Mayor Brandon Scott has come to expect overt and not-so-overt racism.

The latest example came in the aftermath of Tuesday night’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Within hours, Scott said he started to notice social media posts labeling him as a “DEI Mayor.”

Scott immediately bristled at the dog whistle.

“We know what these folks really want to say when they say DEI mayor,” he told The Banner. “Whether it is DEI or clown. They really want to say the N-word. But there is nothing they can do and say to me that is worse than the treatment of my ancestors. I am proud of who I am and where I come from.”

  • JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca
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    8 months ago

    You do realize that by labeling him a “DEI mayor,” they’re specifically making it about race, right? They’re saying he only got the job because of his race, as a “diversity hire.” And they’re doing this when his race has nothing to do with the situation. In fact, in this particular case, the mayor, no matter who he or she is has nothing to do with the situation.

    So yeah, bringing up race for no reason - and in a derogatory fashion no less - would make the perpetrator, dare I say… Racist.

    If you don’t think it does, I’d be very interested to hear where you draw the line where something becomes racism. Maybe provide examples of things that are and aren’t racist to enlighten us.

    • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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      8 months ago

      You do realize that by labeling him a “DEI mayor,” they’re specifically making it about race, right?

      You do realize there’s a difference between being “about race” and being a racist, right? And you do realize that, despite the name, DEI is, in many cases, actually about upholding racism, right?

      They’re saying he only got the job because of his race, as a “diversity hire.” And they’re doing this when his race has nothing to do with the situation.

      If he’s hired as a “diversity hire” (AKA unqualified) then it has absolutely everything to do with it and I’m baffled that you can’t see that.

      So yeah, bringing up race for no reason - and in a derogatory fashion no less - would make the perpetrator, dare I say… Racist.

      Absolutely it would, but that’s not what’s happening, and he knows it.

      • die444die@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        If he’s hired as a “diversity hire” (AKA unqualified) then it has absolutely everything to do with it and I’m baffled that you can’t see that.

        There’s no way a real person is this stupid right? This must be a bot.

        But just in case - he was voted into office, not a “diversity hire” as you so racistly suggest.

        • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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          8 months ago

          There’s no way a real person is this stupid right? This must be a bot.

          Funny I was thinking the same thing about you.

          he was voted into office, not a “diversity hire” as you so racistly suggest.

          I didn’t suggest that. This is typical bot behavior where you try to answer questions no one asked. 🤔

          • dogslayeggs@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            You literally said, "If he’s hired as a “diversity hire.” That is suggesting that “he,” meaning the mayor in this discussion, could possibly be “hired,” as opposed to being elected. So, yes, you did suggest that the mayor was hired instead of being elected.

              • dogslayeggs@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                Yes, “if” implies that there is a way it can be one way or another. “If he committed the crime” implies that a crime was committed and the sentence is looking at whether or not “he” did it. In your sentence, “if he’s hired as a diversity hire” implies that he was hired and the sentence is looking at why they were hired.

                You could very easily say you screwed up and typed the wrong thing. It happens to all of us. I often say, “you too” when a server says to enjoy my meal or when someone says “have a nice flight.” Instead, you double down and insist you didn’t say what you said.

                • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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                  8 months ago

                  Yes, “if” implies that there is a way it can be one way or another.

                  Which is exactly what I meant. Glad you’re clear on that now.

                  • dogslayeggs@lemmy.world
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                    8 months ago

                    OK, so you are saying that it is possible it can be one way or another. He can either be hired or not hired. This is a mayoral spot, so there is no possible way he was hired.

                    Or are you saying it is possible he was hired either as a diversity hire or not as a diversity hire? Again, nobody was hired. It was an election. In no interpretation of “if” can you be correct.

          • die444die@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            One reason lemmy is so great is that it’s so easy to block “people” like you. Blocked!

      • NOT_RICK@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        If he’s hired as a “diversity hire” (AKA unqualified) then it has absolutely everything to do with it and I’m baffled that you can’t see that.

        He’s an elected mayor, what the hell are you talking about?

        Must be unqualified cause he’s black though, right?

        Perhaps he should have forced better regulations at the port, except for the fact that the port is a state run enterprise that he isn’t in charge of. Your ignorance is glaring.

        • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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          8 months ago

          He’s an elected mayor, what the hell are you talking about?

          I didn’t say he wasn’t. What the hell are you talking about?

          Must be unqualified cause he’s black though, right?

          Yes, word for word, exactly what I said 🙄

          Your poor reading comprehension skills are glaring.

          • NOT_RICK@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            If he’s hired as a “diversity hire” (AKA unqualified) then it has absolutely everything to do with it and I’m baffled that you can’t see that.

            Did you not just say this?

            If you meant something else, you’re not a very good writer. The downvotes piling on should be your hint.

            • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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              8 months ago

              LOL as if downvotes on Lemmy mean absolutely anything to me. The place where copyrights don’t exist and everything is supposed to magically be free and no one has to work. LOL give me a break.

              I meant what I said, you just need to learn to read properly.

              • NOT_RICK@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                I meant what I said

                Right, which brings me back to the impossibility of someone whom is elected to be a “diversity hire”. When I went to school I learned that hired and elected are two completely different words with fundamentally different meanings.

                As for the downvotes, normally I’d agree that votes aren’t especially meaningful, but in this instance I think it’s clear you either have pathetic opinions or a sorry ability of conveying what you actually mean.

                Also kind of funny to denigrate the platform you’re on, the door is that way if you hate it so much

                • helenslunch@feddit.nl
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                  8 months ago

                  Right, which brings me back to the impossibility of someone whom is elected to be a “diversity hire”.

                  No it brings you back to not understanding the word “if”.

                  As for the downvotes, normally I’d agree that votes aren’t especially meaningful

                  Then why did you bring it up?

                  but in this instance I think it’s clear you either have pathetic opinions or a sorry ability of conveying what you actually mean.

                  No you just either have pathetic reading comprehension skills or are intentionally misrepresenting my statements.

                  the door is that way if you hate it so much

                  Once again you are intentionally misrepresenting my statements.

                  • NOT_RICK@lemmy.world
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                    8 months ago

                    Gonna just continue to dig your heels in despite the fact that it’s impossible to hire someone for an electable position, gotcha.

      • JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca
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        8 months ago

        If he’s hired as a “diversity hire” (AKA unqualified) then it has absolutely everything to do with it and I’m baffled that you can’t see that.

        Okay, so let’s say he was elected on his merits and was fully qualified. Would calling him a diversity hire then be racist?