Censored — in the Name of ‘Diversity’: DiversityInc Mag Caves in to Human Rights Campaign’s Daryl Herrschaft’s Demands

  Anti-Christian bigotry prevails: Human Rights Campaign’s Daryl Herrschaft threatened to boycott a DiversityInc Magazine forum on “Religion in the Workplace” if Americans For Truth were allowed to participate. The magazine caved in.

By Peter LaBarbera 

“How do you balance the need to create an open and equal workplace for LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] employees with the religious beliefs of those who oppose same-sex relationships?” 
— proposed discussion question for DiversityInc “Religion in the Workplace” roundtable that includes an atheist and a homosexual activist but dropped Americans For Truth after being lobbied by pro-“gay” panelists

Today I was scheduled to fly to Newark, N.J., to participate in a “Religion in the Workplace Roundtable” discussion sponsored by DiversityInc Magazine. But I won’t be going to Newark – because three of the panelists decided that true diversity was something they simply could not tolerate.

On Friday, I received an awkward call from Barbara Frankel, DiversityInc’s Executive Editor, who had originally invited me to take part in the roundtable — along with Daryl Herrschaft, Director of the Workplace Project at Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual activist group, and several other panelists including the president of American Atheists.

An embarrassed Ms. Frankel said she was forced to disinvite me, less than a week before the event, because Herrschaft and two other panelists (she wouldn’t say whom) had threatened not to come if I were allowed to participate. (I had already bought my airline ticket and received planning materials for the discussion.) Ironically, one of the proposed questions for the roundtable was: “How do you balance the need to create an open and equal workplace for LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] employees with the religious beliefs of those who oppose same-sex relationships?”

Frankel apologized and said that she was very upset about this development, but that her hands were tied. Of course, she could have stuck with the original plan and told Herrschaft and his two allies to take a hike, or at least a refresher course on genuine diversity.

Frankel’s decision to cave in to HRC’s demands represents a triumph of the new, Intolerant “Tolerance” over real tolerance. In originally inviting me and Americans For Truth to participate, Frankel – representing the very pro-“gay” DiversityInc — was, to her credit, practicing old-fashioned tolerance: people with divergent worldviews listening and talking respectfully to one another about each other’s viewpoint, in a spirit of civility.

The New Tolerance – epitomized by Herrschaft’s arrogant threat – is “tolerant” in name only. It is driven by ideology and power. Here’s the formula: certain viewpoints that the Left finds intolerable – e.g., that homosexuality is wrong and changeable behavior – must be denied public expression, or at least be marginalized. All to build a “hate-free” society, you see. (Conservative college students know well this counterfeit brand of “tolerance and diversity.”)

Truth is, the Human Rights Campaign, like many powerful homosexual groups, would rather demonize pro-family Christians and social conservatives than debate them. Earlier this year, I debated “gay parenting” on a cable talk show in D.C., opposite another HRC staffer. Afterward, I spotted her lobbying the program’s producer, saying that one-on-one interviews with homosexuals are more useful than contentious debates. Producers, editors and reporters too often allow homosexual activists to dictate the terms of talk show debates and even news coverage because they have bought into the corrupt, new definition of tolerance.

One-way sensitivity and morality-phobia
I’ve never worked for a major corporation, but now I better understand the plight of fellow Christians and pro-family Americans employed in politically correct, “diversity”-conscious companies. How is that corporations, which try so hard to be sensitive to homosexuals (and now transsexuals), can be so insensitive to their many employees motivated by faith?

What role have silent and timid Christians played in the rise of “gay” power and liberal intolerance in the corporate world?

I wonder: was Herrschaft’s peevish threat to boycott the DiversityInc panel motivated by some deep-seated morality-phobia? What insecurities and irrational fears drove the HRC staffer to play the censorious, take-my-ball-and-go-home card? Was Herrschaft, a highly-trained corporate activist, merely afraid of a good debate? Or does he just hate me and my Christianity-informed worldview so much that he cannot stand to be in my presence? (Yes, hate is a two-way street.)

One thing is certain: “gay” activists are so coddled these days that Herrschaft knew his stunt had a good chance of succeeding. And it did.

Memo to corporate Human Resources Directors: about half the country thinks homosexuality is wrong (Gallup) – and an even higher percentage believe that marriage can only be between a man and a woman. How about showing some respect for your religious and moral-minded employees – be they black, white, Latino, Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Hindu – who resent having their convictions undermined on the job?

Americans don’t like being told what to think – whether Big Brother comes in the form of oppressive government laws and mandates, or politically correct corporate “diversity” seminars (that the boss strongly suggests you attend).

Christians must speak up
It is time for Christian employees to stop “taking it” from corporate executives who spend company dollars and time promoting agendas that are hostile to faith and family.

TAKE ACTION:

• Insist that your worldview is fairly represented at all “diversity” sessions;
• Point out to the higher-ups that one-sided, propagandistic “awareness” workshops create a hostile workplace environment for you and others like you, and undermine employee morale;
• Find out if your corporation is funding pro-homosexual groups and events and request that it either stop doing so or make corresponding matching grants to pro-family organizations. Settle for nothing less than strict neutrality on the homosexuality issue; 
• Speak up for God in the workplace and challenge the “gay”-activist mindset that cynically equates time-honored Judeo-Christian teachings on marriage and sexuality with “homophobia, hate and bigotry.” 

Morality is not prejudice, and Christianity is not “hate.” Labeling people “anti-gay” has become the new code-word for liberals seeking to justify their own anti-Christian prejudices and intolerance. True “diversity” is the big loser today in DiversityInc’s stripped-down “roundtable.”

Do not despair: like other bankrupt and hypocritical ideologies throughout history – think communist “People’s Republics” – the modern shams of Monolithic Diversity and Intolerant Tolerance will die of their own weight and contradictions, as more and more Americans perceive the clear threat that they pose to freedom of expression and our precious religious liberties.

But you must speak out, and not let ideological thugs like HRC’s Daryl Herrschaft steal away your voice or your freedoms. After all, you didn’t come to work today to be brainwashed and have your moral values trashed, did you?