Daily Herald opinion: In defense of DEI: The phrase 'diversity, equity and inclusion' may sound ungainly, but the concept is unifying, expansive and vital

We watch a lot of movies, including a lot of the old classics. If you ever watch the old ones, particularly the ones from the 1950s or earlier but not just them, it is hard to ignore how white they were and how male.

Good movies, so many of them; some of them, great. Our point here is not to complain about those movies or about the intentions of those who made them. Like all of us, the people who created them, as well as the people who watched them, were captives of their times, at least to some degree.

But can you imagine what those movies said to you if you were not white; if you were female; if you were, well, different? Would they have helped you feel that you were part of America? Or would they have helped you feel like an outsider looking in? Can you imagine the message those movies would have sent you about your role in society? About what you and your children could aspire to be? Would they have helped to inspire or helped to give up?

We write about this now like it was so long ago. But this sense of how we all see ourselves is not so long ago. It has been only recently, for example, that Blacks and ethnic minorities and gays and strong women have become common figures in television advertising and mass marketing. Only in the last few years. And how common is it in the workplace even now to see anyone and everyone in positions of influence and responsibility? Better than it used to be, but if we all are going to be honest with ourselves, not quite everyday and everywhere just yet.

The backlashers these days say hiring and promotion decisions should be based solely on merit. “Only the best,” as if standards are being lowered. Ironically, many of these backlashers got their positions based on networking, connections and favoritism.

Like anything else, the philosophy of diversity, equity and inclusion can be taken to extremes or poorly executed. No doubt there have been DEI cases when mistakes in hiring or promotions have been made. Just like there always have been mistakes in hiring and promotions. It is not an exact science. Personnel mistakes are not a new phenomenon, not a creation of DEI.

But you cannot have equity without inclusion.

And neither just happen.

Jackie Robinson did not just happen to show up at Ebbets Field one day. Branch Rickey had to make that happen. Despite heavy resistance. Yes, you can say that Robinson was one of the first DEI hires. Somebody else did not make the roster because Robinson took his spot.

But Robinson did not lower standards. He raised them.

And can we all appreciate what Robinson's appearance on that ball field meant to the Black community? How much it inspired that community? How big a role model he became?

Can we also all appreciate how the diversity Robinson ushered in improved baseball? How that diversity did not reduce the quality of play? How it strengthened it? The diversity Robinson introduced improved the country, too.

DEI has become a dirty expression in some quarters these days. Not only has President Donald Trump ordered it banned from federal offices and websites, but his administration has sought to fire employees who have helped implement the philosophy and to threaten other employees with severe consequences if they even espouse it.

If DEI in practice is imperfect, reform it. But it would be a great mistake to eliminate it. The concept is central to our hopes of making a reality out of the nation's motto, e pluribus unum.