Current:Home > FinanceClaim of NASCAR bias against white men isn't just buffoonery. It's downright dangerous. -MoneyBase
Claim of NASCAR bias against white men isn't just buffoonery. It's downright dangerous.
View
Date:2025-04-16 20:16:40
If you haven't heard about this, it will sound like a joke. But it's not. I mean, it is a joke. But it's real. Anyway, you ready? Here it is:
America First Legal, led by former Donald Trump goon named Stephen Miller, has requested that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which investigates allegations of discrimination against employers and has the authority to file lawsuits, investigate NASCAR for “illegal discrimination against White, male Americans.”
It seems like a joke because NASCAR has one Black driver in its Cup Series in Bubba Wallace, and just one non-American, Mexican driver, Daniel Suarez, racing full-time in its Cup Series. It also has no women Cup drivers since Danica Patrick retired following the 2018 Daytona 500.
NASCAR isn't known for being a beacon of diversity among its drivers. It's been attempting to change that with a series of diversity initiatives designed to bring more drivers of color and also diversify its staff.
But no one, absolutely no one, would look at NASCAR and say: You know, I think NASCAR doesn't have enough white people in it. So instead of its drivers being 99.999999 percent white, we need them to be even more white. Is it possible, Miller might ask, for NASCAR to be 2,000 percent white?
This is all goofy and weird and foolish. Elements of this story are funny, too. But what Miller is doing is also abhorrent and immensely dangerous.
We can laugh at the blatant stupidity but the larger message Miller and his group are pushing is a frightening one. That message is that white people are under attack and need protection.
This, of course, isn't true. But people like Miller say it is and unfortunately Miller, extremist politicians and right-wing media push the same garbage to tens of millions of Americans. They've been doing this for years.
Former Fox host Tucker Carlson acted as a conduit for one of the ugliest conspiracy theories in existence: the "great replacement" theory. The idea behind it is that white Americans are being replaced by people of color for political gain. The reason right-wing extremists attack diversity, equity and inclusion programs is because they see them as another way white people are being oppressed. Which is laughable.
Read moreWhy is F1 second to none when it comes to inclusivity? Allow 'Mr. Diversity' to explain.
Over the past year Miller's group has accused over a dozen companies, including some of the biggest like McDonald's and Starbucks, of using their DEI initiatives to discriminate against white people. Another organization Miller has targeted is Major League Baseball. Bloomberg reports that the EEOC has yet to publicly respond to the group’s inquiries.
With NASCAR, as he's doing with other entities, he's attacking its various diversity programs, as Bloomberg notes, including “diversity driver development program,” “diversity pit crew development program,” as well as the “NASCAR diversity internship program." He claims it violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race and sex.
Miller's group accelerated its efforts after the Supreme Court essentially gutted race-conscious admissions decisions at colleges across the nation. He wants to spread this ugliness beyond that realm.
Please understand what Miller's group is doing here. He's attacking NASCAR for wanting to diversify itself. A company trying to look more like America is a wonderful mission. Instead, someone full of rot and bile wants to stall that kind of progress. Not sure what's scarier. The fact that Miller is doing this or that millions of people applaud him as he does.
Miller's group has also gone after Kellogg. That's right. Kellogg. Which makes cereal. Apparently, Coco Pops aren't white enough.
"Kellogg’s is yet another big corporation that will break the law and hurt its shareholders’ interests to serve the twisted woke ideology of its officers and directors; like Disney, Budweiser, and Target, Kellogg’s management has shown nothing but contempt and disdain for American families and American workers. America First Legal will keep fighting for big corporate accountability," the group said.
Kellogg's said in a statement to NBC.com: "At Kellogg, our aspiration is to better reflect the diversity of our consumers and to strengthen our inclusive culture. We are committed to compliance with all applicable employment laws, and we have policies in place that prohibit workplace discrimination."
In its letter to baseball, AFL actually had the nerve to bring up Jackie Robinson. The group claimed that baseball has “reversed the progress that it has made since 1947 when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier” by utilizing “discriminatory” diversity programs.
Yes, this is all stupid and a joke.
But it's also dangerous.
veryGood! (49579)
Related
- Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
- Elon Musk set to attend Italy leader Giorgia Meloni's conservative Atreju political festival in Rome
- Pope Francis’ 87th birthday closes out a big year of efforts to reform the church, cement his legacy
- Costco members buy over $100 million in gold bars, stock rises after earnings call
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Israel presses ahead in Gaza as errant killing of captives adds to concern about its wartime conduct
- It's time to say goodbye: 10 exit strategies for your Elf on the Shelf
- Zara pulls ad campaign that critics said resembled Gaza destruction
- Intel's stock did something it hasn't done since 2022
- Zara pulls ad campaign that critics said resembled Gaza destruction
Ranking
- Grammy nominee Teddy Swims on love, growth and embracing change
- The number of homeless people in America grew in 2023 as high cost of living took a toll
- Texans' CJ Stroud to miss Sunday's game vs. Titans because of concussion
- 'Heartbroken': Third beluga whale 'Kharabali' passes at Mystic Aquarium in 2 years
- 'As foretold in the prophecy': Elon Musk and internet react as Tesla stock hits $420 all
- Aaron Rodgers wows Jets teammates during practice. Will he be back for Christmas Eve?
- How to save for retirement with $1 million in the bank by age 62
- Juwan Howard cleared to return as Michigan's head basketball coach, AD announces
Recommendation
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Stars Have a Full Cast Reunion That Will Lift Your Spirits
Belarus political prisoners face abuse, no medical care and isolation, former inmate says
Brazil approves a major tax reform overhaul that Lula says will ‘facilitate investment’
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
Man convicted in Arkansas graduation shooting gets 105 years in prison
DK Metcalf's ASL teacher says Seahawks receiver brings his own flair to the language
Israel is using an AI system to find targets in Gaza. Experts say it's just the start