New York, NY, September 11, 2020 ... ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) expressed grave concern over the recent announcement from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) addressed to the heads of all Executive Branch Departments and Agencies. The announcement said the Trump administration intends to end all trainings related to critical race theory or white privilege for federal agency employees.
The memorandum’s message is directly contrary to our nation’s fundamental beliefs and values of liberty, justice, and equality. Participating in trainings and workshops that seek to dismantle the structural racism that runs so deep in our society is not “propaganda,” but rather essential work to ensure that our nation can live up to its founding ideals.
ADL’s CEO published an op-ed titled “Pursuing Racial Justice, Fighting Antisemitism,” highlighting the need to address the “long-overdue reckoning over systemic racism in our country.” ADL defines racism as the marginalization and/or oppression of people of color based on a socially constructed racial hierarchy that privileges white people.
Today, with public displays of hate and racism on the rise, it is incredibly important for federal government institutions to commit to programs that acknowledge structural racism, explore the impact of white privilege and clearly define actions that all members of the community must take to dismantle racism. White privilege is a core pillar of that discussion. Whether you are a civil servant, political appointee, or concerned member of a community, we all have a role to play in combating bias and pursuing racial justice as a means to dismantle systemic racism and stop the escalation of hate. This requires understanding and analyzing issues of power and privilege as they relate to the racism embedded in our institutions.
ADL is committed to fighting all forms of hate and bias and joins in solidarity with the movement for racial justice—now and always.