Post # 260, Bob McKnight's Florida Commentary
The Super Bowl celebrated DEI while a leading GOP candidate for President rejected it. Huh?
Watching the Super Bowl, I noticed the game was dedicated to the principles of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion ("DEI"). That is not surprising. DEI has been at the center of most of our country's effort to bring all Americans under a big tent of freedom, prosperity and respect. But perhaps DEI was highlighted at the Super Bowl because our country seems to have lost it's way for a four or so year hiatus. Without dwelling on why it happened and who was responsible, I will just agree with the National Football League, it was appropriate. We have worked hard on improving DEI as a country for many years. And we were making progress for many years.
Perhaps it is not surprising that the money behind professional sports believes deeply in DEI, not because of the principles perhaps, but for shear economics. Generally the best athletes in many professional sports, and especially football, are African American. If the NFL cannot recruit black athletes, they will probably not win and not be financially successful.
So it is even more amazing that at the same time that the nation honored DEI in the Super Bowl, non other than the Governor of the third largest state was restricting public support for DEI in his state. Yes, Florida Governor DeSantis said that his Administration would not recognize the principles of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. That is the same governor favored to be a finalist for President in the Republican Party. How does that happen? I hope the Vietnam expression is not true in this case--'we have to destroy the village to save it.'
I cannot explain it. Perhaps the 2024 Campaign for President will sort the difference out for us.