We’re in a “blame the victim” situation. DEI programs are not the problem. Old people are not the problem. DEI programs are a response to inequity, injustice and prejudice. The President blamed the recent, horrific DC plane crash on DEI programs!
Ageism is unconscious bias. It is baked into our social conditioning, so people don’t even realize when we are reinforcing inequality. Most of us, at some level, believe that old is bad and young is good. Most of us, at some point, act on that belief — from trying to stave off wrinkles, to buying offensive supermarket birthday cards, to not hiring the best person available because they are too old. Ignorance is what allows unconscious bias to persist.
Ageism runs through public policies as well. Regardless of political affiliation, old people are facing significant challenges due to recent policy changes and funding cutbacks. The recent threatened freeze on federal grants and loans would have disproportionately affected old people. Proposed cuts to programs such as Medicaid and Housing Choice Vouchers have put many old people at risk of losing vital support, including housing assistance and health-care services. Caregivers for old people, transportation for old people, nutrition for old people — the list goes on.
Ageist policy decisions are directly impacting the well-being of our oldest and youngest Americans. It’s crucial for all of us to stay informed and advocate for policies that protect and support our changing population.
Given our ongoing rapid demographic shifts, continuing with the same policies and approaches from the past 50 years is insufficient. Our current challenge is to preserve what we have, and our long-term task is to develop systems that are more sustainable, equitable and responsive to our exploding older population.
When people feel threatened, we can act out of fear. When power structures feel threatened, those in control often escalate tactics, whether through suppression, propaganda or outright violence.
Fascism, in particular, thrives on reinforcing hierarchies and silencing dissent, often under the guise of “maintaining order” or “protecting tradition” or “the good ol’ days.” It’s not just about unconscious bias at that point — it becomes a conscious, deliberate effort to uphold and promote inequality, to “other” large swaths of our population. The unfolding widespread purges at the FBI will further enable this.
Facing the current threat to all our old people, we need to stay informed, create honest relationships and build community. This will help us to create strong networks of support, networks to help create policies that nurture and protect all of our people, no matter what their age. We need to help break through propaganda and misinformation, which will make it harder for those in power to continue to operate without accountability. And we need to ensure that we can protect ourselves and our communities from the consequences of policies that harm the old and the young.
We need a balance of awareness, action and resilience.