The tide is turning against the tyranny of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Academic institutions and corporations alike are waking up to the destructive consequences of woke ideology. Two recent developments, one at the universities in Georgia and the other at Walmart, show that a rollback of DEI is beginning. This rollback is necessary to restore meritocracy to the American system.
In Georgia, the Board of Regents has taken a bold stand. They are dismantling DEI programs and reaffirming the principles of free speech and meritocracy. Gone are the ideological litmus tests and diversity statements for admissions and hiring. Instead, qualifications, knowledge, and abilities are the metrics of judgment. Even more promising, the system is implementing civics education, requiring students to study the crown jewels of the American Republic. Students will not focus on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The Georgia Board of Regents stated that these changes will strengthen academic communities and prepare students to be “contributing members of society.” In rejecting ideological coercion, Georgia’s universities are leading the charge to restore intellectual freedom and civil discourse.
Meanwhile, Walmart, the nation’s largest employer, has begun dismantling its DEI infrastructure. Under pressure from activists like Robby Starbuck, Walmart is reviewing its grants and product offerings. The corporation is reviewing those inappropriately targeting children and abandoning divisive terms like “Latinx.” More significantly, Walmart has withdrawn from the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index and is shuttering its Racial Equity Center. These moves signal a retreat from virtue-signaling to focus on serving customers and employees without the baggage of left-wing politics.
These shifts represent the beginning of a necessary cultural course correction. Americans reject policies that sow division and prioritize systems rooted in fairness, excellence, and individual freedom. The fight against wokeness is far from over, but victories like these show us that the tide is turning.
