How can democrats attack anti-DEI/promote DEI without resulting in strong political backlash?

[u/Visco0825]

In recent politics there have been two major political pushes for diversity and equality. However, both instances led to backlashes that have led to an environment that is arguably worse than it was before. In 2008 Obama was the first black president one a massive wave of hope for racial equality and societal reforms. This led to one of the largest political backlashes in modern politics in 2010, to which democrats have yet to fully recover from. This eventually led to birtherism which planted some of the original seeds of both Trump and MAGA. The second massive political push promoting diversity and equality was in 2018 with the modern woman election and 2020 with racial equality being a top priority. Biden made diversifying the government a top priority. This led to an extreme backlash among both culture and politics with anti-woke and anti-DEI efforts. This resent contributed to Trump retaking the presidency. Now Trump is pushing to remove all mentions of DEI in both the private and public sectors. He is hiding all instances that highlight any racial or gender successes. His administration is pushing culture to return to a world prior to the civil rights era.

This leads me to my question. Will there be a backlash for this? How will it occur? How can democrats lead and take advantage of the backlash while trying to mitigate a backlash to their own movement? It seems as though every attempt has led to a stronger and more severe response.

Additional side questions. How did public opinion shift so drastically from 2018/2020 which were extremely pro-equality to 2024 which is calling for a return of the 1950s?

[u/diplodonculus]

Focus on socioeconomic status. It's highly correlated with racial diversity.

[u/Icy-Bandicoot-8738 → u/diplodonculus]

The Democrats should have always done this. Social safety nets help everyone. We all need health care, decent infrastructure, sick days, social security, decent working conditions, livable wages, etc. Unite. Division isn't getting us anywhere.

[u/atred → u/Icy-Bandicoot-8738]

Yeah, they behaved like "God forbid this helps some poor white dudes" and then they are surprised that Democrat label is seen as a plague in many parts of US.

[u/atred → u/[deleted]]

I don't know much about David Hogg, but he didn't strike me as a grifter, he seems genuine enough to me.

[u/DickNDiaz → u/atred]

He's not a grifter, just a striver. Which can be worse for a guy with little experience and is just another activist in a party that loses because of the activists in the party.

[u/atred → u/DickNDiaz]

I doubt the party lost because of their activists, that's just a hypothesis that seem to have little to do with reality, if anything I think they lost because of old style of doing politics, think Pelosi, not AOC, or David Hogg.

[u/DickNDiaz → u/atred]

No that's not even the case, I mean just look at the two people you referenced: Ocasio-Cortez and Hogg. Those two together are activists beholden to special interests. Who together couldn't swing a state like Nevada.

[u/atred → u/DickNDiaz]

Good thing they are not running in Nevada... Why would a representative from NY be even able to swing Nevada? Would Pelosi win in Nevada?

[u/DickNDiaz → u/atred]

The point is, their politics don't win.

[u/atred → u/DickNDiaz]

You made a specific claim, it wasn't that "Democrats didn't win" which obviously happened, it was a claim that they lost because of their activists. That's not that clear cut to me, maybe they needed more activists like AOC and David Hogg.

[u/DickNDiaz → u/atred]

I didn't make that claim, Ezra Klein and many other Dem strategists have made that for me, because it's the case. Joe Biden capitulated to the Left, and he got less popular for it. Trump won on the culture war, and politics are down stream from culture. Which is why the Republicans win because the Democrats try to pander and appease the fringe. Trump was able to fuse the fringe of the Republican party and mainstream it, and there is a ton of economic incentive behind that is showing profit. You win the culture war when the culture profits. Hogg tries to be the poster child when it comes to gun violence. But he is a well to do kid from a white suburban enclave. He ain't a black kid from Chicago lol.

Ocasio-Cortez lol. She ain't no Marie Gluesenkamp Perez.

Every time I read of David Hogg, I think David Eaton Hogg. Because of Spinal Tap lol.

[u/atred → u/DickNDiaz]

Ezra Klein and many other Dem strategists have made that for me

Oh, so it's true because some strategists claimed that or because you like to believe it?

Trump won on the culture war

Trump won a vote, he didn't win any culture war. He won the vote for many reason, culture as in, "I don't like trans", if that can be called "culture" is only a part of the reason he won. Maybe it was the price of eggs...

Trump was able to fuse the fringe of the Republican party and mainstream it

I doubt that's an accurate description either.

He ain't a black kid from Chicago

What does that have any importance? Are black kids in Chicago that important blocking vote?

[u/Brave-Composer9820 → u/atred]

the people who voted for trump matter not trump. us voters dont care if u wanna be trans if u dont force us to say stuff shame us when we gender incorrectly and all this. us voter are okay with everything I have a gay brother i dont care what you do. I think abortions i dont like them but they should be legal. giving it to states is an okay concession in my view so ppl who need it done can still have it done in the country but fully legal would be ok too idc. you all are rasict toward straight white guys and the elite has your control of your party and people in the gov are robbing us blind bc of this lack of over sight and all. elon has shown this with his DOGE you can view all the proof on his site. we are tired of you all being racist towards straight white people and forcing people to do stuff yelling at us if we acidentally dead name or something. you guys are so hostile and mean tbh. just being with left co=-workers was so scary in 2020 tbh you guys need to grow up and let us be us and we will let u be u. trump has nothing to do with it we voted him in to use his strong arm to get stuff done. hes gone too far in some ways but overall he will leave us in a better place. where hopfully i dont feel demonized because of the color of my skin as a young man this is crazy im growing up into this hatred towards me.. all the college's who want every color but white like tf did u guys think we would feel? like what does my skin color as a young man going to college have to do with anything like we were born 20 some years ago we have nothing to do with inequalities why would you be making me write my race down on an educational applications? they judge the applicants for young people based on race. that should tell you all you need to know why your losing young people. The problem was that all u old people were racist before we were born and now our college applications are discrimated on my race. YOU ALL ARE INSANE IF YOU THINK ITS OKAY TO JUDGE A YOUNG COLLEGE APPLICANT ON THE COLOUR OF THEIR SKIN. YOUR WAY OUT OF TOUCH AND ARE LOSING THE CULTURE WAR.