#TalkRadio – February 25: Fighting the Attacks on DEI, Constitutional Rights, and American Democracy: North Carolina Supreme Court as A Case Study and February 28th National Blackout Day

SPEAKERS:

Rev. Dr. Rodney Sadler: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Co-Chair of the Reimagining America Project; Tri-Chair of the North Carolina Poor Peoples’ Campaign ; Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rodney.sadler.9 ; FB Page: Center for Social Justice of Reconciliation: https://www.facebook.com/upsemcsjr  ; FB Page: North Carolina Poor Peoples’ Campaign: https://www.facebook.com/PPCNC 

Atty. Brenda Ford Harding, Esq. 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Former Transformative Justice Coalition Board Chair and prominent North Carolina Civil Rights Attorney

Atty. Terry O’Neill: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
Current Board Secretary of the Transformative Justice Coalition; former President of the National Organization for Women (NOW); Former Host of the podcast What Equality Looks Like; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-o-neill-3076303/ 

INTRODUCTION:

Hi Igniters For Change! The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “Fighting the Attacks on DEI, Constitutional Rights, and American Democracy: North Carolina Supreme Court as A Case Study and February 28th National Blackout Day”, with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. will feature special guests Rev. Dr. Rodney Sadler, Atty. Brenda Ford Harding, and Atty. Terry O’Neill.

In the one week since our last show, there have been several major developments on the attacks on the governmental sector; angry public outrage during congressional townhalls; and, massive calls for economic boycotts due to rollbacks of DEI programs and the corporate sector’s silence as our democracy is eroded. In addition, the nation’s eye has been fixated on the struggle in North Carolina to disenfranchise voters in the North Carolina Supreme Court election. Our show will highlight all of these issues, including MSNBC’s cancellation of the Joy Reid Show.

Errors DOGE Has Done in the Past Week:

1.  The DOGE team’s “wall of receipts” showed errors in tallying billions in savings. The initial accounting by DOGE of its estimated savings was overstated by billions of dollars.  MSN. (2025, February 24). DOGE team’s “wall of receipts” shows errors in tallying billions in savings. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/taxes/doge-teams-wall-of-receipts-shows-errors-in-tallying-billions-in-savings/ar-AA1zoc0N)

2.      Jim Jordan mentioned that Trump’s and Musk’s DOGE has “maybe” made “some mistakes”. MSN. (2025, February 24). Jim Jordan says Trump’s and Musk’s DOGE has “maybe” made “some mistakes”. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/jim-jordan-says-trumps-and-musks-doge-has-maybe-made-some-mistakes/ar-AA1zCDVV)

3.  As errors pile up, Musk and DOGE appear increasingly incompetent. MSN. (2025, February 24). Maddow Blog: As errors pile up, Musk and DOGE appear increasingly incompetent. Retrieved from [https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/cryptocurrencies/maddow-blog-as-errors-pile-up-musk-and-doge-appear-increasingly-incompetent/ar-AA1znRmV]

Trump’s Approval Rating Being Low:

1. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen marginally since he began his second term in January, according to the latest Quinnipiac poll. MSN. (2025, February 24). Donald Trump’s approval rating dips after first month. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/donald-trump-s-approval-rating-dips-after-first-month/ar-AA1zsEUO)

2.  A Republican strategist described Trump’s approval rating slide as “significant,” noting a 13-point drop just 33 days into his second term. Newsweek. (2025, February 24). Donald Trump approval rating slide “significant”. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-approval-rating-slide-significant-2035165)

Surge of People Calling Congress:

1.      DC-area congressional offices are getting flooded with phone calls about Trump and Musk’s efforts to slash federal government employment and spending. Washingtonian. (2025, February 6). DC-area congressional offices say they’re getting flooded with phone calls about Trump. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonian.com/2025/02/06/dc-area-congressional-offices-say-theyre-getting-flooded-with-phone-calls-about-trump/

2. Capitol Hill lawmakers have experienced a surge of swatting calls and bomb threats in the wake of the November election. CBS News. (2025, February 24). Congress lawmakers surge swatting calls bomb threats following November election. Retrieved from (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/congress-lawmakers-surge-swatting-calls-bomb-threats-following-november-election/)

North Carolina Supreme Court

In North Carolina, there is an ongoing dispute regarding the 2025 state Supreme Court election. Judge Jefferson Griffin, a Republican candidate for the North Carolina Supreme Court, is attempting to invalidate more than 60,000 votes and overturn the electoral win of his opponent, Justice Allison Riggs. Griffin lost the election by just 734 votes and claims that the state board of elections has been breaking state election law for decades by following an incorrect process for registering voters.

Griffin’s argument centers on the claim that the board of elections has been wrongfully allowing certain overseas and absentee ballots to be submitted without photo identification. However, Riggs and the state board of elections argue that voters are entitled to rely on the established election procedure and are protected by the U.S. Constitution’s Due Process Clause.

The dispute has led to multiple state and federal lawsuits, including ongoing litigation over whether Griffin’s state litigation should be removed to federal court. The case has attracted national attention and raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. (source: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/north-carolina-attempt-overturn-state-supreme-court-election )

DEI Spurs Economic Boycotts: 

Friday, February 28th: National Economic Blackout Day

Learn More: https://theonecalledjai.com/ 

Buy the t-shirt of all economic boycotts: https://thepeoplesunionusa.creator-spring.com/listing/buy-the-comfort-tee?product=369&variation=6513 

See impact of Target Boycotts so far: https://www.targetfast.org/ 

As promised, immediately upon taking office President Donald Trump issued executive orders banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by the federal government; targeting contracts of anyone who has had a DEI program; and, eliminating jobs, positions, and programs which have ever had DEI involvement.

As expected, these Executive Orders have been overbroad, confusing, and have served to dismantle actual civil rights law enforcement. Indeed, within the federal agencies, particularly the DOJ, there has been a complete dismantling of civil rights law enforcement. These DEI Bans have resulted in federal agencies refusing to acknowledge Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Pride programming, Disability Awareness, Hispanic Heritage Month, and more. 

Most recently, the “…U.S. Department of Education has given colleges and schools with race-specific programs — including financial aid and racially themed dormitory floors and graduation ceremonies — until the end of the month to abolish them or risk losing federal funding as educators scrambled over the holiday weekend to interpret the sweeping scope of new guidelines. The ‘dear colleague’ letter from the department’s civil rights division and addressed to K-12 and higher education leaders lays out a new federal anti-discrimination enforcement policy that extends beyond the use of race in admissions, a practice barred since 2023 by the U.S. Supreme Court. The guidelines, signed by acting assistant secretary for civil rights Craig Trainor, said schools using ‘race in decisions pertaining to admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life’ were in violation of anti-discrimination laws and legal precedent set in the high court’s affirmative action case.” (See source: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-17/education-department-will-cut-funding-unless-schools-abolish-dei )

Furthermore, MAGA-ite attorneys continue to attack DEI programs in the public and private sector. 

Bizarrely, Elon Musk and DOGE have also baselessly attacked DEI as a contributor to “governmental inefficiencies and waste”. Musk, right-wing media, and the Trump Administration  have even used Twitter/X, media, and press conferences to gaslight any disaster as being the result of DEI programming despite clear evidence to the contrary. Many critics have pointed out that Musk, Trump, and many others promoting anti-DEI programs are promoting a White Supremacist and Resegregationist agenda.

Fortunately, there is a tremendous fightback to this overall assault on DEI by civil rights groups, women’s groups, protestors, governmental employees, and many public and private entities. Indeed, a number of corporations have reasserted their support for DEI. These corporations have drawn the ire of the Trump Administration and threats of lawsuits from MAGA attorneys.

TJC, individuals, influencers, and many other racial justice and social justice organizations have stepped into this fight by not only countering the flawed narrative underlying anti-DEI assaults, but have also urged the public to use its buying power to demand that the corporate sector support DEI. Indeed, during the show we will discuss the NAACP’s recent Black Consumer Advisory publication. The NAACP recently released the Black Consumer Advisory, a guide aimed at helping Black Americans make informed spending decisions by highlighting companies that have either maintained or abandoned their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments. The guide encourages consumers to support businesses that prioritize DEI and to avoid those that have rolled back their initiatives. The advisory lists companies that have eliminated DEI roles, reduced supplier diversity, and cut investments in Black communities. It also praises companies that have stood by their DEI commitments, such as Delta Airlines, Apple, and Ben & Jerry’s. The NAACP emphasizes the economic power of Black consumers, which is projected to reach $1.7 trillion by 2030, and urges them to use their dollars to hold corporations accountable. (Sources: https://naacp.org/campaigns/black-consumer-advisory?form=MG0AV3 ; https://naacp.org/sites/default/files/documents/Black%20Consumer%20Advisory%202025.pdf?form=MG0AV3 ; https://www.blackenterprise.com/naacp-spending-guide-companies-dropped-dei/?form=MG0AV3 ) 

TJC is promoting a #NoDEINoBUY program. These economic boycotts (or economic “fasting” or “blackouts”, as some people call it) are having an impact. Our show will discuss strategies and tactics to deal with this onslaught of anti-DEI measures. 

QUESTIONS:

[Co-Hosts Arnwine and Jones and guests will begin the show discussing upcoming TJC events: the national economic blackout on February 28th; the  re-enactment of the  Selma-to-Montgomery March; a thank you to recent donors and call for people be sure to donate to our voting rights work and view our Black History Month Series on VotingRightsAlliance.org]

• Let’s start off this show by paying tribute to a major truth-teller, Joy Reid. What do you want to say to our national audience about the impact of Joy Reid’s show being cancelled?
• Rev. Sadler, please explain what is going on with the aftermath of the North Carolina Supreme Court 2024 election?
• Brenda, how has this legal fight affecting the legitimacy of the court and peoples’ respect for the court?
• Rev. Sadler, you have been on the front-lines of marches and protests regarding this effort to disenfranchise North Carolina voters. Tell us about these experiences. 
• Who’s been organizing?
• Who’s showing up at these rallies?
• What has the response of the community been?
• Terry, as a major civil rights leader, how has this case been playing out in the national media? Why do our listeners really need to know what has been happening in North Carolina?
• What are the next steps in this fight?
• What do you think about the numerous townhalls at which angry White voters have chastised and confronted their elected officials, especially Republicans, about the attacks on the federal government; the freezing of funds; and, the outlandish actions of Elon Musk and DOGE?
• Terry, as one of the foremost employment lawyers, how do you react to the latest DOGE confusion of having to respond to a random late-night email from DOGE requiring you to list 5 “accomplishments you’ve done” or be considered to have resigned?
• How is this attack on DEI affecting people you know and the general public?
• What are the most significant concerns that you have about what is happening in the federal sector to the:
  – Federal workforce?
  – Federal programs like the SBA?
  – Federal agencies and programming?
  – Federal procurement and suppliers?
• Another big story of last week and this week are more private companies capitulating to the MAGA demand to drop DEI programs. What would you say to all these private companies that have dismantled their DEI programs? 
• What do you think should be the position towards the companies that have maintained their DEI programs? 
• How do we publicly support these companies, such as Sharpton’s Costco “Buy In” and influencers putting out lists of local Black-owned businesses?
• Let’s discuss this Friday’s February 28th National Economic Boycott.

[Co-Hosts Arnwine and Jones and guests will end the show reminding listeners to participate in the February 28th Economic Boycott; to call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121; and to join upcoming TJC events: the national economic blackout on February 28th; the  re-enactment of the  Selma-to-Montgomery March; a thank you to recent donors and call for people be sure to donate to our voting rights work and view our Black History Month Series on VotingRightsAlliance.org]

• What are your one-minute final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

[TJC will continue to vigorously defend the rights of all Americans and will fight the implementation of Project 2025 and our future shows will continue to cover any hate crimes and how we effectively protect ourselves while advancing our agenda for justice.]

[Daryl, Barbara, and guests may share their favorite books and encourage people to donate towards TJC’s giveaways of banned and affirming books.]