The Costco shareholders voted to keep their company’s DEI program. This begs the question….

Why does Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers give a damn about what the shareholders of Costco want? If Costco wants to continue its DEI programs why should Nebraska along with 18 other states put pressure on Costco to change its policies?

Maybe I’m missing something here, but I’ve never felt discriminated against because I’m a straight white male. But evidently, Mike Hilgers and these other AGs, including our neighboring states of Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri feel that DEI initiatives are discriminatory.

What is discriminatory about telling people who might be of a different race, a different nationality, a different religion, a different sexual orientation, or gender that they are welcome in the workplace? It’s not a zero-sum game.

And I’ll admit that maybe I’m missing something here as well, but are millions of white people being aced out of jobs by African American immigrant gay transexuals of the Jewish faith who don’t speak English? Is trying to let everyone in the workplace know that they are welcome a bad thing?

Remember when Critical Race theory had people’s panties in a wad? You don’t hear much about that tempest in a teapot anymore. The new false danger to society is DEI.

Now I will grant you that I live in Omaha. Maybe if I lived in a more diverse place like New York, Chicago, LA, or Atlanta, it might be different. Every time I’ve been in a Costco, or a Walmart, Target, or McDonalds there were plenty of white people working.

Before there was DEI there was affirmative action and there was one time that might have worked against me. I was a college kid in the mid 70’s. The FCC was putting pressure on broadcast outlets to hire more minorities. I was up for a part-time job at a local radio station and a black man got the job instead of me. The black man was not as qualified, and he didn’t last long. But I didn’t feel discriminated against, I went out and found another part-time radio job that worked out just fine.

Throughout my career, I have worked alongside Black, Hispanic, gay, straight, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, men and women. If there are other sub-categories I’ve missed, I’ll bet I’ve worked with them as well. I’m sure everyone reading this has, too. Some of these people I liked, some of them I didn’t. Some of their personalities meshed with mine, and others clashed, but any differences I had with coworkers had nothing to do with DEI issues. It was all individual personality and work ethic issues.

The one thing all human beings have in common is that everyone is different. We need to accept those differences and learn to get along. DEI initiatives are a small step in that direction.

The pressure put on these businesses by the Trump administration and these 19 Attorneys General gets to a much bigger point. Why should the government get involved in private companies that are trying to do the right thing by letting marginalized people know that they belong?

If these private operations had signs on their doors that said certain types of people weren’t welcome, or if minorities were being forcibly kept from applying for jobs, then I do believe the government should get involved. It’s not like the days when stores said “Irish Need Not Apply” or when African American’s were limited to jobs like maids, busboys, or jazz musicians. We have evolved from those times.

And it’s that evolution that has made America great.

Aren’t Republicans supposed to be against putting regulations on businesses? They want to take the regulations off coal or stock purchases but put regulations on people? In my opinion, Costco is doing the right thing.

I was raised in the Catholic faith and went to Parochial school for 10 years. I was an altar boy and thought about becoming a priest until I discovered girls. Although I’m no longer a practicing Catholic, thanks to Sister Marlene I have the words of Christ tattooed in my brain. “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren you do unto me.” Matthew 25:40-45.

Politically, I can understand why Attorney General Hilgers wants to put pressure on Costco. It’s to appease the leader of his party. But as a decent human being, he should welcome DEI practices, or at the very least let the Costco stockholders and shoppers make up their own minds.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.