Zone1 Poll: Although the Tuskegee Airmen Accomplished What They Did BEFORE the Advent of DEI, Do you Consider Them Recipients of DEI?

[westwall]

They were exceptional but there are a lot of Black men and women who are exceptional, all throughout history.

And unfortunately, when they returned home, the country that they had risked their lives for treated them no differently than it had before they left. If anyone had proven their capabilities it was these distinguished pilots, yet it would be almost 20 years before the airlines would hire their first African American pilot and then only after, once again, a lawsuit was filed.
----
Marlon Dewitt Green, whose landmark legal battle paved the way for African American pilots in commercial aviation:

Early Life and Military Service:

• Birth: June 6, 1929, in El Dorado, Arkansas.
• Education: Co-valedictorian at Xavier Preparatory High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.BlackPast.org
• Military Career: Joined the U.S. Air Force in 1948, earning his wings in 1950. Over nine years, he accumulated over 3,000 flight hours piloting bombers and multi-engine aircraft. BlackPast.org

Pioneering Commercial Aviation:

• Application to Continental Airlines: In 1957, Green applied to Continental Airlines. Despite his extensive experience, he was passed over in favor of less experienced white pilots.
• Legal Battle: Green filed a complaint with the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Commission, leading to a six-year legal struggle that culminated in a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision in his favor in 1963. BlackPast.org
• Employment with Continental Airlines: Following the court's decision, Green began flying for Continental in 1965 and was promoted to captain in 1966. He served with the airline until his retirement in 1978. BlackPast.org

Legacy:

• Impact: Green's perseverance and legal victory were instrumental in dismantling racial barriers in the U.S. airline industry, paving the way for future African American pilots.
• Recognition: In 2010, Continental Airlines honored Green by naming a Boeing 737 aircraft after him, acknowledging his significant contributions to aviation and civil rights. National Air and Space Museum

Personal Life:

• Family: Green was married to Eleanor Gallagher, with whom he had six children. BlackPast.org
• Passing: He passed away on July 6, 2009, in Denver, Colorado, at the age of 80. BlackPast.org

Marlon Green's legacy serves as a testament to courage and determination, breaking racial barriers and setting a precedent for equality in the aviation industry.

Indeed. Women had the same problems too.

The WASPS went a long way to addressing that. However they were still not allowed to fly combat till Iraq.

 

[BothWings]

That's because you WERE wrong in your explanation of why they were segregated.

No I wasn't. People not able to be proper soldiers because of prejudice within their ranks was very real. Do you really think that there wouldn't have been war-altering incidents if blacks and racist whites had been tossed together in a salad in the middle of a war? Sad but true. Look how many whites from southern states made up a huge fraction of our military. What does that tell you about who would be fighting with whom if blacks were suddenly tossed in too?? The military could NOT afford that. Were there incidents where racist commanders inadvertantly gave the T-Airmen the short stick? Of course. But that was circumstantial racism and not the actual plan. Your anger inhibits your ability to separate the wheat from the chaff. You think all white people just have it out for you and that's your problem, racist. You have become everything that you hate.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Constantly talking about "Black Issues" infers that there is something wrong with them ( as if they are inferior). You never hear liberals pumping up Asians or Hispanic accomplishments, ITS ONLY THEIR VOTING BASE ( BLACKS) that liberals constantly push in the media. This causes resentment with other minorities and only increases the problem. Morgan Freeman told Don Lemon, if you want to cure racism,,,STOP TALKING ABOUT IT and the people will forget about it and start treating people with their due respect ( some of them do not deserve respect ).

Democrats have weaponized and radicalized many blacks with the intent of keeping them in the democrat party. But 70 years of race pandering by elite white liberals has not helped the black condition, they are still impoverished and saddled with rampant crime; their misery benefits the Democrat party.

I suspect the liberals are using the Tuskegee group to virtue signal; Oh see how nice I am talking about a black flying group so pat me on the back and make me "feel Good" . If a Tuskegee airman moved next to a white privileged liberal, most of the liberals would sell their home the next day ASAP; I have seen this more than once. Look at how they went crazy when a handful of illegals landed in Martha's Vineyard.

Our past mayor here in Detroit was Coleman Young, a Tuskegee airman and he was an openly white hating racist that ran the city for 20 years. This is easily verified online

This is exactly the dynamic that establishes white democrats as today’s real white supremacists.

 

[PeterPilot]

NewsVine_Mariyam

You ask a good question, but DEI is intellectually bankrupt. The 14th Amendment rendered all persons, no matter their skin color, equal before the law.

I'm pretty sure that the Tuskegee Airman were all willing and proud participants in their unit and its mission and accomplishments.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

NewsVine_Mariyam

You ask a good question, but DEI is intellectually bankrupt. The 14th Amendment rendered all persons, no matter their skin color, equal before the law.

I'm pretty sure that the Tuskegee Airman were all willing and proud participants in their unit and its mission and accomplishments.

They were actually the opposite of DEI. They had to excel to be considered even.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

So most of you have been very clear on expressing your disdain for the concept of DEI and insist that DEI had nothing to do with their successes.

From my perspective, the reason you view the situation this way is because you believe that DEI stands for something other than what it actually does.

A lawsuit was brought on their behalf which resulted in them being "included" in flight training. Inclusion is the first step, because without opportunity, how is anyone going to demonstrate that they ARE skilled, experienced, and just as capable as any other [white] person. But make no mistake, although the military was forced to include them in their flight training program, they were never really "welcome":
=================================================================================
Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the first Black graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point in the 20th century, endured one of the most extreme cases of social isolation in the academy's history. His experience, often referred to as “the silent treatment,” was a deliberate and systemic attempt to break his spirit through psychological isolation.

What Happened?​

• Total Isolation: For four years (1932–1936), Davis was almost completely ignored by his classmates. No one voluntarily spoke to him beyond official duty requirements, and cadets actively avoided social interactions with him.
• No Roommate: Unlike other cadets who shared rooms, Davis was assigned a private room, ensuring he had no close companions.
• No Collaboration: Cadets would not sit with him at meals, work with him on group assignments, or even acknowledge his presence unless absolutely required.
• No Words Spoken: The silence was so severe that even casual greetings or small talk were avoided. He later recalled that he could count the number of words spoken to him by his fellow cadets on one hand.
• Deliberate Psychological Warfare: The intention was clear—his white classmates and superiors wanted to make his time at West Point so unbearable that he would resign, as had been the case with previous Black cadets.

How Did He Survive?​

Davis endured this treatment without complaint, maintaining a stoic and disciplined demeanor. His resilience was driven by an intense commitment to proving that he belonged, not just for himself but for future generations of Black officers. Despite the hostility:

• He excelled academically and in military training.
• He graduated 35th in his class of 276, a remarkable achievement under such conditions.
• He never retaliated or publicly protested, knowing that any outburst could be used as justification to remove him.

Impact of His Experience​

1. Shaped His Leadership: The silent treatment hardened Davis into a leader who could withstand adversity, making him a formidable figure in later battles for racial integration in the military.
2. Historical Precedent: His graduation in 1936 made him the first Black officer commissioned into the regular Army since Reconstruction.
3. Tuskegee Airmen Legacy: Davis went on to command the 99th Pursuit Squadron and later the 332nd Fighter Group, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, breaking racial barriers in World War II.
4. Advocacy for Integration: He played a crucial role in the eventual desegregation of the U.S. military, particularly influencing President Truman’s decision to issue Executive Order 9981 in 1948, which abolished racial discrimination in the armed forces.

Why It Matters Today​

Davis's experience at West Point serves as a stark example of institutional racism in elite spaces and how systemic exclusion is used to suppress those who challenge the status quo. His perseverance highlights the resilience required to break racial barriers in hostile environments.

Benjamin O. Davis Jr.'s Experience at West Point​

1. Davis, Benjamin O. Jr. (1991). Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.: American: An Autobiography. Smithsonian Institution Press.
   • In his autobiography, Davis recounts his time at West Point, describing the extreme social isolation he endured. He details how cadets refused to speak to him, collaborate, or even acknowledge his presence, amounting to a four-year silent treatment.
   • Quote: "I was to be silenced solely because the cadets did not want me there."
2. McManus, John C. (2005). Black Hawk Down: The American Military and the Unfolding of Military Racism. NAL Caliber.
   • Discusses the systemic racism within the U.S. military academies, particularly focusing on West Point's treatment of Davis and how his experience reflected the broader racial discrimination in the armed forces.
3. U.S. Military Academy West Point Archives (1932-1936).
   • Historical records document that Davis was forced to live in complete isolation, never having a roommate, and being ignored by his fellow cadets unless absolutely required.
4. Call, Debra J. (2013). Benjamin O. Davis Jr.: Air Force General & Tuskegee Airmen Leader. Enslow Publishers.
   • This book provides a detailed account of how Davis's experiences at West Point shaped his leadership and prepared him for the challenges he would later face as the commander of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Military Career & Desegregation of the Armed Forces​

1. Haulman, Daniel L. (2011). The Tuskegee Airmen Chronology. NewSouth Books.
   • Chronicles Davis's leadership of the 99th Pursuit Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group, as well as his role in disproving racist claims that Black pilots were inferior to white pilots.
2. Morrow, John H. Jr. (1993). Tuskegee Airmen and the Politics of Race in World War II. The University Press of Kansas.
   • Analyzes the military and political struggles Davis faced as he worked to integrate the Air Force and prove the capabilities of Black servicemen.
3. Executive Order 9981 (1948). National Archives & Records Administration.
   • This order, issued by President Harry Truman, officially ended segregation in the U.S. military. Davis played a crucial role in advocating for this policy change.
4. Davis, Benjamin O. Jr. (1992). Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Oral History Interview. Air Force Historical Research Agency.
   • In this interview, Davis reflects on his career, detailing how his experiences at West Point prepared him for his later work in military leadership and integration.

Impact on Military Integration​

1. Osur, Alan M. (1977). Blacks in the Army Air Forces During World War II: The Problems of Race Relations. Office of Air Force History.
   • Provides context on how Davis's leadership helped to break racial barriers in the military.
2. Bowers, William T. (2012). Soldiers for Equality: Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and the Fight to End Military Segregation. Harvard University Press.
   • Examines Davis's advocacy for racial integration and how his leadership influenced policy changes within the armed forces.

 

[westwall]

So most of you have been very clear on expressing your disdain for the concept of DEI and insist that DEI had nothing to do with their successes.

From my perspective, the reason you view the situation this way is because you believe that DEI stands for something other than what it actually does.

A lawsuit was brought on their behalf which resulted in them being "included" in flight training. Inclusion is the first step, because without opportunity, how is anyone going to demonstrate that they ARE skilled, experienced, and just as capable as any other [white] person. But make no mistake, although the military was forced to include them in their flight training program, they were never really "welcome":
=================================================================================
Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the first Black graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point in the 20th century, endured one of the most extreme cases of social isolation in the academy's history. His experience, often referred to as “the silent treatment,” was a deliberate and systemic attempt to break his spirit through psychological isolation.

What Happened?​

• Total Isolation: For four years (1932–1936), Davis was almost completely ignored by his classmates. No one voluntarily spoke to him beyond official duty requirements, and cadets actively avoided social interactions with him.
• No Roommate: Unlike other cadets who shared rooms, Davis was assigned a private room, ensuring he had no close companions.
• No Collaboration: Cadets would not sit with him at meals, work with him on group assignments, or even acknowledge his presence unless absolutely required.
• No Words Spoken: The silence was so severe that even casual greetings or small talk were avoided. He later recalled that he could count the number of words spoken to him by his fellow cadets on one hand.
• Deliberate Psychological Warfare: The intention was clear—his white classmates and superiors wanted to make his time at West Point so unbearable that he would resign, as had been the case with previous Black cadets.

How Did He Survive?​

Davis endured this treatment without complaint, maintaining a stoic and disciplined demeanor. His resilience was driven by an intense commitment to proving that he belonged, not just for himself but for future generations of Black officers. Despite the hostility:

• He excelled academically and in military training.
• He graduated 35th in his class of 276, a remarkable achievement under such conditions.
• He never retaliated or publicly protested, knowing that any outburst could be used as justification to remove him.

Impact of His Experience​

1. Shaped His Leadership: The silent treatment hardened Davis into a leader who could withstand adversity, making him a formidable figure in later battles for racial integration in the military.
2. Historical Precedent: His graduation in 1936 made him the first Black officer commissioned into the regular Army since Reconstruction.
3. Tuskegee Airmen Legacy: Davis went on to command the 99th Pursuit Squadron and later the 332nd Fighter Group, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, breaking racial barriers in World War II.
4. Advocacy for Integration: He played a crucial role in the eventual desegregation of the U.S. military, particularly influencing President Truman’s decision to issue Executive Order 9981 in 1948, which abolished racial discrimination in the armed forces.

Why It Matters Today​

Davis's experience at West Point serves as a stark example of institutional racism in elite spaces and how systemic exclusion is used to suppress those who challenge the status quo. His perseverance highlights the resilience required to break racial barriers in hostile environments.

Benjamin O. Davis Jr.'s Experience at West Point​

1. Davis, Benjamin O. Jr. (1991). Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.: American: An Autobiography. Smithsonian Institution Press.
   • In his autobiography, Davis recounts his time at West Point, describing the extreme social isolation he endured. He details how cadets refused to speak to him, collaborate, or even acknowledge his presence, amounting to a four-year silent treatment.
   • Quote: "I was to be silenced solely because the cadets did not want me there."
2. McManus, John C. (2005). Black Hawk Down: The American Military and the Unfolding of Military Racism. NAL Caliber.
   • Discusses the systemic racism within the U.S. military academies, particularly focusing on West Point's treatment of Davis and how his experience reflected the broader racial discrimination in the armed forces.
3. U.S. Military Academy West Point Archives (1932-1936).
   • Historical records document that Davis was forced to live in complete isolation, never having a roommate, and being ignored by his fellow cadets unless absolutely required.
4. Call, Debra J. (2013). Benjamin O. Davis Jr.: Air Force General & Tuskegee Airmen Leader.Enslow Publishers.
   • This book provides a detailed account of how Davis's experiences at West Point shaped his leadership and prepared him for the challenges he would later face as the commander of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Military Career & Desegregation of the Armed Forces​

1. Haulman, Daniel L. (2011). The Tuskegee Airmen Chronology. NewSouth Books.
   • Chronicles Davis's leadership of the 99th Pursuit Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group, as well as his role in disproving racist claims that Black pilots were inferior to white pilots.
2. Morrow, John H. Jr. (1993). Tuskegee Airmen and the Politics of Race in World War II. The University Press of Kansas.
   • Analyzes the military and political struggles Davis faced as he worked to integrate the Air Force and prove the capabilities of Black servicemen.
3. Executive Order 9981 (1948). National Archives & Records Administration.
   • This order, issued by President Harry Truman, officially ended segregation in the U.S. military. Davis played a crucial role in advocating for this policy change.
4. Davis, Benjamin O. Jr. (1992). Benjamin O. Davis Jr. Oral History Interview. Air Force Historical Research Agency.
   • In this interview, Davis reflects on his career, detailing how his experiences at West Point prepared him for his later work in military leadership and integration.

Impact on Military Integration​

1. Osur, Alan M. (1977). Blacks in the Army Air Forces During World War II: The Problems of Race Relations. Office of Air Force History.
   • Provides context on how Davis's leadership helped to break racial barriers in the military.
2. Bowers, William T. (2012). Soldiers for Equality: Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and the Fight to End Military Segregation. Harvard University Press.
   • Examines Davis's advocacy for racial integration and how his leadership influenced policy changes within the armed forces.

None of which supports your claim that they benefited from DEI.

The evidence yiu presented proves the exact opposite.

Furthermore, there no longer is institutional racism. That thankfully died its well deserved death over 50 years ago.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Furthermore, there no longer is institutional racism.

Are you kidding??!!
Institutional racism is alive and well and nourished by the democrat party. It’s flipped from the old style and is totally black institutional racism.
That broad you responded to can’t make a single post that doesn’t involve blackness.
NAACP, BET, BLM, HBCU’s, etc., all institutions of neosegregationist racism. The dialect betrays it. Fifth generation black Minnesotans still speaking that southern dialect as a reflection of their self-segregation, their blackness. And it’s present in modern day TV commercials.
Democrats cultivate and thrive on that segregated vote.

 

[westwall]

Are you kidding??!!
Institutional racism is alive and well and nourished by the democrat party. It’s flipped from the old style and is totally black institutional racism.
That broad you responded to can’t make a single post that doesn’t involve blackness.
NAACP, BET, BLM, HBCU’s, etc., all institutions of neosegregationist racism. The dialect betrays it. Fifth generation black Minnesotans still speaking that southern dialect as a reflection of their self-segregation, their blackness. And it’s present in modern day TV commercials.
Democrats cultivate and thrive on that segregated vote.

Institutional racism means racism supported by laws.

There are none that do that any longer.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Institutional racism means racism supported by laws.

There are none that do that any longer.

Institutional racism is culture as much as law. And DEI hiring practices have been law.

 

[westwall]

Institutional racism is culture as much as law. And DEI hiring practices have been law.

Institutional REQUIRES law to back it up.

That no longer exists.

Yes, there are individual, and even groups of racists out there. And some do great harm, but the institutional side is long gone.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

Institutional REQUIRES law to back it up.

That no longer exists.

Yes, there are individual, and even groups of racists out there. And some do great harm, but the institutional side is long gone.

Institutional is culture. Legal is law. The legal version is mostly gone but the impactful cultural version is alive and thriving. Thank a democrat.

 

[Correll]

So my observations indicate that the three innocuous letters - Delta, Echo and India ('DEI') invoke negative reactions from a subclass of white Americans, and at times, some others. They react to any encounter of this acronym much in the same way that they do to the acronym of BLM which unequivocally declares "Black Lives Matter!". Their reactions though are nothing more than conditioning, much like the conditioning of Pavlov's dogs.

So my question to you all is, despite DEI not having existed at the time of the Tuskegee Airman "experiment" (experiment because they were expected to fail, based on the assessment of various "studies" made during WWI & WWII), do you
1. considered them being allowed to learn to fly and "included" in the Allied war effort to be the "I" in DEI? Is this a good or bad thing from your perspective?
2. because their inclusion "diversified" the military although they were physically segregated, do you considered their inclusion as having diversified the military? Again, a
good or bad occurence?
3. So we already know that despite their stellar performance they still were not treated equitable with the other service men so we know this third prong was not met. Do you think that they should have been treated equitably? Why or why not?

Please provide support or at least your reasoning for your response:

"The Negro is an inherently inferior individual… emotionally unstable, lacks initiative, and is abjectly afraid of the dark. He cannot be trained
to fly military aircraft.”
- internal U.S. Army Air Corps and War Department memoranda

View attachment 1092956

​

Pavlov’s Dogs – Classical Conditioning​

Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, was studying digestion in dogs when he made an unexpected discovery:​

• He noticed that dogs would start salivating not just when food was placed in their mouths, but even before—like when they saw the lab assistant or heard footsteps.

So he ran an experiment:​

1. Before conditioning:
   • Food = salivation (natural response)
   • Bell = no response
2. During conditioning:
   • Pavlov rang a bell, then immediately gave food
   • Repeated this pairing several times
3. After conditioning:
   • Just the sound of the bell caused the dogs to salivate—even with no food

What It Means:​

Pavlov discovered classical conditioning—where a neutral stimulus (the bell) becomes associated with an involuntary response (salivation) because it was repeatedly paired with a meaningful stimulus (food).​

​

It laid the foundation for modern behavioral psychology and how humans and animals learn from associations.​

The point is not about their service or how they were treated.

The point is about how their experiance is used to bash AMERICA.

 

[jwoodie]

The Tuskegee Airmen were victims of simple, blatant old-fashioned segregation, not DEI. They weren't hired because they were black. They were hired because we needed all the help we could get. They were segregated to prevent distractions of bigotry from hindering the war effort. I can't believe this needs explaining.

The Tuskegee Airmen were not formed because there was a shortage of white pilots. It was a civil rights initiative sponsored by the NAACP and specifically funded by Congress in 1939. It's purpose included diversity, equity and inclusion although those words were not in popular use at that time.

Their high standards and extensive training made them some of the best pilots in the USAAF. It is insulting to their service to be compared to the lower standards and preferential treatment of modern DEI.

 

[BothWings]

The Tuskegee Airmen were not formed because there was a shortage of white pilots. It was a civil rights initiative sponsored by the NAACP and specifically funded by Congress in 1939. It's purpose included diversity, equity and inclusion although those words were not in popular use at that time.

Their high standards and extensive training made them some of the best pilots in the USAAF. It is insulting to their service to be compared to the lower standards and preferential treatment of modern DEI.

The NAACP tried for years to get black guys into military aviation after WW1, but the legal appropriations to enable and physically formulate all-black squadrons were only passed JUST BEFORE WW2 broke out, so there's that. Very obviously it was uncertainty about our air superiority that made them decide to finally give it the go-ahead.

 

[RoshawnMarkwees]

DEI is a total insult to the Tuskegee airmen.

 

[0311]

So my observations indicate that the three innocuous letters - Delta, Echo and India ('DEI') invoke negative reactions from a subclass of white Americans, and at times, some others. They react to any encounter of this acronym much in the same way that they do to the acronym of BLM which unequivocally declares "Black Lives Matter!". Their reactions though are nothing more than conditioning, much like the conditioning of Pavlov's dogs.

So my question to you all is, despite DEI not having existed at the time of the Tuskegee Airman "experiment" (experiment because they were expected to fail, based on the assessment of various "studies" made during WWI & WWII), do you
1. considered them being allowed to learn to fly and "included" in the Allied war effort to be the "I" in DEI? Is this a good or bad thing from your perspective?
2. because their inclusion "diversified" the military although they were physically segregated, do you considered their inclusion as having diversified the military? Again, a
good or bad occurence?
3. So we already know that despite their stellar performance they still were not treated equitable with the other service men so we know this third prong was not met. Do you think that they should have been treated equitably? Why or why not?

Please provide support or at least your reasoning for your response:

"The Negro is an inherently inferior individual… emotionally unstable, lacks initiative, and is abjectly afraid of the dark. He cannot be trained
to fly military aircraft.”
- internal U.S. Army Air Corps and War Department memoranda

View attachment 1092956

​

Pavlov’s Dogs – Classical Conditioning​

Ivan Pavlov, a Russian physiologist, was studying digestion in dogs when he made an unexpected discovery:​

• He noticed that dogs would start salivating not just when food was placed in their mouths, but even before—like when they saw the lab assistant or heard footsteps.

So he ran an experiment:​

1. Before conditioning:
   • Food = salivation (natural response)
   • Bell = no response
2. During conditioning:
   • Pavlov rang a bell, then immediately gave food
   • Repeated this pairing several times
3. After conditioning:
   • Just the sound of the bell caused the dogs to salivate—even with no food

What It Means:​

Pavlov discovered classical conditioning—where a neutral stimulus (the bell) becomes associated with an involuntary response (salivation) because it was repeatedly paired with a meaningful stimulus (food).​

​

It laid the foundation for modern behavioral psychology and how humans and animals learn from associations.​

They save the lives a lot of bomber crews. That is very important.

 

[fncceo]

The Tuskegee Airmen Experiment (a very successful experiment) wasn’t Diverse (it created a segregated unit). It wasn’t Equitable or Inclusive for precisely the same reason.

The TA was created to prove the Army’s policy that Blacks were mentally incapable of being pilots was wrong and it did that spectacularly.

It’s worth noting that the Army created a Woman’s Flying Corps (WASPs) which was also multicultural with Asian and Hispanic pilots, but no African Americans and was not controversial. Quite the reverse, The Army aggressively publicized The WASPs.

Modern DEI programs address perceived inequities by prioritizing the hiring of one ethnicity over another with similar qualifications.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

None of which supports your claim that they benefited from DEI.

The evidence yiu presented proves the exact opposite.

Furthermore, there no longer is institutional racism. That thankfully died its well deserved death over 50 years ago.

Have you ever heard the expression "there's the letter of the law, and there's the spirit of the law"?

The reason you believe they didn’t benefit from DEI is because DEI, as a formal acronym, didn’t exist yet. But factually—as I’ve already explained—it took a lawsuit to force the U.S. government and military to include them in the Allied war effort.

That middle letter—“I” for Inclusion—is where their journey truly began. Their skill in combat earned them fear and respect from the German pilots they fought, even as many of their fellow Americans offered them nothing but disdain.

That’s why my article begins with a discussion of Pavlov’s dog. So many people today have been conditioned to respond to this acronym as if it’s a threat—like vampires to garlic.

But DEI has always been about inclusion first. And you can’t achieve equity if you’re not even allowed to show up.

Again, it took a lawsuit before the Tuskegee Airmen were even allowed to risk their lives on behalf of this country. A lawsuit that forced the military to include them. And what happened as a result? Nothing catastrophic. No white American men were harmed by their inclusion—just as none are harmed today when qualified Black professionals are given a fair chance to contribute.

It took another lawsuit to force the commercial airline industry to hire Black pilots at all.

So I’ll ask you this: in this specific sector of commercial aviation, what harm has befallen white men—or anyone—because Black Americans with FAA-certified flight training were allowed to fly commercial aircraft?

I can tell you: none.

Because the industry is governed by the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) and other federal laws. No HR person, no DEI advocate, no hiring manager anywhere in the U.S. can override FAA standards to install someone unqualified just to fill a demographic checkbox. That’s not how it works. That’s never how it worked.

The spirit of DEI has existed since the 1940s and earlier. It doesn’t require recognition from those who oppose it to validate its value. Its legacy is written in both the progress we’ve made and in the lawsuits that had to be filed to make that progress possible.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

The Tuskegee Airmen were not formed because there was a shortage of white pilots. It was a civil rights initiative sponsored by the NAACP and specifically funded by Congress in 1939. It's purpose included diversity, equity and inclusion although those words were not in popular use at that time.

Their high standards and extensive training made them some of the best pilots in the USAAF. It is insulting to their service to be compared to the lower standards and preferential treatment of modern DEI.

Do you know what the FARs are?