1. Wokeism is a social justice movement that aims to address sytemic inequalities. The movement encourages individuals to examine their own biases and privleges and actively work towards creating a more just and equitable society. 2. Wokeism places a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion and recognizes the importance of representation and equal opportunities for marginalized groups in all areas of society. The movement involves a wide range of practices and strategies, including community organizing, activism, allyship, and education, all aimed at advancing social justing goals. 3. Wokeism is based on social conflict theory, which asserts that society is divided by power struggles between different social groups, and that these struggles are the driving force behind social change. The movement seeks to challenge and dismantle systems of oppression, including racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of discrimination.
I was in the audience for those 2004 remarks, in which Elder Maxwell expressed his appreciation for scholars at BYU who defended the claims, scriptures, and teachings of the Restoration against attack. (As far as I recall, he didn’t refer in any way to homosexuality or homosexuals.) The illustration that he used clearly drew upon an account given in Nehemiah 4 (especially verses 16-18). In it, the Jews who have returned from the Babylonian captivity to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple are obliged, because of threats and attacks from their neighbors, to work with one hand while holding a sword in the other—a defensive measure, not an aggressive one, that plainly has nothing to do with homosexuality.
But, he also said, “we have to be careful that love and empathy do not get interpreted as condoning and advocacy, or that orthodoxy and loyalty to principle not be interpreted as unkindness or disloyalty to people. As near as I can tell, Christ never once withheld His love from anyone, but He also never once said to anyone, “Because I love you, you are exempt from keeping my commandments.” We are tasked with trying to strike that same sensitive, demanding balance in our lives.”
Wokeness gives people a shield to be mean and cruel armored in false virtue.