EXCLUSIVE: Florida State University students rally to support DEI
The Students for a Democratic Society chapter at Florida State University held a rally protesting Gov. DeSantis’ attempts to dismantle DEI and CRT from higher education.
A speech from an organization 'dedicated to fighting [the capitalist] system' claimed that the country is 'founded on bloodshed,' not the 'bright truth and dream of America.'
The Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapter at Florida State University (FSU) held a recent rally protesting Gov. Ron DeSantis’ attempts to dismantle DEI and CRT in higher education.
SDS announced the Feb. 8 protest via Instagram with captions that read, “Diversity and Inclusion are not negotiable! Black history is not up for debate! Trans students are not going anywhere!”
The Instagram post also included a flyer featuring a photo of DeSantis with his eyes crossed out. SDS advertised the rally as a “MARCH AGAINST ATTACKS ON DIVERSITY PROGRAMS.”
[RELATED: Students are unhappy that DEI is forcing good professors out of higher ed]
DeSantis introduced a legislative agenda after he requested an accounting of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and critical race theory (CRT) spending at Florida’s public colleges and universities. If passed, the legislation would result in “a complete overhaul of DEI and CRT in hiring and curriculum,” according to Campus Reform.
Prohibiting universities from funding DEI and CRT initiatives–regardless of whether the funding is taxpayer-supported–is part of the agenda.
Campus Reform attended the SDS rally and obtained exclusive video and audio footage.
One speaker, who introduced himself as SDS Vice President Alex Carson, stated, “We are out here today to let FSU know that the students at FSU will not tolerate DeSantis’ attacks on education and DEI programs.”
Carson demanded “that FSU take a stand” by maintaining its “multicultural programs.”
SDS also hosted Delilah Pierre, Vice-President of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), a group “dedicated to fighting [the capitalist] system in order to improve the lives and material conditions of all who suffer underneath it.”
In the nearly eight-minute speech, Pierre criticized the United States’ founding, stating that “it’s not founded on no [sic] manifest destiny. It’s not founded on no [sic] bright truth and dream of America, the freedom and savior of the world. It’s founded on bloodshed.”
Pierre also claimed that the country was founded on enslavement, genocide, and oppression.
Regarding the FSU administration’s stance on DEI education, Pierre said, “I don’t want no safe and easy bulls–t! The Civil Rights movement wasn’t safe and easy!”
This protest occurred in conjunction with Christopher Rufo’s recent reporting on DEI programming at FSU.
“Florida State University has adopted a radical DEI program that divides Americans along a ‘matrix of oppression,’ castigates Christians for their ‘Christian privilege,’ and offers racially segregated scholarships that deliberately bar white students from applying,” Rufo tweeted.
The “matrix of oppression” comes from FSU’s Social Justice Ally Training.
“The training claims that ‘whites’ are the racial group at the top,” Rufo wrote. “By definition, no other group can be racist.”
Campus Reform contacted all relevant parties listed for comment and will update this article accordingly.
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