The NFL’s Rooney Rule is facing a lawsuit spearheaded by a former Trump adviser. Created as a rule to help increase the potential hiring of more Black coaches in the NFL, the “Rooney Rule” states that all NFL teams must interview a Black candidate when a head coaching vacancy becomes open.
However, America First Legal, headed by Stephen Miller, filed a lawsuit that claims the “Rooney Rule” is in violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It’s another attack on DEI initiatives that seek to increase diversity.
During Super Bowl week, former NFL player Malcolm Jenkins and Milton H. Jones, Jr. of 100 Black Men of America held a fireside chat at Analog Dope bookstore where they discussed social justice issues.
They also shared their thoughts on the recent lawsuit that increases to dismantle the “Rooney Rule.”
Malcom Jenkins:
We’ve seen the same thing in the venture capital space. They’re looking to pass legislation to dismantle those things. There’s no time to waste. We can’t act like we don’t see what’s happening right now. They’re trying to pull back as much as they possibly can. And if we don’t pay attention to that and come up with some alternative strategies that are of our own to protect our own economic advancement, they will fall. I don’t think that’s enough conversations in our community about this.
Milton H. Jones, Jr.
Decades ago, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke came along and everybody thought that would end the integration of African American students at majority colleges. It got in the way, but it didn’t stop it. The Supreme Court decision that came out last summer certainly struck a blow. But frankly, the beauty of our people is that we’re really creative. And when you try and close one door, we find another way or we go through the roof. But we use so much time and energy in the process of doing that. We have to be aware. People have even made ‘woke’ a bad word. Why? Because they don’t want us to be aware. We are woke and we are awake and we are aware. And we are going to vote and we will change outcomes. And when we do that, we’ll create a better pathway for our community and the people in our community.
About Post Author
