Shocking and Divisive - Massachusetts Puts Muslims First in State Hiring

The Trump administration has been cracking down on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) wherever it can, and those efforts have not been in vain. The notion that someone brings something to the table based solely on things like plumbing and melanin content is truly ridiculous, and the notion that we should favor one religious group in government hiring is not only even more ridiculous, but probably unconstitutional as well.

And yet, this is precisely what Massachusetts is doing, having created something called a Muslim commission to prioritize hiring Muslims for state employment.

Massachusetts lawmakers are taking steps toward prioritizing the hiring of American Muslims for state government positions under a permanent so-called Muslim commission.
The group would help recommend Americans who practice Islam to appointed government positions in the New England state at the same time the Trump administration is moving to dismantle such diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs nationwide — teeing-up a standoff between local leaders and the president.
A proposed bill would create a panel of 11 Muslims appointed by Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and other state officials to represent the Islamic faith on issues such as business, economy, healthcare and other concerns.

So far, at least, it's just a proposal.

One is tempted to ask, "In the name of all that's sane and reasonable, why?" The sponsor of this particular piece of legislative nitwittery, one State Senator Jamie Eldridge, answered that question with an outpouring of horse squeeze the likes of which we haven't seen in, well, a while.

"Massachusetts has always prided itself on being a leader in equality and civil rights, a legacy this bill builds upon," said Democratic state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, the bill's primary sponsor.
"American Muslims in my district and across the Commonwealth enrich our communities as students, healthcare workers, educators, small business owners, and civic leaders," Eldridge added in the press release on the proposal. "This commission will help the state better understand and address the challenges they face, while strengthening inclusion and civic participation. "

Aside from the woke boilerplate, there is no content in that statement. None. It is utterly free of meaningful dialogue.

The fact is, there is no reason to prioritize Muslims for state offices. They can seek such positions on their own, and under the founding principle of equal treatment under the law, they can be evaluated for such positions by the same objective criteria as anyone, regardless of race, religion, or anything other than their experience and their ability to do the job.

You know, like we would hope a private-sector employer would do. Key difference: If a private-sector employer makes a bad hiring decision based on stupid criteria, the only thing they will hurt is their own company. But hiring for government positions? Not only no, but heck no.

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Here's the thing: This new commission sure looks like it would fall afoul of a provision in Article 6 of the United States Constitution, specifically, the part that states:

...no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

In our post-14th Amendment world, that would apply to the state of Massachusetts, as well. And this sure looks like a religious test to me.

This is an idea that should be crushed before it gets out of the starting gate. But this is Massachusetts, the state that keeps sending someone like the daffy and economically illiterate Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) back to Washington, so we shouldn't be surprised at this latest spate of DEI madness.

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