Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii got into a heated exchange during a hearing about diversity, equity, and inclusion on Wednesday and was ultimately embarrassed by her Republican colleague, Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri.

Hirono claimed that the Constitution “does not bar diversity, equity, and inclusion,” according to Fox News.

“The continental U.S. was created by Europeans who migrated to this place, and founded a nation pretending that there were not millions of people who already lived here before Columbus, so-called, discovered America,” she said, smirking. “This country was built by the work of slaves.”

The Democrat then had the nerve to say the nation has been held together by “forcing inclusion” upon its citizenry.

Hirono also got into an exchange with Gene Hamilton, a witness from the law group America First Legal, who was appearing before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution to discuss the constitutionality of DEI practices.

The witness challenged Hirono’s claim that America’s court system has never declared DEI unconstitutional, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action. He followed up by telling Hirono to “go read it” herself.

She disagreed, getting into a back-and-forth with Hamilton, who said, “We’re not talking about diversity, we’re talking about discrimination.”

Hirono continued to talk over him until she finally ran out of time.

“Okay, well, I’m out of time,” she said. “You can see that we are very — we are a very divergent group of people here.”

“Intellectually diverse!” Schmitt humorously shot back.

Hirono then looked at Schmitt and said: “On the basis of the suspicion supposedly for people who are DEI, that would mean that you suspect me of something. I cannot be trusted. I hope that this is not your view.”

“Hopefully you’re not talking about me,” Schmitt replied. “Because that’s a ridiculous accusation.”

“Good, thank you,” Hirono responded. “I wish everybody else would say the same thing — about those people in our country who happen to look different from the rest of us.”

Schmitt then cut her off and said, “Okay. Your time has expired, senator. Thanks. Thanks so much.”

Her ignorance and emotionally charged rhetoric was not only immature. It was also incorrect.

There’s something called the “Equal Protection Clause” of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, guaranteeing that Americans cannot be treated differently under the law.

By hiring workers based on skin color or racial background, or granting students admission to college based on DEI checkboxes, you are violating the Constitution.

To say otherwise is a transparent attempt to “force” people into positions of power based on their political beliefs, while creating further division by ripping at old wounds. This is a common tactic of radical Democrats.

Hirono deserved to be shut down by Schmitt, especially when she tried to pull the victim card after her argument collapsed.

Being a victim is not something to aspire to. It is an unfortunate position in life that most people would not want to find themselves in.

Instead of encouraging citizens to overcome it, far-left lawmakers and activists embrace it, wielding their supposed suffering as a weapon against anyone who dares to disagree.

Merit should always win the day. Character is a part of that. But using federal power to demand academia and the private sector elevate people who are not the most qualified is akin to social engineering and can only end in catastrophe.

It is an embarrassment to the entire country that this woman is actually serving as a member of the Senate.

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