Voters in South Carolina elected Dr. Annie Andrews of Charleston (above) to a six year term in the U. S. Senate. Until the very last days, even hours, of the campaign it was most unlikely, especially in this traditionally red state.
Andrews is a Democrat, for which I am grateful; but it is not her party that made me notice. Nor is it her profession: a pediatrician. She is a woman, and this election cycle, we Americans gave victories to women all over the country. This coming year, 17 of the governors of these United States will be women! And in Georgia, not only did Keisha Lance Bottoms win the governor’s race, other women won every statewide race! Not just women, but Black women!! That was a double whammy of DEI defiance.
For two years now, our federal leaders have told us that the values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are unconstitutional. On January 20, 2025, newly installed President Donald J. Trump signed executive orders terminating DEI hiring and promotion policies in the federal workforce. Federal contractors are required to certify that they do not operate DEI programs for their employees. The White House website reads like this: “In 21 months back in office, President Donald J. Trump has removed wasteful and unmeritocratic DEI programs from government, education, and the private sector. President Trump promised it and delivered–DEI is dead.”
Except, clearly, we the people did not get the memo.
In California, we the people elected an Indian immigrant to be mayor. She is a Hindu. In New Hampshire, an openly gay man was elected to the U. S Senate. In Michigan, the winner in the Senate race was a Muslim; in fact, some are reporting that 255 Muslims were elected to office-federal, state, and local-last Tuesday.
Among the most humorous commentaries on the election was this: Governor Greg Abbot can now complain that an immigrant from Mexico has taken his job! Not just any immigrant, but a female immigrant! Gina Hinojosa.
And in two states, we elevated teenagers to office: Sebastian Matta was elected County Clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa, Arizona, and Daniel Darris-O’Connor was elected to the House of Representatives for the state on Massachusetts.
Is that enough diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Apparently not: Peggy Flanagan became the first Native American woman elected to the U. S. Senate, Deb Haaland the first to win a state governorship, and Crystalyne Curley the first to lad one of the largest tribes (Navajo).
Is DEI dead, as they claim?
Not by a long shot. We the people paid no attention to the powers that be in Washington DC and selected the most diverse cohort of candidates ever to serve the people. This was no organized campaign or secret plot to snub our collective nose at any body or any decree; it was simply the voters surveying the qualifications of those seeking office and choosing those that seemed the more excellent choices. What we did was, from sea to shining sea, elevate people that represent us, that look like us, that think like us. We elected people of all races and religions, of many countries of origin, of many native languages; we elected the young and the old, the male and the female, the gay and the straight, and even eight transgender people!
Against the federal effort to elevate and empower only straight, white, Christian men, we the people said emphatically, “No way, Jose!” We spread the electoral love as far as we could in all directions.
Ain’t it sweet?
And all the people said, Amen!
Dwight A. Moody
Voters in South Carolina elected Dr. Annie Andrews of Charleston (above) to a six year term in the U. S. Senate. Until the very last days, even hours, of the campaign it was most unlikely, especially in this traditionally red state.
Andrews is a Democrat, for which I am grateful; but it is not her party that made me notice. Nor is it her profession: a pediatrician. She is a woman, and this election cycle, we Americans gave victories to women all over the country. This coming year, 17 of the governors of these United States will be women! And in Georgia, not only did Keisha Lance Bottoms win the governor’s race, other women won every statewide race! Not just women, but Black women!! That was a double whammy of DEI defiance.
For two years now, our federal leaders have told us that the values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are unconstitutional. On January 20, 2025, newly installed President Donald J. Trump signed executive orders terminating DEI hiring and promotion policies in the federal workforce. Federal contractors are required to certify that they do not operate DEI programs for their employees. The White House website reads like this: “In 21 months back in office, President Donald J. Trump has removed wasteful and unmeritocratic DEI programs from government, education, and the private sector. President Trump promised it and delivered–DEI is dead.”
Except, clearly, we the people did not get the memo.
In California, we the people elected an Indian immigrant to be mayor. She is a Hindu. In New Hampshire, an openly gay man was elected to the U. S Senate. In Michigan, the winner in the Senate race was a Muslim; in fact, some are reporting that 255 Muslims were elected to office-federal, state, and local-last Tuesday.
Among the most humorous commentaries on the election was this: Governor Greg Abbot can now complain that an immigrant from Mexico has taken his job! Not just any immigrant, but a female immigrant! Gina Hinojosa.
And in two states, we elevated teenagers to office: Sebastian Matta was elected County Clerk of the Superior Court in Maricopa, Arizona, and Daniel Darris-O’Connor was elected to the House of Representatives for the state on Massachusetts.
Is that enough diversity, equity, and inclusion?
Apparently not: Peggy Flanagan became the first Native American woman elected to the U. S. Senate, Deb Haaland the first to win a state governorship, and Crystalyne Curley the first to lad one of the largest tribes (Navajo).
Is DEI dead, as they claim?
Not by a long shot. We the people paid no attention to the powers that be in Washington DC and selected the most diverse cohort of candidates ever to serve the people. This was no organized campaign or secret plot to snub our collective nose at any body or any decree; it was simply the voters surveying the qualifications of those seeking office and choosing those that seemed the more excellent choices. What we did was, from sea to shining sea, elevate people that represent us, that look like us, that think like us. We elected people of all races and religions, of many countries of origin, of many native languages; we elected the young and the old, the male and the female, the gay and the straight, and even eight transgender people!
Against the federal effort to elevate and empower only straight, white, Christian men, we the people said emphatically, “No way, Jose!” We spread the electoral love as far as we could in all directions.
Ain’t it sweet?
And all the people said, Amen!
Dwight A. Moody
Recent Posts
Related Posts
The Blue Wave
A Christian Nation?
The Good, the Bad, and the Surprise!
Belmont Registration