(Todd A. Smith)
“Competent White men must be in charge if you want things to work. Unfortunately, our entire national ideology is predicated on coddling the feelings of women and minorities, and demoralizing competent White men,” said Darren J. Beattie in a social media post.
Beattie, President Donald Trump’s appointee to serve as acting Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, continued, “Tim Scott needs to learn his place and take a knee to MAGA….
“BLM must take a knee to MAGA. They must learn their place…
“Ibram Kendi needs to learn his place and take a knee to MAGA. Learn his proper role in our society.”
For people like Beattie, Black people’s role in American society was always to be subservient.
A Black person’s place was always beneath the White man.
When Black people got out of line and did not stay in their place, they often experienced violence, intimidation and sometimes false imprisonment at the hands of racist White men.
That is why many aspects of American society stayed segregated for song line.
Top jobs were reserved for White men.
And menial roles were reserved for Black folks.
The only time a Black man was able to rise above those menial jobs was when the White man allowed him to.
For example, some Black individuals managed to entertain White people, elevating themselves beyond the roles of maids and sharecroppers if White people earned most of the profits.
A Black person could sing for a record company.
But they better not dare try to own the record company, their master recordings or their publishing like Sam Cooke once did.
Why?
Because allowing Black people to get power and wealth might stop the White man from getting wealthy and powerful off Black people.
Therefore, American society was never meant to be a true meritocracy.
The country was set up to keep White people on top (superior) and Black people beneath them (inferior).
People often say that sports is the only true meritocracy in the world because the cream will rise to the top in competition when all the same rules apply.
For decades, Major League Baseball stayed segregated.
Sure, many White men said that the reason for this was because Black people were inferior.
But if that were true, integration would not have taken any opportunities from White men in baseball because the worst White baseball player should have been better than the best Black baseball player.
But to allow diversity (integration) into baseball meant taking jobs from White men.
And many knew that some Black players were better than their White counterparts.
So, racist White people had to restrict access to the Majors to White players for as long as possible.
Before 1947, many White baseball fans thought the best baseball player was Babe Ruth, known for his towering homeruns and larger-than-life personality.
However, fans of the Negroes Leagues often said that Josh Gibson was at least Ruth’s equal, if not even better.
Before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, the Majors only showcased the best White talent.
It did not represent the top talent because not allowing Black players to compete prevented it from being a true meritocracy.
Integration meant that baseball talent scouts looked for the best talent regardless of race, while segregation meant that the Majors only recruited the best White talent.
Getting rid of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is the equivalent of reinstating the color barrier in baseball because now companies and organizations can justify recruiting just White students instead of casting a wide net and recruiting the best talent from all races.
Sure, many White players, fans and coaches complained and lashed out at Robinson, but the proof was in the pudding with the awards and pennants he won.
The hatred Robinson received made his success more impressive because average would not have been good enough for the first Black big league baseball player.
Robison needed to be exceptional to be seen as good enough.
In 2025, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) would say it this way, “I am tired of the White tears. Listen, if you are competent, you are not concerned.
“I had to work 10 times as hard as they did just to get into the seat. When you look and compare me to Marjorie Taylor Greene or me to Lauren Boebert, there is no comparison. And that is the life that we have always lived.
“So, the only people that are crying are the mediocre White boys that have been beaten out by people that historically have had to work so much harder.”
People should wonder why some of the most talented and most intelligent members of the White community seemingly have less of a problem with diversity efforts than those who seem to lack intelligence and talent.
That is because they know that the only reason they have the “blessings” that they have is because they have used racism, sexism and all other forms of bigotry to block the blessings of others.
I have had conversations with some conservative White Americans who have told me that the reason that their career has not blown up the way that they envisioned is because they are discriminated against because they are White, straight, Christian and male.
People have told me that it is easier for minorities, non-Christians, and members of the LGBTQ+ community to get business opportunities because many executives discriminate against straight, White, Christian men.
But the question is who is discriminating against them?
Not too many minorities have decision-making jobs in corporate America.
So, if White, Christian, straight men face discrimination it is probably at the hands of someone just like them.
The harsh reality is that some people are not good enough to achieve all their dreams and that includes some White people.
And unfortunately for them, eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion will not eliminate the fact that some members of the White community are not competent enough to compete against some of the most competent minorities.
And that is just the reality of a real meritocracy.
