In a recent turn of events, prominent civil rights organizations have criticized Elon Musk for his comments suggesting that diversity hiring at Boeing Co. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. is negatively impacting air travel safety.
What Happened: The NAACP and National Urban League, two leading civil rights groups in the U.S., have publicly criticized Elon Musk for his recent comments on the Boeing 737 Max 9 safety scandal, according to a report by The Hill.
Musk linked the grounding of the 737 Max 9 aircraft due to a safety issue with diversity hiring initiatives at Boeing and United Airlines. His comments have been viewed as unfounded and controversial.
Musk, who is the CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, has been accused of using the platform to promote hate speech and white supremacist conspiracy theories. These accusations have been further fueled by Musk’s recent posts on X.
“Do you want to fly in an airplane where they prioritized DEI hiring over your safety? That is actually happening,” Musk wrote while reposting a user pointing out the changes in hiring practices at Boeing in 2022 to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
NAACP President Derrick Johnson condemned Musk’s comments, emphasizing that DEI initiatives are essential for a more inclusive society. X has faced significant backlash for its lax content moderation policies since Musk acquired the platform in 2022. The European Union has also initiated an investigation into its moderation practices.
National Urban League leader Marc Morial described Musk’s comments as “abhorrent and pathetic,” particularly in light of allegations of racial harassment at Musk’s own company, Tesla Inc. Morial called for an apology from Musk, highlighting that air travel remains one of the safest modes of transportation despite recent safety concerns.
Why It Matters: This is not the first time Musk has sparked controversy with his comments on diversity and inclusion initiatives. Just a few days ago, Musk called entrepreneur Mark Cuban a racist due to their conflicting views on diversity and inclusion hiring practices.
Musk’s comments appeared after the Alaska Airlines’ mid-flight scare when an emergency exit-sized gap appeared in the side of the plane, leading to a rapid decompression. The flight was operated by a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft.
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