Wednesday, September 20: This post is closed to commenting, but if you’d like to respond, send me an e-mail.
Update (3:39 p.m.): One day, liberal types will have to dispense with the euphemism minorities when referring to blacks and hispanics because whites are becoming minorities in certain sections of the country. People using the word don’t mean it in the sense of “a group differing, esp. in race, religion, or ethnic background, from the majority of a population.” They mean “black people.” This will become obvious as whites diminish in number.
Apparently, some people who consider themselves hispanics also call themselves white. In 2004, Texas consisted of 83.3 percent “White Persons,” but 49.8 percent were “not Hispanic.” We may presume that most or all of those are of European descent.
I wonder if whites of European descent in Texas are now eligible for skin color-based government contracts and admissions? Celebrate diversity!
Must-read: Failure of Proof.
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Value — relative worth, merit, or importance
Diverse — of a different kind, form, character, etc.
I’m working on an ambitious project, and I need your help.
Personal Note
First, I have a confession. I don’t like being the only black person in a large group of white people. I’m a politically conservative, Reformed Christian blogger, so when I attend related conferences and meet-ups, I’m usually the only black person. Whether we end up talking to one another or not, I find it comforting to see another black person in the room. I feel at ease.
A former officemate got a taste of being “the only” when she stopped by a store in a black neighborhood. She said that for the first time in her life, she was keenly aware that she was “the only.” It was a little disconcerting. I told her, “Welcome to our world!” Black people are used to this feeling, as we are a racial minority. If we want to compete and succeed in mainstream society, we learn to deal with it.
We humans have a natural affinity for people who look like us and/or are related to us, in my unscientific opinion. This affinity often translates into race.
But I wouldn’t dream of demanding that groups cater to my desire to see more brown faces and then accuse them of racism if my desires go unfulfilled. My personal preferences shouldn’t dictate policy, public or private, or force others to accommodate me.
Diversity: Only Skin Deep?
School after school, government agency after government agency, and business after business, tout the value of racial and “cultural” (code for race) diversity. For example, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is raising tuition to offer scholarships to “low-income and minority students” to boost diversity. At Virginia Tech, part of a professor’s performance evaluation is whether he/she “promoted” diversity.
By diversity, people almost always mean racial or code word cultural. They rarely mean diversity of ideology, political affiliation, or viewpoint.
I have no problems with racial diversity. I have a problem with the obsession with racial diversity, especially for its own sake, at the expense of fair and consistent treatment and what I perceive to be lowering of standards to achieve it. I have serious problems with the perceived apathy that universities and businesses seem to have toward diversity of viewpoint.
The Supreme Court is set to hear two race-related cases. White parents in Seattle, Washington, and Jefferson County, Kentucky, are suing the school districts for race discrimination. To “meet compelling educational goals,” the districts use illegal race quotas, which discriminate against whites (and Asians?) in application.
In Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), the Supreme Court said that the University of Michigan law school’s race preference policy “does not unduly harm nonminority applicants.” The court held that racial diversity was a “compelling interest” that justified racial discrimination.
The whole Civil Rights movement was based on the idea that government-mandated racial discrimination was odious and needed to be eliminated. Such a sentiment now seems ancient. Sometime during the 1970s, race preferences abolished this idea.
Because blacks weren’t entering professions or being admitted to colleges quickly enough for the powers that be, and because whites began to leave areas where blacks started moving in, perpetuating “segregation,” the government reversed course and mandated reverse discrimination to quicken the pace of black hiring and stem the tide of “white flight.”
The Value of Diversity
The burden of proving a thing is on the one making the assertion. For instance, if you’re going to argue that whites and Asians should be discriminated against in favor of blacks and hispanics because diverse skin colors are good (or fair or noble or whatever adjective you choose), you ought to present evidence that proves the assertion. In fact, it also would be helpful to show exactly who benefits. The court in Grutter didn’t do that, and schools with separate admissions tracks for “minorities” have not met their burden of proof.
I appeal to militants, liberals, libertarians, independents, conservatives, and whoever else is out there. Mostly conservatives read this blog, so I ask you to forward this post to your non-conservative family and friends.
I need serious answers to the following questions:
1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest” does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
[Clarification: Let's say a school is on a quest to diversify the student body. It has certain GPA and SAT score requirements, but to its dismay, the average black applicant's grades and scores fall below the threshold. For the sake of skin color diversity, the black student is admitted. Since the school admits a limited number of new students, whites and Asians who meet the admissions requirements must be rejected in favor of blacks with lower scores. By definition, that is racial discrimination.
Peter Kirsanow, writing for NRO, had a hard time getting numbers from colleges when he sent out a survey. Check his archives for other race preferences-related columns, especially Failure of Proof.]
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
My bias is clearly indicated in the questions, but feel free to reframe and rephrase as you answer. You may answer in the affirmative or in the negative. For example, if you see no value in racial diversity that justifies racial discrimination, say so. You may post links to articles, court cases — whatever helps you formulate your answers.
If I decide to use your quotes, I may have follow-up questions. And I’ll need to use real names. If you prefer to answer privately, e-mail me.
Thanks for participating.
Spread the word!
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I tend to gravitate toward people who are intelligent and not necessarily for their looks. Although, I have to say, I did enjoy watching Mario Lopez last night on “Dancing with the Stars”! Oops – just had a shallow moment, didn’t I?
Seriously, I guess because I’m in my 60s now, my appreciation for people on a basis other than looks is a very prominent part of my character. There ARE compensations to gaining a little mileage!
1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?
There is little, if any value in it (specifically for its own sake as you say). De facto segregation is still quite prevalent and the push for integration has done more to destroy the quality that existed in those areas that remain predominantly black (and probably serve most blacks) than help. Integration places the best in black America in white establishments while leaving the majority in establishments that have lowered standards because of the absence of the best.
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest†does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
This question risks bringing out conspiracy theories. I think that of all of the “black empowerment” movements, catering to the traditional civil rights/integration movement was safest. People who depend on the system are easily controlled as opposed to people who build power independently of the system. I think that many whites during the early 20th century were very uncomfortable with the various prosperous black townships that formed during those times.
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
Well, not really since I am not old enough to have experienced non-diversity to any significant level and then later experience diversity. I can only give opinions on how I view the effects of the push for diversity. I have talked to many older people who discuss how certain neighborhoods had thriving businesses and how the schools functioned so much better before integration.
The only real personal experiences I have with real diversity is in school. Early on, I transferred from an all black school whereas I was probably the most outstanding student in my grade level to a majority white school whereas I was looked upon as dirt the moment I stepped through the doors (this was in the 70s). The change was very confusing to me as a child but I adjusted. The standards were higher and I adjusted to them with threat of bodily harm from my parents. But the microscope was on me as well as the other black kids and I never regained the status of model student no matter how much I tried.
1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?
I believe that a life lived within one framework of reference is a life that is not nearly developed to it’s fullest. In other words, like your example, a White person who only sees White people all their life has not had the character shaping confrontation with someone of another color who may (or may not) have had an entirely different set of life experiences, and can help that White person see that life’s experiences are sometimes based on (gasp!) the reactions of others to one of the most basic components of your appearance.
I see the evidence of a multi-ethnic environment in my own life by how I have learned of the life aspects which cross every people group, and have learned better how to (or not to) deal with some by how universal many responses and actions are. In baser benefits, I’ve learned how much I enjoy halushki, tamales and a well played accordion!
In my experience, being surrounded by only one color tends to create a “we/they” atmosphere, which is the heart of division.
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest†does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
Speaking very specifically to “sanctioning” opposed to “guarding against”, I would say that it’s compelling interest is the industry built upon racial discrimination. It provides lawyers with work, fuels government agencies (thus paying salaries and keeping “big government” afloat), provides incentive for new public school programs which in turn give way for more indoctrination of the young with the ideas of the race-baiters… I’m gonna stop now.
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
I’ve got a lunch date in 20 minutes and this one could take a while so I’ll either answer here later or email the answer later.
What value is skin color diversity for it’s own sake? Eventually, you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable about being the only black person in a room of white/other people. You can’t see a TV commercial of a group of friends getting together without the races being represented. There’s always an Asian girl or guy eating McDonalds with one black person and at least(ahem)two whites.
But that is good, in effect, because even if it’s an artificial race quota’d homogenous commercial, it shows us as we would want to be, all getting along, socializing. Not separating into racial cliques.
Does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination? We are the government. We shouldn’t be sanctioning racial discrimination at all. Our representatives govern by what they hear from us; at least,we operate on that principle.
Diversity related stories? Such as being the only white person within sight on the South side of Chicago? I was welcomed to your world, as you put it, La Shawn, on that day. A man even came up to me, asking if I knew where I was. I assured him I did, and when my friend (white) came and picked me up a few minutes later, I was relieved. Because I felt that which you mentioned.
The military has a way of equalizing everyone. Coming from a small town where there was only one black family, in boot camp and on board ship we all worked and lived together. When I went to “Subsistence Specialist school” -yeah, I was a cook in the Coast Guard-the teachers were mostly Filipino. There had been instituted racism for decades in the Coast Guard. The only rating open to someone from the Philippines was steward. Basically a servant to the officers. When that was abolished, the stewards became cooks. The best cooks became teachers at the school, so there you go.
in and or itself, i do not feel that racial diversity has much if any value. i’m hard pressed to think of any situation where it has value or any sort.
i think knowledge and experience has value, but these ideas are not so closely coupled to your race in my book.
let’s look at it from the perspective of accomplishment. whether this be a business accomplishing a goal, the founding of a new nation centuries ago, or simply fixing your plumbing at home – these are accomplished through work ethic, knowledge, the ability to learn, and motivation.
my ability to fix a faucet, farm a field, or to develop a computer program will not be stripped from me if you change the color of my skin. additionally, my ability to do such things was not imparted to me through pigment osmosis.
it can, and has been, argued that your race is a major contributing factor to your experiences growing up. this is true, but that should not be confused entirely with the necessary coupling of ideas that growing up black means that you will also be subjected to violence, grow up in an inner city, do drugs, join a gang, or wear your pants too low. black people can and do grow up in other settings. just as do white people, asians, mexicans, etc.
almost two years ago i moved from a city – one of the consistent top-10 per-capita murder capitals of the United States.
while it, like many inner cities, is populated with an easy majority of blacks, to suggest that the fact that the city is mostly black is the reason it has problems would certainly get you booted from any politically correct group.
i would posit that the idea of government dependency, the mentality of entitlement, and the culture of it’s-cool-to-be-stupid amongst the younger groups is the cause, not your skin color.
i’ve heard many times something along the lines of “diversity makes us a great nation”. personally i think the fact that we are a great nation is what allows for diversity. diversity of ethics, intelligence, morals, etc.
I grew up in a lily white environment but my very first job was with the Post Office circa 1968 and I got to work with lot of black people, and immediate my sup was black. I can still remember so many of them individually, their names & faces and what they used to say to me. Some were friendly, some looked down on me, some flirted with me, some were very intelligent and others primitive to the point of sexiness.
My impression though was that we were all on the same level, had to learn the same things and pass the same route memorization “schemes” so there was no special breaks given to anyone. An ideal job setup really.
It was an incredible experience, because when you “throw mail” all night there is a lot of close talking and philosophizing that goes on, then everyone gets up and moves somewhere else and starts up talking again. This was the time of the RFK and MLK assassinations so there was a LOT to talk about.
Good job, wish I’d never left it.
Personally, I believe that diversity being a code word for “race” is on it’s way out. Doug alluded to it, but it seems that diversity is starting to mean that every group must be represented – and “every group” means sexual orientation, gender, language and religion (as long as it’s not Christian), as well as skin color.
Hi LaShawn,
Here’s a post I made at another blog. You might have already read it, but I’m posting it here for your readers benefit.
Here’s a funny story about diversity. Back when I was in high school in the early 80’s the Cleveland Public School system was placed under a court ordered desegragation policy. In addition to the desegration policy, the school board came up with the brilliant idea that all sports teams be racially mixed. This was mandatory policy. My high school at the time was one of the few in the city that was already racially mixed, sitting right on the boarder of a white neighborhood and a black neighborhood. The football team was mixed, but the basketball team was all black. This new mandate led to a comical search for a white guy who was willing to join the basketball team. One was finally found and was affectionately nick-named “Bird” by the student body. And though he was wildly cheered on the few occassions he actually got into a game, his skill were marginal at best and it was obvious he was there as a token. After intense community pressure, the backwards policy was reversed and “Bird” was no longer required to suit up, I’m sure to his delight and to the delight of whatever deserving black kid he displaced. Diversity isn’t always the right answer.
La Shawn, Doug makes a good point while explaining the context for commercials that feature members of various races: It’s intended to project how we want to be. I, for one, like this idea. I wish that more of the images presented to us by the entertainment industry would portray people as we want them to be instead of often presenting us with people who are awash in exaggerated flaws. I also believe that people, like water, find others at their own levels. At my advanced years (late 60’s) I’m very encouraged with the racial transitioning that I have witnessed. Could it be accomplished without Affirmative Action and mandated integration? I don’t know. I love what you do, so keep doing it.
I read your blog now and then, I like it. Regarding the Race Preference thing, well I have my own story. I am white and attended a predominately Black church for 8 years (www.msmbc-la.org). It was an amazing experience and I too now better understand what it feels like to be in a context where I’m “different.” The most important things I learned from this experience are: 1. When it comes right down to it we’re all the same, we all have similar dreams, hopes and desires. 2. God used the experience to (most importantly) reveal to me many of the sinful prejudices that were deeply rooted in my heart against Blacks. Since then I have looked at myself, other people (especially racial minorities) and the world in a different way (one that I hope is more Christ-like). I can understand why a minority might gravitate toward another minority in any given context. But I must ask, as followers of Christ is it ok for us to do what we “naturally” tend to, or should we submit our minds to God’s Word so that our actions might follow?
In His service,
Michelle
I am prefacing this (though I shouldn’t have to) by saying that this is MY PERSONAL OPINION BASED ON MY EXPERIENCES.
1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?
Diversity is a joke and is in my opinion be a mockery of it’s intent. In this country, the mainstream standard is white-centered and any thing that deviates from that is ‘other’. Consequently, minorities have learned to adapt to the mainstream, like LaShawn mentioned in her essay. In my opinion diversity would have value if it would show that there is more than one pathway to success in this country, that though there is a national ‘culture’, that aspects of other cultures (not all aspects) are valuable. I don’t believe in ‘diversity’. People like their own kind for the most part and trying to get people, in particular, whites (because they are the majority population) to understand other cultures is a failure. Diversity as I see in going to diversity seminars and training, does not require courage to step out of one’s box.
Frank talk about race/diversity/multiculturalism is hard because the minority population are often hypersensitive and the majority population is not sensitive enough. Invariably, though we may know and socialize and befriend and even marry persons who are a different skin, when we are wronged by a person oft times we don’t see the person who wronged us as the individual, we see them as the group. For example a white man who may have lost a job to black woman, doesn’t see the wrong as an individual act. He may, in his anger, assert that “She probably got hired due to affirmative action.”. A black man, being followed around a store by the clerk, asserts that they probably follow around all blacks whenever they come to shop at that store. It doesn’t help that there are social structures or statistics that can always be tossed around to back up almost any assertion.
Unfortunately, the political and social are climates such that reasoned dialogue has just been about obliterated, drowned out by shrill bleating.
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest†does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
Probably really none. It looks good, makes folks feel good. If it limits barriers to entry or can somewhat level the playing field for some, I suppose that’s a good thing. Sometimes forcing people to work together or attend school together works. I think that all things being equal, whites would hire whites, black would hire blacks, etc etc. It would be like de facto segregation except you could get in trouble and the law may actually be enforced.
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
Not really. I will say that I am a post civil rights baby being born in 1973. My parents often say I am less optimistic than they are. I don’t call it being optimistic at all, I call it being realistic. The civil rights movement was a double edged sword in many ways and the cuts are starting to bleed.
1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?
In elementary schools, the only value I can see is that it exposes children to different “cultures,” which may ease interactions with new groups when they’re older.
I wouldn’t say that government should be in the business of social engineering, but this is the only reasonable argument for it that comes to mind.
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest†does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
Political leverage. By convincing people that the battle still needs to be fought, then the people will continue to elect politicians who take up that banner. This is ultimately counter-productive, as it’s fueled the culture of victimhood and generally repressed the traditional American ambition, but you’ll never hear politicians admit that.
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
I did my undergraduate studies at Illinois State University. As a freshman, you are spend the first week before school starts attending seminars and classes on integrating into campus life. Included in this is a flurry of “diversity” meetings and seminars, all of which are mandatory.
My sister, a student on the same campus, related to me that when her floor had the “diversity” meeting, there was only one black girl who lived on the floor. Five minutes into the meeting, she felt singled-out enough to leave and not return, though the RA still took the time to explain to the girls how it was their fault for making her feel alienated. The girl later moved off the floor and onto an “all black” floor.
My own observations saw the school actively encouraging the segregation through actions while denouncing it through their speech. Roommate assignments were never random; I never saw any black students living with white students, although that’s only my observation.
You often see groups of prospective students touring the campus with their parents. You would never see mixed groups. Always the groups were either all white or all black. I find it highly doubtful that the grouping is a coincidence of when they arranged for their visit.
The point of this is just that as much as some of these institutions push the “diversity” issue, they are often times working against their own principles. What a funny world.
my own personal experience:
I find it not the objection to skin color or race, but it is an objection to culture.
I am Asian, don’t speak with an accent, and am very Americanized. I get along well with other professionals. I have a friend who speaks with a thick accent and doesn’t get along too well. He suffers from “discrimination” but I don’t.
I suspect it’s more that he has bad communication skills, doesn’t want to socialize, and generally views work as a chore. He doesn’t build relationships at work. So, when it’s promotion time, I get promoted and he stays at the same job. Racism he cries.
I think it’s because he doesn’t play by the rules that he’s dealt. You need to build relationships, be able to communicate effectively, and basically be a person people want to work with.
Often times, it’s easier to blame racism.
Interesting that you would have a story about UW LaCrosse. I’m originally from LaCrosse and attended UW LaCrosse although at the time it was known as LaCrosse State University. When I was there in 1966, there was one black student. He was treated like a rock star. Until I met him, I had not ever met a black person. We Norwegians and Germans were kinda isolated lol.
LaCrosse is a town of about 60,000 mostly middle class people. Although there are poor people, there are no slums. The largest minority in the city are the Hmongs who arrived after the Viet Nam war, comprising approximately 2% of the population. Wisconsin has a very good education system, consistently ranking in the top tier of states. Unlike a lot of state run schools, admission requirements are tough. My niece was turned down for the elementary education program at UW Lacrosse, even though she had a GPA of 3.5. She made it in after the second try and will graduate this year. Now, the University has apparently lost funding because they don’t have enough minority students so they propose to make it more financially difficult, on top of the already tough academic standards, for local students (granted mostly white middle class) to attend. Well, ya know what, that sucks. These people wonder why they are even paying taxes if they can’t afford for their own kids to attend the local schools they must support.
This path to diversity will only lead to animosity.
Being the “only” isnt a big deal. I spent a lot of time in China, and not Hong Kong or Taiwan either. I was in the Szechaun province which is still largely unvisited by tourists and I hadnt seen another white person for the entire 3 months I was there. Didnt phase me, just made me feel unique.
And in that country if you dont blend in people stare. And I dont mean a quick glance, I mean stop in the middle of the street and stare like Invasion of the Body Snatchers kind of staring.
Suppose the reason it doesnt phase me though is because when I was a kid I grew up in the projects, i was the only white boy living in the middle of a lot of angry blacks and puertoricans. And this was during the 80s when crack was going nuts. Took some beat downs there for my skin color, but I think it just made me tougher.
Love the blog. I was just offered another position within a firm I recently left due to a reduction if force. My hopefully, new supervisor said even though it looks like the job description was written for me, he would have to answer a thousand questions because I was a “white” guy. The diversity train rolling down the tracks.
Liberal chiming in here:
1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?
I’ll answer with respect to education, because this is the most obvious.
If education is about exposure to different ideas (rather than indoctination to one or a limited set of ideas), then the virtues of a diverse student body is obvious. When a student is exposed to more people of different religions, cultures, races, experiences, etc., he or she becomes more knowledgable. It’s that simple.
If you had actually read the Grutter decision, you would know that both the court (and the school) saw the inherent wisdom in having a diverse student body. You would also know that “skin color” was one of MANY factors that weighed into consideration (others were religion, gender, and geographical location).
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest†does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
Your question is loaded. You assume that “seeking diversity” is code for “racial discrimination”. It’s not.
“Diversity” is an attempt to achieve include a wide range of races, cultures, etc. It’s about INclusion.
“Racial discrimination” is a preference for one group (or several groups) over others. In other words, it’s about EXclusion.
If schools, businessses, etc. were actually attempted to engage in “racial discrimination”, then NO [blacks, whites, whatevers] would be admitted.
I hope that comment about “actually” reading the Grutter decision isn’t a swipe at me, because I’ve read it more than once. When I first read it back in 2003, I almost threw up.
And yes, all the questions are loaded because they reflect my bias. But…if schools lower standards to admit “minorities ” with lower scores that whites and Asians, who have applied but are rejected, schools are by definition discriminating against whites and Asians on account of race; hence, racial discrimination. The black students are certainly INcluded, and the whites and Asians are EXcluded. – Admin
I went to medical school when only 5% of students and doctors were women. I was on scholarship because I was from a lower middle class family.
Halfway thru medical school, my scholarship was cut to “diversify”.
Poor white girls were not minorities. Rich professors sons who were “black” were.
1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?
What type of skin color diversity are you quesiton about here? There is forced skin color diversity (Brown v. Board), and then there is what I might call “natural” diversity in which different people randomly gravitate to each other for one reason or another. In a free society, diversity, just, happens sometimes. I’ll assume you mean forced skin color diversity.
Forced skin color diversity without some sort of specific societal goal or outcome in mind is rather pointless. I find the wording of the question to be confusing. “For its own sake” in this context, to me, implies that forced skin color diversity is considered a “good-in-itself”, with no specific societal goal in mind (i.e. it proves its own value). And since there is no specific societal goal in mind, the “evidence of its value” is to be found only in the observable residual benefits.
The question seems to be asking, “Why is forced skin color diversity a good-in-itself?”; or, “What are the residual benefits of forced skin color diversity?” – which makes the whole question rather confusing; even more so when you ask for evidence of its value: when something is done “for its own sake”, the evidence of its value is (or should be) obvious.
The question needs rephrasing, to me anyway. If the question were changed to read: “What is the value of skin color diversity for the purpose of ?” – it would make more sense.
Consider the following from the Moynihan Report (which I assume is required reading for posting on LSB’s Corner):
What, in your opinion, did Moynihan mean to say here? That having these “white middle-class contacts” gives distinct advantages to a minority on economic and social levels? If so, then we would have to see some data on minority incomes when controlling for the number of “white middle-class contacts” they have.
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest†does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
None.
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
My entire life is a diversity-related story. A simple comparison of who I know should suffice.
I am 24, and frankly, I find most (if not all) of these discussions about diversity to be contrived, superficial, or just plain petty. I’ll use a double negative here to make my point: I have ‘never not’ known people of a different race/ethnicity. I’ve had white and asian friends ever since I set foot in school. When I first got to 1st grade I immediately made two friends, one white, one asian. I still talk to them to this day.
I grew up middle-class. I went to Catholic private school for the majority of my school career. I attended public school for two years (4th and 5th grade) because my mother wanted me to learn how to “be around my own people”. One side of my family is very mainstream, very educated; they speak The King’s Englishâ„¢ perfectly and without exception. A couple of my cousins married outside their race. The other side of my family is not mainstream, stereotypically black, not educated past high school; they speak Ebonics and use slang 90% of the time; they would never marry outside their race. I can interact seamlessly with both sides.
Diversity is about who you know; and I happen to know many different types of people. Take white people for instance, just as an example. I have a white friend whose mother is a college professor. At the same time, I have white friends who are by any definition, ghetto. I am good friends with white people who use the word “nigga” like its going out of style, and I am friends with whites who would never use that word in conversation. I have a set of white friends who like to meet up with me at the upscale mall to shop and have pizza, while another set of white friends are into drugs, sex, rap, and drinking and sit in basements the majority of the time. I would never let the two groups come into contact with each other, but I can subvert and infiltrate these groups at will.
True diversity is class diversity, not paint-by-numbers diversity.
“But…if schools lower standards to admit “minorities †with lower scores that whites and Asians, who have applied but are rejected, schools are by definition discriminating against whites and Asians on account of race; hence, racial discrimination.”
This assumes equality of all of the other factors that are considered in diversity, including personal experience.
I have a problem with diversity serving as a proxy exclusively for race. Or, for that matter, for race serving as a proxy for the other experiences/qualities KMan and the Grutter court allude to (which was the fundamental problem with quotas).
However, that’s not what diversity is in practice. For instance, diversity initiatives (in recruitment and admissions) often give preference to bilingual students, students with international (or other unique) work experience, etc., etc.
I understand that this is responsive to a comment and not the terms of the post, but it’s not a threadjack.
I would agree with Kyle very much about class diversity, which I did address in my rough draft of my comment but didn’t flesh out very well, which is why I didn’t include it in my comment here.
It depends upon the venue and type of people I am around when I am one of the few whites in the crowd. I go to a crab feed sponsored by a Black Masonic organization. I am usually one of about 3 whites in a crowd of 500. I do not feel weird at all. I get good vibes. My sister and I went to a special Louisiana creole dinner night at a Black owned restaurant with our Latino boyfriends, and got treated very badly and were actually shown to a make shift table in the back of the restaurant in another room. Where we were never served. We left and felt pretty dissed. So it depends on the people involved.
LaShawn,
I agree with your initial argument I don’t see the real need for diversity in higher education. I don’t learn Calculus any better in a room full of whites, blacks, Asians, and Hispanics as I would in a room full of blacks (assumption). Quick bio on me: I’m a black conservative college student at a top 30 nationally ranked private institution. I come from a Conservative state and grew up in one of the wealthy counties in America (Fairfax). Anyway, I digress Affirmative Action is a total farce in higher education. Take my school for instance, I could go out on a limb and say the number of white students who have been accepted to my college based on nepotism and athletics probably out numbers the total population of blacks on my college campus. I think we are around 400 (counts all blk students fresh, sophs, jr and sr)out of a total of 9k kids. Most people’s outrage for such a small and in my opinion useless insignificant program is astounding. I really wish they would post the numbers I’d be curious as to see how many of the 400 black kids at my school do not deserve to be there based on their academic performance. Let’s hypothetically say that 40% out of the 400 do not belong, so that’s about 160 black kids that do not belong, that leaves obviously 160 open spaces. In most research studies on affirmative action the majority of those seats would go to Asian American students with only a tiny portion going to white students. Anyway, point is diversity if useless in higher education you don’t learn calculus, economics 101, or any other subject better because there are a few different races in your class….
Call me hard headed and be done with it! Like Deng Zao Peng, I don’t care if the cat is black or white as long as it catches mice.
“Diversity” is an effete construct for building someone’s imaginary perfect round table of participants.
I have attended plenty of “diversity” training sessions and I have learned a great deal. I have learned what chips people are carrying on their shoulders and how to approach them so that they don’t go off in a snit. That is useful.
But in the world of math and science and other exact arts, the cream rises to the top without any help from the “diversity” crowd. Oh, sure, some students have to be pushed and pulled to develop their talents, but no external program ever created those God given gifts.
Everyone needs to have the experience of being the only one in the group who is…….(race, religion, political view, etc.) It builds character and is an important part of self determination.
Each of us needs to be comfortable in our own skins to be comfortable when we are the standout exception to the crowd.
Hopefully, this “diversity” craze will run its course. But I am sure some Dr. Phil type will show up immediately with a new term and a new recipe of psychobabble to fill the void.
Bah! Humbug.
I’ve been around for a while my first job was as an accountant in the 70s. After working for a couple of months my first boss said he had been very reluctant to hire a woman but was now quite pleased. Why was he pleased, because I worked my butt off — I was the first one in the office in the morning, the last one to leave at night, did all my work without complaint.
A few years later after working my way up the corporate ladder I had the occasion to be at a dinner with some investment bankers who told the following story. A major New York bank had just made the push two/three years earlier to hire some females out of business school. So the first year the recruiters go out to hire females and they have no idea how to hire a woman and what criteria to use. Result was the most of the women hired the first year were absolute wash-outs in the account executive program. These women could not or did not do the work. What criteria did the recruiters use — it isn’t too hard to guess — they just hired the best looking eye candy they found. Lesson learned and the next year the recruiters hired women using the same criteria and analysis they used when hiring the men. The result, the women hired the second year created the greatest revenue growth experienced by the firm in years.
In my early working years I was often the only non-secretarial, female professional in the office.
I have developed a new take on diversity, as I see more and more evil in the world, I advocate we forget gender, race, or political view and if we must divide people, then divide them by those who are pursuing good versus those who are embracing evil abandon.
La Shawn:
Great about you being the only Black person in a group.
I have gone to a Black Baptist church – twice.
I was the only White person there.
I felt uneasy – for about a minute. The people were warm and friendly. A truly great experience.
I grew up and still live in deep South Texas, where the brown:white ratio is 11:1. I’ve been a minority all of my life. In fact, as an Alsatian, I’m a minority within the minority, which mostly consists of Germans, Poles and other Europeans. I’m so much of a minority nobody even knows what I am.
But to answer Ms. Barber’s questions.
1) I see no value in skin color diversity whatsoever. Like Martin Luther King, I judge a person by the quality of their character.
I don’t believe so much in differences between groups as in differences within groups. I mean, there are intelligent whites and really stupid whites, just as there are intelligent blacks and really stupid blacks. The same goes for browns, yellows and reds. What is the real difference between an intelligent white and an intelligent black? Not much. What is the difference between an intelligent black and a really stupid white? A whole hell of a lot.
2) The government has no compelling interest to sanction discrimination of any kind on any basis, racial or otherwise. This is a matter of principle. We hold this truth to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.
3) I don’t know what a diversity-related story is.
I think if we just concentrate on character and class (in the original meaning of the word, as a deeper sense of understanding), everything else will take care of itself.
In a room full of intelligent whites, blacks, browns, yellows, reds, how much diversity is there really? None. Everyone is of equal character and class.
In fact, people who would see diversity in the room, based solely on something as superficial and irrelevant as skin pigmentation, would be truly stupid and thus don’t belong in the room in the first place, since they obviously are of poor character and don’t have any class.
Try being a 6′3″ white American male in summer dress uniform (Navy Chief Petty Officer) in a city on the northeast coast of Italy, when SOPA has decreed that, because of the terrorist threat level, no Naval personnel should go over on liberty in uniform (I missed that part, of course). I, and one of my shipmates, similarly garbed, were the only two such American Military in uniform there. You could see us, towering over the locals, from a mile away.
We had a great time. We were able to be who and what we were and the curiosity we engendered in the locals led to our being showered with hospitality and, after a little demonstration of Italian reserve, made to feel like one of the guys.
I always remember that. I always try to make the new guy feel that way too, because being the only can happen to anyone at any time.
Re-reading my previous post, I came across a grievous grammatical error. Faulty pronoun reference. From someone with a master’s degree in English, this is inexusable.
The sentence should read: I judge a person by the quality of his or her character.
1) I do not see any value in skin diversity for skin diversity sakes. I think class diversity is what we should shoot for. My upbringing and values are no different from the white people that I grew up with.
2) I don’t see a need to lower standards. What we really need to do is raise performance. I think that the focus is kept on race to keep the light off of the real divider which is class.
3) I grew up in the south I have a ton of them.
It is uncomfortable to be the only black man in a room full of white people. Not having that black face in the crowd to comfort you is not the worst part. The worst part is the visible discomfort you bring to some people in the room. I have heard people sigh when I added a little color to the crowd. 99% of the time someone will actually go out of their way to make you feel welcome. Like everything else in life it is the bad that usually sticks and stays in our memory. The important thing is to not let those things dictate how you treat and interact with people.
Good questions, as usual, LaShawn, and I won’t be able to do justice to them in my answer. But briefly, I am very opposed to Affirmative Action because I think that it is racist and unfair to whites, and I think it is terribly damaging and NOT helpful to minorities. When I was a nurse, I observed firsthand the suspicion toward black and hispanic doctors if they appeared to be a bit sub-par. There were white doctors who were sub-par too, but no one assumed that they got a special break in their medical school admissions process. We just figured that the white ones must be booksmart but real dumb when it came to applying their knowledge. In general, I don’t believe in giving someone something that they did not earn, which is what Affirmative Action does.
Having said that, what I DO support wholeheartedly is the establishment of comprehensive remedial programs in major subject areas in college, and admitting weaker students conditionally. This gives them a chance, but also requires something of them, that they eventually make the grade along with everyone else. I was born a poor white and grew up in the south and no one in previous generations in my family had gone to college. I was a smart kid, but had emotional and social problems beginning in high school and ended up being an 11th grade drop out. I had to petition to get admitted to a local university and my staying there was conditioned on my first semester grades. I had to take remedial algebra for a year before I could take a regular college level math course. However, I did it, and in the end, graduated with honors, which I darned well earned! I would not have been successful if someone had just given me a free pass, no strings attached, and if I had not been required to take remedial courses and MAKE THE GRADE. I also think that Affirmative Action does not take into account the population I came from — poor, uneducated whites. This group also needs a lot of help. I agree with Shelby Steele in his assertion that Affirmative Action once served a useful purpose but now it creates more problems than it solves, mainly because it casts a shadow of doubt, whether deservedly or undeservedly, on blacks and hispanics in their professions. It is not fair to those blacks or hispanics who qualified for college without the help of Affirmative Action. The old adage that “minorities have to be better to be equal” is unfortunately probably still true to some extent, but Affirmative Action only gives credence to bigots’ views of minorities in some cases. Do we want to be doing that?
I completely and totally understand your discomfort at being the only black person in the room and your desire to see someone who is like you. We all feel that way, really. It is completely normal and natural and should not be pathologized. I have no problem with diversity, in fact, diversity is ideal, if it occurs naturally and if it is more meaningful than just mixing and matching skin tones. I object to forced diversity and it only causes the reverse of what it intends to do. I grew up in the south and southwest where there was a lot of “diversity” and it seemed to me that for the most part, with a few exceptions, kids hung out with people who were like them and there was frequently tension and violence between different groups. It could be between blacks, hispanics and whites, or it could be between rich and poor or it could be between eggheads and jocks or it could be between punks and Young Republicans. Whatever. It is human nature. Respect for different cultures should be strongly encouraged, but not forced. I think when you force people outside their comfort zone, you begin to have problems. I know that there are those who would disagree and say that sometimes, these things need to be forced. I’m just not sure I agree with that.
I also find that many liberals and minorities will accuse whites of rejecting minorities based on their skin color when in reality, that is not the basis of the rejection at all. I happen to dislike gangs, crime, immoral behavior, threatening and menacing behavior, loud and obnoxious behavior, etc, and these are unfortunately social problems that are present to a greater degree in certain black and hispanic inner city neighborhoods. I object to the assumption that “poor neighborhoods” have these problems because I simply don’t agree that being poor automatically means you have to be a social problem. “Poor” is also a euphemism for “minority” and creates a thin disguise for liberals who want to say the same things that conservatives say but don’t want to look bad saying it. I would have no difficulty whatsoever visiting a middle class black neighborhood or church, or attending a Mexican Catholic event, both places where I am likely to meet people who share my core values, even if they look different from me or have a different culture. Some social critics have pointed out that the divisions in society are really class based more than race based and I’d agree with that. In general, I am most comfortable with a middle class white person with values, but if given a choice between a middle class black person with values and a low class, white, crack-addicted prostitute, I think it’s a no brainer who I’d rather have as my friend and who I would have more in common with. When people share their core values, or belong to the same class, then they can explore their differences in race and culture in a calm, supportive atmosphere of friendship. There is a lot to learn from those differences even if other important stuff like values is shared. I would resent, however, being told that “diversity” means learning to like and respect groups who have nothing likeable or respectable about them, simply because we have a different skin tone. So what? Who cares? This whole multi-culti-diversity-tolerance movement has become very fascist in tone. The more people have in common, the more they will gravitate toward each other naturally.
The other thing that really wrankles me (and some Conservative minority leaders have already discussed this) is that when a member of a minority achieves an education and becomes a success and speaks standard English, he or she is accused of being an Oreo (if black) or of trying to be white and rejecting his or her ethnicity. Grrrrrr!! I had a black friend last year who made a disparaging comment about Condoleeza Rice and when I questioned her about it, she said something to the effect of “she’s forgotten that she’s black.” Um, what? She has?? I may not agree with Rice on some of the things she is saying and doing with regard to foreign policy but I respect her a whole heck of a lot and if I were black, I’d be proud to have her on my team. I’m quite certain that she has not forgotten that she is black, but what do I know, being a white person. I asked my friend to elaborate on this point in case there was something that I just wasn’t seeing, but she was unable to do so — couldn’t come up with a single example to support her statement. This woman also felt the same way about Colin Powell. I just do not understand the hostility toward blacks who are successful and who do not parrot the party line about the White Devil. It seems like hispanics have had an easier time rising in society without suffering the disapproval of their ethnic group.
Well, that’s all for now. I know I didn’t even touch on some of your questions but I’ve written enough for the time being.
LaShawn,
“Apparently, some people who consider themselves hispanics also call themselves white.” Well, yes. Most hispanics are white, the descendants of white Spanish europeans. I’m one of them. The interesting thing to keep in mind is that many of these hispanic movements and “community leaders,” who refer to themselves as “bronze” or “person of color” in THIS country, are WHITE in their native country. They are considered to be white. In some countries (like Brazil), lighter skinned blacks, like a Vanessa Williams or a Halle Berry would view herself, and be viewed by others, as white or mixed, and definitely not black. Today, hispanics are not a race – they are an ethnic group. Filipinos are, technically, hispanic.
I remember when I attended the founding meeting of a group called MOMMA in Santa Monica. I was very liberal then and was all gung ho for the equality of rights (although we always said equality of opportunity). Well, I walked into this large auditorium and guess what? I felt so completely out of place and ignored that I left and that became for me a “click” moment.
Why was I ignored? Well, I showed up in a suit, hose and heels, groomed and ready to join and do battle. However, the only participants I could see were females in, what was then called, “flower children” garb. All talking to each other and making no effort to even look my way. And when I tried to join in the looks were enough to send me on my way. I could have used the money pouring in to help “us” go to college, but as I told a young woman, who would take care of my kids? Who would be responsible for making sure they were brought up right if I was working and going to college and spending the rest of the time studying? As a single parent of three, aged 2-12, I choose my children. Today they are a credit to me and society. Need I say more?
Had we then marched for equality of opportunity everywhere, for everyone, I wonder what would have happened. What I saw over 30+ years was a diminution of our children, a hatred of men, no one giving black children good teachers in good schools. In fact, my friend agreed to teach in an inner city school but was beaten by students, physically, while in his classroom, that he quit. The authorities did absolutely nothing. Their excuse? We have to take things as they come, we cannot impose our values on others.
Today, I too am in my 60’s, and fight everyday to make sure my grandchildren are not brainwashed in the Leftist way. I explain my experiences and the history of the past 30-40 years to make sure they understand that they must be responsible for their actions, apply themselves in order to learn and succeed in live and I maintain a discipline to make sure they do their best.
My biggest disagreement with them is: no, just because your friends want to jump off a 300 foot cliff, does not mean you do too!
LaShawn,
I think your remarks on diversity are quite interesting. I would like to suggest you see my recent comments on the same issue at http://www.publiuspundit.com/index.php
Cheers
Clifton
La Shawn,
Wish I had time right now to read through everyone’s posts. A couple observations (which might grow to a few by the time I finish):
1. I live in a predominately white part of the country. The people I end up hanging out with are those people who have similar interests and ideals as what I have. I don’t hang out with other white folks with whom I don’t have interests and ideals in common. Even among non-diverse minority populations, I’m guessing people still seek out those with whom they share interests and ideals.
Diversity doesn’t mean much to me. I think it’s mostly nonsense. I doubt that diversity has any intrinsic value. I think for a lot of liberal white folks, trumpeting diversity makes them feel superior and insulates them from the fear of being accused of racism.
2. I think part of the diversity movement is driven by the desire to advance “nonjudgmentalism” and the acceptance of “alternative lifestyles.” In other words, advancing “diversity” is a way of sort of bootstrapping this GLBT/alternative lifestyle agenda into the mainstream by tieing it to notions of racial equality and acceptance.
3. I understand where you’re coming from on feeling less comfortable when you’re the only black person in a crowd of white people, but if I was ever in a group with you, we’d probably talk and laugh like old friends. I’d do my level best to make sure you felt comfortable.
There’s a reason, though, why you find yourself in groups of white people. The people who share your conservative ideals and interests are often white. We need to recruit more black people to be social conservatives. How about it Tiffany? Shade? Come be conservatives and hang out with La Shawn and me. How about that? I’d be the lone white guy in the group. Now, that’s a diversity that I could embrace.
If you want to be “the only” in a racially conscious soceity and aren’t Chinese. Take a trip to China and you will be the sideshow in certain places both good and bad. Bring an interpeter with you.
After high school I’ve always been the “only one.” Having grown up in Hawai’i and gone to a Hawaiian school it was a bit of shock to suddenly live among all whites and blacks and hispanics when I was in the military. Occasionally coming across another Hawaiian.
Odd part is that there are very very few pure blooded Hawaiians left in the world, so all the Hawaiians I grew up with and around looked hapa, or Japanese, or Chinese, or Caucasian, or Filipino, or Hawaiian and so on. So, with the exception of blacks, the shock wasn’t about skin color, but about common culture, attitude and values.
Kalroy
Regarding the 3:39 update, La Shawn is absolutely right that liberals who call blacks and Hispanics ‘minorities’ even where they form the majority of the population do not mean it in the sense of “a group differing, esp. in race, religion, or ethnic background, from the majority of a population.†The sociological definition of a minority is based on power differential, not straight demographics. According to that definition, there may be fewer whites than members of other races, but if the whites have the majority of financial and political power in the area, those other groups are still considered minorities. I don’t know enough about these “certain sections of the country” to say for certain if that’s the case.
Incidentally, I love this blog, and read it as often as possible. I’ve only had time to skim this particular article right now, but I’ll be back later: my interest is definitely piqued. Keep up the good work, La Shawn.
What’s the value of diversity of skin color? None, that I can see. If diversity is another way of saying that accomplishment is not limited to any one race, and therefore is opportunity is offered equally, we should see the results by seeing representation of all races, then I’d say it was good. If it means that exposure to people of different races is necessary during an individual’s upbringing so that they don’t treat other races as weird just because of color, that’s possibly a reason to require it.
More valuable, it seems to me, is the fact that _usually_ different color skin means a different culture, and that can be a real contribution when it comes to “thinking outside the box”. How we approach problems seems to me to be ingrained by our cultures, so someone from a different culture may be able to approach a problem from a different perspective.
You ask if the government should ever mandate diversity. I think not. I can see that it may be a government function to prohibit inequality of opportunity, but not to require diversity. I do see that if there’s _no_ diversity(or very little), there can definitely be a suspicion that opportunity is not being offered equally, but it should have to be proven unequivocably before the government steps in and acts.
I work in a field that doesn’t seem to attract many black people. Maybe it’s the combination of geography and profession. But at any rate, there have usually only been one or two, if any, blacks in the companies I’ve worked for. I always felt for those people. Being the only black person at meetings, having people assume you’re friends with the other black person even if you have nothing in common, knowing that people like me feel solicitous for you even if we’re trying not to show it…. And it’s odd, but I know I don’t even think twice about Asian or Latino employees. I don’t “worry” about them.
Honestly, I try hard to judge people on their merits and to not act like some sort of condenscending memsahib (which would be ridiculous, seeing as how I’m the granddaughter of Irish peasants). That’s why so many PC things makes me crazy, because they’re just condescending.
But still, if I were in a hiring position and faced with two candidates who had the same qualifications and professional attitude, but one was white and one was black… all other things being equal, I would lean heavily towards hiring the black person. I’m no bleeding heart by any measure, but I think it strengthens our society to have people of different races working side by side every day. It just normalizes things.
I won’t address your questions in detail since so many others have covered the subject pretty well, but I just have an observation. In principle, exposing students to different cultural milieus, ideas, and weltanshauungs is a valuable thing. Students learn to think critically in evaluating the welter of truth claims, and also learn to appreciate and enjoy the breadth of human experience and achievement.
In practice, however, the black students who mostly populate higher education seem to come from backgrounds that frankly aren’t radically different from those of their economic peers of other races. (I work in higher education, directly serving the student population.) They’ve all grown up under the same over-arching media culture, most of them have gone to the same big public (and increasingly, private) schools, and nowadays they even share the same pop culture references. So where is the diversity, really?
Diversity for the Sake of Diversity:
Two assumptions are inferred, but never stated, when one speaks of the virtues of cultural diversity. The stated real-world premise of diversity is the belief that a diverse sample enhances the overall ability of the group to respond positively to a given task. It is hoped that picking a person from this sub-group or that sub-group leads to varying inputs, therefore increasing the possibility of a larger range of viable outputs. Put in such terms, diversity appears to be logical.
The first assumption, and more benign, is any given sample taken from cross-cultural populations is going to foster sufficiently differing inputs. Once again, seems logical. However, the implication is much more nefarious; There is an extremely small sample, of just a few persons, that is to be indicative of an entire culture. In essence, it stereotypes cultures. The examples are far too easy for anyone to need a push in the right direction, but here are a few anyway: Sharpton representing LaShawn, David Dukes representing middle-class whites, Falwell representing evangelicals, Teddy Kennedy representing Catholic America. Put J. Jackson, Kennedy, Hillary, Franken, Boxer and Soros together and you have a culturally diverse group. Is that what is meant by diversity? It is absurd to think the diversity within a culture can be represented by just a few.
There is a flip side that is perhaps even worse. A mindset that sees potential because of a person’s culture, by default assumes another is incapable for the same reason. If it is imperative that an African-American be included based on culture, it becomes imperative to include a white person. Simply because an African-American becomes incapable of arriving at the same conclusion an Asian, Hispanic, or Anglo could have if he was included.
Now, the absolute worst assumption. Proponents of cultural diversity are establishing a cross-culture equivalency. Placing cultures beyond subjective labels should be a good idea. After all, cultures are neither bad nor good. They just exist. Who is to be the judge when placing labels that are far-reaching and abstract. Who are we to place labels on the indigenous tribes of Borneo? Logic, once again, seems to favor those who laud diversity.
If cultures cannot be judged, cannot be labeled, and cannot be questioned, then the concept of a cultural progression ceases to exist. That means not only are the misogynist cultures of the Mid-East given a free pass, but our own country’s pock-marked past is seen as equivalent: same but different. I doubt either of the Reverends, Jackson or Sharpton, would claim the situation of black Americans is equivalent to 1861. I doubt N.O.W. would claim women’s situation is equivalent to the 1900’s. I doubt Chinese immigrants would look back at 19th century mining and railroad towns with fond emotions, and say “Ahhhh, the good old days when we had jobs as mining canaries.” I doubt Japanese Americans look back at 1941 and smile at the “Jap” posters and internment. I doubt Native Americans look back….I doubt Mexicans look back…I doubt communist look back….on and on…
We have progressed! There is no equivalency! This is America, the Great Melting Pot. America is not the luke-warm pan where ingredients remain separated: preferring to exert an individual taste explosion instead of combining for a truly special delight. Leave such small minded thinking to the French, with their clearly marked partitions of society. We have always welcomed those who come to be Americans. Each one contributing a small slice from what they knew before. Celebrate your St. Patty’s Day, your Highland games, your Oktoberfest, and your Cinco de Mayo. But, when that day is done, pack up your kilt, your whiskey and green tie, your beer stein, and your sombrero. This is how America has celebrated cultural diversity for 200 years!
“Diversity” has bitten me in the butt many times, but I can think of two stand-out incidents.
My Dad was always an egalitarian, and while applying for a part-time job in a southern city while he was going to college (after he retired from the Marines, so I was about 12, making this 1960 or so) he came accross the “Race” blank on a job application. The mere presence of the question enraged him, and he wrote “human”. He was written off as a “n-word lover”.
He did the same thing in 1990 when he had to fill out an application for a conference in his career field. The mere presence of the question enraged him, and he wrote “human”. That time he was written off as a racist.
He was being consistant. When I asked him about it, he said that if it was wrong in 1960, it was even MORE wrong in 1990, since we are now supposed to know better. No one would listen to him, and he wore the brand of “racist” for the rest of his life (which turned out to be only 2 more years). By that point in his life, he was at a stage where he didn’t care what anyone else thought.
For myself, I ran afoul of Affirmative Action about 15 years ago. When I was promoted into a management position here, two Black men who applied for the same job spent the next six months grousing because they figured I got in on Affirmative Action because I’m a woman. Mind you, it was OK for them to apply for the job with AA credits, but when they figured I did it, they were all but insubordinant until they found out that I had ten more years of experience than my nearest competitor. HOW they found out about that I don’t know, since I had made it plain that my background none of their business, since they were so hostile to me. I think they eventually put two and two together from conversations I had with friendlier employees. Point of fact, I didn’t use an AA credit because my resume is already a 600-pound gorilla and I don’t need to make extra claims. But they loved that AA… until they figured out that someone other than a Black might be able use it!!!
Things like this, when they come up, can make an egalitarian, as I was raised to be, feel particularly harassed. I can only imagine how white males must feel
.
I must be a minority in that department, LaShawn. As an American of Asian descent, I feel most comfortable among Americans, not Asians. Maybe there’s a difference?
I like your candor!
I’ll qualify my answers by saying I’m a conservative WASP who had very little exposure to minorities in the lily-white suburbs I grew up in. That all changed when I was in the armed service.
“1) What is the value of skin color diversity for its own sake (In schools? businesses? government?), and what is the evidence of its value?”
As a by-product I suppose it could be considered as evidence of a lack of discrimination. As a focus, however, it could be evidence of exactly the opposite. And I guess, how would you know? It seems to me to be illogical to call it a value or goal and then use effort to try to attain it because it doesn’t show or prove anything it’s supposed to prove. The only thing I can see is, as has been mentioned above, is that because several cultures and points of view have a chance to be represented, the end result could be a more enriched point of view – both collectively in the group, and individually in its members. But that really isn’t skin color in and of itself is it? Seems we have a conundrum here.
2) Given that legal barriers to entry have been dismantled, what “compelling interest†does the government have to continue sanctioning racial discrimination?
Cannot for the life me even come close to answering this. When I was 12 or so (about 1975), one of our family’s friends was over at the house. He was African-American (he called himself ‘black’ then) and said something I never forgot. He said, “I’m tired of being insulted by these programs. If I have to fight your father for his job with an unfair advantage, how am I supposed to reconcile that with my belief in justice and fairness? Does justice and fairness only count for me?” I was young enough to not get the full meaning of what was going on, but in my naivety (sp?), I just thought that most people believed as he did.
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
Just one. I applied for city position just after getting out of the Navy. They selected people to test for the position based on filled out resumes. The test consisted of a written test and a practical test. The top five overall after the testing were offered interviews to fill two positions. I placed first in the written exam and 2nd in the practical exam and was not interviewed. I asked what the reason was. I was told that I did not score enough points. I wondered how that could possibly be and shared the results with the person I was asking. I was told that I did not have enough total points despite having the 2nd most, based on the test results. Without saying it exactly, “other factors” contributed to the point values assigned to the applicants and I was not in the top 5. Not bitter about it, but I do remember it.
3) Do you have any diversity-related personal stories, positive or negative, you’d like to share?
Most of my family is from the rural south. My family is the outlying as my parents lived in the south but moved to a mid-sized city and worked at professional jobs. Family reunions were always interesting though. You had a lot or farmers there, one cousin of mine (by marriage) who was a computer programmer, and me.
My cousin was black and I am white but the two of use would always get together and talk about computers and technology while our other male relatives discussed crop yield, seeds, pesticides and other ag issues I know nothing about.
Out relatives were not mean spirited to us our anything we just did not share common interests. They were happy talking about their area of passion and I was thrilled to have someone with shared interest I could visit with as well.
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