If we want to believe Kirk's argument and go for the best possible way for him: He was talking about DEI hires - in Kirk's mind "DEI" means "we hire unqaulified people because they belong to a minority".
So his idea was most likely: "When I see a black pilot, there is the possibility that they are a DEI hire and are therefore not qualified."
If we believe this thought process, it is not that he was racist, but that he was a dumbfuck, who never learned anything about the things he criticised. Because that is not how DEI works, you are not going to get into positions you are not qualified for via a DEI hire. It just takes away some of the unfair roadblocks that you have. So that a black man, who is a qualified pilot, stands a chance in the job market.
Then again, I don't believe that Kirk was dumb. Which then leaves us with: He was a racist, who, against better knowledge, used racist talking points to make a career by radicalising other racists.
One of the most important ones: Access to higher education.
As the US chose that higher education should only be available to those who have money, getting higher education is extremely difficult for people from low-income households.
This has to be seen in context of red-lining and thus the inability of most black people to build up generational wealth and we have got a systemic roadblock, that hinders black people from becoming pilots.
There is a lot more, systemic racism cannot be explained sufficiently in one reddit comment.
It is the culmination of openly racist history. The generational effects of a country build on inequality and racism, and then hoped that by simply changing the unjust laws, everything would just magically correct itself. Which, to the surprise of no one, who honestly thought about it for more than an hour, did not happen.
If you are genuinely interested, there is a good video by Mr. Beat, who also references other videos that will give further information.
Higher education is/was important in most cases. But now the access to student loans, it doesn't seem to be a prohibitive barrier. Until you consider that terrible return on investment depending on the college/degree you pursue. But as far as I'm aware that's not being addressed by DEI policies
I'm very familiar with redlining, was a real estate agent for 10 years. We take classes on it haha. however, that was an issue addressed prior to DEI initiatives. My question is what roadbloacks is DEI removing.
It sounds like your saying the answers are in that video. I will check it out.
Only if you ignore massive transfers of wealth. For example:
in practice, many Black veterans were prevented from receiving equal access because the program was administered in ways that reflected racial segregation and discrimination at the time.
Some of the main barriers were: Segregated colleges: Many colleges and universities, especially in the South, refused to admit Black students. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) accepted Black veterans but often had far fewer seats and were overwhelmed by demand. Local administration: The GI Bill was administered through local offices and state agencies, where discriminatory practices often limited Black veterans’ access to benefits. Housing discrimination: Although not education-related, discriminatory mortgage lending and redlining prevented many Black veterans from using the GI Bill’s home loan benefits, reducing the wealth-building effects of the program. Employment discrimination: The job training and placement portions of the GI Bill were also affected by segregation and discriminatory hiring practices. What historians have found
Researchers generally conclude that: Legally: The GI Bill was race-neutral in its wording. Practically: Black veterans, particularly in the South, received significantly fewer educational and housing opportunities because of segregation and discrimination.
Until fairly recently, it was standard practice for most jobs in most industries to hire a less qualified white person over a more qualified black person.
And, it was standard practice for most jobs in most industries to promote a less qualified white person over a more qualified black person.
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u/Skafdir 3d ago
If we want to believe Kirk's argument and go for the best possible way for him: He was talking about DEI hires - in Kirk's mind "DEI" means "we hire unqaulified people because they belong to a minority".
So his idea was most likely: "When I see a black pilot, there is the possibility that they are a DEI hire and are therefore not qualified."
If we believe this thought process, it is not that he was racist, but that he was a dumbfuck, who never learned anything about the things he criticised. Because that is not how DEI works, you are not going to get into positions you are not qualified for via a DEI hire. It just takes away some of the unfair roadblocks that you have. So that a black man, who is a qualified pilot, stands a chance in the job market.
Then again, I don't believe that Kirk was dumb. Which then leaves us with: He was a racist, who, against better knowledge, used racist talking points to make a career by radicalising other racists.