‘It’s Vengeful, It’s Hateful’: Riley Gaines Blasts ‘Manipulative’ DEI Movement

Monday, during an appearance on FNC’s “The Ingraham Angle,” former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, on the heels of an attempted physical assault by protesters at San Francisco State University (SFSU) last week, criticized the response from SFSU’s administration and said it was indicative of the so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) movement.

“Riley, the president also said the event was deeply traumatic for the students, but not for you who was actually assaulted, apparently,” host Laura Ingraham said. “Your response tonight to what you just heard?”

“You can’t even make this up,” Gaines replied. “Exactly like you said, this is what higher institutions are doing, universities, where children are going to learn. This is what they are teaching them. They also responded in the email, saying we know how hard it can be to hear other perspectives. So here are some counseling resources for you students who are so brave. My response is we must have different definitions of peaceful because these videos, what I heard, what I endured for three hours sitting barricaded in a room where they demanded money if I wanted to safely make it home, that is not peaceful. That’s kidnapping and extortion.”

“Jamillah Moore, as I said, that staffer that sent the email out to the students, Riley, following your event, also said that we value different ideas even when they are not our own,” Ingraham said. “But then yesterday, you tweeted that it was this individual, Jamillah Moore, blocked you on Twitter. So what happened to the exchanging views and the beauty of the exchange and the tolerance and the inclusivity? What happened to that?”

“The DEI stuff, it only works if it’s an agreeance with what they are push, because in reality, diversity is racism, and equity, it’s segregation,” Gaines responded. “These ideas they’re pushing, it’s not indicative of what the messaging is that they’re using. It’s manipulative, it’s violent, this whole movement, it’s vengeful, it’s hateful. I’ve never seen a movement quite like this movement.”

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