In a room of among many of his peers — white, male conservatives — Seth Grossman pleaded his case that diversity threatens the “traditional ways that made America great” and is a “bunch of crap” supported by Democrats and communists.
Grossman is a Republican running for New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District and won the primary for his party last week. He’s made controversial statements in the past. In March 2017, he said the following about slavery in a Facebook post:
“I don’t know any American Blacks who wish they were in Africa today. I do know of many Africans who wish their ancestors had been taken to America as slaves, and who are now risking their lives on flimsy boats every day to come to America.”
During a GOP campaign forum in April, he said that Republicans nominate less than qualified candidates, which he inferred are women, because they fit into “diversity boxes.”
A progressive super PAC posted the video of his anti-diversity rant on YouTube this week.
“In my view, the best way to bring diversity to the Republican Party is for Republicans to openly say that the whole idea of diversity is a bunch of crap and un-American,” he said.
Grossman then recited a portion of the Declaration of Independence and said, “Everybody is created equally under the law.”
He continued, “Now, what diversity has become, it’s been an excuse by Democrats, communists and socialists, basically, to say that we’re not all created equal, that some people, if he — if somebody is lesser qualified, they will get a job anyway, or they’ll get into college anyway because of the tribe that they’re with, what group, what box they fit into.”
Grossman also said that “politically correct statements on diversity, women, African Americans, Hispanics, they’re chopping us up into different pieces.”
Fair360, formerly DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti said on Wednesday that Grossman’s assessment of diversity is mistaken.
“Thinking that any corporation is going to pick any person for reasons of political correctness or diversity is just foolishness,” Visconti said.
“Corporations pick the right person to make the most profit. That is the CEO’s job, and that is what the Board of Directors will hold him/her accountable for.
“Logically, the most talented people will be distributed amongst the people Grossman denigrates — anyone not a white man. Grossman is a dope as are all those white men listening to them without saying something. He fits right in with the Trump party.”
Seth Grossman said in a statement on Facebook Monday that “‘Diversity’ is not a virtue. America did not become great because of diversity.”
He also said he believes his pro-Trump message will resonate in the general election against his opponent, Van Drew, according to The Inquirer.
In the video, Grossman said that Blacks will embrace the same “traditional ways that made America great for all these years.”
Grossman suggested that Kim Guadagno, the former Republican lieutenant governor who lost to Phil Murphy in the New Jersey governor’s race, only received the nomination because she is a woman.
In addition, he said that women complain too much about the cost of childcare.
“When we talk about women needing special care for child care, we need this credit and that credit,” he said.
“Wait a minute, when America was great, one parent alone earned comfortably enough money to support a family.”
