BLM Plaza to become Charlie Kirk Plaza? Nancy Mace continues anti-DEI tirade

Local news headlines in Washington, D.C., have been raging about a recent bill filed by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, officially called HR 6578, which would designate the former Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House as “Charlie Kirk Freedom of Speech Plaza.”

A 180-degree reversal of what once stood there as a symbol of resistance may now be transformed into a symbol of white supremacy.

This legislation is a slap in the face to D.C. residents, given the fact that Kirk himself was at the demolition of Black Lives Matter Plaza earlier this year before he was murdered, cheering on its destruction.

It is also a constant reminder that MAGA Republicans in Congress continue to treat D.C. as their playground by undermining Home Rule, introducing budget riders and disapproval resolutions, and attempting to rename streets. On the latter point, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., recently blocked a Republican effort to rename a street in front of the Embassy of Cuba on the grounds that it interfered with D.C.’s local affairs.

This isn’t the first time that Mace has come after D.C. A few months ago, she had a very combative exchange with Mayor Muriel Bowser during a congressional hearing featuring D.C. leaders.

Around the same time, she introduced the “No DEI in D.C.” Act to “bulldoze the DEI offices wasting taxpayer dollars on identity politics.” This act, if passed, would eliminate D.C.’s Office of Racial Equity, the Commission on Reparations, the Office of LGBTQ Affairs, and the Commission on Health Equity. It would additionally remove any racial equity training and eliminate any DEI programs in the District.

As we have seen with the attacks on federal agencies and workers from the Trump government, the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) assault is being used as a smokescreen to fire workers and promote white supremacy.

The D.C. government is just the latest in this line of assault that has targeted the entire region—from federal jobs to museums to big business.

As with all op-eds published by People’s World, the views reflected here are those of the author.

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