Intelligence agencies issue guidelines on linguistic diversity
Backlash from Conservatives: Nothing but a dog and pony show
According to a report by the UK Telegraph on the 24th, the United States intelligence community seems to be discontinuing the use of the term ‘blacklist’ due to its racially discriminatory implications.
The newspaper reported that the diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility departments within the US intelligence community recently issued guidelines on linguistic diversity and precision through an internal newsletter. These guidelines urged intelligence agencies like the CIA to stop using the term ‘blacklist’ due to its implicit racial connotations. Additionally, they emphasized avoiding terms like ‘sanity check’, which stigmatizes mental illness, ‘cakewalk’, suggesting something is very easy, and ‘grandfathered’, which acknowledges privileges linked to slavery.
The newsletter shared a story from an intelligence officer who found that embracing cross-dressing habits had improved their critical thinking and understanding of women and sexual minorities. It also included an assessment from an intelligence officer who expressed regret over past training that unintentionally alienated Muslim-American colleagues by associating Islam with terrorism.
As per The Telegraph, conservative quarters in the US are pushing back, claiming that these initiatives within intelligence agencies are merely for show and might impede the CIA’s operational effectiveness. Republican Senator Tom Cotton emphasized that the priority should be counterterrorism rather than offending.
Most Commented