Kentucky lawmakers, say it with your chest. Admit that you're racist.

One of my favorite Kevin Hart bits, back when he was still funny, was a joke about standing behind what you say and “Say it with your chest, Kev” meaning basically you show you mean what you are saying, and you stand on it.

I think some of the Kentucky Republicans could use a little Kevin Hart right about now. If you want to say you don’t like us, don’t think we belong here, don’t find us as worthy—say it. The rebranding of rhetoric is getting old. Seriously. I am old enough to remember the original boogeyman, woke. Anything that hinted at the concept of accepting others, e.g. Black people was called woke. Republicans (mostly) ran for office with the promise of being “anti-woke” and it worked. Nationally, "anti-woke" got us your Lauren Boeberts and your Margorie Taylor Greenes. It got us a president who not only walked up to the line of being racist but jumped over it, spiked the ball and did a dance. Locally—well, I don’t have to name them—you pictured them when you started reading this.

As the wave died down and woke, a word that was stolen from us in the first place, became less cryptic and another codeword was needed. This time, the idea was to couch it in some acronym—make it short and sexy for the crew. That is when the attack on critical race theory, or CRT was born. We remember the accusations and the hoopla … it wasn’t that long ago. The same people who bemoaned "wokeness" were now upset little Johnny was being taught that everyone white is bad and racist and he should feel ashamed of himself. CRT was everywhere, and if you went to the school board meetings I did, you felt the vitriol of the opponents. Mind you, four years later and I still have not had one opponent of CRT actually define it or point to a lesson being taught to a kid.

Critical race theory was just another way to hide the real agenda of anti-blackness and intolerance

After stumbling over themselves to pretend CRT was a thing and make fetch happen, the tide shifted again. Starting in Florida (of course it did) the narrow-minded types began their attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Straight off the success of CRT, another three letter acronym was bound to be a hit as a sequel, DEI. Legislators jumped at the concept of banning these types of programs and initiatives, again never really getting into what they actually do or mean. But I guess if you are a white woman who is the daughter of a slave, who needs facts? Kentucky legislature just advanced a measure, and the the full House of Representatives may hear it soon.

But why? What does it even do or mean? They don’t know, so why should we? Watching the House floor “debate,” it was apparent there was no actual understanding of what DEI is or does. Some of the opponents actually talked about the importance of things that are, wait for it, DEI. But in the anti-woke, CRT and DEI are acronyms of intolerance. They don’t quite comprehend logic.

DEI officers are part of the problem. If you're not fighting GOP's right-wing SB 6, quit.

Anti DEI rhetoric has gone so far that it is now being used to explain recent issues with Boeing planes seemingly falling apart — alleging DEI led to poor workmanship as they hire more Black people and women — what?

To many, DEI is another acronym that means the Black people are getting too close to us, we have to remind them of their place. And as a result of this nonsense, jobs are being cut and some kids are at risk of losing scholarships—all because universities are running scared instead of being bold and fighting back. Probably doesn’t hurt that most universities are not run by people who needed DEI programming to feel part of the college community. Just saying. One of the best summations of what DEI work can look like came in the floor speech from Rep. Josie Raymond who had a background helping students at U of L attempt to level the field just to get by.

But nah, they don’t want to hear that. They want to perpetuate hate and intolerance and found another boogeyman to use. There will be a new one next year, just like the iPhone.

There are many people who want to remind us that they don’t want us here. That we are not welcome in these spaces, but the acronyms and misnomers are getting old. If you don’t want us here, say it. Say it with your chest, Kev.

Terrance Sullivan is the former Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights (KCHR). KCHR is the state agency charged with enforcing the Kentucky Civil Rights Act. Terrance is also a member of The Courier Journal's Advisory Board.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY lawmakers hide their racism behind anti-DEI and CRT laws