Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are published not because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest.
I attended the Property Tax meeting hosted by Project Promise where elimination of DEI was cheered. I also read The Portager’s reporting on state Rep. Demetriou’s celebratory comments about elimination of DEI employees. I truly believe that a lot of people’s opinion of DEI is severely misconstrued and misunderstood.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has become another trigger expression for the racial inequality in our country from its’ inception and in many ways continuing even today.
DEI was and is a movement to ensure that all people in our country have equal opportunities as our Constitution and Bill of Rights intended. DEI is NOT intended to discriminate against any race, gender or religion. DEI is NOT keeping any qualified person from applying or being employed by any company or business. And DEI has not kept anyone “down” as so many people believe. And currently the firing of inspectors general is a move to ensure that abuse is not recognized. IGs’ sole purpose in the government are to report waste, fraud, and abuse.
The 14th Amendment of the Constitution is the Equal Protection Act. This amendment guarantees equal rights of every citizen regardless of race or ethnicity. DEI was the checks and balances for this part of the 14th Amendment. Elimination of DEI employees by Donald Trump goes against the Constitution and his oath of office to support the Constitution. And Rep. Demetriou’s celebration of elimination of DEI employees goes against his oath of office to uphold the Constitution.
Going back to the Project Promise meeting. I was totally surprised by the speaker who preached to the attendees about the biblical references to property taxes. In my opinion this person has skewed the teachings of the Lord and Jesus Christ as written in the Bible. Our country was designed and intended as a secular nation. Religion and politics are not to be intermixed. Religion is personal choice. Religion can guide your personal life. There is a very good reason why the founders kept any reference of God or religion out of the Constitution. In fact many of the founders were deists. Deism is a philosophical position based on reason rather than any revelation or church authority. Our country needs to stay as a secular nation and support all or no religious preference by everyone.
— Thurl Carmany, Brimfield
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