Celebrities constantly pander to the “progressive” mob.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been more image-conscious since starring on Shark Tank.
But Cuban made one “woke” statement that could ruin him financially.
Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban fell into a hornet’s nest.
Recently, Cuban has been on a kick promoting the benefits of the holy trinity of identity politics – diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI).
Cuban engaged in a back-and-forth with Elon Musk over DEI.
Musk argued that DEI was anti-meritocratic and discriminatory, but Cuban was vocally in favor of it.
Cuban wrote in his exchange with Musk, “Having a workforce that is diverse and representative of your stakeholders is good for business…Equity is a core principle of business. Put your employees in a position to succeed…Great companies create environments that reduce unnecessary stress of their employees (I’m not talking hitting quota or getting the product out the door stress), which in turn increases productivity. This is what inclusion is all about…Making all employees, no matter who they are or how they see themselves, feel comfortable in their environment and able to do their jobs.”
But Cuban’s vocal support of DEI might have violated an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) law.
He admitted on Twitter, “I’ve never hired anyone based exclusively on race, gender, religion. I only ever hire the person that will put my business in the best position to succeed. And yes, race and gender can be part of the equation. I view diversity as a competitive advantage. Now how would you propose finding organizations that give preference to white people? Why aren’t you working as hard to show examples of white preference as you are DEI ? You claim to abhor both.”
Regarding Cuban’s muddled argument, companies are not boasting about their preference for white employees.
The thought alone is preposterous.
Worse yet, Cuban was checked by EEOC Commissioner Andrea Lucas, who responded, “EEOC Commissioner here. Unfortunately you’re dead wrong on black-letter Title VII law. As a general rule, race/sex can’t even be a ‘motivating factor’—nor a plus factor, tie-breaker, or tipping point. It’s important employers understand the ground rules here.”
@mcuban, EEOC Commissioner here. Unfortunately you’re dead wrong on black-letter Title VII law. As a general rule, race/sex can’t even be a “motivating factor”—nor a plus factor, tie-breaker, or tipping point. It’s important employers understand the ground rules here.
— Andrea R. Lucas (@andrealucasEEOC) January 29, 2024
Cuban quickly shut up after being scolded.
Lucas further explained on Fox Business, “The equity part of it indicates race-based motivation, not across the board. Not everyone understands that. Equity sounds nice, it sounds like fairness, but equity is very focused on equity of outcome, not equality of opportunity. And, as I like to say, we’re the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, not the ‘Equitable Outcomes Commission.’ Big, big distinction between equity and equality.”
The left has married themselves to DEI, so civil rights lawsuits could be a necessary corrective.
Cuban might be the canary in the coalmine.
His post on Twitter could be used against him in a civil suit.
The more people learn about DEI, the less they like it.
And demand for DEI positions has cratered.
But the left has backed themselves into a corner where everything they do depends on DEI goals.