumers. We all want to do something about it. But there's a difference between doing something serious and meaningful and right and doing something simplistic and off the mark just to have the feeling of doing something. Which brings me to the economic blackout promoted by an organization called the People's Union USA that those of us who support DEI have been encouraged to abide by today. All this day we're not supposed to buy anything from anywhere to show retailers and politicians that We the People control the economy and that if businesses won't do the right thing then they'll feel our unhappiness on their bottom line. Not that this might not be an effective approach and not that I'm categorically against it. But this particular boycott feels off to me. I have problems with it. First of all, why are we supposed to boycott all business, even those who've stood up to pressure from Donald Trump and the right wing and stayed committed to their diversity, equity and inclusion principles?    Why are we supposed punish those businesses, too? But here's another thought: It's one thing to boycott businesses, such as Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-A and Home Depot, that are publicly anti-diversity and/or anti-LGBTQ rights. But should we really be just as harsh on businesses that embraced DEI initiatives - and in a safer world would still be embracing them - but dropped them under duress, pressure and threats by Donald Trump and MAGA world?    I know I shouldn't feel sorry for a corporation, but I feel sorry for Target. Back in 2016 Target stood up brave and strong for the LGBTQ community in the face of a million pledges by Christians with The American Family Association to boycott Target.  Here's a blog I wrote about it: https://www.ailantha.com/blog/right-on-target-and-starbucks Target even introduced a Pride Month Collection.  But conservative economic backlash forced Target to pull back its pride collection. So Target suffered economically for standing up for DEI. And now Target is suffering economically for dropping DEI, not from desire to do so, but from coercion. The thing is, I'm afraid that, between economic boycotts from the right being for too diverse, equitable and inclusive and from the left for being not diverse, equitable and inclusive enough, Target may end up closing altogether. And I don't want Target to close. Because I like Target. Which doesn't exactly bring me back to my point, but here's my point, anyway: You may be all for standing up for diversity, equity, and inclusion if all you are asked is to not shop for a day now and then. But suppose that standing up for DEI would put you and your family at financial risk. possibly even bankruptcy? Then would you be so bravely standing up for DEI, as you are demanding that American businesses do? Something to think about. 
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 Bad enough that Donald Trump broadcast the lie that Ukraine started the brutal war that Russia has been waging against the Ukrainians for the past three years. Bad enough that Trump called Ukraine's stalwart and democratically elected leader Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator.  Bad enough that the United States took sides with Russia and North Korea and voted against a U.N. resolution demanding the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.  But now Donald Trump has demanded as a term of a peace deal he's supposedly brokering with Russia that President Zelensky must come to Washington this Friday to sign an agreement to turn over half his country's future revenues from its natural resources to the United States. Trump's reasoning is that Ukraine owes the United States for the military aid we've given them to defend their country against the invading Russian army, and Trump not only wants to be paid back for our help but to turn a profit on the deal. Today Trump announced, “We’re doing very well with Russia-Ukraine. We’ve been able to make a deal where we’re going to get our money back and we’re going to get a lot of money in the future, and I think that’s appropriate.” This from the mouth of the President of the United Sates at moment when the people of Ukraine have been fighting for three years against all odds for their country, a David against a Goliath,  ...three years of war, mass destruction, and death.    Donald Trump sees the devastation of Ukraine and the suffering of its people as nothing more than a great opportunity to extort from them their mineral wealth, and for him this "deal" is something to brag about: Look, I'm making money by turning the screws on a country in dire straits at its time of greatest need, its darkest hour. Isn't that great? As Trump also said, “We’re going to either sign a deal, or there’s going to be a lot of problems with them.” Spoken like a true Mafia boss. How abominable. How shameful. How cruel. How Un-American. How Donald Trump.   Yesterday at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly the United States broke with our European allies and sided with Russia and North Korea - North Korea - by voting against a resolution that 1). condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and 2). demanded the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from that country.  I repeat: our country, the United States of America, has allied itself - that is to say, us, the American People - with Russia. We've given the nod to Russia's authoritarianism and brutal military aggression. I can't say how horrible I feel about that UN vote. Right there, in front of the whole world, the United States, former defender of democracies, threw its lot - our lot - in with the worst of totalitarian dictatorships and condoned the crucifixion of Ukraine. And now the White House is ready and willing to partner with the Kremlin to facilitate Russia's occupation of Ukraine and, after Ukraine has been vanquished, to join Russia in the pillage of Ukraine's rare earth metals. Which is what this whole American-Russian alliance appears to be about: American President Donald Trump sees a fortune in plunder to be made by partnering with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  After all, there's no money in the defense of democracy. Democracy be damned. And Europe can go fend for itself. Which is what Europe is now starting to do. Here's this morning's New York Times headline:  Europe is pulling together in solidarity with Ukraine and the United States is throwing its might behind Vladimir Putin. My brain ping-pongs from disbelief, to denial, to grief, then makes the rounds again. It doesn't seem possible, doesn't seem real that this is what my country has devolved into. I sadly wonder what my parents, both WWII veterans, would think if they were still alive to see this day.  This isn't their United States. I wish it wasn't mine, either.     Books by Patti Liszkay available on Amazon: "Equal And Opposite Reactions" http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa "Hail Mary" https://www.amzn.com/1684334888 "Tropical Depression" https://www.amzn.com/B0BTPN7NYY |
"Tropical Depression"
by Patti Liszkay Buy it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTPN7NYY 
"Equal And Opposite Reactions"
by Patti Liszkay Buy it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2xvcgRa or from The Book Loft of German Village, Columbus, Ohio 
Or check it out at the Columbus Metropolitan Library
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March 2025
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