Senator Kim Hammer’s attack on the Boys & Girls Club didn’t begin with SB362. His grudge against the organization — and his broader hostility toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies — has been simmering for nearly two years (that we know of).
Hammer’s hate is manifesting in repeated efforts to wield legislative power as a weapon against those who don’t align with his ideological views. If this sounds familiar, you’re not mistaken; Hammer has also attacked the ballot initiative process because of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment efforts of 2024. This is an impressive pattern of retaliatory legislating.
Why is Hammer so obsessed with DEI?
Hammer’s fixation on DEI policies dates back at least to 2022, when he began scrutinizing any organization receiving public funding that had DEI initiatives. During legislative hearings, he aggressively questioned agencies and nonprofits about their DEI policies, attempting to paint them as vehicles for “woke ideology” rather than essential programs ensuring equal access to opportunities.
One of his key targets? The Boys & Girls Club.
”The Boys and Girls Club has a longstanding tradition of being built on traditional values. We’d hate to see that lost to any ‘wokeism.'” -Kim Hammer
In a Joint Performance Review meeting from 2023, Hammer pressed representatives from the Boys & Girls Club on whether they adhered to the national organization’s DEI policies, fixating on their stance on pronouns, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and diversity initiatives.
His repeated questioning made it clear that he saw these policies not as a means of fostering inclusivity for Arkansas children, but as an ideological enemy that needed to be punished. In light of his newest legislation, it’s clear that Hammer was laying the groundwork for retaliation in Joint Performance Review committee.
SB362: peak personal vengeance
Fast forward two years — SB362 has become Hammer’s chosen weapon. While it masquerades as a bill appropriating $2 million in youth grants, the buried eligibility criteria tell the real story: any organization associated with DEI policies, gender-inclusive practices, or so-called “woke” ideologies is disqualified from receiving funds.
By design, this excludes state chapters of the Boys & Girls Club. While the national groups’ DEI policy mandates inclusivity for all children, including LGBTQ+ youth, the state director made it clear to Hammer and other members that these policies are not mandated for local chapters. Nonetheless, the national group makes them ineligible under Hammer’s rigged criteria.
This is not service to Arkansas youth. It’s revenge.
“[Does the national Boys and Girls Club] give equal resource commitments to all populations within the clubs? It would seem that they’ve invested very heavily in a DEI; they’ve got a complete DEI office. Out of that DEI office, they seem to be pushing down certain recommendations. And your testimony today is they’re not mandates, but they certainly are making a strong push.” – Kim Hammer
The pattern
After Donald Trump’s second impeachment, Hammer posted on Facebook calling Democrats “enemies of democracy” and urging his followers to join a “political war.” He declared it was time to “purge the state.”
Hammer’s history of political retaliation is well-documented, and his rhetoric reveals a worldview in which governance is not about serving the people, but about attacking those he perceives as ideological enemies. SB362 is an extension of this mindset.
If he succeeds in cutting off state funding for the Boys & Girls Club over national DEI policies, this sets a dangerous precedent. We need lawmakers who will put good policy over personal vendetta.
