On February 16, 2023, the Biden Administration issued an Executive Order to establish equity teams across numerous federal agencies, to include the Department of Defense. Please see link.
In a letter to the Secretary of Defense on February 24, four members (retired senior officers, including a lieutenant general, a vice admiral, and a major general) of Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalism in the Services, Inc. (STARRS) encouraged Secretary Austin “to consider the repercussions of following the discriminatory policies of President Biden’s EO of February 16, 2023, which in effect doubles down on insertion of Marxist-based ideology into the Department of Defense (DOD).”
The letter points out that the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policy and procedures will only serve to create tangential problems in the DOD, far more egregious than those you are trying to fix.
“Problems that we believe will undermine team cohesion, trust, and ultimately national security,” said Ronald J. Scott, Jr., Ph.D. (Colonel, USAF, Retired) STARRS President & CEO.
STARRS is not alone in advancing its concerns. The Editorial Board of The Washington Examiner published their concerns on February 23 as well: “Washington’s DEO Debacle.” (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/equality-not-elitism/bidens-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-debacle)
Also on February 23, Christopher Rufo of the Manhattan Institute published his concerns: “Biden Nationalizes His DEI Bureaucracy” (Biden Nationalizes the DEI Bureaucracy (substack.com)). https://rufo.substack.com/p/biden-creates-a-national-dei-bureaucracy
On February 24, Investigative Journalist Lee Smith published an interview with a constitutional lawyer in his podcast: “Biden’s New Culture War; ‘Equity’ Orders Are Unconstitutional and Un-American.” ( Biden’s New Culture War; ‘Equity’ Orders Are Unconstitutional and Un-American (theepochtimes.com))
https://www.theepochtimes.com/bidens-new-culture-war-equity-orders-are-unconstitutional-and-un-american_5079316.html
Cosigners of the STARRS letter closed with these arguments:
“DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] is the opposite of meritocracy; it is divisive and lowers standards to achieve equal outcomes which is what we see happening in our failing national civilian education system.
. . . If meritocracy is essential for pro sports teams to win, why is it not essential in our military (as it has been until now) to attain the readiness needed to fight and win our Nation’s wars? We all want the same goal: that is, the world’s best fighting force, with prejudice towards none. The future of our country depends on it.”
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ABOUT STARRS:
Established in the Spring of 2021, STARRS is a 501(c)3 approved organization that operates primarily to provide educational information, assistance, and materials related to racism and radicalism in the military. [Note: radicalism in the organization’s title is based on Michigan State University’s definition: “the beliefs or actions of individuals, groups, or organizations who advocate for thorough or complete social and/or political reform to achieve an alternative vision of American society.”
STARRS MEDIA CONTACT
STARRS
+1 719-651-5943
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