273: DEI Exposed: How Ideology Fuels Division and Antisemitism with Stanley K. Ridgley, PhD
The Business of Meetings
Navigating the Complexities of Conference Management
This chapter explores the complex challenges faced by professionals in the conference and event management industry. Through personal anecdotes, it highlights the importance of resilience and adaptability for successful event organization and emphasizes a critical mindset in education to address these hurdles.
We are honored to welcome the distinguished Dr. Stanley K. Ridgley, author of the recently released book DEI Exposed, as our guest today.
Dr. Ridgley is a well-traveled and highly respected educator with a reputation for delivering insight with clarity and impact. In his book, he addresses one of the most widely discussed and contentious topics in our industry today, substantiating his arguments with well-researched factual evidence.
Silence implies complicity, so Eric never shies away from tough conversations, especially with those who can back their ideas with proven facts. Join us to hear Dr. Ridgley’s clear-sighted and thought-provoking perspective on the truth about DEI.
What DEI Has Become
The original purpose of DEI, which stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, was to ensure fairness, opportunity, and support for disadvantaged groups. However, in practice, it has evolved into something quite different. Rather than fostering genuine inclusion, DEI programs are increasingly excluding Jewish students, tolerating antisemitism, and enforcing a rigid ideological framework that leaves no room for open dialogue. The bureaucracy behind DEI has grown massive, and those running it seldom face accountability, even when harm occurs.
Rot at the Core of Academia
Some of the most prestigious universities, including Harvard and Columbia, fail to address this issue and even reward bad behavior. Students who harass or physically attack their Jewish peers get promoted, hired by the university, or given recognition, while the victims get overlooked. That reflects a complete collapse in moral standards, with academic freedom and intellectual honesty eroded by fear, favoritism, and ideological loyalty. Talented researchers and students are being pushed away from these institutions in search of places where truth and fairness still matter.
The Silence of Feminist and LGBTQ+ Groups
Organizations that claim to defend human rights, such as feminist groups and LGBTQ+ advocates, have remained noticeably silent about the rapes of Israeli women and the persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in Palestinian territories. Yet those groups condemn Israel based on the narrative that it is a settler-colonial state. Their silence is not just disappointing. It reveals a clear double standard based on ideological alignment rather than principle.
Is Ideology More Important Than Reality?
A growing trend in universities and activist spaces is to prioritize ideology over reality. People follow a script. They repeat terms like settler colonialism or perform symbolic rituals like land acknowledgments without stopping to question their meaning or validity. That mindset discourages critical thinking and turns academic spaces into nothing more than echo chambers.
Neutrality is Not Morality
When people stay silent in the face of antisemitism and extremism or claim that it is too political to take a stance, they are not being neutral. They are being complicit. Avoiding uncomfortable truths out of fear of losing a job or facing criticism is understandable, but it allows injustice to flourish. Saying nothing is not a virtue. It is a form of surrender that weakens the very foundations of free and fair societies.
There is a Better Way
If the goal is to help disadvantaged students, there is a straightforward solution. If support is offered based on economic need, many groups that DEI aims to help could benefit, without the need for racial preferences or divisive identity politics. A financial-aid-based approach would be both legal and practical, and far more inclusive. It would also eliminate the need for bloated DEI departments that create more division than unity.
Expose the Hypocrisy Loudly
Change will only happen when people are willing to speak up and ask the hard questions, like Why are Jewish students being left out of DEI programs? Why are certain groups exempt from criticism even when they commit violence or uphold oppression? Why are academic institutions rewarding behavior that goes against their own stated values? Those questions are uncomfortable but necessary. The time for silence is over. Only through clarity, honesty, and courage will things improve.
Dr. Ridgley’s Bio and Resume’
Connect with Eric Rozenberg
On LinkedIn
Listen to The Business of Meetings podcast
Subscribe to The Business of Meetings newsletter
Connect with Stanley K. Ridgley
On his website
LeBow College of Business (Drexel University)
The AI-powered Podcast Player
