Civil rights experts express concern that prohibitions on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in education and government are part of a broader effort to challenge the 1964 Civil Rights Act. NPR’s Sandhya Dirks provides a detailed report on this issue.
Victor Ray, a professor at the University of Iowa, has expressed apprehension in voicing his thoughts on the matter, fearing that accusations against the right of seeking to overturn the Civil Rights movement might appear extreme. The notion that civil rights have exceeded their limits is gaining prominence on certain right-wing platforms. For instance, Charlie Kirk, a far-right influencer with connections to former President Trump’s family and campaign, discussed these ideas with Jeremy Carl from the Claremont Institute, a think tank opposing diversity.
Historically, the Civil Rights movement achieved significant milestones over 60 years ago, notably when President Lyndon Baines Johnson enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964, rendering segregation in businesses, public places, and schools unlawful. While the act didn’t eradicate racism, it was a critical step forward. However, Victor Ray points out that issues such as school segregation and inequality in outcomes persisted, and several civil rights laws, including the Voting Rights Act, have faced erosion over time.
Presently, Ray argues that the U.S. government is dismantling mechanisms that previously upheld civil rights laws. There are threats to withdraw funding from universities with antidiscrimination policies, and some classes on racial inequality are being labeled as discriminatory against white students.
Maya Wiley, president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, explains the narrative shift towards branding civil rights as anti-white racism, as promoted by conservative entities like The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. According to Wiley, the plan seeks to disable the regulatory framework of civil rights laws and halt the collection of data on racism and discrimination.
Right-wing activist Christopher Rufo has advanced the narrative of pervasive anti-white racism. On a podcast, Rufo discussed two conservative viewpoints on civil rights, asserting that the Civil Rights Act impinges on civil liberties and requires reinterpretation. Although he acknowledges that abolishing civil rights is unlikely, he endorses a “colorblind enforcement” approach, equating actions against anti-white racism with those against anti-Black racism.
Jamelia Morgan of Northwestern University’s Center for Racial and Disability Justice suggests that this approach distorts civil rights and necessitates ignoring historical and current discrimination realities. Janai Nelson, from the Legal Defense Fund, emphasizes that the Civil Rights movement sought to address historic injustices, and DEIA are fundamental values rather than mere remedies. Nelson argues that prohibiting such viewpoints infringes upon First Amendment rights, indicating attempts by the Trump administration and its influencers to suppress these beliefs.
