Those who value a commonsense meritocracy can rejoice that DEI finally DIEs.  However, we must be wary that the purveyors of progressive propaganda don’t infiltrate H.R. departments with deceptive Orwellian language that masks similar sentiments.  To fully unleash our fresh, wholesome, all-American vitality, we must also be alert to DIE-R, where the “R” stands for “respect.”

It sounds like an innocuous word, even inspiriting.  Who doesn’t appreciate some respect now and then?  However, the word is often code for a reinvention of disastrous DIE initiatives.

For example, this H.R. site perpetuates the tiresome notion that a lack of respect tends to discourage minorities, especially employees “of color,” more.  “More” is the keyword, because it leads to imagined disparities in opportunity, giving cover to defend underachievement with accusations of white male privilege and toxicity. 

What is truly toxic is the H.R. communiqués from many organizations, especially in the government sector, that tout respect.  What is truly privileged is the behavior of leftists, including a disgruntled bishop-cum-politician who, cloaked in protective religious cloth, opportunistically engaged in political polemics before a captive audience.

In Orwellian fashion, both conceal leftist malevolence with a word that is hard to dispute, but here goes...

When a busybody H.R. manager-wannabe declares that employees must respect all other employees — unquestioningly — it often means legitimate questions can’t be asked of quiet quitters, for example.  “Respect” becomes a soul-destroying DIE euphemism that perpetuates incompetence, because any constructive criticism is perceived as disrespect by overly sensitive underperformers.  

A mark of integrity is doing good deeds while no one is looking.  By contrast, it is often those who flounder in mediocrity who are prideful and demand respect.  True respect can only be earned, not “shouted into existence” when one is exposed for dereliction.

Shout.  That’s something the leftists often do when they continually lose arguments on rational grounds.  In general, whereas conservatives may appreciate some acknowledgment occasionally, leftists constantly cry for respect to cover up their inadequacies. 

Senator Barbara Boxer shouted for respect when a general offended her sensibilities by referring to her as ma’am (that’s how military members often talk).  Members of the supercilious SQUAD seek refuge in demands for “respect,” but they don’t earn it.  AOC, in particular, is always screaming for respect, but she is one of the most ineffective lawmakers in Congress.

A classic example of the way “respect” can be contorted by leftists is provided by the misguided reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington.  That ghastly old thing careened off her religious reservation into a political swamp in her notorious “have mercy” prayer.  Here’s what particularly grates: she called President Trump’s response to her inappropriate sermon “respectful.”

Heavens to Betsy and Budde: he’s our nation’s duly chosen leader, elected in a landslide.  It is she who should bend the knee, not only before the altar, but before the person whom God saved to lead America in a Golden Age.  The leftist Budde is simply out of touch in repeating that Trump’s response was “respectful.”  In fact, that’s a typically contorted leftist misrepresentation, given that President Trump is asking her to apologize. 

Budde’s misinterpretation of Trump’s reaction to her self-serving sermon is peculiar, given that the God she worships does not respect persons.  Romans 2:11 states that “there is no respect of persons with God.” 

One hopes, given her calling, that Budde has internalized the meaning of contrition and repentance.  It is she who should be respectful.  Nay, she should be properly demure, deferential, and docile toward the man whom God chose to engineer the greatest political comeback in American history. 

Just like many forlorn leftists with political aspirations, the bad reverend Budde must earn the respect she craves in ungodly fashion, presuming that her faith even values that.  That can’t be done by gratuitously ambushing churchgoers from behind her liturgical vestments.  Presuming she is not unique, her sanctimonious attitude may help explain why Episcopal membership is down. 

God saved Trump and America.  Budde needs to be contrite to both by bending her knee and apologizing to the chosen — chosen — leader of America.  By comparison to the invigorating and replenishing MAGA storm sweeping across our majestic land, she’s just nondescript dust in the wind.

Read the room, Budde.  Read the sanctuary.  But don’t read the sermon again without showing Christian compassion toward Laken Riley and the multitudes of God-fearing Americans victimized by ungodly illegal aliens.

It is refreshing that the Golden Age of America will foster meritocracy rather than soul-destroying DIE diktats.  We must continue to watch out for deceptive instantiations of DIE-R.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0.