The Scary Face of Diversity
I don’t doubt that diversity in organizations is valuable, what I doubt is the motives of many of the most vocal promoters of diversity. Take this account from a recent hearing on Capitol Hill, for example:
On Wednesday, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee were reviewing a report that said Chertoff’s department lags behind others in hiring women and minorities to senior positions.
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) asked all the Chertoff aides sitting behind him at the hearing to stand up. Men in ties and jackets, all of whom appeared to be Caucasian, stood up. Without comment, Scott moved on to ask Chertoff about another issue.
But Rep. Melvin Watt (D-N.C.) returned to the diversity question. “You brought 10 staff people with you,” he said, “all white males. . . . But I hope you’ve got more diversity in your staff than is reflected here. Please reassure me that is the case.”
“I think that is definitely the case,” Chertoff said.
“Okay,” Watt said, and appeared to begin moving to another question.
But Chertoff continued: “I wouldn’t assume that the ethnic background of everybody behind me is self-evident.”
Watt replied: “I wouldn’t assume the ethnic background of everybody behind you is self-evident, but I think I know an African American when I see one…. If anyone wants to stand up and volunteer and tell me they are an African American, I hope they will do that right now.”
No one stood. Some in the audience began laughing.
…
As it turns out, there was indeed diversity in the group, a DHS spokesman said yesterday. One of the men was of Peruvian heritage, he said, another was born in Russia of Jewish heritage and a third was a lawyer originally from Iran.
I’ll leave you to speculate on the ethnicity of the questioners and their commitment to the high-minded principle of diversity versus the somewhat lower principle of “what about my people?”
Trackposted to Diary of the Mad Pigeon, Rosemary’s Thoughts, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, The World According to Carl, Pirate’s Cove, Global American Discourse, The Pink Flamingo, , and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
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Bio: I am currently a Professor of Security Studies, hold a BS in Management and an MA in National Security Studies, and am pursuing an MA in Systematic and Philosophical Theology. I've written for Navy Times, Proceedings, Armed Forces Journal and a number of blogs. As a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve, I attained the rank of Commander, deployed five times for four different conflicts and served as a Foreign Area Officer and a Surface Warfare Officer. During my 7 years in the private sector, I worked in the fields of information technology and publishing, and even ran for public office once.
March 7th, 2008 at 17:01
Diversity is useless as an overriding concern. Useless and harmful. And insulting. The only concerns when hiring someone for a job or promoting a person to a more responsible position should be competence, trustworthiness and willingness to work. Requiring so-called diversity of races/ethnicities/sexes in hiring and promoting as concerns of equal or greater importance to these genuine criteria is foolish, shortsighted and condescending to people of various racial/ethnic backgrounds and/or women. What an insult! Were someone to offer me a job, even one for which I felt fully qualified, solely or primarily on the basis of “diversity” I’d be hard put not to simply deck them–hard!–on my way out the door.
March 8th, 2008 at 16:53
ty for the link!..diversity..yes one of the buzz words we all know what it really means~!:)