EDITOR:

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just media buzzwords. The purpose of DEI is actually seeking to promote, “the fair treatment and full participation of all people.” clearly, three members of the Delta County board voted against just that when it comes to staff being educated for UP Area Agency on Aging UPCAP.

Tuesday July 18, 2023 I sat dumbstruck watching the county board meeting, listening to the words coming from some of the board members’ mouths regarding this issue. Fear-mongering was abundant as we were told white, Christian males are being oppressed and heard references made to fascists, Nazi Germany, and the Holocaust regarding teaching of diversity. Even more disgusting, we also hear gay people were recruiting children, not once, but twice! I couldn’t have felt more offended, disgusted, and saddened by their words. I’m ashamed by the thoughts of our county.

An important key for people to realize is the purpose of diversity, equity, and inclusion training is not to take anything away from white, straight, Christian people. Its purpose is to show all people, whether they are like you or different, dignity and respect and inclusion. Tenants of what I’ve always known to be God’s intentions for us to be.

When you are in the majority, nothing is taken from you to show others respect or give them fair treatment. In fact, that is the purpose of Christian charity, is it not? So because of this paranoia, they almost seem willing to disaffect the aged in our community over unfounded fears of attacks against their status.

Whether or not you like it, not every person in this county is straight, white, or Christian. And those people deserve to be treated with the same respect you expect. It is by educating people on the benefits of diversity training that we can strive to be better people in order to help our aged population.

What if your family member is not straight? What if your elderly neighbor is a person of another race or ethnicity? What if you or your partner don’t follow a common religion or have no religion? Wouldn’t you want to have caregivers treating our community members well? Don’t you want employees to have compassion and be knowledgeable and understanding of others who are different than them?

As a county, we should be better than this. While this is not the reason for the recall, these commissioners have shown us who they are over and over again and it further illustrates their unsuitability to serve our community. This is not the face we want to put forward to businesses or visitors to our county.

When they become available, I encourage you to consider signing the upcoming petition for the recall vote if you are in one of the appropriate districts. As for me, November 7, 2023 can not come soon enough.

Pam Gereau

Escanaba