Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is doing the “white thing” by eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in higher education, according to a recent USA Today piece that is facing accusations of “racism” for its take on the matter.
In a Monday USA Today essay titled “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis does the white thing by banning DEI funding at universities,” columnist Rex Huppke argues the Sunshine State’s new law “protects students who don’t want to be told things they don’t want to hear from potentially hearing things they don’t want to learn.”
“Definitely the white move,” he writes.
From Opinion: Ron DeSantis did the ‘white’ thing in Florida, signing a bill that pulls all state funding from DEI programs at the state’s public universities. https://t.co/eNh9kecolP
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 15, 2023
On Tuesday, DeSantis signed Senate Bill 266, which specifies that Florida institutes of higher education cannot use state or federal funds to promote DEI initiatives.
HAPPENING NOW: DeSantis signs legislation ELIMINATING woke DEI initiatives in Florida’s higher education.
“DEI is better viewed as standing for Discrimination, Exclusion, and Indoctrination — and that has no place in our public institutions.” pic.twitter.com/hCVxmCYPoe
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) May 15, 2023
The governor explained that the bill will effectively “reorient our universities back to their traditional missions” — treating people as individuals and elevating merit over superficial characteristics promoted by the radical left.
Repeating the divisive term, the article’s author claims DeSantis “did the white thing” when signing the bill that pulls all state funding from diversity, equity and inclusion programs at the state’s public universities.
“For people who have never once had to worry about or value diversity, equity or inclusion, this was definitely the white move,” he adds.
According to Huppke, whose column tends to reflect his humor, the Florida governor is “merely asking the most diverse generation ever to forget this whole ‘diversity’ thing” with the recent legislation.
RELATED: Diversity Director Kalea Selmon Endorses Segregation, Discrimination Against White Students:
@ExposeNAIS / Odysee
“That’s what DeSantis and his supporters would call ‘progress,’ and they’re absolutely white,” he writes.
The author also warns that academic officials would now need to ensure “no sneaky, inclusion-loving professors claim ‘systemic racism, sexism and privilege’ exist.”
Mockingly stating that “everything’s going to be all-white!” for Florida’s college students, Huppke reminds readers that employers have already established DEI programs or maintain a “strong focus on embracing the diversity of their customers.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure the most racially and ethnically diverse generation of all time will be fine with this attempt to case (sic) diversity as something unnecessary and nefarious,” he concludes. “It’s definitely the white move, Gov. DeSantis.”
In response, many took to social media to call out the “racist” essay.
“The media is not hiding its racism against whites anymore,” wrote conservative journalist Ian Miles Cheong. “If you support meritocracy, that means you’re ‘doing the white thing.’”
The media is not hiding its racism against whites anymore. If you support meritocracy, that means you’re “doing the white thing.” pic.twitter.com/bplReGzBrc
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) May 16, 2023
“USA Today is an embarrassment to journalism,” wrote one Twitter user.
“This article was atrocious, and reads as if written by a small child,” wrote another. “The left clearly has more artists, and this passes as journalism published by USA Today?”
“So USA Today is openly racist,” another user wrote.
“One thing is for sure, the author dislikes white people and has no problem stereotyping,” wrote yet another.
“What a truly racist headline. It is amazing that you purport to be a legitimate news periodical,” another Twitter user wrote.
The piece comes as anti-white sentiment continues to be pushed by the “woke” left and mainstream media — which Tesla CEO Elon Musk has accused of being “racist against whites & Asians.”
Earlier this year, parents criticized Michigan school board member Kesha Hamilton at a Jackson Board of Education meeting over her anti-white statements, including claims that “whiteness is evil” and that white people are “more dangerous” than animals.
School board member of @jpsvikings has a history of making racist comments. She says whiteness is evil and causes trauma, calls white people stupid, dangerous, and difficult to be near.
This person is responsible for the education of thousands of children. pic.twitter.com/JHVSv48M1Z
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 18, 2023
In March, White Fragility author Robin DiAngelo lauded racially segregated “spaces” during a discussion about promoting “racial justice,” claiming that people of color “need to get away from white people and have some community with each other.”
In January, USA Today published an essay claiming greetings such as “aloha” and “shalom” are “culturally sensitive” and their use could “come off as mockery.”
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
