Hollywood Faces the DEI Cliff
For FAIR’s Substack, Libertas Conscientiae writes about how Hollywood's diversity initiatives are failing—and offers a better way forward.
Those of us opposing these self-destructive practices have never denied the need for more diversity and inclusion, especially in Hollywood. Our clarion call has been one of unity, to deploy the power of Hollywood in the service of what made it great in the first place, bringing together people of all colors, beliefs, backgrounds and nationalities in a shared human experience, reminding us that our commonalities outweigh our differences.
The Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism (FAIR) was built for moments like these. Since its founding in 2021, FAIR has demonstrated heroic reasonableness in unreasonable times, holding steadfast to its pro-human mission and growing into a community of more than 35,000. While Disney, the Academy and others have struggled, FAIR has thrived, successfully navigating the most divisive period of modern American history with a focus on unity and shared humanity. This is what successful diversity and inclusion looks like.
Fighting Words
For her Substack BROADVIEW, FAIR Advisor Lisa Selin Davis writes about Elon Musk’s recent interview with Jordan Peterson and about her approach to pronoun usage.
What I appreciate about the current state of Twitter/X is that I still don’t have to use sex-based pronouns. I am not a pronoun purist. I think it’s vitally important to be faithful to the reality of biological sex in law and policy, but I leave wiggle room—not just for people I know personally but for people whom I perceive to be she or he. I do what causes me the least amount of cognitive dissonance for my own sanity, while always knowing the reality of sex. I also regularly and passionately critique the media for shifting style guides so that writers must adhere to a belief system in order to report on this subject. Forcing reporters to use gender identity-based pronouns or to avoid words like detransitioner embeds a worldview into the writing, getting in the way of the job of informing people. (I’m working on a style guide now—please leave any suggestions in the comments!)
Political violence and speech
Hosted by FIRE's Nico Perrino, “So to Speak: The Free Speech Podcast,” takes an uncensored look at the world of free expression through the law, philosophy, and stories that define your right to free speech. In last week’s episode, FAIR Advisor Nadine Strossen, Jacob Mchangama, and Flemming Rose discuss political violence: its history, its causes, and its relationship with free speech.
I’m Starting This Newsletter To Help Bust Out of Our Partisan News Environment
For his new newsletter The American Saga, FAIR Advisor Zaid Jilani issues a declaration of independence from our polarized media.
This intense fracturing of the news landscape runs contrary to who I am as a person and also contrary to what I believe the news media should be doing in this country. I think progressives should be reading stories that humanize people who are anxious about immigration and impacted by violent crime, and I think that conservatives should be reading stories that document the brutality of our country’s prisons and the harsh realities of American-backed militarism abroad.
That’s why I’ve decided to put the bulk of my writing on this website and newsletter. The American Saga will be a place documenting the politics and people of the United States.
‘You Can Be Any Demographic and Be a Conservative’: Meet the RNC Influencers
For The Free Press, Olivia Reingold writes about the unlikely Republicans putting principles before perceived demographic party allegiance.
“For far too long, we've been told that you either have to be blue-collar or an old, rich white man that just does nothing but just go to church to be a Republican,” he says. “And I’m just ready for that narrative to be over.”
He describes a caricature of Republicans “dressing like a pilgrim and churning butter on the weekends.” But that’s changing, he says.
“You can be artsy, you can be gay, you can be any demographic and be a conservative—it does not matter. What matters are our principles. Are you going to fight for my freedom? And am I going to fight for yours? That’s the bottom line.”
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