As the Los Angeles wildfires continue and firefighters, both free and incarcerated, risk their lives to save the homes and lives of others, the culture war that has been growing for nearly a decade has now reignited on X.
Entertaining the right-wing nonsense attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies in America — designed to reverse years of systemic discrimination against multiple demographics — is a waste of time. American conservatives, specifically older, wealthy upper-class elites, are too far gone to try to unlearn their bigotry and hatred.
It is irresponsible not to comment on the ridiculous attacks against the Los Angeles Fire Department and its employees, specifically Fire Chief Kristin M. Crowley.
Amid the immense damage inflicted by the fires, conservatives online have made it a point to harass Crowley based on her sexuality and allegations of irresponsible conduct and unqualified leadership. The attacks are clearly rooted in bigotry against a woman who has devoted her life to public service and safety. It’s another example of the right-wing obsession with attacking people in power who come from marginalized communities.
For nearly two years, particularly since billionaire and election-meddler Elon Musk purchased Twitter and renamed it X, right-wing content has flooded the site. One particular movement on the platform has focused on attacking non-white, non-male and/or non-straight workers, often in leadership positions. Examples run rampant, often posted by accounts such as “End Wokeness” or “Libs of Tiktok,” and typically consist of finding a minority and assuming that they are incompetent at their profession.
Conservative humor of this nature has, in a very short time, moved from the corners of extremist websites such as 4Chan to extremely mainstream discussions about employment and the labor market. Not only does the discourse alienate members of marginalized groups that are simply trying to make a living, it demonizes all workers of America.
While liberals focus on the attacks on marginalized groups as the only issue created by the right, the true fight lies dormant. There is no doubt the right’s open bigotry should be challenged and refuted, but it should be treated with as little attention as possible. Conservatives like Musk, who spend their time begging for a supposed meritocracy in America free of DEI policies, are merely dog-whistling for the destruction of the climate in the name of profit, unions, fair wages and fair working conditions.
In fact, most conservative larping online and in Congress is about distraction. The culture war diverts attention from Americans who have seen their wages stagnate, the climate crisis worsen and organized labor get crushed by their elected leaders. Those who own the means of production have decided that working-class Americans should squabble over whether trans women should be allowed to play women’s sports or if gay people can effectively lead fire battalions.
The most depressing part of it all is that it works.
There is no working-class solidarity against those who subordinate us as workers. No serious action is being taken to curb the climate crisis that is burning my home state to the ground. We are being crushed by people who will and have always been willing to sell us out for profit, while we are fighting among ourselves over whether a clearly qualified employee can do her job because she is queer.
We can’t even turn to the Democratic party, the supposed part of the working class. Dems spent a whole election cycle ignoring climate change and pandering to war hawks, police officers and border patrol agents, only to gain absolutely zero control in any branch of the U.S. government.
During the wildfires, former President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump giggled together at late President Jimmy Carter’s funeral in Washington. A man who has spent years calling the incoming president a “threat to our democracy” clearly has no problem having a friendly interaction with this threat.
Somehow, the moment was poetic, given the circumstances voters were facing 3,000 miles away on the opposite coast.
It is up to the workers of the world to fix the mess created by the bosses. We must reject all forms of cultural, racial, gendered, religious or sexual bigotry while also maintaining a united front on the basis of class and our shared status as workers — the ones who make operations in this nation and on this planet possible.
The fires in Los Angeles are part of much larger problems at hand. There will be another disaster that plagues working people disproportionately compared to wealthy people. There will be more attacks on the people trying to solve whatever issue is at hand, sometimes risking everything they have built in the process. There will be more attempted division by those that want us to hate each other.
But we know who keeps us safe. We know who looks out for us. We know who has each other’s backs.
If we want a livable world, it will be us, as workers, who must band together in the masses and create it ourselves.
Jacob Ramos is a 2024-2025 Managing Editor. He can be reached at jacobtr@uci.edu.
Edited by Jaheem Conley