Oh Hell No — Challenging the Far Right Playbook for 2024: Lessons for Progressive DEI Change Agents
As a Human Resources Consultant and DEI Thought Leader deeply invested in promoting transformative change, I find myself increasingly concerned about the evolving strategies within the far-right camp, particularly as we approach the year 2024. Drawing inspiration from Christopher Rufo’s playbook, these activists have meticulously crafted a strategy aimed at undermining progress in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
Their approach involves targeting issues that can be misconstrued as detrimental, amplifying them through social media, and manipulating narratives through techniques like bifurcation and euphemistic terms to reinforce negative connotations. This insidious tactic seeks to generalize and discredit the entire body of work in the DEI field.
The Evolution of the Playbook
Their playbook began with a calculated assault on critical race theory (CRT), a crucial framework for understanding systemic racism and advancing anti-racist efforts. Employing a tactic known as bifurcation, whereby a complex concept is split into simplified, polarized versions, they deliberately fragmented CRT, presenting simplified and polarized versions to mobilize their support base.
This manipulation was evident in portraying CRT as “divisive” and “racist” (euphemisms), thereby undermining its credibility. A euphemism, as a linguistic tool, serves to substitute a harsh or negative term with a milder or less offensive one, often used to downplay the seriousness of a concept or idea. For instance, terms like “woke” and “DEI” were appropriated, redefined (as “anti-woke” or “racist”), and loaded with negative connotations, creating an atmosphere of hostility and discord. The goal push back on DEI and related human and civil rights issues.
Activism as a Central Focus in 2024
As we anticipate the landscape of 2024, especially in the midst of an election year, it’s clear that the far-right’s strategy is poised to elevate activism as a central focus. This shift is particularly noteworthy when considering the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict, which has long been a contentious issue. The far-right may exploit this conflict to sow division and stoke fear within American communities, painting those who express sympathy for both Israelis and Palestinians as polarized extremists.
They are likely to bifurcate the complexities of the conflict, portraying Israel as engaging in genocide and Palestinians as terrorists and malevolent figures. Such divisive rhetoric aims to exploit emotions and grievances, potentially amplifying tensions and polarization.
Recruitment of Logos Fellows
Moreover, this emphasis on activism coincides with the launch of the Logos Fellowship program, a significant initiative designed to empower conservative journalists, activists, and opinion leaders. This fellowship, modeled after successful tech-industry accelerators, is set to commence with a three-day retreat in the Palm Beach area in February 2024. Throughout the year, participants will receive ongoing mentorship, amplification, and promotion, furthering the dissemination of far-right narratives and ideologies.
Fellows participating in the Logos Fellowship will bring forth specific “culture war” projects, encompassing critical topics such as critical race theory, gender ideology, higher education reform, crime and policing, and civil rights law. Through the program, their mentors will provide guidance and support to nurture these projects from conception to execution, with the overarching goal of shaping discourse and influencing public policy.
As the far-right gears up for this intensified engagement, their playbook is likely to undergo further evolution. This entails coaching their followers to adopt covert tactics aimed at contesting DEI practices, while exploiting the backdrop of public protests and election-related challenges. In parallel, the Logos Fellowship will serve as a catalyst for amplifying and promoting conservative narratives, bolstering the far-right’s agenda and influence.
Simultaneously, the far-right will seek to depict progressive movements as agents of social unrest and disorder, framing them as undemocratic and socialistic. Employing tactics such as bifurcation and euphemisms, they will aim to divide and undermine the progressive movement, while advancing their own agenda through strategic initiatives like the Logos Fellowship.
In this charged atmosphere, it becomes crucial for progressive change agents to remain vigilant and proactive in countering divisive rhetoric and promoting inclusivity and understanding. Recognizing the tactics employed by the far-right playbook, particularly in exploiting sensitive geopolitical issues like the Israeli-Hamas conflict, is essential for effectively challenging regressive agendas and fostering meaningful societal transformation.
As we confront the challenges posed by the far-right playbook and initiatives like the Logos Fellowship, the rallying cry remains clear: Oh hell no, we won’t stand idly by as the forces of division and hate seek to undermine our progress.
Effenus Henderson
